Colts trail Cleveland by six points after high-scoring first-half
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Colts went into the locker room at halftime trailing the Cleveland Browns 27-21.
The day started with a bang for both offenses.
First, the Browns scored a touchdown on the opening drive with a 69-yard run by Jerome Ford.
Then, Gardner Minshew and the Colts responded with a 59-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs.
Julian Blackmon intercepted Deshaun Watson on the next drive, but Indy’s offense sputtered with a three-and-out.
After trading punts, Minshew and Jonathan Taylor went to work.
The duo led the offense down the field, ending in a Minshew 17-yard rushing touchdown that gave the Colts their first lead of the day.
On the ensuing drive, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson sustained a hard hit after a throw, slamming the back of his helmet on the turf, and leaving the game with a head injury.
Indy got the ball back, but Myles Garrett hit Minshew from behind and forced a fumble.
Former Colt Anthony Walker jumped on the loose ball for Cleveland.
Walker’s former Indy teammate PJ Walker entered the game for the Browns at quarterback as Watson remained on the sidelines.
On a short field, Cleveland took a 5-play drive to the end zone with a Kareem Hunt 2-yard rushing touchdown.
The Colts moved the ball down the field but stalled at the Cleveland 42-yard yard line.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen elected to attempt a 60-yard field goal instead of punting the ball, and that decision proved to be the wrong one.
All-world defensive end Myles Garrett leaped over the Colts’ long snapper Luke Rhodes and used every inch of his 6-4 frame to block the kick and Denzel Ward took it back to the Indy 16-yard line.
Fortunately for the Horseshoe, the defense forced a three-and-out, limiting the Browns to a field goal to make it a 17-14 game.
Cue Minshew Mania, as the offense marched 75 yards down the field to take the lead again.
This time it was Garnder Minshew again, with his second rushing touchdown of the first half as the Colts went ahead 21-17.
With two minutes left in the first half, Myles Garrett wrecked the game again with a strip-sack in the end zone that teammate Tony Fields II recovered for a Browns touchdown to retake the lead.
After the Browns defense forced a three-and-out, the offense marched down the field and kicked a 54-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired.
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Immediately following the final whistle of this game, head to WISH-TV for the Colts’ postgame show featuring WISH-TV Sports Director Anthony Calhoun, former Colts’ safety Marlin Jackson, and the rest of the Sports 8 team.
For more Colts’ coverage on WISH-TV, head to the dedicated Colts homepage.
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