Commanders vs. Colts: Heinicke, McLaurin Seal Washington's Comeback Victory
The road to .500 goes through the Indianapolis Colts for the Washington Commanders. ... and the visitors got it done, with a 17-16 victory in the final minutes. How did it all unfold? Let's take a look ...
The Commanders will look to extend their winning streak to three when they go on the road to face the Colts at 4:25 p.m.
Washington turned in one of its best offensive performances of the season in its 23-21 win over the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 23.
In his first start of the season, Heinicke completed 20 of his 33 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Washington also found a lot of success on the ground with Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson combining to run for 132 yards.
Terry McLaurin caught five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.
For the Colts, Sam Ehlinger will be making the first start of his NFL career. Indianapolis drafted Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 draft.
The decision to start Ehlinger comes after an up-and-down start to the season for Matt Ryan. Ryan threw for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the Colts’ 19-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Through seven games, Ryan had thrown nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Here are the rest of the inactives for both teams ...
Washington Commanders
WR Jahan Dotson
WR Dyami Brown
CB William Jackson III
RB Jonathan Williams
LB Cole Holcomb
OL Chris Paul
TE Cole Turner
Indianapolis Colts
C Wesley French
DE Kwity Paye
QB Matt Ryan
LB Grant Stuard
DT Chris Williams
Check back with Commander Country throughout the afternoon for live updates, drive-by-drive coverage and highlights.
First Quarter
The Commanders win the toss and defer to the second half.
The Commanders force a three-and-out on the Colts' opening drive. Dax Milne returns and is pushed out of bounds inside the 20-yard line.
change of possession
Taylor Heinicke finds Antonio Gibson for a 16-yard pass on the first offensive play. However, they fail to reach the first-down marker again and punt three plays later.
Keke Coutee recovers the punt on the Colts' 14-yard line.
change of possession
The Colts fail to get a first down on three plays. Colts punt back to the Commanders on their 30-yard line.
change of possession
Jonathan Taylor rushes for three yards on back-to-back plays. On third and four, Sam Ehlinger avoids pressure and completes a pass to Michael Pittman who runs 10 yards for a first down.
Ehlinger runs to avoid pressure then throws a 16-yard pass to Pittman for another first down.
Taylor gets the handoff and only gains two yards. Ehlinger completes a pass to Paris Campbell and he's pushed out a yard short of a first down. On third and two, Ehlinger hands it off to Taylor and he runs 27 yards to Washington's 25-yard line.
Nyheim Hines gets the carry and only gains a yard. On second and nine, Ehlinger is blitzed and sacked by multiple Washington defenders. It'll be third and 15 to start the second quarter.
End of the quarter.
Hines gets the handoff and only gains two yards. Chase McLaughlin comes out to kick the 46-yard field goal and it's good.
Colts 3, Commanders 0
Change of possession.
Washington will start the drive at its 25-yard line.
Brian Robinson Jr. runs for seven yards on back-to-back carries.
Heinicke drops back and completes a short pass to McLaurin and he runs to turn it into a 43-yard gain.
On first and 10 from the Colts 19-yard line, Curtis Samuel runs it for eight yards. Antonio Gibson gets the carry and runs for two yards and a first down.
On first and goal from the nine, Heinicke completes the pass to Gibson and he runs it for a touchdown.
Joey Slye's extra point is good.
Commanders 7, Colts 3
Change of possession.
Slye's kickoff goes through the back of the end zone.
Ehlinger completes a 15-yard pass to Kylen Granson for a first down.
Ehlinger's pass to Alec Pierce falls incomplete. On second and 10, Hines only gains a yard. Ehlinger drops back on third and 8 and his pass to Pierce is incomplete.
Matt Haack comes out to punt and Milne calls for a fair catch at Washington's nine-yard line.
Change of possession.
Gibson runs for four yards on first down. On second and six, Heinicke's pass to Samuel is complete for 20 yards.
