For the third consecutive year, the Indianapolis Colts opened the season with two straight losses. They looked to fix things against the San Diego Chargers.
The last time the Indianapolis Colts opened 0-3, Peyton Manning was unavailable and Andrew Luck was still at Stanford University.
That fact remains true three weeks into this season. Thanks to some late heroics from Luck and talented wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, Chuck Pagano’s club rallied in the fourth quarter to get its first win of 2016 courtesy of an exciting 26-22 triumph.
For the second time in three weeks, the San Diego Chargers squandered a fourth-quarter lead. Hilton’s game-winning 63-yard score with 1:17 to play erased a 22-20 lead by the Bolts. The young wideout also made a crucial eight-yard grab on 4th-and-7 in the closing minutes to keep Indianapolis hopes alive.
Meanwhile, the Colts defense came away with three key takeaways (all fumble recoveries) in the victory. Pagano’s team had forced only one turnover in its first two games. Now the team prepares for a long road trip to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday.
Three Stars
1. T.Y. Hilton
Two games and a pair of losses in 2016, the Pro Bowl wideout led the Colts with 10 catches for 120 yards but has also failed to reach the end zone.
That changed on Sunday against the game San Diego Chargers. The five-year performer pulled down eight passes for 174 yards, including a 63-yard score with 1:17 to play as Chuck Pagano’s club got its first victory of the season via a 26-22 triumph.
2. Andrew Luck
For the second straight Sunday, the strong-armed pro committed a pair of turnovers. But Luck would finish the afternoon hitting 24 of his 37 throws for 331 yards and the deciding touchdown in Indianapolis’ much-needed victory. The resilient signal-caller threw for 108 yards in the fourth quarter alone.
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3. Philip Rivers
With the losses of wideouts Stevie Johnson and Keenan Allen and running back Danny Woodhead for the season, as well as the absence of Antonio Gates for this game, it’s safe to say that the San Diego offense is pretty depleted these days. But that didn’t stop Rivers from throwing for 330 yards in the four-point setback.
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Odds
While the OVER/UNDER in this contest settled in at 51, the line dropped one point from earlier in the week. The Colts kicked off Sunday as 1.5-point favorites.
Next Week
Mike McCoy’s San Diego Chargers welcome the New Orleans Saints to the west coast. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts head to jolly old England to battle the Jacksonville Jaguars.