The Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1) came out of the prime-time matchup Sunday night with a brutal 54-19 loss against the Dallas Cowboys (9-3) at AT&T Stadium.
It was a game that the Colts weren’t expected to win. They showed plenty of life early on, scoring 10 points in the first quarter. But more self-inflicted wounds and costly mistakes continue to haunt the Colts and keep them from competing for an entire game.
We had ourselves a game as the Colts trailed 21-19 at the end of the third quarter. And then the wheels fell off. The Colts continued to make mistake after mistake, allowing the Cowboys to score 33 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Here’s our recap of the road loss before entering the bye week:
Final score: Cowboys 54, Colts 19
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
| Colts | 10 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 19 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 0 | 33 | 54 |
It was over when...
Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox fumbled the ball after catching a screen pass. Former Colt and current Cowboys safety Malik Hooker scooped it up and took it to the end zone for a touchdown to extend their lead to 34-19 in the fourth quarter.
Keys to the game
- Turnovers and self-inflicted wounds hurt the Colts yet again. They committed five turnovers, all of which resulted in touchdowns for the Cowboys.
- The Cowboys defense made plays on the ball all night long. They had two interceptions and five pass breakups.
- Cowboys S Malik Hooker certainly had a revenge game against his former team. He grabbed an interception, which led to a touchdown, and a fumble, which he recovered 38 yards to the house.
- The offense showed some life at times but ultimately struggled to move the ball. They averaged just 3.5 yards per play and converted just 4-of-13 attempts on third down.
- The Colts’ pass rush mustered just 1.0 sack and one quarterback hit. The defense also only recorded just two tackles for loss.
3 Stars of the game
- WR Alec Pierce: The rookie showed up in a big way in prime time. He led the offense with four receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.
- CB Stephon Gilmore: Gilly Lock continues to be an elite asset in the secondary. He had two passes defended and an interception.
- LB Zaire Franklin: It wasn’t a perfect game, but Franklin was a force in the middle. He led the way with 10 tackles (six solo) and a great pass breakup in the end zone.
Injuries
- CB Kenny Moore II (ankle) and RT Braden Smith (illness) were inactive.
Quick Hits
- Dennis Kelly got the start at right tackle in place of the injured Braden Smith.
- CB Dallis Flowers was the starting punt returner for the second week in a row.
- K Chase McLaughlin nailed a 52-yard field goal in the first quarter. He is 7-of-10 on field goals of 50 or more yards this season.
- The Colts scored 10 points in the first quarter—the most points they’ve scored in the first quarter this season.
- Matt Pryor replaced Dennis Kelly at right tackle roughly halfway through the second quarter. Kelly then returned near the end of the second quarter.
- The Colts have 30 fumbles on the season and have lost 12 of them. Both lead the NFL.
- The Cowboys scored 33 points off turnovers.
- 54 points scored against the Colts are the most since Week 11 of 2012 against the New England Patriots, a game they lost 59-24.
- Interim HC Jeff Saturday had two chances to use a challenge on plays where the Colts had strong arguments for turnovers. He elected not to use them.
- The Colts have now lost six of their last seven games.
- The offense has topped 20 points just twice in 13 games this season.
- The loss means the Colts currently hold the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft entering Monday night.
What's next?
Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday will meet with the media Monday before the team finally hits the bye in Week 14.
