INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Jonathan Taylor’s power running and Daniel Jones’ poise under pressure proved to be the perfect combination for the Indianapolis Colts, who outlasted the Arizona Cardinals 31–27 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Taylor’s 1-yard touchdown plunge with 4:32 remaining capped a 66-yard drive that gave the Colts (5–1) the lead for good and extended their home winning streak to six games.
“We had to fight all the way through,” Taylor said. “We just kept scratching and clawing. At the end, we had to be dominant up front — and we were.”
Colts Close It Out Late
In a second half where neither team punted, Jones orchestrated the decisive drive with steady passing and timely scrambles. The quarterback finished 22 of 30 for 212 yards, two touchdown passes, one interception, and a rushing score.
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren had a breakout performance with six receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, while Taylor topped 100 yards for the 27th time in his career, gaining 123 yards on 21 carries.
“It was one of those back-and-forth games,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said after defeating close friend and former colleague Jonathan Gannon. “You knew it would come down to execution in the final minutes — and the offense delivered.”
Cardinals’ Frustration Continues
The loss marked Arizona’s (2–4) fourth straight defeat, and the second consecutive game in which they squandered a late lead.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, starting in place of the injured Kyler Murray, played admirably against one of his former teams. He threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns, connecting on 27 of 44 attempts. Tight end Trey McBride caught eight passes for 72 yards and a touchdown, though his frustration boiled over after a non-call in the final minute.
“I thought there was pass interference on that play,” McBride said after his fourth-down target fell incomplete at the Colts’ 9-yard line. “They didn’t see it that way — just unfortunate.”
Offensive Shootout
The offenses traded blows for most of the afternoon. McBride’s 1-yard touchdown gave Arizona a 17–14 lead early in the third quarter, only for the Colts to answer with a Matt Gay 45-yard field goal.
Brissett then hit Greg Dortch on a 12-yard strike to push the Cardinals ahead 24–17, but Jones responded with a pinpoint 5-yard toss to Josh Downs to tie it.
After a 44-yard Matt Prater field goal briefly put Arizona back in front, Taylor powered through the left side of the line for the decisive score — sealing a resilient win for Indianapolis.
Injury Woes Mount
Both teams were hit hard by injuries.
For Arizona, Kyler Murray (foot) sat out his first game since 2023, and star rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. entered the concussion protocol after hitting his head on the turf in the second quarter. Tight end Travis Vokolek was carted off on a backboard after a neck injury during a kickoff collision but was later reported to be alert and moving his limbs.
For the Colts, cornerback Kenny Moore II (Achilles) and running back Tyler Goodson (groin) were ruled out before the game, while cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion) and backup quarterback Anthony Richardson (fractured orbital bone) were both injured during pregame warmups.
What’s Next:
Cardinals: Return home to face the Green Bay Packers next Sunday.
Colts: Travel west to meet the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7.
