INDIANAPOLIS – With their starters resting, the Packers' reserves overcome a rough, penalty-filled first half and a 13-point deficit to beat the Colts, 23-19, in a preseason game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
QB Sean Clifford completed the comeback with an 11-yard scramble for a TD with 1:31 left on the clock. It was the Packers' third touchdown in the last 20 minutes of action.
The Colts responded by driving to the Green Bay 31-yard line, facing fourth-and-10. Jason Bean's pass appeared to be caught by Jelani Woods at the 1-yard line, right at the front pylon, but a review ruled the pass incomplete, turning the ball over on downs and ending the game.
The wild finish evened Green Bay's preseason record at 1-1.
For the Packers, QB Taylor Elgersma was 7-of-11 for 109 yards and a 96.4 passer rating. QB Malik Willis was 6-of-14 for 83 yards and a 62.5 rating.
RB Israel Abanikanda led the ground game with 12 carries for 43 yards and a TD, while RB Emanuel Wilson added five rushes for 33 yards. RB Amar Johnson had seven carries for 22 yards and a score.
WR Cornelius Johnson caught three passes for 41 yards, while RBs MarShawn Lloyd (33 yards) and Wilson (32 yards) each had one long gain on a reception.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers and Colts play a scoreless first quarter
The Packers won the coin toss and elected to receive. Green Bay converted two fourth downs on its opening drive, with running back Chris Brooks picking up four yards on fourth-and-1 and John FitzPatrick catching a 9-yard pass from Malik Willis on fourth-and-5.
The ball moved to the Indianapolis 21 after a facemask call on Colts defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore during Brooks' 1-yard run.
The drive produced no points after Mark McNamee missed a 39-yard attempt wide left with 9 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first quarter.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones opened with a 19-yard pass to tight end Mo Alie-Cox, but the Packers definitely held their ground to force a Rigoberto Sanchez punt.
Willis connected with Mecole Hardman on a 21-yard pass completion on third-and-6. Julian Hicks made a brilliant grab on a go ball down the right sideline on third-and-6, but the play was wiped out by a holding penalty. Green Bay punted one play later.
Safety Kitan Oladapo broke up a first-down pass by Jones on the Colts next possession, which began at their 16-yard line. While playing most of its starters, Indianapolis drove down to the Green Bay 7-yard line as the first quarter concluded.
Colts lead Packers 13-3 at halftime
Colts lead Packers 13-3 at halftime
Jones was forced to throw the ball away on third-and-6, settling for a 25-yard Spencer Shrader field goal to put the Colts up 3-0 with 14 minutes, 46 seconds left in the first half.
Running a wheel route out of the backfield, MarShawn Lloyd gained separation down the right sideline and looked in a 33-yard pass from Willis on third-and-5 to move the ball to midfield.
Anthony Belton picked up a late hit penalty after a 5-yard Emanuel Wilson run and the Packers punted after a 5-yard pass to Ben Sims on third-and-20.
Bo Melton broke up a Richardson pass on second-and-1, but DJ Giddens picked up the necessary yard on the next play. Green Bay got Indianapolis in a third-and-9 situation from the Packers' 24, but Richardson scrambled up the middle to sustain the drive.
Former Packers running back Tyler Goodson punched in a 3-yard touchdown to extend the Colts' lead to 10-0 with 5:00 left in the half. The 12-play, 90-yard series lasted 6:22.
Taylor Elgersma entered at quarterback on Green Bay's fourth series. Willis went 6-of-14 for 83 yards. The drive lasted just two plays, as the Colts recovered a Wilson fumble.
The defense held Indianapolis to a Schrader 29-yard field goal that made it 13-0 with 2:14 left in the half. Kadeem Telfort was called for a false start and Elgersma was sacked for a 6-yard loss on the next play, as the Packers went three-and-out.
On second-and-10, Wilson extended a check down in the flat from Elgersma for a 32-yard pickup to the Colts' 20. Elgersma rocketed in a pass to Ben Sims for a 20-yard touchdown, but an illegal formation penalty on Belton erased the score.
McNamee made a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Colts lead Packers 16-10 after three
The Packers forced a three-and-out to start the second half, with Kristian Welch tackling Ulysses Bentley IV for no gain on third-and-2.
With Jacob Monk sustaining an injury at the end of the first half, Trey Hill slid over to center with Tyler Cooper entering at right guard.
The Packers picked up the initial first down with a 12-yard pass to Cornelius Johnson on third-and-5. Elgersma threaded a 14-yard pass to Hicks on a post on the next play.
Israel Abanikanda gained 14 yards on four consecutive carries to move the ball to the Colts' 35. Colts safety Daniel Scott appeared to intercept Elgersma on third-and-7, but Samuel Womack was called for a facemask penalty before the pick.
Abanikanda carried the ball five straight times for 19 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown on third-and-goal to cut Indianapolis' lead to 13-10 with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
The 14-play, 80-yard drive ate 9:02 off the block. Abanikanda touched the ball 12 times on the series, gaining 49 yards (38 rushing, 11 receiving).
The Colts answered with an eight-play, 27-yard scoring drive that ended with a 56-yard Shrader field goal to extend Indianapolis' lead to 16-10 with 2:04 left in the third quarter.
Packers rally to beat the Colts, 23-19
The fourth quarter began with Elgersma connecting on an 11-yard crosser to Johnson, who moments later plucked a fourth-and-3 pass for 18 yards off a slant to the Colts' 29.
A pass to Johnny Lumpkin and facemask penalty on Tim Smith moved the Packers to the Indianapolis 9. Amar Johnson scored one play later with an assist from his offensive line.
However, the game remained tied at 16 with 12:07 left in regulation after McNamee missed the extra point wide left.
Defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse broke up Riley Leonard's second-and-7 pass, but the Colts converted with an 11-yard crosser to Jelani Woods.
Indianapolis moved the ball down to Green Bay's 14 before the drive stalled after an incomplete Leonard pass on third-and-3 across the middle. Shrader made a 32-yard field goal to give the Colts back the lead, 19-16, with 6:38 remaining.
Sean Clifford entered at quarterback on the next series, with Elgersma finishing his afternoon 7-of-11 for 109 yards. Clifford connected with Lumpkin on an 11-yard completion off a play action rollout.
After a few Tyrion Davis-Price carries, Amar Johnson converted on third-and-4 with a 4-yard run to the Colts' 35.
Ladarius Tennison was called for defensive pass interference against Isaiah Neyor, moving the ball to the Indianapolis 26. The game reached the two-minute warning after a 3-yard Amar Johnson run. On fourth-and-7, Clifford scrambled for nine yards while the Colts were called for defensive holding to set up first-and-goal at the Indianapolis 9. The 13-play, 68-yard drive lasted 5:21.
The Packers pulled ahead when Clifford ran in for a 9-yard touchdown to give Green Bay its first lead of the day, 23-19, with 1:31 remaining.
Jason Bean entered the game at quarterback for Indianapolis and he completed his first three passes for 37 yards to the Green Bay 31. On fourth-and-10 from that same spot, the Colts were initially credited with a 31-yard touchdown to Woods but it was overturned to an incompletion on review.
