Jonathan Taylor set the tone, Daniel Jones added just enough, and the Colts left London with a 30-13 win over Washington after the Commanders lost another quarterback to injury at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The day turned sharply when Marcus Mariota, starting for the injured Jayden Daniels, exited after Washington’s second drive with a knee injury. He was sacked, limped off, and never returned, leaving the Commanders to finish with third-string rookie Athan Kaliakmanis.
Indianapolis still had to work through its own mistakes. Jones threw an interception and lost a fumble, but Taylor kept the offense on track with 95 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. Jones also ran for a score, and the Colts improved to 2-2.
Washington opened with a couple of red zone chances and came away with only field goals. Odafe Oweh powered Colts left tackle Bernhard Raimann back into Jones for a strip sack on Indianapolis’ first series, then recovered the ball at the 21.
The Commanders reached fourth-and-2 from the 13 and settled for Drew Stevens’ 31-yard field goal. On the next drive, Washington stalled at the Colts 5, and after Mariota was sacked by Adetomiwa Adebawore and Laiatu Latu, another Stevens kick made it 6-0.
The Colts answered before halftime. Taylor punched in a 5-yard touchdown run and celebrated by pantomiming drinking tea, then Spencer Shrader added a 48-yard field goal to give Indianapolis a 10-6 lead at the break.
The game tilted for good in the third quarter. Kaliakmanis was intercepted early, with linebacker Jaylon Carlies snagging the pass at the Washington 27 and returning it to the 20. Taylor finished the short field with his second 5-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 17-6.
Washington finally found a spark on the next possession. Kaliakmanis connected with Treylon Burks on a 47-yard touchdown, and Burks beat cornerback Sauce Gardner to get free before making the catch. That cut the margin to 17-13.
The comeback never got any closer. Shrader drilled a 52-yard field goal, Jones scored on a 4-yard run early in the fourth quarter, and Shrader later tacked on a 44-yarder for his third field goal of the day to close the scoring at 30-13.
Jones finished 19 of 34 for 134 yards with an interception and a fumble. Kaliakmanis went 15 of 33 for 186 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Washington dropped to 1-3.
The game drew 60,907 fans for the 13th NFL contest at Tottenham. The league had recently lowered remaining ticket prices to 79 pounds ($105), including some high-end seats.
Attendance had never dipped below 60,000 for the venue’s previous games. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium opened in 2019 and has an NFL field beneath the Premier League club’s moveable soccer pitch.
Kickoff temperature was 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Injuries added to the afternoon’s story. For the Colts, Raimann was hurt early in the third quarter. For Washington, Mariota was joined by WR Jaylin Lane, who was evaluated for a concussion, DE Charles Omenihu with a groin problem, and S Tyler Owens, who left with a hamstring injury.
In Other News...
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The reaction from viewers was not especially warm, and some Colts fans took to social media to vent about the extra airtime and a player-name mistake on the broadcast. For a fan base watching its team overseas, the chatter around Kelce became part of the backdrop, turning a normal international showcase into another reminder of how quickly a familiar media face can become a lightning rod. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Marvin Harrison Jr. Scenario Worth Watching
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For the Colts, that creates a scenario worth monitoring even if nothing appears imminent. Any conversation about Harrison will quickly turn into a search for the right fit, the right fit in the wrong place, and the kind of roster math that can make a big-name move feel possible before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Owens And The Colts Just Got A Huge London Spotlight
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For the Colts, any extra spotlight in London only adds to the intrigue around Owens new home. He has been in the league long enough to know how quickly a fresh setting can change the conversation, and Biles presence has only amplified the attention around his latest chapter. The bigger picture now is how much more of that international stage the Colts and Owens can keep turning into their own. [Read more 🡒]