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The Indianapolis Colts won the toss and deferred to the second half, giving the Los Angeles Chargers the ball first. Desmond King is the returner and brings the ball out to the 39 yard line. Great Start.
The offense has a rough first series going 3 and out, capped off with a sack off the edge when Sam Tevi at RT commits to the inside too early and allows a rusher free off the edge.
The punt from Ty Long takes a great bounce and Rookie Safety Nassir Adderly makes a great special teams tackle, pinning the Colts back ear their own 10 yard line.
The Chargers Defense gets off to a strong start. Casey Hayward barely misses an interception, allowing a 1st down. However they quickly tie it down and Desmond King makes a great TFL then on 3rd and long, the team loads up Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram on the same side and come away with an easy sack to force the punt.
Philip Rivers and the offense start off the next drive quickly driving deep into Colts territory. 3 plays to Austin Ekeler and a long run by Justin Jackson get the Chargers down to the Colts 25. This drive is all Ekeler and Jackson. 7 plays for 59 yards down inside the 10 to nobody to but the 2 RBs. The offense fizzled at that point and only made it as far as the 5 yard line. Ty Long, the punter, trots out for a 22 yard attempt which was right down the middle, but an penalty on the Colts gives the Chargers 1st and goal from the 2. Rivers and Ekeler make sure they capitalize on this free opportunity and combine for a 2 yard TD pass. Ty Long gets his second kicking opportunity as an extra point this team and drills it as well.
7-0 Chargers.
Jacoby Brissett gets the Colts offense going on their second possession, driving quickly into Chargers’ territory, aided by a long completion to TE Jack Doyle. CB Michael Davis tweaked his left hamstring and has come out of the game, leaving the Chargers with only 3 CBs able to play. The Colts keep grinding efficiently, getting small chunks and 1st downs. Melvin Ingram leaves holding his hand weird as well on this drive, though he comes back 2 plays later.
END OF THE 1st QUARTER
Kyzir White is moving well so far and looks great with this starting defense. Brissett is able to score on a well designed play to TY Hilton. He held Thomas Davis in the middle with his eyes and the handoff between Adrian Phillips and Facyson didn’t go smoothly leaving Hilton open. The Colts managed to convert 4/4 3rd downs on the drive and score. Playing in his 100th season, Adam Vinatieri misses the extra point.
7 - 6 Chargers.
Rivers, never one to not answer, starts the next drive with a beautiful 27 yard pass to Keenan Allen getting into Colts territory in one play. A Jet Sweep to Travis Benjamin for 10 yards and a screen to Austin Ekeler gets the Chargers offense down to the Colts 25. Another sack given up by the offensive line winds up pulling the Chargers offense back to 3rd and 13 from the 28. However, Phil finds Keenan Allen for the 28 yard TD. Ty Long hits the extra point bringing him to 3/3 (2/2 officially) on his kicks.
14 - 6 Chargers.
The defense comes out and shuts the door on the Colts offense quickly, forcing a punt, which rookie LB Drue Tranquill blocked! The Chargers offense comes back out with great field position.
Rivers finds Mike Williams for the first time for a 12 yard 1st down, then Justin Jackson breaks off another nice run for 9 yards getting the Chargers deeper into Colts territory. However the drive stalled at the 22 yard line and following 3 incompletions, Ty Long comes on for a 40 yard attempt which he drills right down the middle with plenty of room.
17 - 6 Chargers with 1 minute left in the half.
The Colts come out and hit back to back passes targeting CB5 Brandon Facyson. 2 plays and the Colts make it down to the Chargers 38 yard line. They make it as far as the Chargers’ 29 yard line and call the TO with 3 seconds left to let Vinatieri attempt a 46 yard kick, which he pushes wide left, no good!
HALFTIME 17 - 6 Chargers
Colts get the ball to start the second half and quickly start working the run game, racking up 49 yards on 5 back to back carries. The defense manages to tighten things down at that point and force a 44 yard FG attempt from Vinatieri, which he does convert this time.
17 - 9 Chargers
The offense’s first drive after the half starts off a little rough with a run for no gain, then a bumbled snap that Rivers somehow is able to control and dump off to Travis Benjamin for a 2 yard gain. Then Trent Scott is beat badly off the edge giving up a strip sack which Rivers is able to recover. However he’s bailed out by a Colts penalty and the Chargers get a 3rd and 3, which allows Rivers to find Hunter Henry for a 13 yard gain and a 1st down. On the next play a BEAUTIFULLY designed play has Rivers fake the reverse to Travis Benjamin and dump off a screen to Austin Ekeler, Ekeler patiently follows Michael Schofield and Mike Pouncey in space then breaks a tackle and makes a move off a Hunter Henry block to take the screen 55 yards for the TD. Amazing play. Ty Long stays perfect with his 3rd XP.
24 - 9 Chargers
The Colts don’t take long to answer. A 1st down pass followed by a 63 yard run by Marlon Mack for a TD. Mack found a crease to the outside and Rayshawn Jenkins badly missed the tackle 1 on 1 which would have ended the play. Adderly needs to get a look soon, he’s a very good tackler. Vinatieri caps off the 7 points.
24 - 16 Chargers
Justin Jackson get’s the Chargers offense rolling on this drive. After getting stuffed for a 2 yard loss, he finds a hole and runs for 24 yards. The next play Scott gets beat badly off the edge again to give up a sack. 2 plays later on 3rd down, Trent Scott gets beat for the 2nd time in 3 plays and gives up a strip sack, which he is able to fall on, forcing the Chargers to punt.
