INDIANAPOLIS – Sunday's 27-24 victory for the Colts wasn't short on entertainment.
In knocking off the previously undefeated Broncos (7-1), the Colts (4-5) had some key fourth quarter plays by guys who have had a knack for those in their time with Indianapolis.
Along with that, we also take a look in the notebook at the injuries to Henry Anderson/Mike Adams and how the snap counts differentiated under new coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
Here's a notebook look at the Colts moving their record to 4-5 heading into the bye week:
55-Yard Field Goal From Adam Vinatieri The Difference Sunday
The ball had barely left Adam Vinatieri's right foot before his right fist was pumping.
That was all people needed to see as Vinatieri's 55-yard field goal barely moved from the middle of the uprights to give the Colts a 27-24 lead late in Sunday's fourth quarter.
Vinatieri's 55-yarder was the longest he's had in his 10 seasons with the Colts.
"I felt like I hit it pretty well," Vinatieri said modestly after the 27-24 victory.
"Warming up, I knew we had that kind of distance today. When it left my foot I thought it was good, but you always got to look up and make sure it's going where you think it is."
After the Colts tried to hit a home run pass to Donte Moncrief on a third-and-two, there was little hesitation to send Vinatieri out with 6:18 remaining.
A miss there and Denver was just a couple of first downs away from getting into field goal range of their own.
Those what-ifs are rarely needed when you have a Hall of Fame kicker.
"It's one win, but it's a big win and it's a good win," the 20-year vet said after the game.
"Obviously we needed that one and we're going to be enjoying this for a little while but we're going to hopefully take this momentum and keep running with it."
**Darius Butler Records Game-Clinching Interception
**Darius Butler had seen the play work a few times on Sunday and he was bound not to let it happen again.
Following the 55-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri, the Broncos had the ball at their own 33-yard line, down 27-24, with 6:13 to play.
Butler knew a play-action fake with Demaryius Thomas dragging across the middle of the field was coming.
With Peyton Manning under immense pressure from a rushing David Parry, Butler jumped the Thomas route and made a terrific play on the ball.
"It was one of Peyton's go-to plays," Butler said after the win. "They hit it a couple of times earlier in the game. I had an idea that might have been coming."
The interception at the 6:06 mark of the fourth quarter ended up being the final time Manning would get on the field Sunday.
He would fall three yards short of breaking the NFL career passing record for most yards in league history.
Butler's interception came thanks to some interior pressure from the rookie Parry.
"We ran a blitz where I crossed the center's face and I was able to put a move on him," Parry said.
"I came around to the corner and I saw (Walden) out of the corner of my eye so it was a race to Peyton at that point. I put him down and heard the crowd going wild. Once I heard the crowd erupt, I kind of assumed he had the ball."**
Colts Lose Key Defenders Mike Adams, Henry Anderson To Injury
**Bye week means a time to heal and it also means two key injury watches for the Colts defense.
Henry Anderson (knee sprain) and Mike Adams (ankle) are heading for MRIs on Monday.
Chuck Pagano said the injury to Anderson is "pretty significant."
The rookie Anderson left after 19 snaps on Sunday, limping his way off the field and into the locker room. His presence up front this year has been immense for an improved Colts defensive front.
If Anderson has to miss a chunk of time, guys like Billy Winn, Zach Kerr and T.Y. McGill will be asked to play more.
Adams' afternoon ended following an early second quarter interception. Adams appeared to get his ankle caught in the turf before falling to the ground.
Veteran Colt Anderson replaced Adams.
Following the game, Adams tweeted that his injury was just a little scare.
Colts/Broncos Snap Counts
- The wide receiver snaps on Sunday went as followed: Donte Moncrief (55-of-79), T.Y. Hilton (48-of-79, playing on an injured foot), Andre Johnson (33-of-79) and Griff Whalen (24-of-79).
- The running back reps were led by Frank Gore (50 of 79). Ahmad Bradshaw played 29 snaps in his fourth game with the Colts this season.
- We expected to see more tight end packages under Rob Chudzinski and we definitely did. Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener each played 59 snaps. Jack Doyle logged 31 of the 79 offensive snaps.
- Inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and cornerback Vontae Davis each played 52 of the 53 defensive snaps on Sunday.
- With Mike Adams exiting after 19 snaps due to an ankle injury, Colt Anderson played 30 snaps.
- Henry Anderson's day ended after 19 snaps (knee injury). In his place, Zach Kerr played 16 snaps and T.Y. McGill saw 10 snaps of action.
- The rotation at outside linebacker continues to see more packages with several "edge" guys on the field at one time. Those snaps Sunday went as followed: Trent Cole (33), Erik Walden (33), Robert Mathis (32), Bjoern Werner (12) and Jonathan Newsome (7).
