INDIANAPOLIS –First Quarter Recap
The Patriots won the toss and chose to defer to the second half.
It was a virtually flawless opening drive for the Colts. They drove 89 yards in 13 plays with Donte Moncrief catching a five-yard fade pattern for a touchdown, on a fourth-and-one. The drive included a couple of short yardage conversions, with Andrew Luck going 8-of-9 for 62 yards. The Colts led 7-0 with 7:16 left in the first quarter.
New England answered looking like the top ranked offense that they are through five weeks of the season. A 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive saw Tom Brady connecting with Julian Edelman for a 12-yard score. The score was tied at seven with 2:50 remaining.
After two flawless drives to start the game, the Colts would go three-and-out on their second possession.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 7.Second Quarter Recap
The Patriots put together another 10-play drive, this one ending with a Stephen Gostkowski field goal from 40 yards out. At this point of the game, Julian Edelman had five catches for the Patriots. New England's lead was 10-7 with 13:48 left until halftime.
The Colts first drive of the second quarter would travel just short of midfield before a punt was in order. New England would start from their own 11-yard line.
Backed up on their own goal line, the Patriots offense finally flinched. A Tom Brady pass went through the hands of Julian Edelman and Mike Adams made a spectacular effort to secure the interception and return it 14 yards for pick six. It was the first interception of the season for Brady. The Colts lead was 14-10 with 11:30 left in the second quarter.
It was time for the Colts to go back into their bag of tricks with another onside attempt. After the Patriots were initially awarded the recovery, the Colts came out of the pile with the football. However, a challenge showed that the play stood as called on the field, which kept the football with New England.
The Patriots took full advantage of the 50/50 call on the onside kick. A 38-yard touchdown run by LeGarette Blount ended what had been a solid start for the Colts run defense. New England's lead was 17-14 with 9:33 left in the first half.
An entertaining first half would continue with the Colts taking over at their own 20-yard line. A 12-play, 80-yard drive took up 6:55 and T.Y. Hilton scored on a three-yard touchdown reception, thanks to some scrambling from Andrew Luck. The touchdown gave the Colts a 21-17 lead with a little more than two minutes remaining in the second quarter.
New England would chew up nearly the rest of the first half clock before kicker Stephen Gostkowski banged one home from 35 yards out. The drive included a fourth-and-one conversion.
At halftime, the Colts led the Patriots 21-20.Third Quarter Recap
Coming out of halftime, the Colts were without safety Mike Adams (questionable to return due to a hamstring injury). New England attacked the Colts secondary by finding Rob Gronkowski for the first of his two catches on the night. A 25-yard touchdown catch and run by Gronk gave the Patriots the lead back at 27-21 with 10:56 left in the third quarter.
The Colts would go three-and-out on their opening possession to start the second half. New England took over on their own 26-yard line with the ability to stretch their lead.
New England also went three-and-out, giving the Colts the ball back at their own 24-yard line with just less than nine minutes left in the third quarter.
The high-octane pace of the first half started to slow down in the third quarter. The Colts would drive near midfield before settling for another punt. New England took over at their own 10-yard line with 5:02 left in the third quarter.
The teams would once again trade punts and a block in the back penalty on the Colts. After the penalty, Indianapolis would start on its own 19-yard line, down six points, with 3:56 left in the third quarter.
Before the Colts were about to punt, they tried more trickeration but it backfired. A fake punt was stuffed and the Patriots took over already in Colts territoriy.
At the end of the third quarter, the Patriots led the Colts 27-21.Fourth Quarter Recap
With momentum building for the visitors, the Patriots struck again. Tom Brady found LeGarrette Blount for an 11-yard touchdown. The Patriots lead was now 34-21 with 12:48 left in the game.
After the teams exchanged punts, the Colts took over, trailing by 13 points, with 9:26 left.
The second-half struggles for the Colts offense would continue. Another holding penalty and a sack of Luck sent Pat McAfee back on the field to punt.
The Colts defense once again held its ground.
Indianapolis would reach New England territory with a little more than three minutes remaining before four straight incompletions from Andrew Luck kept the Colts scoreless in the second half.
Thanks to another defensive stop, the Colts would have one final crack at it on Sunday night.
Down by 13 points, with 3:03 left, the Colts took over at their own 15-yard line. An eight-play drive ended with Griff Whalen catching an 18-yard touchdown from Andrew Luck.
A last-ditch onside kick went into the hands of Rob Gronkowski.
New England left Lucas Oil Stadium with a 34-27 win on Sunday night.
The Colts (3-3) will return home next Sunday with a visit from the New Orleans Saints (2-4) at 1:00 p.m. EST.
In-Game Injury Updates
S-Clayton Geathers (knee sprain, return is questionable)
S-Mike Adams (hamstring, return is questionable)
Colts Inactives
26-Shaun Prater
34-Josh Robinson
55-Nate Irving
60-Lance Louis
71-Denzelle Good
92-Bjoern Werner
94-Zach Kerr
Colts Pre-Game Notes
-This is the 17th time the Colts and Patriots have met since the 2003 seasonWeather/Roof Update
-It's a crisp fall Sunday in Indianapolis with temperatures dipping into the 40s tonight. The roof and window at Lucas Oil Stadium will be closed tonight.
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