Indianapolis Colts vs Atlanta Falcons Match Player Stats On Nov 22, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 22, 2015

ATLANTA -- Indianapolis kicker Adam Vinatieri celebrated the 300th game of his career by kicking a 43-yard game-winning field goal in the Colts' 24-21 comeback in over the fading Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the Georgia Dome.

The Colts overcame a dismal start to win their second straight game. After turning it over on each of their first two possessions, veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led two long scoring drives to get Indianapolis back into the game. Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes to running back Ahmad Bradshaw, the second trimming the Falcons' lead to 21-14 late in the third quarter.

The loss, Atlanta's third in a row, was especially painful, with running back Devonta Freeman leaving early in the first quarter with a concussion. Freeman, the NFL's third-leading rusher entering Sunday, left after three carries and did not return.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan threw three touchdowns in a game for the first time this season, but also tossed three interceptions. Ryan finished 25 of 46 for 280 yards.

After the Colts pinned Atlanta on its own 1-yard line, Indianapolis linebacker D'Qwell Jackson jumped in front of a Ryan pass and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown, tying the score 21-21 early in the fourth quarter.

On the Colts' next drive, Hasselbeck, who was starting in place of the injured Andrew Luck, led an eight-play, 56-yard drive to set up Vinatieri's winning kick from the left hash mark. It was the 26th game-winning field goal for Vinatieri, who became the 10th player to reach the 300-game milestone.

Luck was sidelined with a lacerated kidney, but did make the trip to Atlanta and was on the sidelines. He is expected to miss two to four weeks. Tuesday marks two weeks since the Colts announced the injury and prognosis.

Hasselbeck completed 23 of 32 passes for 213 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Both of Hasselbeck's touchdown passes went to running back Ahmad Bradshaw, the second trimming the Falcons' lead to 21-14 late in the third quarter.

Ryan found fullback Patrick DiMarco on a 15-yard pass to put the Falcons up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. DiMarco sneaked out of the backfield and no one picked him up. Ryan hooked up with DiMarco again in the second quarter, hitting the fullback in the flat on third-and-goal to extend the Falcons' lead to 14-0 with 8:54 left in the first half.

Trailing 14-0 midway through the second quarter, Hasselbeck led the Colts' best drive of the first half. He dumped off a middle screen to Bradshaw, who hustled in from seven yards out to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.

The Falcons extended the lead to 21-7 on their first drive of the second half, when Ryan found a receiver Leonard Hankerson on a 2-yard touchdown pass.

NOTES: Indianapolis starting S Mike Adams, a Pro Bowler, who was tied the NFL lead in interceptions entering Sunday, was inactive with an ankle injury. Clayton Geathers got the start at strong safety in place of Adams. ... Atlanta WR Leonard Hankerson returned to the lineup for the first time since mid-October. Hankerson missed the last three games with a hamstring strain. ... There was an increased security presence Sunday at the Georgia Dome for the first Falcons game since the Paris terrorist attacks.