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Jelani Woods Catches Game-Winning Touchdown to Lift Colts Over Chiefs

Former UVA tight end Jelani Woods scored his first two career touchdowns, including the game-winner to help Indianapolis beat Kansas City

Matt Newton

Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Welcome to the NFL, Jelani Woods. 

On the same day that Jelani Woods caught his first-career touchdown, he hauled in a second touchdown with just 25 seconds remaining that ended up being the game-winner as Woods powered the Indianapolis Colts to a dramatic 20-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. 

Woods, a third round draft pick of the Colts after finishing his collegiate career with a First-Team All-ACC campaign at Virginia in 2021, opened the scoring in the first quarter by catching a 1-yard pass from Matt Ryan in the back of the end zone for the first touchdown of Woods’ NFL career. 

Woods would only end up catching two passes the entire game, but both went for touchdowns and no play was more important than the one Woods made in the fourth quarter. 

With just 30 seconds left and the Colts trailing the Chiefs 17-13, Matt Ryan targeted Jelani Woods in the end zone and Woods made the 12-yard touchdown catch, beating another former Wahoo, Juan Thornhill, in the process. 

The Chiefs tried to put together a desperate drive to tie the game, but another former UVA star, Rodney McLeod, intercepted a pass from Patrick Mahomes to end the game. 

It’s a tough loss for Thornhill and the Chiefs, but what a day for Jelani Woods and Rodney McLeod, the heroes that gave the Indianapolis Colts their first win of the season. 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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