The Indianapolis Colts are .500 on the season and have earned their first international win in franchise history after slugging out a 10-6 victory over the New England Patriots in Frankfurt, Germany.
Overall, this was a low-scoring affair between these two AFC clubs. Each team put up points on their opening possessions and that ultimately proved to be the key difference. While the Patriots tacked on a field goal, the Colts handed the ball off to Jonathan Taylor on a fourth-down attempt from the 1-yard line and converted for a touchdown. From that point, a fourth-quarter field goal put away New England, which struggled mightily on offense.
Things did heat up down the stretch after the Patriots brought themselves within a point with a 15-play, 89-yard field goal drive to begin the fourth quarter. Indy responded with a field goal drive of their own to go up by four, which was largely sparked by a 42-yard kickoff return by wideout Isaiah McKenzie. On the next Patriots possession following the Colts' field goal, Mac Jones and the offense brought the ball all the way to the Indianapolis 13-yard line before the quarterback threw a back-breaking interception to Julian Blackmon. Not only did that eliminate the scoring chance, but allowed the Colts to chew off a chunk of clock.
That turnover then sent Jones to the bench and thrust Bailey Zappe into the game to close it out. Jones finished his game completing 15 of his 20 passes for 170 yards and that crucial pick. On the final drive for New England, Zappe completed three of his six pass attempts and tossed a game-ending interception in triple coverage.
Meanwhile, Gardner Minshew showed tremendous poise in the pocket, completing 18 of his 28 throws in the win for 194 yards and an interception. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown while Michael Pittman caught eight of his 12 targets for 84 yards.
Indy's opening-drive touchdown did prove to be the difference in this game and it was a somewhat gutsy call by first-year head coach Shane Steichen to keep his offense on the field on fourth down. He was rewarded by Jonathan Taylor, who bounced out to the right side of the field to barrel in for the score. Against a lowly Patriots offense, that lone touchdown was the necessary cushion en route to victory. Beyond that score, Gardner Minshew's pocket presence was stellar at times in this game. He moved around in the pocket to extend plays and made a number of superb throws in the process. One of them came on that opening touchdown drive where he kept his eyes down the field while running up the pocket to eventually connect with Isaiah McKenzie on third-and-6:
Similar plays continued throughout the contest, including another third-and-6 throw from inside his own 5-yard line where he hit rookie Josh Downs for a diving catch that helped Indy burn more clock:
Of course, the defense was massive in this winning effort as well. The unit stifled the Patriots offense throughout the matchup, especially in the first half where they sacked Mac Jones five times and stopped New England on five of its third-down situations. While the bulk of the blame for Jones' red zone interception should go on the Patriots quarterback, it was still a heck of an effort by Julian Blackmon to haul in the turnover.
No matter which way you slice it, the Patriots failed. The club managed just two field goal drives that sandwiched being shut out in the second and third quarters. The passing game continues to struggle throwing the ball down the field and Mac Jones didn't even connect with a wide receiver until the seven-minute mark of the second quarter. In the second half, Jones overthrew Hunter Henry on what would have been a touchdown, but instead, the unit needed to settle for a field goal and still trailed by a point. On the following possession, the Patriots were again deep in the red zone and Jones again made an ill-advised pass to a tight end, only this target to Mike Gesicki came in short and was picked off by Julian Blackmon. That sent Jones to the bench as the last competitive gasp for the Patriots.
On defense, the unit was unable to pressure Gardner Minshew, who largely had all day to throw inside the pocket. New England didn't record a single sack in this losing effort and tallied just a single quarterback hit.
Meanwhile, special teams continue to be an issue for the Patriots. Bill Belichick made a bizarre decision in the first half to have no punt returner back on a second-quarter punt by the Colts. New England was unable to block the punt and the ball was downed at the 18-yard line. That proved to be too daunting of a distance for the offense, which proceeded to go three and out. Chad Ryland also missed a layup 35-yard field goal at the start of the second half, and the coverage team allowed a key 42-yard kickoff return by Isaiah McKenzie, which set up a field goal drive for the Colts in the fourth quarter.
