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» Colts vs. Patriots / Nov. 15, 2009 / Week 10
4th and 2. Need we say more? The undefeated Colts (8-0) were playing host to their heated rivals, the Patriots (6-2), in their 2019 Week 10 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium, and as usual, the two AFC juggernauts found themselves locked in to an absolute thriller down the stretch. Leading 34-28 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Patriots were facing a 4th and 2 from their own 28-yard line; fearing what a red-hot Peyton Manning could potentially do, even with less-than-ideal field position, however, New England head coach Bill Belichick elected to go for it. Quarterback Tom Brady completed a short pass to running back Kevin Faulk, but he was immediately dragged to the turf by Colts safety Melvin Bullitt, just short of the first down marker. Turnover on downs. Manning & Co. knew what to do from there; he would find wide receiver Reggie Wayne for a one-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left, and the extra point from Matt Stover would put the cherry on top in Indy's 35-34 instant classic victory over New England.
» Colts vs. Jets / Jan. 24, 2010 / AFC Championship Game
The Colts, who had won 14 games during the regular season, were the clear favorites heading into their AFC Championship battle at home against the Jets, who finished the season with a 9-7 record. But New York also had all the confidence in the world — and the league's No. 1 defense — and would jump out to an 11-point lead, 17-6, with 2:16 left in the second quarter. But that's when Peyton Manning and the Colts decided enough was enough, as the then-four-time MVP threw three touchdown passes the rest of the way — becoming the first player to accomplish that feat all season against the New York defense — and rallying Indy to a 30-17 victory, propelling the team to its second Super Bowl appearance in four seasons. Wide receivers Pierre Garçon (11 receptions, 151 yards, one touchdown) and Austin Collie (seven receptions, 123 yards, one touchdown) had big days for the Colts' offense, as did Manning, who completed 26-of-39 passes for 377 yards and three scores for a QB rating of 123.6.
» Colts vs. Packers / Oct. 7, 2012 / Week 5
Taking the field without their leader, first-year head coach Chuck Pagano, who was a couple miles away at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center as he underwent treatment for leukemia — of which he was diagnosed just days prior — the Colts found themselves behind by 18 points, 21-3, heading into halftime of their Week 5 matchup against reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. But then rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne and the Indy defense woke up — in a big way. The Colts rallied to score 27 second-half points to storm all the way back, defeating the Packers, 30-27, as Luck completed 8-of-11 passes on the final, game-winning drive, which ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to Wayne, who had a career-high 212 receiving yards while wearing orange gloves and an orange mouthpiece — the color for leukemia awareness. Fresh off what was then the third-largest comeback win in franchise history, Colts owner Jim Irsay rushed off to deliver the game ball to Pagano, who would survive his battle with leukemia and whose "CHUCKSTRONG" campaign has since raised millions for cancer research.
» Colts vs. Chiefs / Jan. 4, 2014 / AFC Wild Card Round
The odds certainly weren't in the Colts' favor when they went into halftime of their 2013 Wild Card Round matchup against the Chiefs trailing by 21 points. And when that deficit grew to 28 points, 38-10, with 13:39 left in the third quarter, the odds of an Indy victory shrunk to less than one percent, according to ESPN Stats & Information. But those oddsmakers apparently didn't account for an inspired Andrew Luck. Luck, then in his second season as the Colts' starting quarterback, would catch fire from there, throwing three second-half touchdowns and making a heroic effort to scoop up a Donald Brown fumble and dive into the end zone for another score, leading Indy to its improbable 45-44 victory over the Chiefs in front of a frenzied home crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was the second-largest postseason comeback victory in NFL history, trailing only the Frank Reich-led Buffalo Bills, who overcame a 32-point deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers, 41-38, in overtime of their Wild Card Round matchup Jan. 3, 1993.