The Indianapolis Colts capitalized on a failed gamble by the New England Patriots to retain their unbeaten record with a stunning 35-34 comeback victory in the dying seconds on Sunday.
Clinging to a 34-28 lead with the ball on their own 28 and just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Patriots coach Bill Belichick opted for a fourth-down play instead of a punt but came up short, turning the ball over to the Colts.
Peyton Manning immediately made the Patriots pay for their miscalculation by firing his fourth touchdown pass of the game, hitting Reggie Wayne with a one-yard strike to send a record crowd at the Lucas Oil Stadium into a frenzy.
It was the 18th straight regular season win for the Colts (9-0), who remain on course for the Patriots record of 21 consecutive victories as well as joining New England as the only teams to complete a 16-game regular season unbeaten.
The Patriots spectacular fourth quarter collapse took the shine off a brilliant performance from New England quarterback Tom Brady, who completed 29-of-42 attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns.
The game produced the type of offensive fireworks expected from a pair of quarterbacks that have spent their careers at the helm of the NFL’s most dominant franchises and walked away with the most valuable player honors the last two seasons.
The teams combined for nearly 900 yards in total offense in a riveting battle that delivered on all the advance hype.
