INDIANAPOLIS —With the bye week upon us, we take a look back at the first 10 weeks of the season for the Indianapolis Colts, continuing with the Top 10 plays of the season to this point.
• No. 10 — Downed Punt Leads To Safety:
In the Colts' Week 4 game against the Seahawks in Seattle, they used some excellence on special teams to set up a big play for the defense. Rigoberto Sanchez's punt from midfield was fielded at the one-yard line by Kenny Moore II, who was able to get rid of the ball before falling in the end zone to save a potential touchback. Matthias Farley scooped the ball up to down it at the Seattle one-yard line. Then, on defense, the Colts sent cornerback Nate Hairston in on the blitz, who was able to hit quarterback Russell Wilson as he was throwing. Though the officials initially ruled Wilson got rid of the ball before he was down, a challenge by Indianapolis showed Wilson's knee was actually down first, giving the team its first safety of the season.• No. 9 — Bray's 60-Yard Punt Return:
In their Week 6 matchup against the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football, the Colts were trailing by three, 22-19, after a DeMarco Murray three-yard touchdown run with about 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But on the ensuing kickoff, Quan Bray was able to find an opening and go 60 yards down the field to get all the way to the Tennessee 40. The return was huge on that drive, as the Indy offense could only muster six more yards the rest of the way, but they were already in field goal range for Adam Vinatieri, who nailed a 52-yard field goal to tie the game at 22 with 7:32 left.• No. 8 — Rogers' First-Career Touchdown Is A Doozy:
In their Week 10 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, second-year wide receiver Chester Rogers was able to put in the best performance of his career. The highlight of his six reception, 104-yard day was undoubtedly his 61-yard touchdown on Indy's opening drive of the second half, where quarterback Jacoby Brissett found Rogers wide open along the right side of the field at the Steelers' 30-yard line, and 10 yards later he was able to make two Pittsburgh defenders miss. Rogers jogged the final 20 yards from there to cap his huge day.• No. 7 — Brissett Hits The Spin Move For The Score:
In the Colts' Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Jacoby Brissett was able to show off his wheels and get into the end zone not once, but twice. The second touchdown was the most impressive, as he was able to show off his real-life Madden skills by hitting the spin button to break away from two Browns defenders and score from seven yards out in Indy's 31-28 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium.• No. 6 — Hilton Hits The 'Cabbage Patch:'
In that same Week 4 matchup against the Browns, after Brissett's two rushing touchdowns, he was able to connect with wide receiver T.Y. Hilton for a 61-yard score with about five minutes to go in the first half to put the host Colts up 21-7 — Hilton's first touchdown of the season. On such a special occasion, Hilton broke out the "Cabbage Patch" dance, to the delight of the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd.• No. 5 — The GOAT Wins It In Overtime:
In the Colts' Week 5 game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium, the two teams found themselves knotted at 23 at the end of regulation. After an Brissett interception on Indy's first drive in overtime, followed by a big defensive stop on the ensuing San Francisco drive, the Colts got the ball back with just less than four minutes to go in the overtime period. Thanks to a huge 35-yard run by Marlon Mack, however, the Colts would send out Adam Vinatieri to attempt a 51-yard, game-winning kick. Vinatieri, of course, nailed it, sending the crowd home and earning his 10th-career game-winning kick in overtime, an NFL record.• No. 4 — Simon Says 'Pick Six:'
Going back to the Colts' Week 6 game against the Titans, outside linebacker John Simon was able to show off his versatility and his instincts by putting up his hands on a short Marcus Mariota pass attempt, and plucking the ball out of the air early in the third quarter, returning it 26 yards for a touchdown — his first-career interception and pick six. What's perhaps even more impressive? He simply out-ran the speedy Murray to the end zone to complete the play, which at the time extended the Colts' lead to 19-9.• No. 3 — Hooker Adds Exclamation Point After Interception:
Another huge defensive play Week 4 against the Seahawks is highlighted here, as safety Malik Hooker was able to pick off a tipped pass around midfield past the midway point of the third quarter. But the real highlight of the play came on the return, as hooker delivered a nasty stiff arm that put running back J.D. McKissic on the ground. The play eventually set up a Vinatieri 40-yard field goal that tied the game at 18.• No. 2 — Sheard Saves The Day In Houston:
It all came down to this. In the Colts' Week 9 matchup against the Texans in Houston, the Indianapolis defense needed to hold off the Houston offense just one final time to ensure an elusive road victory within the AFC South Division, but quarterback Tom Savage and Co. was able to get all the way to the Indianapolis 7-yard line for one final game-winning attempt. But that's where Jabaal Sheard put his foot down, as he stormed past the left tackle and right into Savage, stripping the ball for the sack/forced fumble, which was eventually recovered by fellow outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, sealing a 20-14 Indianapolis victory.• No. 1 — T.Y. Plays Possum:
In that same Week 9 game against the Texans, the Colts faced a 3rd and 9 from their own 20 with a couple minutes to go in the third quarter, when Brissett found Hilton open near the left sideline. The speedy Hilton sprinted his way to a huge gain, but the play appeared to be over when he dove near Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson, who reached out to try to touch HIlton down as he fell to the turf. Well, he didn't. After playing possum for a couple seconds and allowing another Texans defender to turn his head, Hilton got up and jogged 35 yards to the end zone to complete an 80-yard touchdown play — his second TD of the afternoon — to put the Colts up 17-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
