INDIANAPOLIS – With Frank Gore churning and the pass rush humming, the Colts left Miami 18-12 winners on Sunday afternoon.
The pressure from the defense was the best the Colts have had in over a year.
Here's a notebook look at the Colts escaping Miami with their seventh win of the season:
**Frank Gore Feels Right At Home In Miami
**Playing back at home for the first time in his NFL career, Frank Gore looked like a running back who hasn't aged one bit.
Gore's 15-carry, 85-yard, two-touchdown afternoon saw the 32-year old cut and inflict his way to his second most productive game as a Colt.
"I just wanted to come out here and let my fans remember what I have been doing since high school," Gore said on Sunday.
"I let them know I still can play, even though it's been (a tough year)."
With the Colts sifting through injuries at the quarterback and offensive line spots in 2015, the running game has been ineffective in recent weeks.
Gore helped change that on Sunday with touchdown runs of 37 and 11 yards.
Entering Week 17, Gore's 891 rushing yards this season are the most for a Colts player since Joseph Addai in 2007.
The smile on Gore's face said it all on Sunday.
"It was fun, happy to be back in front of my family, my little league team, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and the whole Miami," Gore said.
"I was just happy to play and have a good time in front of my fans."
**Colts Pass Rush Flourishes In Miami
**The Colts defensive game plan came to fruition in a big, big way on Sunday afternoon.
Believing the pass rush was an area the Colts could exploit a banged up Dolphins offensive line, the Colts dialed up the pressure to the tune of a season-high six sacks.
"We felt like if we stopped the run we could get them in some third-and-long situations and we could play the type of game we like to play---walk our guys up on the back end and get after the quarterback," Chuck Pagano said after Sunday's 18-12 victory.
The feeding frenzy on Ryan Tannehill began early in the first quarter. A "game" stunt by T.Y. McGill sent the rookie defensive tackle from his interior spot to the edge, getting a free release on Tannehill for a safety.
McGill added another sack on Sunday, part of a Colts trio that each finished the day with two sacks apiece.
Robert Mathis' two sacks gave him a team-high leading seven on the season.
The ever durable Kendall Langford has now set a career-high in sacks for a single season with 6.0 (Langford has played in the league eight seasons).
The six total sacks for the Colts on Sunday was the highest total they've had since Week 13 of the 2014 season."Had to do what you had to do to stay alive," a smiling Robert Mathis said after the victory.
"So six sacks is what was needed then."
**Texans On Verge Of Capturing AFC South
**With the Texans and Colts winning in Week 16, Houston has all but locked up the division.
For the Colts to win the AFC South, they will need for Denver to beat Cincinnati on Monday Night Football, plus an additional nine games to go their way in Week 17.
The Colts losing control of the division in last week's loss to Houston squashed nearly all playoff hopes.
Houston's 34-6 win over the Titans on Sunday virtually sealed up their first division title since the 2012 season.
If the Colts do miss the playoffs, it will be just the third time they've not been in the postseason in the last 17 years.**
Colts/Dolphins Snap Counts **
- The wide receiver snaps on Sunday went as followed: T.Y. Hilton (51-of-59), Andre Johnson (44-of-59), Donte Moncrief (39-of-59, playing through a toe injury) and Phillip Dorsett (14-of-59).
- The running back reps were led by Frank Gore (41-of-59). Behind Gore, Boom Herron saw 12 snaps of action.
- At tight end, the snaps were divided up with Dwayne Allen receiving 42 snaps. Coby Fleener also logged 30 snaps. Jack Doyle played 22.
- In relief of an injured Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst played 33 snaps.
- Khaled Holmes entered the game for Hugh Thornton at right guard late in the second quarter. Holmes played 31 of the 59 offensive snaps.
- Mike Adams, Vontae Davis and Greg Toler played all 72 defensive snaps.
- The defensive line snaps were as followed: Kendall Langford (52), David Parry (41), Zach Kerr (37), T.Y. McGill (32) and Earl Okine (16).
- At outside linebacker, the snaps went to: Erik Walden (50), Robert Mathis (43), Trent Cole (29), Jonathan Newsome (22) and Bjoern Werner (2).
