INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts held on to momentum built off their win over Tennessee a week and a half ago as they escaped with a 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Rodrigo Blankenship hit a game-winning 39-yard field goal in overtime. That field goal was set up by a fumble from Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling recovered by the Colts defense on the opening drive of the overtime period.
The Colts trailed for a majority of the game as they faced a 28-14 deficit at halftime.
“We were down by 14 (points) but came in at halftime and everybody just knew what we had to do,” said head coach Frank Reich. “I just feel a resilience and mental toughness. Two weeks in a row now against very good football teams in different ways, take control of the game in the second half.”
Both Colts quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett would tag-team the Colts’ offensive effort in the second half in which the Colts scored 17 unanswered points until late in the fourth quarter. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers engineered a last-minute drive that set up a game-tying field goal from veteran kicker Mason Crosby to make it 31-31.
The recovery of Valdes-Scantling’s fumble in overtime by Julian Blackmon would put the Colts in position for the game-winning field goal from Blankenship, which was the fourth of five field goals he would attempt in the game.
“We were like, ‘Let’s go’, Rivers said. “We have to start the second half with a touchdown. We didn’t but we got three (points). Defense goes three-and-out, we score, we get the two-point conversion. All of a sudden you look up and it’s 28 to 25, and it’s still the third quarter. It’s a resilient group, and again, this is one game.”
Rivers finished the day with 288 yards passing to ten different receivers along with three touchdowns and an interception. Running back Jonathan Taylor carried the ball 22 times for 90 yards.
The Colts move to 7-3 and still hold the tie-breaker in the AFC South for first place over the Tennessee Titans who are also 7-3 after beating the Baltimore Ravens.
The Colts and the Titans will square off for the second time in three weeks this coming Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts beat the Titans in Nashville two weeks ago.
