Colts hold off Falcons for second straight win

[September 23, 2019]  Jacoby Brissett threw for 310 yards as the Indianapolis Colts earned their second straight win Sunday, holding off the Atlanta Falcons 27-24 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Brissett completed 28 of 37 passes, including an 11-yard strike to Jack Doyle in the final two minutes for a first down to the Atlanta 16 that sealed the outcome. The Colts (2-1) also got 74 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries from Marlon Mack.

Mack provided the Colts' final score, running 4 yards with 8:40 left in the game to cap an 11-play, 75-yard march. The Falcons (1-2) drew back within a field goal on Matt Ryan's 10-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones with 4:11 left, but never saw the ball again.

Ryan hit on 29 of 34 passes for 304 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He found Austin Hooper for scoring strikes of 13 and 2 yards to slice Atlanta's 17-point halftime deficit to 20-17 just over a minute into the fourth quarter.

Indianapolis controlled the first half, scoring on all four possessions as Brissett hit his first nine passes and finished the half 21 of 27 for 218 yards and two touchdowns. It ran 39 plays from scrimmage to Atlanta's 20, keeping the ball for 20:18.

Adam Vinatieri, who missed three extra points and two field goals in the first two games, gave the Colts a 3-0 lead 5:30 into the first quarter with a 49-yard field goal that banked off an upright.

Colts tight end Eric Ebron (85) and quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) pose for a photo after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Brissett made it 10-0 with 1:25 left in the quarter by finding Zach Pascal with an 18-yard touchdown pass.

Vinatieri's 21-yard field goal at the 5:54 mark of the second quarter increased the margin to 13-0, but Matt Bryant got the Falcons on the board with a 34-yard field goal 2:24 before halftime.

That left enough time for Indianapolis to take a commanding 20-3 advantage to the locker room. It went 64 yards in 10 plays, scoring with nine seconds on the clock as Brissett hit T.Y. Hilton with a 4-yard scoring strike.

--Field Level Media

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