CHARLOTTE –
First Quarter Recap
The Panthers won the toss and deferred to the second half.
On the second play from scrimmage, Colts center Jonotthan Harrison couldn't get the snap off the ground and Panthers safety Roman Harper jumped on the loose ball.
It was sudden change defense for the Colts and the unit held its ground. A 39-yard field goal from Panthers kicker Graham Gano gave Carolina a 3-0 lead with 13:41 left in the first quarter.
The Colts second drive would also end with a turnover. On a third-and-three, Andrew Luck had plenty of time to throw but forced one into coverage. Carolina's Charles Tillman picked off Luck at the Indianapolis' 36-yard line.
Carolina would pad its lead off another Indianapolis' mistake. Thanks to two fourth-and-one conversions, Panthers Jonathan Stewart punched one in from three yards out. Carolina led 10-0 with 7:21 left in the first quarter.
The first bright spot of the game for the Colts came on a 23-yard, third-and-10, run by Ahmad Bradshaw. The drive wouldn't last long after that though with Andrew Luck misfiring to Dwayne Allen on a third-down.
Thanks to a punt inside the Panthers five-yard line, the Colts had field position control and the Indy defense would follow with a three and out.
A three and out from the Colts would bring the first quarter to a close.
At the end of the first quarter, the Panthers led the Colts 10-0.Second Quarter Recap
The Indianapolis defense put together another sound drive to keep the field position in the favor of the Colts.
It was time for the offense to finally help out, and the unit did. A 47-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri, in some very heavy rain, cut the Carolina lead to 10-3 with 10:24 remaining until halftime.
With the rain really coming down, the Panthers could not get the exchange down on a zone read. The Colts were able to pounce on the loose ball with Bjoern Werner falling on it.
The Colts would cut more into the lead with a 34-yard field goal from Vinatieri. At the 7:04 mark of the second quarter, the Panthers lead was 10-6.
As the rain continued to fall, the quarterbacks continued to struggle. A deep ball rom Cam Newton was underthrown and Vontae Davis picked off the 2011 No. 1 overall pick. The interception gave Indianapolis the ball back at its own 27-yard line.
After an initial first down, a missed conversion on a third-and-one took the Indianapolis offense off the field. Carolina would get the ball back with 2:30 left in the first half, at the Panthers 20-yard line.
It appeared the Colts were going to get off the field but Ted Ginn got behind Greg Toler for a 46-yard gain on a third-and-16. The Colts defense didn't budge though and forced a final-minute punt.
At halftime, the Panthers led the Colts 10-6.Third Quarter Recap
Despite a tremendous individual effort from Cam Newton, the Panthers had to punt on their first offensive drive of the second half.
With a committed Colts ground game, the offense started to move it early in the third quarter. However, a third-and-one stop by the Carolina defense led to a Pat McAfee punt.
The Colts would catch a massive break late in the third quarter with the Panthers on the doorstep of a score. Another mis-exchange by Cam Newton and the Panthers backup center, Fernando Velasco, allowed Colts defensive tackle Billy Winn to jump on the loose ball at the Indianapolis three-yard line.
An Indianapolis three-and-out would follow the turnover. An 18-yard punt return from Ted Ginn gave the Panthers the ball at the 29-yard of the Colts.
Carolina would strike with Greg Olsen hauling in a 29-yard touchdown from Cam Newton, two plays after the punt return.
At the end of the third quarter, Panthers led the Colts 17-6.Fourth Quarter Recap
Sacks by veterans Jared Allen and Robert Mathis led to punts for each team to start the final quarter.
Down 17-6 with a little more than 12 minutes left, another highball from Andrew Luck would lead to an interception for the Colts. A sailing pass over T.Y. Hilton went into the arms of Panthers safety Kurt Coleman.
Three plays after the Luck interception, Cam Newton would find Corey Brown for an eight-yard touchdown. The Panthers lead was 23-6, after a missed extra point, with 10:44 remaining.
The Colts first touchdown of the night followed the Panthers stretching the lead to three scores. An eight-play, 86-yard drive took 3:40 with Andre Johnson bringing in an 18-yard touchdown from Andrew Luck. Carolina led 23-13 with 7:04 left.
Carolina went three-and-out on their drive, giving the Colts the ball back with 4:42. The Panthers lead was 23-13.
The Colts would not give up with Luck moving things quickly again. An eight-yard touchdown catch by Coby Fleener trimmed the Panthers lead to 23-20 with 2:27 left. The Colts still had two timeouts left.
It would be yet another three-and-out for the Panthers offense, giving the Colts the ball back at their own 38-yard line with 2:02 left.
Indianapolis' comeback bid would not stop there, erasing a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to see the game extend. The drive would last 16 plays, traveling 54 yards before Adam Vinatieri knocked home a 24-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, tied at 23.Overtime Quarter Recap
The Colts won the toss and received a huge boost when Quan Bray took the kickoff 45 yards from the goal line. From there, the Colts moved into field goal range where Adam Vinatieri hit his fourth field goal of the night, this one from 50 yards out.
Indianapolis led 26-23, with 12:04 left in overtime, with Carolina needing at least a field goal to extend the game.
This entertaining contest wouldn't stop. Carolina made their way down the field hitting on several completions before Graham Gano kept this game going a little longer with a 42-yard field goal. The next score would win the game, with 7:50 left.
Andrew Luck would be picked off by Luke Kuechly on the Colts second play of the drive.
The interception would prove fatal. Carolina's Graham Gano hit on a 52-yard field goal to give the Panthers a 29-26 victory with 5:22 left in overtime.
The Colts (3-5) will be back in Lucas Oil Stadium next Sunday for a 4:25 p.m. EST kickoff against the Denver Broncos (7-0).
Colts Inactives
15-Phillip Dorsett
27-Winston Guy
34-Josh Robinson
55-Nate Irving
62-Khaled Holmes
71-Denzelle Good
94-Zach KerrColts Pre-Game Notes
-This marks the second Monday Night Football game of 2015 for the Colts.
-The Colts are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak in the Chuck Pagano era.
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Weather Update
-It has been raining since the Colts landed in Charlotte late Sunday afternoon. Rain is forecasted up until kickoff with chances for precipitation decreasing as the night goes along. Temperatures are hovering around 60 degrees. A tarp has been on the field of Bank of America Stadium for all of Monday.
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