Colts Defeat Raiders in Dramatic Fashion 21-17

Sep 8, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw (44) celebrates at the end of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts defeated the Raiders 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis, IN – The Colts were heavily favored against Oakland, but ended up having to squeak past a young Raiders team. Led by quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the Raiders were able to fight until the very end against the much more talented Indianapolis Colts. The game came down to the very last drive, when Pryor was picked off by safety Antoine Bethea to seal the win for Indianapolis.

The Colts were led by Andrew Luck who threw for a total of 178 yards on 18/23 passes. He completed two touchdown passes as well in the effort. As we have discussed previous here on Naptown’s Finest, the second-year QB was highly criticized for his turnovers last season. One very positive sign for the Colts was that the interception and overall turnover total for Luck was zero.

Ahmad Bradshaw made his Colts debut this afternoon rushing for 26 yards on seven carries. Vick Ballard was the workhorse in the rushing attack for the Colts with 63 yards on 13 carries, and Andrew Luck chipped in 38 rushing yards and a touchdown to round out the ground game for Indianapolis.

Reggie Wayne led all Colts receivers with 96 yards on eight catches, while Heyward-Bey and Hilton chipped in with 33 and 20 yards respectively. Dwayne Allen and Reggie Wayne both caught touchdown passes, but Allen went down with a hip injury and did not return for the Colts.

Terrelle Pryor made the start at quarterback for the Raiders and played a very impressive game. Despite throwing two interceptions, he was able to accumulate 217 yards through the air and 112 rushing yards as well. He was the main threat to the Colts defense each and every possession, and really kept the Raiders offense looking alive and in the game. There’s no doubt that Oakland has a bright future with Pryor assuming he continues working hard on his arm.

Darren McFadden was Oakland’s leading rusher behind Pryor with just 48 yards on 17 carries. His game was a definite disappointment for Oakland fans, but the bright spot is that he was able to stay healthy throughout the entire game which has been an issue throughout his career. Rod Streater had one carry for 9 yards, while Rashad Jennings carried the football two times for two yards to complete the statistics on the ground for the Raiders.

The Raiders’ two talented young wide receivers made an impact vs. the Colts secondary as well this afternoon. Rod Streater led the way for the Raiders with five receptions for 70 yards, while Denarius Moore caught five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown as well. Jeron Mastrud made a big 41-yard catch as well for the Raiders in the losing effort.

Overall the Raiders turned a lot of heads with a spirited effort. The Colts were favored by a 10-point spread, which the Raiders appeared to take as an insult. This does leave question marks for Indianapolis, but it could also be something for Oakland fans to be encouraged by. Colts fans just take comfort knowing that your team is now 1-0.

Evan Massey is an editor at Naptown’s Finest. Follow Evan and Naptown’s Finest on Twitter.