Heinicke throws a screen to Gibson and he loses six yards. On second and 14, Heinicke's pass falls incomplete after being batted down. Heinicke is forced to scramble on third down and gains nine yards to make it fourth and four.
Tress Way's punt is caught by Coutee at the Colts' 10-yard line and he runs it to the 18-yard line with 6:06 left in the half.
Change of possession.
Campbell gets the ball on a reverse and he runs it 28-yards to the Colts' 47-yard line.
Hines gets the carry on a direct snap and he runs for nine yards. Taylor is back in the game and he runs for eight yards.
Taylor gets the ball again and he runs for nine yards. Ehlinger keeps it and not gaining a yard, James Smith-Williams is called for a facemask.
On first down from Washington's 13-yard line, Deon Jackson is tackled for a five-yard loss. Ehlinger runs out of the pocket and gets hit by Jonathan Allen and he fumbles. Daron Payne recovers the fumble for Washington.
Change of possession.
Gibson runs for five yards and the game reaches the two-minute warning. JD McKissic runs for four yards to make it third and one. Robinson comes into the game and gains a yard for a first down.
On first down, Heinicke completes a short pass to Milne. Washington calls its first timeout of the game with 44 seconds left in the half. On second and five, Heinicke runs for seven yards and a first down. The Commanders call a timeout with 37 seconds left in the half.
After a review, Heinicke was ruled short of a first down. On third and one, Heinicke's pass to McKissic is incomplete.
Way comes out to punt and Coutee calls for a fair catch at the Colts' 13-yard line with 25 seconds left in the half.
Change of possession.
Ehlinger takes a knee and the game reaches halftime.
Halftime.
Third Quarter
The Commanders get the ball to start the second half.
A six-yard pass from Heinicke to tight end John Bates puts Washington ahead of schedule. An 11-yard run by Samuel moves the chains and gives the Commanders a positive start to the half.
Two plays later, Heinicke hit McLaurin for nine yards on 3rd and 10, setting up 4th and 1. Washington keeps its offense on the field and hands off to Robinson ... who loses a yard.
The Colts regain possession at midfield.
Change of Possession
Ehlinger went back to work on the ground, picking up seven on a scramble before converting a 3rd and 2 with his legs.
After an incompletion and two-yard run by Ehlinger, the rookie found Pierce for nine yards on 3rd and 8, moving the chains once more as Washington struggles to get off the field.
A big hit by Commanders safety Kamren Curl stops Pittman short of the line to gain, and Taylor's stood up by Payne on 3rd and 3.
A decision to be made by Colts coach Frank Reich ... and he opts for the field goal on 4th and 3. McLaughlin's kick is good, pulling Indianapolis within a point.
Commanders 7, Colts 6
Change of Possession
Gibson takes the kickoff back to the Washington 24.
He takes a handoff for no gain, and Heinicke follows with an incomplete pass to tight end Armani Rogers.
On 3rd and 10, Heinicke hit McLaurin on a drag route, but he's stopped after just five yards.
Way's punt is fair caught by Coutee at his own 23.
Change of Possession
After a false start put Indianapolis behind the chains on 2nd and 14, Ehlinger unloaded and found Pierce for a gain of 47, the Colts' longest pass play of the year.
An eight-yard rush by Taylor kept the positive momentum rolling ... until the ball followed suit the play after. Indianapolis' star runner coughed it up after a hit from Darrick Forrest, with Casey Toohill recovering for Washington in a sudden shift in momentum.
The Commanders will start shop at their own 15.
Change of Possession
Samuel gains four yards to open the drive. After Robinson is stood up at the line, the Commanders face a 3rd and 6.
Heinicke drops back and is swarmed in a hurry, going down back at his own seven-yard line.
Way's booming punt chases Coutee back; a 10-yard run gives Ehlinger and company the ball at their own 38.
Change of Possession
Ehlinger starts with a nine-yard completion to Pierce. He follows it up with a 21-yard scramble, but a holding penalty on Indianapolis brings it all back.
