The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Denver Broncos 29-28 on September 14, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in a dramatic finish. Daniel Jones threw for 316 yards while Jonathan Taylor rushed for 165 yards. Bo Nix completed 22 of 30 passes for three touchdowns but threw a critical interception.
The game featured 473 total yards for Indianapolis compared to Denver’s 324, with Spencer Shrader’s 45-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the victory.
Quarterback Performance Comparison
Daniel Jones outperformed Bo Nix in yards, but Nix was more efficient in the red zone. Jones completed 23 of 34 attempts for 316 yards, one touchdown pass, and zero interceptions. His 107.0 passer rating reflected a clean performance with one sack taken for 10 yards.
Bo Nix finished 22 of 30 for 206 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. His 111.2 passer rating appeared strong, but the fourth-quarter interception by Cam Bynum inside Indianapolis territory killed a scoring drive. Nix added 20 rushing yards on three carries, showing mobility when pressure arrived.
Jones posted his first 300-yard game since September 2023, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt compared to Nix’s 6.9. The yards-per-attempt gap shows how Indianapolis attacked downfield while Denver relied on shorter, efficient throws.
| Stat | Bo Nix (DEN) | Daniel Jones (IND) |
|---|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 22/30 | 23/34 |
| Yards | 206 | 316 |
| Touchdowns | 3 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 |
| Passer Rating | 111.2 | 107.0 |
| Yards Per Attempt | 6.9 | 9.3 |
Nix’s three touchdown passes went to Troy Franklin (3 yards), Marvin Mims Jr. (23 yards), and Adam Trautman (2 yards). Jones connected with Jonathan Taylor for a 7-yard touchdown pass.
Running Back Statistical Breakdown
Jonathan Taylor dominated the ground game with 25 carries for 165 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. His 68-yard rush represented the game’s longest play from scrimmage. Taylor’s workload increased in the fourth quarter as Indianapolis protected a narrow lead, carrying the ball seven times on the final drive alone.
J.K. Dobbins led Denver with 14 carries for 76 yards and one touchdown, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. His 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave Denver a 28-20 lead. Dobbins showed burst on his 23-yard rush but couldn’t match Taylor’s explosive plays.
Taylor caught two passes for 50 yards, including the 7-yard touchdown reception. His 43-yard catch stretched the Indianapolis defense horizontally. Dobbins managed just one catch for nine yards, limiting his receiving impact.
Ground Game Totals:
- Indianapolis: 32 carries, 167 yards (5.2 avg)
- Denver: 24 carries, 118 yards (4.9 avg)
Daniel Jones added six carries for two yards and one rushing touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Bo Nix contributed three carries for 20 yards, with an 18-yard scramble as his longest gain.
Wide Receiver and Tight End Production
Troy Franklin emerged as Denver’s leading receiver with eight catches for 89 yards and one touchdown on nine targets. His 42-yard reception set up a scoring opportunity. Franklin’s 11.1 yards per catch and 88.9% catch rate showed reliability in Bo Nix’s progression reads.
Tyler Warren led all tight ends with four catches for 79 yards on seven targets, averaging 19.8 yards per reception. His 41-yard gain moved the chains on third down. Warren also carried the ball once on a trick play, gaining zero yards.
Josh Downs caught six of eight targets for 51 yards, serving as Daniel Jones’s security blanket on third downs. Alec Pierce added four catches for 68 yards with a 44-yard long, stretching Denver’s secondary vertically.
Michael Pittman Jr. recorded four catches for 40 yards on five targets. His production dipped below expectations as Indianapolis spread targets across multiple receivers. Adonai Mitchell caught two passes for 20 yards on four targets.
Marvin Mims Jr. caught both targets for 24 yards and one touchdown, maximizing his limited opportunities. Courtland Sutton managed just one catch for six yards on four targets, representing a disappointing afternoon for Denver’s top receiver.
Receiving Leaders:
Denver:
- Troy Franklin: 8 rec, 89 yds, 1 TD
- Marvin Mims Jr.: 2 rec, 24 yds, 1 TD
- Adam Trautman: 3 rec, 10 yds, 1 TD
Indianapolis:
- Tyler Warren: 4 rec, 79 yds
- Alec Pierce: 4 rec, 68 yds
- Josh Downs: 6 rec, 51 yds
- Jonathan Taylor: 2 rec, 50 yds, 1 TD
Adam Trautman caught three passes for 10 yards and one touchdown, functioning as a red-zone weapon. The tight end group combined for 13 catches and 89 yards, showing how both offenses utilized multiple receiver types.
Defensive Player Statistics
Pat Surtain II led all defenders with 11 total tackles (nine solo), despite missing time with an ankle injury in the first half. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year added one pass deflection and maintained coverage discipline throughout the contest.
Nick Cross and Joe Bachie each recorded seven tackles for Indianapolis. Cross contributed one pass deflection while Bachie provided run support in the middle. DeForest Buckner registered six tackles (all solo) with two tackles for loss, disrupting Denver’s interior running game.
Talanoa Hufanga tallied 10 tackles (five solo) for Denver, patrolling the middle of the field. Alex Singleton added nine tackles (four solo) from his linebacker position. Brandon Jones contributed seven tackles with one pass deflection.
Defensive Tackle Leaders:
| Player | Team | Total | Solo | TFL | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Surtain II | DEN | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | DEN | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Singleton | DEN | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Cross | IND | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Joe Bachie | IND | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Grover Stewart recorded six tackles with one tackle for loss, clogging running lanes. Mekhi Blackmon contributed five tackles for Indianapolis while Kenny Moore II added four tackles with one tackle for loss.