The Colts get the ball back and on the 2nd play, Melvin Ingram has to leave the game with what looks like cramping for one play. On that one play, Joey Bosa destroys the RT and comes away with a big sack. Bosa comes back the next play and stuffs the screen for no gain forcing a 3rd and 17. TY Hilton takes a screen for 15 yards but comes up short and the defense forces the 3rd punt of the game.
The punt is muffed by Desmond King and recovered by the Colts. Huge momentum swing.
1st and 10 Colts from the Chargers 27. Great coverage by Casey Hayward who knocks a pass away that would have given the Colts 1st and goal from the 5. On the last play of the 3rd quarter, the Colts get a 1st down at the Chargers 15 yard line.
END OF THE THIRD. 24 - 16 Chargers
To add injury to insult, Dez King appeared to have suffered a possible concussion getting hit after muffing the punt. Safety Jaylen Watkins is in as the slot corner now as the Chargers are down to 2 CBs. Kyzir White makes a great play on a WR screen to make the tackle for no gain. Jacoby Brissett is able to find TE Eric Ebron open at the back of the endzone, but the call on the field is that he bobbled the pass as he went to the ground and slid out of bounds. Rayshawn Jenkins was late getting over and barely touched Ebron, which could have helped jar the ball loose more. The call was upheld, not confirmed. The Chargers defense gets saved by the call on the field. Adam Vinatieri pushes a 29 yard FG wide left again. Somehow the Chargers survive the muffed punt with no damage.
First play for the Chargers, Philip Rivers finds Keenan Allen for 21 yards to give some breathing room. After a 4 yard run by Austin Ekeler, Rivers finds Hunter Henry for 22 yards again to punch into Colts territory. On a rare penalty by the Chargers on the day, Hunter Henry has a hold that negates a big run by Ekeler. On 2nd and 20 Rivers is able to find Mike Williams for 17 yards, though Williams goes down on the play. He jogs off with a slight limp and goes straight to the trainers table. 3rd and 3 the Chargers go empty backfield, and Rivers is able to find Keenan Allen WIDE open for 20 yards and 1st and goal. On 2nd and goal, Rivers stares down Keenan Allen and isn’t able to sling it past Colts safety Malik Hooker, who has a slick 1 handed interception.
Colts take over and stick with the hot hand, giving Marlon Mack 2 more carries which he takes for 7 yards each. Mack now has 19 carries for 161 yards. Adrian Phillips finally makes a great play in run defense stuffing Mack for a 5 yard loss. Justin Jones follows that up with a great play on a screen stuffing Naheem Hines for a 7 yard loss. 3rd and 22 for the Colts from their own 32 yard line. The Chargers “prevent” scheme allows a 19 yard pass giving the Colts 4th and a long 3 from the Chargers’ 49. They pick on Facyson again and get 8 yards for another 1st down. The Colts keep chipping away and get a 1st down at the Chargers 29 as the clock hits the 2 minute warning.
2 MINUTE WARNING. 24 - 16 Chargers
Colts continue to ride Marlon Mack, 4 yards but the clock keeps rolling. Indy has 2 time outs. 3rd and 2, clock approaching 1 minute. another hand off and the Colts get close enough for the review comes in from upstairs for the spot of the ball, giving the Colts a free clock stoppage at 56 seconds left in the game.
The spot is confirmed AND they add 1 second back to the clock. 1st down at the 19, 57 seconds left, clock running. Brissett goes after Facyson again with a shot to the endzone, but the pass was a little too close to the endzone and helps Facyson break it up. 2nd down, 48 seconds left.
Brissett hits TY Hilton on a drag across the middle. Hilton is able to shake off TY Hilton, and Thomas Davis over-pursues, leaving Hilton free to sprint to the endzone for a TD. 24 - 22 Chargers.
The play is automatically reviewed and stands, the Colts go for 2 to tie the game with 38 seconds left.
The Colts outstanding offensive line bullies the Chargers DTs, allowing Marlon Mack to reach the endzone. Tie ballgame.
24 - 24 Tie. 38 seconds, 2 TO’s for the Chargers.
Touchback on the kickoff. Rivers and the offense have 38 seconds and 2 time outs from their own 25 to make something happen.
Rivers hits Hunter Henry over the middle for 8 yards, then they call the TO. 32 seconds left, ball on the LA 33.
Rivers finds Virgil Green for 4 more yards at the sideline for a 1st down. 26 seconds, ball on the LA 37
Sam Tevi takes his turn to stab the Chargers in the back, with a false start. Still 26 seconds, ball back to the 32.
Austin Ekeler gets tackled before the ball gets to him on a wheel route, DPI gives the Chargers a free 1st down ball out to the 35 with 22 seconds.
Rivers takes a shot deep to Travis Benjamin but overthrows it. 16 seconds left ball still on the 35 of LA.
Rivers has to dump the ball to Justin Jackson for only a 4 yard gain, out to the 39. 8 seconds left and the Chargers burn their last TO.
Everything is covered and Rivers burns the full 8 seconds trying to scramble.
OVERTIME
Chargers win the toss and get the first chance with the ball in OT.
First play of OT, Rivers finds Keenan Allen for 18 yards to their own 43. 2nd play, Rivers with time in the pocket finds Hunter Henry down at the Colts 40 yard line for another 17 yard chunk. Rivers hands off to Ekeler for another 3 yards to keep the Colts honest. On 2nd and 7 Rivers sees something and moves guys around and audibles to a run outside for Ekeler. Ekeler takes the ball down to the 18 yardline for 20 yards. Jackson with a 3 yard gain to the 15. Rivers finds Keenan Allen again down to the 9 yard line for 3rd and 1. Derek Watt gets his second carry of the came for 2 yards and a 1st and goal from the 7 yard line. Handoff to Ekeler who takes it 7 yards, breaking 2 tackles for the touchdown!!! GAME OVER!!
Chargers win 30 - 24.