NFL Week 5 Game Recap: Indianapolis Colts 12, Denver Broncos 9

Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes under pressure from Denver Broncos defensive tackle DeShawn Williams (99) as offensive tackle Braden Smith (72) defends in the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

For a game that once had so much potential, Week 5's Thursday Night Football showing between the Broncos and Colts was less like a neck-and-neck sprint between two thoroughbreds and more like one last feeble limp toward the back of the barn.

In the end, the Indianapolis Colts fought back in overtime to beat the Denver Broncos 12-9 in a game both teams will want to forget in a hurry.

Offensive spotlight: The less said about the quarterback play in this one, the better. Colts QB Matt Ryan went 26-of-41 for 254 yards and two interceptions, throwing only 6.8 yards down the football field on average. He took six sacks, recorded three turnover-worthy plays and could well come out of PFF's grading reviews with the worst single-game grade of his career.

Wilson wasn't all that much better, going 21-of-39 for 274 yards and two interceptions. His average depth of throw (10.9 yards) was considerably higher than Ryan's, but his performance was chock-full of baffling decisions with the ball, and he finished with at least four turnover-worthy plays on the night.

Under pressure, these two veterans combined for 10 completions from 20 attempts, with two interceptions, four turnover-worthy plays and 10 sacks mixed in.

Defensive spotlight: The Broncos defense did not deserve to lose this game. Bradley Chubb, D.J. Jones and Mike Purcell combined for 11 total pressures on first review, while Patrick Surtain II gave up just 37 yards and just one first down across five targets in coverage.

However, Stephon Gilmore stole the show with a game-changing late interception, having been tested one too many times. Gilmore was targeted seven times on the night, but he gave up only three catches for 17 yards, good for a 10.7 passer rating allowed.

Rookie spotlight: Colts wideout Alec Pierce led his teammates in targets and receiving yards tonight. He dropped one of his nine catchable targets, but he went 3-of-3 in contested situations and moved the chains five times.

Offensive line spotlight: The Colts offensive line was taken to school time and time again by the Denver pass rush, and they gave up five sacks, one hit and 14 hurries across 48 pass-blocking snaps. If the initial grading holds, their 20 total pressures allowed will be the fourth-worst single-game mark for a Colts offensive line over the last five years.

Box Score

Passing

Indianapolis Colts

Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int Sacks Rtg
Matt Ryan 8.1 26 / 41 251 6.1 0 2 6 60.1

Denver Broncos

Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int Sacks Rtg
Russell Wilson 11.2 21 / 39 274 7.0 0 2 4 54.9
Rushing

Indianapolis Colts

Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long
Deon Jackson 13.1 13 62 4.8 0 17
Phillip Lindsay 8.4 11 40 3.6 0 15
Matt Ryan 8.1 1 1 1.0 0 1
Nyheim Hines 1.8 1 3 3.0 0 3

Denver Broncos

Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long
Melvin Gordon III 13.3 15 54 3.6 0 17
Mike Boone 11.5 7 38 5.4 0 18
Russell Wilson 11.2 4 22 5.5 0 18
Montrell Washington 0.9 1 9 9.0 0 9
Devine Ozigbo 0.2 1 2 2.0 0 2
Receiving

Indianapolis Colts

Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT TD
Alec Pierce 16.1 9 8 81 9.0 0
Deon Jackson 13.1 4 4 29 7.2 0
Michael Pittman Jr. 10.9 8 5 59 7.4 0
Phillip Lindsay 8.4 4 3 14 3.5 0
Parris Campbell 4.2 3 2 22 7.3 0
Ashton Dulin 2.8 1 1 18 18.0 0
Kylen Granson 2.6 3 1 16 5.3 0
Nyheim Hines 1.8 2 1 5 2.5 0
Mo Alie-Cox 1.7 1 1 7 7.0 0
Jelani Woods 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0

Denver Broncos

Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT TD
Melvin Gordon III 13.3 3 3 49 16.3 0
Courtland Sutton 12.4 11 5 74 6.7 0
Mike Boone 11.5 3 3 47 15.7 0
Eric Saubert 8.6 7 5 36 5.1 0
Jerry Jeudy 8.3 8 3 53 6.6 0
KJ Hamler 2.0 2 1 10 5.0 0
Albert Okwuegbunam 1.5 1 1 5 5.0 0
Eric Tomlinson 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0
Andrew Beck 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0
Tyrie Cleveland 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0

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