The Colts regained the lost yardage and then some on the following play, as Ehlinger hit Campbell on a screen pass, with the former Ohio State star taking it 38 yards down the sideline to the Washington 25.
End of Quarter
Ehlinger drops it in the bucket to Hines on a wheel route for a gain of 22, falling out of bounds inside the five-yard line.
After being stood up on a designed run, Ehlinger does a pop pass to Pittman, who's hit hard by Curl at the goal line ... after initially being called a touchdown, the officials deemed Pittman down just shy.
Ehlinger hands off to Taylor and is met in the backfield by linebacker Jamin Davis for a loss of one.
McLaughlin connects on a 20-yard field goal to put Indianapolis on top, but Washington's goal-line stand could prove important down the stretch.
Colts 9, Commanders 7
Change of Possession
Washington's series lasts just one play, as Heinicke's arm is hit as he throws, and the pass is intercepted by Shaquille Leonard
Change of Possession
The Commanders' defense was ready for the challenge initially, snuffing out a screen before drawing a holding penalty to put Indianapolis behind the sticks at 2nd and 22.
However, Washington gave it all back right away, as Rachad Wildgoose was called for defensive pass interference at the six-yard line.
Hines takes a run to the endzone on the following play, and McLaughlin's extra point splits the upright as this game begins to get away from Washington.
Colts 16, Commanders 7
Change of Possession
The Commanders started deep in their own territory after a penalty on the kickoff.
Heinicke began by hitting Gibson underneath for 10 and 12 yards before connecting with McLaurin for 18.
After another pass to Gibson resulted in a three-yard loss, Heinicke found McKissic for seven on 3rd and 13 to set up 4th and 6. There, he found Samuel for 18 yards and a critical first down.
The following play, Rogers caught a screen pass and gained 13 yards. Short runs by Heinicke and Gibson ensued, and his pass to McKissic on 3rd and 3 fell incomplete.
Slye's 28-yard field goal is good, and the Commanders pull within one possession.
Colts 16, Commanders 10
Change of Possession
The Colts begin at their own 25 with 4:55 to go.
Two runs by Taylor set up 3rd and 5. Ehlinger scrambles ... and is tackled inches shy of the line to gain.
Haack's punt is returned for a yard by Milne, setting Washington up at its own 11.
Change of Possession
Washington has 2:39 on the clock and all three timeouts, in need of 89 yards.
The series starts with a six-yard pass to McLaurin. Heinicke scampers for two more on 2nd and 4, setting up 3rd and 2 on the other side of the two-minute warning.
A lane emerges for McKissic ... but he slips on the cut, leading to a do-or-die 4th and 1.
Heinicke's pressured, nearly sacked ... and manages to evade! He gets out of the pocket and finds Samuel for a gain of 12 to move the sticks.
Pressure gets to Heinicke again, but he once more makes something out of it, shoving a pass to McKissic for four yards. An injury to Colts defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis forces the home team to call timeout, stopping the clock.
Heinicke gets right back to it, scrambling for nine before finding Sims for 21 yards over the middle.
The next play, he's given time to throw ... and heaves it downfield to McLaurin ... who makes a spectacular grab over Stephon Gilmore!
Washington has the ball at the Indianapolis one-yard line. With 26 seconds to go, Heinicke keeps it on the quarterback sneak ... and gets into the endzone for six!
Slye's extra point for the lead is nearly blocked, but splits the uprights, giving Washington the lead.
Commanders 17, Colts 16
Change of Possession
Ehlinger gets time to throw, slides left and hits Pittman in strides ... but he drops it with just 15 seconds left.
The rookie connects with Pittman for seven yards, but the Commanders tackle him in bounds, forcing Indianapolis to burn its last timeout.
Ehlinger is nearly sacked, but manages to flip it to Pittman, who's tackled immediately in bounds, breaking the game to an end.
FINAL: Commanders 17, Colts 16
Washington overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a dramatic victory, pulling the team back to .500 on the season.
The Commanders (4-4) are back in action next week against the Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at FedEx Field, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
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