Colts stay alive, eliminate Raiders from playoff contention
Dec 31, 2023, 1:22 PM | Updated: 6:10 pm
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 31: Matt Gay #7 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates after kicking a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Gardner Minshew threw for 224 yards and a touchdown while Jonathan Taylor ran for 96 yards and another score Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts kept their hopes for an AFC South title alive with a 23-20 win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders.
Matt Gay added second-half field goals of 38, 33 and 45 yards as the Colts (9-7) remained in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Houston. They’ll have to beat the Texans at home next week in their regular-season finale and hope the Jaguars lose at Tennessee to claim a division crown.
Minshew completed 15 of 23 passes for Indianapolis, which can do no worse than clinch a wild-card spot by winning next week.
Aidan O’Connell hit on 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas (7-9), which was eliminated from playoff consideration. Davante Adams caught 13 passes for 126 yards and two scores, including a 1-yard touchdown with 43 seconds remaining that pulled the Raiders within three points.
However, an onside kick by Daniel Carlson was recovered by the Colts’ Rodney Thomas II, and Minshew was able to take a knee to kill the clock.
Indianapolis won despite being outgained 370-349.
Indianapolis needed less than three minutes on its first possession to find the end zone. Minshew’s 50-yard pass to Josh Downs set up Taylor’s 5-yard touchdown run at the 12:11 mark.
Las Vegas answered on its first possession with a 40-yard field goal by Carlson, capping a 54-yard drive that lasted more than six minutes. Then the game settled into a field position battle that trended the Raiders’ way but didn’t change the scoreboard.
Neither team scored again until a sudden strike by the Colts with 3:53 left in the half. Minshew connected with Alec Pierce down the right side for a 58-yard score, Pierce outrunning the final defender to the pylon for a 14-3 advantage at the break.
–Field Level Media