Outside of the Patriots running game, which played well, this team had breakdowns at essentially every level.
The back-breaking moment for the Patriots in this game -- and possibly the career of Jones -- was the quarterback's red zone interception in the fourth quarter. The Patriots were threatening to either take the lead or be down by a mere point when Jones faded back and underthrew an open Gesicki for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown. Instead, the ball was short of the goal line and picked off by Blackmon, which sent Jones to the bench for the remainder of the game and eliminated any realistic shot of the Patriots pulling off the comeback.
A couple of Minshew's scrambles in the pocket that he converted for first downs are worthy to be considered, but let's shine a light on the lone touchdown from this game. Taylor continues to trend in a positive direction and he finished his day with 69 yards on the ground, including the touchdown that proved to be the key score of the matchup.
Given that this game was on the international stage, let's hear the call in German!
From here, both of these teams will be on the bye in Week 11. After that break, the Colts will host the Buccaneers at Lucas Oil Stadium, while the Patriots will travel to East Rutherford to face the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
And that'll do it from Germany. The Colts move to 5-5 on the season after fending off the Patriots, who are 2-8 on the year and now face a number of difficult questions, specifically at quarterback.
Quarterback change for the Patriots. Bailey Zappe is in for Mac Jones after that interception.
Minshew with the throw of the game. Connects with Downs for a 29-yard gain on third down to keep the clock running. Tremendous throw and diving catch.
Mac Jones throws his 10th interception on the season and it comes at the worst possible time. Mike Gesicki was open for a touchdown and Jones' throw is simply too short.
Demario "Pop" Douglas has been one of the few bright spots on the Patriots offense this year and rips off a clutch 21-yard gain on third-and-6.
Stevenson is back in the game for the Patriots. Was listed as questionable with a back injury.
Gay connects on the 51-yarder to make it a four-point Indy lead. In a game where the Patriots have struggled to move the ball on offense (especially in the red zone), getting this over the field goal threshold could prove to be the dagger.
Monster conversion for Minshew as he dances around the pocket and eventually hits Pittman for a 14-yard gain on third-and-3. Keeps the drive alive and allows the clock to keep ticking in Indy's favor.
Patriots say RB Rhamondre Stevenson (back) is questionable to return.
Jones had a window to hit Henry, but the ball was too high and nearly picked off. If that is more on a line, it's probably a touchdown. Patriots settle for a field goal to cut the lead to just a point.
New England should just keep the ball on the ground at this point. They are averaging essentially five yards per carry so far.
Things are boiling over on the Patriots sideline.
Disaster for the Patriots. Jones is again taken down on third down at the Indy 17-yard line and kicker Chad Ryland misses the layup field goal. No points off the interception.
Five straight runs by the Patriots offense following the Bryant interception.
Patriots have struggled to get pressure on Minshew but finally seemed to flush him out on that second down throw. The Colts QB decides to throw it at the last second instead of tucking it in to run, and the ball is tipped and picked off by Myles Bryant. Huge turnover for New England.
FIRST HALF STATS
Patriots were anticipating a deep shot and Minshew simply fired a short throw to Downs over the middle to set up the field goal. Gay's attempt from 57 yards is no good, but a solid try for Indy as they head to the break with the deal and set to get the ball back to begin the third.
Mac Jones has been sacked FIVE times already.
Both quarterbacks faced pressure in this first half and Minshew has clearly dealt with it better. He's moving around well, keeping his eyes up, and making plays. Even on that incomplete play on third down, he was able to shed a would-be tackler to get the throw off.
That throw to Demario Douglas on the second-and-9 play was the first completion by Mac Jones to a wide receiver in this game. It came at the 7:43 mark of the second quarter.
Let's make that three straight drives where Jones is sacked for a third down.
Give New England's defense credit, they've forced back-to-back three-and-outs to keep the team in it. Will the offense reward them with a score?
Patriots continue to make very odd decisions....
