Jonathan Taylor rushed for two touchdowns Sunday and Gardner Minshew added another rushing score as the Indianapolis Colts held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 in Indianapolis.
Taylor, who finished with 91 yards on 15 carries, pounded in from the 1 with 7:30 left in the game to answer Baker Mayfield’s 23-yard scoring strike to Mike Evans. That gave the Colts (6-5) a 27-17 lead.
Tampa Bay (4-7) responded with Chase McLaughlin’s 24-yard field goal at the 4:10 mark that brought it within a touchdown, then got the ball back at its 35-yard line with a chance to tie. But Baker Mayfield was strip-sacked by Samson Ebukam and Dayo Odeyingbo recovered at the 38 with 1:29 remaining, sealing the outcome.
Minshew completed 24 of 41 passes for 251 yards with an interception as Indianapolis stayed in contention for an AFC wild card. Michael Pittman was his favorite target with 10 receptions for 107 yards. Indianapolis outgained the Buccaneers 394-298.
Mayfield hit on 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Rachaad White rushed 15 times for 100 yards, while Evans grabbed six passes for 70 yards and a pair of scores.
Each team kicked a field goal on its opening drive. Tampa Bay chewed up the first 7:32 of the game to set up McLaughlin’s 21-yard field goal, while Indianapolis countered with Matt Gay’s 46-yarder at the 3:01 mark of the first quarter.
The Colts played complementary football on their next possession. After Ronnie Harrison intercepted Mayfield and returned it to the Buccaneers’ 41, Indianapolis cashed in when Taylor powered in from the 4 with 11 seconds remaining.
Minshew made it three scores in as many possessions with 9:36 left in the half, scoring on a 2-yard run to cap a 10-play, 62-yard drive. But Tampa Bay responded with its first touchdown, turning Carlton Davis’ interception of Minshew into a 1-yard strike from Mayfield to Evans. That got it within 17-10 at the break.
–Field Level Media
