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Colts defeat Buccaneers, 27-10, in preseason finale

kevin hickey
·3 min read
1

The Indianapolis Colts wrapped up the preseason Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium with a 27-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The starters for the Colts played just a little bit into the second quarter while Tom Brady and the Buccaneers’ starters played just one drive.

Football now means something moving forward, but here’s the recap from the preseason finale:

Final Score: Colts 27, Bucs 10

AP Photo/Doug McSchooler

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Final

Colts

7

7

10

3

27

Buccaneers

3

7

0

0

10

The game was over when...

AP Photo/AJ Mast

Quarterback Sam Ehlinger scrambled for a 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to give the Colts a 21-10 lead.

Keys to the game

AP Photo/Doug McSchooler

  • The Colts were pretty efficient in the red zone, converting two of their three trips into touchdowns.

  • The defense held the Bucs offense in check on third downs. Just 1-of-11 third-down attempts were converted by the Buccaneers.

  • Special teams was a big part of the day, especially the punting unit. They took seven punts for 70 yards.

  • The Colts were more efficient with their plays, averaging 5.3 yards per play over the Bucs, who averaged 4.9 yards per play.

3 Stars of the game

AP Photo/AJ Mast

  1. DE Ben Banogu: He may have secured his roster spot with a sack and three tackles for loss on the day.

  2. QB Sam Ehlinger: The second-year quarterback added a 45-yard touchdown run to his ridiculous preseason stats.

  3. P Matt Haack: Replacing Rigoberto Sanchez is not easy, but four of Haack’s five punts on the night landed inside the 15-yard line.

Injuries

AP Photo/AJ Mast

  • LB Shaquille Leonard (back) remained on the PUP list and didn’t play Saturday.

  • DE Kwity Paye (knee) was held out after suffering a bone bruise during practice earlier in the week.

  • S Armani Watts (ankle) was carted off the field following the opening kickoff. He didn’t return to the game.

Quick Hits

AP Photo/Doug McSchooler

  • Rookie DB Rodney Thomas II made several open-field tackles during the first half, showcasing some of the early development he’s made.

  • RB Deon Jackson got the start in the backfield. He took a screen pass for 26 yards and added a goal-line rushing touchdown.

  • WR Keke Coutee made his return from a groin injury and was the starting punt returner and slot receiver. He had a noticeable return for 17 yardsi n the second quarter.

  • Rookie LT Bernhard Raimann continues to show off his development on the blindside. He had several strong blocks in pass protection and in the run game.

  • UDFA CB Dallis Flowers opened the second half of the game with a 53-yard kick return.

  • WR Dezmon Patmon again led the offense in receiving yards, this time with 50 on the day.

  • UDFA LB Sterling Weatherford led the team with 10 tackles (nine solo).

What's next?

AP Photo/Doug McSchooler

The Colts will begin trimming the roster down to 53 players. The deadline to do so is Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Story originally appeared on Colts Wire