Source: Cooper Neill / Getty
DENVER (AP) — Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson’s pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Indianapolis Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night.
“That’s the definition of a big-time player making big plays in the moment,” Colts coach Frank Reich said of Gilmore, who also intercepted Wilson’s pass in the fourth quarter to help set up Chase McLauglin’s tying field goal.
“Isn’t it awesome you can have a game like that and still win,” Reich said.
McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each yet featured zero touchdowns.
The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus or even a first-down play on fourth-and-less-and-a-yard from the 5, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.
“We wanted to win the game,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “We hadn’t moved the ball very well the whole night and I though we had a spectacular drive to get all the way down there.”
Wide open and uncovered — but unseen by Wilson — was KJ Hamler, who tore off his helmet and slammed it to the ground after Wilson’s final pass was batted away, sending the Broncos and their awful offense to their second loss in four days.
“There’s going to be a bunch of what-ifs,” Broncos guard Dalton Risner said. “You know what, if we score that touchdown, everyone thinks it’s the best call in the world.”
Matt Ryan grinded out the victory despite throwing two interceptions into the hands of safety Caden Sterns, fumbling for the 10th time this season and getting sacked six times, giving him 21 so far.
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