The Colts didn’t hesitate when they scored a touchdown with 12 seconds left in Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
Wide receiver Alec Pierce’s score made it 24-23 Patriots and the Colts kept the offense on the field to try for a win. They got it by putting the ball in quarterback Anthony Richardson’s hands.
Richardson ran through contact up the middle and got the Colts a 25-24 road win. It came at the end of a 19-play, 80-yard drive that saw Richardson convert a fourth down with a pass to tight end Mo Alie-Cox and Richardson said after the game that he wanted to be the one to decide things at the end.
“No doubt. Whenever we’re in that situation, I’d like the ball in my hands,” Richardson said, via a transcript from the Patriots. “I feel like I can make a play. But it’s up to the coach, it’s not up to me, to make the decision at some point. But if he believes I can make a play, make a change, I’ll do it. If not, somebody else has to do it.”
Richardson was benched earlier this season, but he led a comeback win over the Jets in his return to the lineup and said on Sunday that he thinks the time off him play “confident and free and fast” upon getting back on the field. There were some rough patches on the way to the ending, but Richardson’s overall body of work was definitely a step in the right direction.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson’s future as the starter was in doubt at one point this season, but it’s probably safe to say that everyone is feeling good about having him in the lineup on Sunday.
Richardson threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce with 12 seconds left to play and then ran for a two-point conversion that lifted the Colts to a 25-24 win in New England. The Colts are now 6-7 as they head into a bye and a five-game stretch that only features one game against a winning team.
The Patriots got the ball to midfield after a pair of Drake Maye completions, but kicker Joey Slye could not hit from 68 yards.
Richardson completed five passes for 43 yards and had two other runs for 12 yards during the 80-yard drive. The Colts also picked up a crucial first down when Patriots cornerback Alex Austin was flagged for interfering with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
Richardson finished the day 12-of-24 for 109 yards and also had a touchdown pass to running back Jonathan Taylor. He ran for 48 yards and threw a pair of interceptions, but the numbers will resonate less than the way Richardson confidently led the team to the win.
Maye’s play should have the Patriots feeling good about their quarterback as well. Maye was 24-of-30 for 238 yards, a touchdown, and an interception while also running for 59 yards. He led a go-ahead touchdown drive earlier in the fourth quarter, but will lament the tipped-ball interception and a quick three-and-out after Richardson threw a pick of his own in the fourth quarter.
Slye missed a short field goal at the end of the first half and Austin’s penalty was one of seven that the 3-10 Patriots committed during the loss. Some of them wiped out offensive plays that could have resulted in more points and that sloppiness will need to be cleaned up for the Pats to improve before the year is out. They’ll also have a bye next week.
The Patriots have been the better team for most of Sunday’s game against the Colts and now they have a lead to protect so they can leave Week 13 with a win.
Running back Antonio Gibson scored from 11 yards out and quarterback Drake Maye hit wide receiver Kayshon Boutte for a two-point conversion one snap later. The result is a 24-17 Patriots lead with 8:43 left to play.
The Patriots missed a field goal at the end of the first half and lost their 16-14 halftime lead when the Colts capped their first possession of the third quarter with a field goal. It looked like they’d move back in front, but a pass to tight end Hunter Henry was broken up by linebacker Zaire Franklin and Colts safety Julian Blackmon picked it off in the end zone.
Maye was able to get them back into scoring position, though, and this time the Colts weren’t able to keep them out of the end zone.
The Patriots had a chance to score on all five of their first half possessions, but kicker Joey Slye kept that from happening.
Slye made three kicks during the first half, but he hooked a 25-yard kick wide to the left with 20 seconds left to play in the first half. That meant the Patriots would have to be content with a 16-14 lead as they went into the locker room.
The lone Patriots drive that didn’t end with a Slye field goal attempt came earlier in the second quarter. Drake Maye hit tight end Austin Hooper for a 16-yard score that moved the Patriots into the lead for the second time on the afternoon.
Maye ended the half 17-of-20 for 169 yards and he also had a 41-yard run to set up one of Slye’s field goals. Hooper has three catches for 35 yards, fellow tight end Hunter Henry has four catches for 43 yards and four other Patriots have at least 20 receiving yards so far on Sunday.
Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor ran for the Colts’ two touchdowns, but Richardson also threw an interception and their final full possession of the half ended with a punt after three plays. The Colts will be looking for more offensive consistency when they return to play in the third quarter.
The Patriots have scored all three times they’ve had the ball on Sunday, but they still trail with over eight minutes to play in the first half.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson ran for a three-yard touchdown that put the Colts up 14-9 over the home team. Richardson had a 13-yard run after bobbling a snap earlier in the drive and has 26 rushing yards on the day.
Richardson also helped the Patriots to one of their three field goals when he was picked off by linebacker Christian Elliss. The pass was tipped by linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who also helped the Colts to Richardson’s touchdown by committing a pass interference penalty on a throw to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
Drake Maye had a 41-yard run in the first quarter and he’s 7-of-9 for 62 yards, but he needs to finish drives with touchdowns rather than field goals if the Patriots are going to win.
