Field Level Media
Nov 25, 2018
Andrew Luck threw three touchdown passes, and Adam Vinatieri booted a game-winning, 32-yard field goal on the final play as the host Indianapolis Colts rallied to defeat the Miami Dolphins 27-24 on Sunday afternoon.
The Colts (6-5) have won five straight games. Miami (5-6) lost for the fourth time in five games.
Indianapolis trailed 24-14 with less than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before Luck, who has a streak of eight straight games with at least three TD passes, led the comeback. He completed 30 of 37 passes for 343 yards, overcoming two interceptions.
His biggest play came on third-and-9 from the Indianapolis 43 on what became the game-winning drive. Luck narrowly escaped a sack and tossed a 34-yard pass to Chester Rogers to the Miami 23, setting up the field goal.
All three of Luck's scoring passes went to tight ends -- two to Eric Ebron and one to Jack Doyle.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who had missed the previous five games due to a shoulder injury, completed 17 of 25 passes for 204 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Miami was also led by cornerback Xavien Howard, who had two interceptions, and running back Kenyan Drake, who scored two touchdowns.
The Colts overcame three turnovers, a deflected punt and a flubbed field goal.
After the teams played to a 7-7 stalemate in the first quarter, the Colts took their first lead with 1:44 left in the half as Luck hit Doyle for a 1-yard TD pass. Doyle tripped on his route, got up and then caught the throw.
Miami tied the score 44 seconds later as Tannehill threw, in essence, a jump ball deep down field to 6-foot-1 wide receiver Leonte Carroo, who went up over 6-2 cornerback Pierre Desir and made the grab at the Indianapolis 37 before racing in for a 74-yard touchdown.
The last two minutes of the first half -- which ended in a 14-14 deadlock -- featured those two touchdowns as well as the two interceptions by Howard and a lost fumble by Carroo.
Miami took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter on Jason Sanders' 29-yard field goal. That score was set up by linebacker Kiko Alonso, who deflected a Rigoberto Sanchez punt that traveled just 8 yards.
The Dolphins stretched their lead to 24-14 on Drake's 14-yard touchdown run up the middle early in the fourth quarter.
Indianapolis rallied to tie the score after getting a 46-yard field goal from Vinatieri with 8:26 left in the fourth quarter and a 12-yard TD pass from Luck to Ebron with 4:25 remaining.
--Field Level Media