Matt Ryan on Thursday kept the faith through all the sacks, interceptions, fumbles and three-and-outs that made for a streaming snooze-fest.
“It was just kind of a slog of a game,” the Indianapolis quarterback said after Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson’s pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-one from the five to give the Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos.
The game featured seven field goals, a dozen punts, 25 third-down stops, four interceptions and six fumbles — none of which were recovered by the otherwise disruptive defenses.
Photo: AP
“Our defense played lights out,” said Ryan, who emerged victorious despite getting sacked six times, giving him 21 so far this season, throwing a pair of interceptions to Caden Sterns and fumbling for the 10th time this season.
“We need to play better for sure, but I’m proud of the guys,” Ryan said. “Wins are what we need. We’re right in the mix... I thought the two drives at the end showed a lot of guys. You just keep battling — and it helps when your defense is shutting them down, too.”
Gilmore also intercepted Wilson’s pass just before the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter to set up Chase McLaughlin’s tying field goal with five seconds left.
“That’s the definition of a big-time player making big plays in the moment,” Colts coach Frank Reich said about Gilmore. “Isn’t it awesome you can have a game like that and still win?”
McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each yet featured zero touchdowns.
The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus or even a first-down play on fourth-and-less-and-a-yard from the five, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.
“We wanted to win the game,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “We hadn’t moved the ball very well the whole night and I thought we had a spectacular drive to get all the way down there.”
Wide open and uncovered — but unseen by Wilson — was K.J. Hamler, who tore off his helmet and slammed it to the ground after Wilson’s final pass was batted away, sending the Broncos and their awful offense to their second loss in four days.
“There’s going to be a bunch of what-ifs,” Broncos guard Dalton Risner said. “You know what, if we score that touchdown, everyone thinks it’s the best call in the world.”
McLaughlin sent it to overtime with a 31-yarder after Gilmore intercepted Wilson’s pass to Tyrie Cleveland in the end zone on third-and-four from the 13.
“Just can’t throw that,” Wilson said. “Got to throw it out of bounds if it’s not there.”
Wilson was sacked four times and picked off twice. His four touchdown throws through five games marks the worst start of his 11-year career and he has not looked anything like the Broncos expected after giving him a US$245 million contract extension before his first snap for Denver.
“It’s very simple — at the end of the day I got to be better,” Wilson said. “I got to play better. I let the team down tonight. One thing I know about myself is I’m going to respond.”
And as is common on Thursday nights, there was a rash of injuries with the most serious to Indy’s Kwity Payne (leg) and Denver’s Garett Bolles (right knee), both of whom were carted off.
With reigning NFL champion Jonathan Taylor (ankle, toe) out for Indy and the Broncos lamenting the loss of Javonte Williams to a shredded right knee, the grind-it-out nature of the game was entirely expected.
The Colts came in averaging 14.3 points, the lowest in Ryan’s 16-year career, and the Broncos entered the night averaging 16.5 points, the worst in Wilson’s 11-year career.
Nyheim Hines got the start for Indy, but he went out with a head injury after his third snap when D.J. Jones knocked him down and Hines’ helmet bounced on the ground.
He wobbled as he tried to leave the field on his own and had to be guided to the sideline, where he was evaluated for concussion.
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