Matt Ryan, Colts beat Broncos in ‘slob of a game’

Oct. 7 (UPI) — Quarterback Matt Ryan confirmed what many fans saw with their eyes, as his Indianapolis Colts beat the Denver Broncos in what he called a “slob of a game” to kick off Week 5 of the NFL season.

Neither offense found the end zone through though four quarters and overtime before Colts kicker Chase McLaughlin made a 48-yard go-ahead field goal for the 12-9 triumph Thursday in Denver.

“It was just a slob of a game,” Ryan told reporters. “Both defenses played really well. Our defense played outstanding. They have been playing good football for us after the first five weeks.

“Denver had been playing very good football and have shut down a lot of pretty good offenses too. As we prepared for them during the week, we knew it was going to be a challenge. But we found a way.”

Ryan completed 26 of 41 passes for 251 yards and two interceptions. Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce logged eight catches for 81 yards. The Colts sacked Russell Wilson four times and intercepted the Broncos quarterback twice.

Wilson completed 21 of 39 passes for 274 yards. The Broncos defense sacked Ryan six times. Broncos defensive back Caden Sterns intercepted Ryan twice. Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb logged 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the loss.

The Broncos took a 3-0 lead on a Brandon McManus field goal 5:28 into the game. McManus made another 44-yard attempt about four minutes into the second quarter to double the Broncos lead.

McLaughlin answered with a 52-yard attempt with 17 seconds left in the quarter and the Broncos took a 6-3 lead into the second half.

McLaughlin tied the score with a 51-yard kick on the Colts’ first drive of the second half. McManus made a 45-yard try 3:23 before the fourth quarter to make the score 9-6.

McLaughlin sent the game to overtime when he made a 31-yard kick with eight seconds remaining in regulation. The Colts won the coin toss in overtime and got the ball first. They used seven plays to get to the Denver 31-yard line. McLaughlin ended that drive with a go-ahead 48-yard field goal.

The Broncos then used five plays to get to the Indianapolis 5-yard line but elected to go for a touchdown instead of a game-tying field goal on that drive’s final play. Wilson took the final snap, stepped back in the pocket, looked left and fired an incomplete pass over the middle to end the game. Wilson failed to see wide receiver K.J. Hamler running wide open to the end zone on his right side during the sequence.

“Yeah, it’s very simple,” Wilson said. “At the end of the day, I have to be better. I have to play better. This team, this defense played their butts off.

“We had some key, good drives [where] we moved the ball. In the red zone, we just didn’t get to capitalize on some of them. There were some plays here and there that we can capitalize on. … I let the team down. The good thing is that one thing I know about myself is [that] I’m going to respond. I don’t know any other way. I always believe in myself. I always believe in this team. I believe in what we can do. I believe in what I can do. When you play this game, the one thing you’re going to know is that you’re going to go through adversity.”

The Broncos (2-3) will battle the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) at 8:15 p.m. EDT Oct. 17 in Inglewood, Calif. The Colts (2-2-1) will host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) at 1 p.m. Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.

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