Indianapolis Colts Play by Play: A Thrilling Victory that Puts Them on the Precipice of a Playoff Berth

In a thrilling game that was short on style points but long on effectiveness, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 23-20. The win puts them on the precipice of their first playoff berth since 2020, and it's all thanks to the brilliant play of quarterback Gardner Minshew and running back Jonathan Taylor.

Minshew finished the game with 15 completions out of 23 attempts for 224 yards, no turnovers, and two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was a beautiful 58-yard pass on third-and-1 that fooled the Raiders defense. Taylor, meanwhile, had a season-high 96 rushing yards and one score, proving once again why he's one of the best running backs in the league.

The Colts' victory was not without its drama, however. The team found themselves trailing by seven points with just over five minutes left to play. But Minshew led a clutch drive that culminated in a field goal, and then the defense came up big when they needed it most. Two late defensive penalties on the Raiders gave the Colts excellent field position, allowing them to run out the clock and secure the win.

After the game, interim coach Antonio Pierce praised his team's ability to stay focused and composed under pressure. 'We knew what was at stake,' Taylor said. 'Everybody knew what we had to do, and we did it.'

The win puts the Colts in a great position heading into next week's AFC South showdown against the Houston Texans. A victory in that game would give them their first division crown since 2014, and potentially set up a playoff run that no one saw coming.

For now, however, the Colts are just taking things one step at a time. 'I think having that mindset that no matter how the game was turning out, every single time we stepped on that field - offense, defense or special teams - you guys have to do your job at a high level, higher than you've ever done it before,' Pierce said. 'And I think our guys did just that.'

As they look ahead to next week's game, the Colts know that they're in the midst of something special. They've been in tough situations before and come out on top, and they're confident that they can do it again.

'We're not done yet,' Taylor said. 'We still have a lot of work to do, but we're feeling good about where we are right now.

Indianapolis colts play by play