Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos Match Player Stats On Sep 18, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 18, 2016

DENVER -- Von Miller sacked Andrew Luck and forced a fumble that teammate Shane Ray returned 15 yards for a touchdown -- Denver's second defensive score in the fourth quarter -- and the Broncos pulled away to beat the Indianapolis Colts 34-20 on Sunday.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib returned an interception 46 yards for a score.

Miller, the Super Bowl MVP who had two strip sacks of Cam Newton in the Broncos' Super Bowl win over Carolina, swept around right tackle and slammed into Luck, knocking the ball loose from the Colts quarterback for Ray to pick up and return for the score with 1:42 remaining.

Talib, who extended the Colts' drive moments earlier because of a holding call, jumped the route by wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to snag Luck's pass on the run, returning it 46 yards for the touchdown and a 23-13 lead. He dodged tacklers and sprinted down the left sideline for the score with 13:52 remaining.

Luck came back to lead a 12-play, 80-yard drive that running back Frank Gore finished with a 7-yard touchdown catch, tip-toeing the sideline for the last few yards and shifting the ball from one side to another before extending the ball one-handed over the pylon as the rest of his body fell out of bounds.

But the Denver offense, gaining some traction late under quarterback Trevor Siemian, drove inside the red zone, leading to a 35-yard field goal by Brandon McManus, his fourth of the day.

McManus' third field goal, a 33-yarder with 1:09 remaining in the third quarter, put Denver back on top 16-13.

Trailing by seven, the Colts pulled into a tie at 13-all on Robert Turbin's 5-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

Denver kept the drive alive with three defensive penalties, the last an offside against safety T.J Ward that set up the Colts with a first down at the 11-yard line. Four plays later, Turbin took a pitch and swept around left end for the score.

The Colts missed a chance earlier to even the score and trailed 13-6 at halftime after a hamstring injury felled cornerback Darius Butler moments after he picked off a Siemian pass in the flat. Butler had open field in front of him but managed just a few strides before falling to the ground and grabbing in pain at his right hamstring.

It was just one in a string of injuries that befell the Colts. Cornerbacks Rashaan Melvin and Antonio Cromartie, defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway and wide receiver Donte Moncrief all either missed time or were knocked out of the game with injuries.

The Colts salvaged a 52-yard field goal from the possession by Adam Vinatieri, his second of the day, but the Broncos answered with a 43-yard field goal by McManus just before the end of the second quarter, also his second of the day.

The only touchdown of the first half came on a 4-yard run by C.J. Anderson. The drive was aided by a 16-yard pass interference against Colts cornerback Rashaan Melvin that gave the Broncos a first-and-goal at the Indianapolis 9-yard line. Anderson scored two plays later.

Broncos tackle Donald Stephenson was sidelined in the first quarter with a calf injury. He did not return.

NOTES: The Colts came into the game without CBs Vontae Davis (ankle) and Patrick Robinson (concussion) as well as S T.J. Green (knee). OLB linebacker Trent Cole did not make the trip to Denver because of a back injury. ... Broncos TE Jeff Heuerman, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, missed his second game to start this season because of an ankle injury. The Broncos have had only two tight ends in uniform, Virgil Green and John Phillips, for both of their games. ... Broncos OLB DeMarcus Ware registered half a sack in the first half, boosting his career total to 136.5. He took sole possession of ninth place on the NFL's career sack list, ahead of Jared Allen (136) and Julius Peppers (136). Ware left the game later with an elbow injury and did not return. ... PK Adam Vinatieri has made 29 straight field goals, surpassing Mike Vanderjagt (28) for the third longest streak in Colts history.