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- Mar 19, 2019
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The Lions (3-4) took that aforementioned 7-0 lead into the second quarter, but by that point the Colts' defense had already made amends by forcing Detroit into a three-and-out on its next drive after the early touchdown.
Then Philip Rivers and the Colts offense started to go to work.
The veteran quarterback led a quick four-play, 61-yard scoring drive, connecting on passes of 15, 21 and 22 yards, the last of which was a touchdown throw to running back Nyheim Hines, who used a big block from wide receiver T.Y. Hilton along the sideline and showed off some nimble footwork from there to get the Colts into the end zone for the first time on the day.
That general sequence of events actually repeated itself two more times in the second quarter. The Lions punted after just four plays on their next drive, and then the Colts found the end zone again, thanks in large part to an unnecessary roughness penalty on defensive tackle Danny Shelton, turning what would've been a sure Colts punt into a back-breaking first down. Three plays later, Rivers would find Jack Doyle for a seven-yard touchdown — the veteran tight end's second straight game with a receiving score — and Indy, at 14-7, officially had its first lead of the game with 5:37 left in the second quarter.
The Colts wouldn't relinquish that lead the rest of the way.
They went into halftime with a 20-7 lead thanks to another Rivers touchdown pass to Hines, this time a 29-yard score, as a kick catch interference penalty on the Lions set up the Colts at the Detroit 48-yard line; Rivers needed just six plays and 2:50 to take advantage of that error.
Detroit made things interesting early in the third quarter before Indianapolis was able to pull away in the final period, as Stafford found running back Kerryon Johnson for a nine-yard touchdown pass on the Lions' first possession of the second half to cut the Colts' lead to six, 20-14.
But then the Colts' defense decided to slam the door shut.
All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard, playing on Sunday for the first time since Week 4 after working his way back from a groin injury, would break through on a blitz late in the third quarter, not only getting the sack on Stafford, his first of the year, but poking the ball loose, which was recovered by defensive end Justin Houston at the Indianapolis 40.
It was both the first lost fumble of the season for the Lions and the first fumble recovery of the year for the Colts.
Eight plays later, running back Jordan Wilkins punched it in from one yard out to put the Colts up 28-14 with 13:36 left in the fourth quarter. Yet again, the Colts took advantage of a critical Lions mistake on that drive, as Rivers, on 3rd and 14 from the Detroit 45, launched a pass deep towards speedy receiver Ashton Dulin near the end zone which fell incomplete, but a pass interference call on Detroit cornerback Justin Coleman set the Colts up with a 1st-and-Goal situation at the Lions' 4-yard line.
Kenny Moore II then put the nail in the coffin.
On the Lions' first play of the ensuing drive, the fourth-year Colts cornerback picked off Stafford's pass intended for Jones at the Detroit 29-yard line and ran it into the end zone from there, giving the Indy defense its third pick-six of the year — and, most importantly, giving the Colts a commanding 35-14 lead at the 13:26 mark of the fourth quarter.