Colts Slug Their Way to 4-1

Lucas Oil Stadium transformed into a boxing ring, Sunday, and a pair of NFL heavyweights exchanged blows.

In the end, despite being knocked to the canvass a few times, the Colts (4-1) were still standing, topping the previously undefeated Seattle Seahawks 34-28.

"There were haymakers thrown all game and we were able to outlast them," said outside linebacker Robert Mathis, who had two sacks to become just the 30th player in league history with 100.

The Colts were socked in the mouth early.  

Seattle jumped out to a 12-0 lead.  Steven Hauschka hit the first of his four field goals, Russell Wilson connected with Golden Tate on a 10-yard touchdown, and Jermaine Kearse blocked a punt out of bounds for a safety.  The punt was nearly recovered by Jeron Johnson, but he slid out of bounds before he gained full possession.

"It sure felt like a lot more than 12 points," said Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.  "Guys keep fighting.  It's been that way since I've been here."

The Colts went three-and-out on their first three possessions, but with 1:04 left in the opening quarter, Luck threw the longest pass of his NFL career, a 73-yard touchdown to T.Y. Hilton.

"When T.Y. is running fast, not many guys can catch him," said Luck.  "In those situations, give him a ball that he doesn't have to slow down for and let's see what happens.  When he gets the ball in his hands, good things happen."

The Colts took a 14-12 lead when Lawrence Guy block a Hauschka field goal attempt and Delano Howell returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.

But, the Seahawks fought back.  Wilson responded with a touchdown pass to Kearse on the following drive.  

Seattle pushed the lead to 25-17 midway through the third quarter when Luck and Hilton (5 receptions, 140 yards) hooked up again on a 29-yard touchdown, but the Colts missed the two point conversion.

Hauschka's fourth field goal gave Seattle a 28-23 heading into the final 15 minutes.

With 8:55 to play the Colt regained the lead for good.  Donald Brown scored the go-ahead score on a three yard run and Luck hit Reggie Wayne in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion.

The Colts added some insurance, putting together a nine play drive that took almost five minutes off the clock and Adam Vinatieri hit his second field goal of the game to extend the lead to 34-28 with 1:55 to play.

Wilson had a chance to deliver one more punch, but was intercepted by Darius Butler on fourth down.

"We talked about this thing being a 15 rounder.  We knew it was going to go into the fourth quarter," said head coach Chuck Pagano.  "We knew that if we just got it close, that this is the most resilient team I've ever been around.  They got more grit than any team I've ever been around."

The win marks the ninth time in his young career Luck (16-29, 229 yards, 2 TD) has orchestrated a fourth quarter comeback.  But, when the Colts needed to put the game away, they turned to their newest star, Trent Richardson, who despite being held to two yards in the first half, finished with 56 including several clutch runs to kill the clock late.

"It's a really good win.  You want to beat the best," said Jerrell Freeman who made a key third down tackle in the fourth quarter.  "We still have some great teams to play.  It's a marathon."

The Colts will look to extend their three game win streak in San Diego and then return home for the most anticipated regular season game of the year when they host Peyton Manning and the undefeated Denver Broncos.

(photo courtesy of Colts.com)