The Sports Xchange
Jan 1, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS -- Just when it seemed as if the Jacksonville Jaguars had upset the Indianapolis Colts again, quarterback Andrew Luck made the most of little time to end a disappointing season on an upbeat note.
Luck's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jack Doyle with 9 seconds remaining gave the Colts a 24-20 victory and an 8-8 finish to the season Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Jaguars (3-13) thought they had pulled it out on Jason Myers' 41-yard field goal with 1:33 remaining. But that gave Luck too much time.
Although out of timeouts, the no-huddle Colts drove 75 yards in eight plays that took 1:24 off the clock. Luck completed all six of his passes for 70 yards.
The comeback win from an early 17-0 deficit sent Colts fans home happy, but head coach Chuck Pagano's team is missing the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 1997 and 1998.
The Colts rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. Reserve running back Robert Turbin scored on a 7-yard run to trim the deficit to 17-10. Luck connected with tight end Dwayne Allen on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Colts drove 89 yards in 12 plays and benefited from two Jaguars penalties.
The Jaguars' first-half domination began with a Myers 47-yard field goal on the opening possession. Quarterback Blake Bortles drove the Jaguars 75 yards in seven plays, culminating with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Koyack to make it 10-0.
The Colts went three and out on four first-quarter possessions.
When the Colts had a chance to score in the second quarter, kicker Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal attempt clanked off the right upright. The miss cost him a $500,000 contract incentive.
Jaguars reserve running back Corey Grant broke loose on a 57-yard touchdown run to push the advantage to 17-0 with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter. The Colts finally got on the board with a 45-yard Vinatieri field goal to close the opening half scoring.
NOTES: Frank Gore's 18-yard rush in the third quarter enabled the Colts back to become the first 33-or-older runner to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season since John Riggins in 1984. ... Jaguars C Brandon Linder (concussion) was ruled out in the first quarter. ... Colts NT David Parry (pectoral strain) exited in the final quarter. ... The loudest cheer player introductions was for Colts OLB Robert Mathis, who announced on Friday that this 192nd career game would be his last. The retiring 14th-year pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection added a fourth-quarter strip sack to finish with a franchise-record 123 sacks. ... NFL Hall of Famer Bill Polian, the Colts' president/vice chairman from 1998 to 2011, was inducted into the Ring of Honor at halftime. Polian built the Colts' Super Bowl XLI championship team.