Pass Rush and Coverage Metrics
Justin Strnad recorded Denver’s only sack, bringing down Daniel Jones once. He added one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. Zach Allen generated three quarterback hits without recording a sack, applying consistent pressure from the edge.
Indianapolis failed to record any sacks but registered five tackles for loss. DeForest Buckner’s two tackles for loss and Kenny Moore II’s one tackle for loss disrupted timing plays. The Colts pressured Bo Nix through coverage rather than pure pass rush.
Cam Bynum intercepted Bo Nix in the fourth quarter, returning the ball zero yards but killing a potential scoring drive inside Indianapolis territory. This marked the game’s only turnover and proved decisive in the outcome.
Denver accumulated six quarterback hits compared to zero for Indianapolis. Nik Bonitto and Jonah Elliss each recorded one quarterback hit. The pressure forced Daniel Jones to release quickly, contributing to his conservative passing approach.
Pass deflections told the story of tight coverage. Denver recorded five pass deflections while Indianapolis managed four. Pat Surtain II, Brandon Jones, and Riley Moss each broke up passes for Denver. Nick Cross, Zaire Franklin, Cam Bynum, and Tyquan Lewis deflected passes for Indianapolis.
Special Teams Performance
Spencer Shrader converted all five field goal attempts for Indianapolis, including the game-winning 45-yarder as time expired. His attempts came from 29, 33, 36, 28, and 45 yards. The perfect performance followed a missed 60-yard attempt that fell short before a penalty gave him another chance.
Wil Lutz missed his only field goal attempt for Denver, a 42-yard try that hit the right upright with 3:15 remaining. The miss opened the door for Indianapolis’s comeback. Lutz converted all four extra points.
Kicking Comparison:
| Kicker | Team | FG Made/Att | Long | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Shrader | IND | 5/5 | 45 | 2/2 | 17 |
| Wil Lutz | DEN | 0/1 | 0 | 4/4 | 4 |
Anthony Gould returned three kickoffs for 77 yards (25.7 avg) and two punts for four yards (2.0 avg) for Indianapolis. Ashton Dulin added two kickoff returns for 63 yards, including a 39-yard return.
RJ Harvey returned three kickoffs for 70 yards (23.3 avg) for Denver, while Marvin Mims Jr. contributed two returns for 52 yards. The 28-yard-long by both players showed similar return production.
Jeremy Crawshaw punted three times for 134 yards (44.7 avg) with all three pinned inside the 20-yard line. His 50-yard-long flipped field position. Indianapolis never punted, maintaining offensive drives throughout the game.
Key Statistical Takeaways
Offensive Efficiency:
- Indianapolis converted 6 of 13 third downs (46.2%) compared to Denver’s 4 of 9 (44.4%)
- Indianapolis dominated time of possession: 32:07 to Denver’s 27:53
- Red zone production favored Indianapolis 2-6 (33.3%) over Denver’s 3-3 (100%)
Turnover Battle:
- Indianapolis forced one turnover (Cam Bynum interception)
- Denver forced zero turnovers
- Neither team committed a fumble
Penalty Impact:
- Denver committed 8 penalties for 83 yards
- Indianapolis committed 11 penalties for 68 yards
- The final leverage penalty on Denver’s Dondrea Tillman gave Indianapolis another field goal attempt
Total Offense:
- Indianapolis: 473 total yards (316 passing, 167 rushing)
- Denver: 324 total yards (206 passing, 118 rushing)
- Yards per play: Indianapolis 7.2, Denver 5.5
Target Distribution: Indianapolis spread the ball to nine receivers with no player exceeding eight targets. Denver concentrated its targets on three receivers, with Troy Franklin seeing nine looks.
Top Performers from Each Team
Indianapolis Colts:
- Jonathan Taylor (RB) – 25 carries for 165 yards, plus two catches for 50 yards and one touchdown. Controlled the game in the fourth quarter with seven carries on the final drive.
- Daniel Jones (QB) – 23 of 34 for 316 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions. The first 300-yard game since 2023 demonstrated command of the offense.
- Spencer Shrader (K) – Perfect 5-for-5 on field goals, including the game-winner from 45 yards. Bounced back from the 60-yard miss to deliver under pressure.
- Tyler Warren (TE) – Four catches for 79 yards on seven targets. Averaged 19.8 yards per catch as a downfield threat from the tight end position.
- Nick Cross (S) – Seven tackles and one pass deflection from the safety position. Provided run support and coverage help.
Denver Broncos:
- Pat Surtain II (CB) – 11 tackles (nine solo) and one pass deflection. Played through an ankle injury to lead the defense in tackles.
- Bo Nix (QB) – 22 of 30 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The interception and missed opportunities late in the game cost Denver the win.
- Troy Franklin (WR) – Eight catches for 89 yards and one touchdown on nine targets. Emerged as Nix’s primary target.
- J.K. Dobbins (RB) – 14 carries for 76 yards and one touchdown. Provided consistent ground production.
- Talanoa Hufanga (S) – 10 tackles (five solo). Active in pursuit and running support from the safety position.
Honorable Mentions:
- Alec Pierce (4 rec, 68 yds) stretched the field for Indianapolis
- Josh Downs (6 rec, 51 yds) moved the chains as a possession receiver
- Marvin Mims Jr. (2 rec, 24 yds, 1 TD) maximized limited opportunities
- DeForest Buckner (6 tackles, 2 TFL) disrupted Denver’s rushing attack
The statistical battle showed Indianapolis’s balanced approach defeating Denver’s explosive but inconsistent offense. Jonathan Taylor’s rushing dominance and Spencer Shrader’s clutch kicking proved decisive in the one-point victory.
