Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts Match Player Stats On Sep 16, 2012

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 16, 2012

Colts 23, Vikings 20: Adam Vinatieri booted a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining as host Indianapolis earned its first victory in the post-Peyton Manning era.

After the Vikings stunned the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd by scoring the game-tying touchdown with 31 seconds remaining, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck completed 20-yard passes to Donnie Avery and Reggie Wayne to set the stage for Vinatieri's game-winning kick. That gave Luck his first career NFL victory in his first home start for Indianapolis (1-1).

Luck finished 20-for-31 for 224 yards and touchdown throws to Wayne and Dwayne Allen. Avery hauled in nine catches for 111 yards while Wayne added six receptions for 71 yards.

Christian Ponder was impressive in defeat, going 27-for-35 for 245 yards and two scores. Percy Harvin led the aerial attack with 104 yards on 12 receptions, the most by a Minnesota player since Mewelde Moore in 2004.

Trailing 20-6 late, Minnesota (1-1) closed to within a touchdown on Ponder's seven-yard TD pass to Stephen Burton on a fourth-down play with 5:07 remaining. The Vikings drew even when Ponder led a drive from midfield capped by a six-yard strike to Kyle Rudolph.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Colts were 6-of-8 on third-down conversions in the opening half ... Minnesota picked up a pair of bad penalties on the Colts' first drive of the second half. Andrew Sendejo was given a roughing the kicker penalty as Indianapolis was punting the ball away - giving the Colts a first down - while Jared Allen took a personal foul for shoving Luck when he had already stepped out of bounds. Indianapolis settled for a field goal. ... Vikings RB Adrian Peterson led all players with 60 rushing yards.