New York Jets Fall Again After Indianapolis Colts’ Late-Game Heroics

The New York Jets nearly had a victory on Sunday, but the Indianapolis Colts stole it away with a late rally.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs with the ball before being taken down by New York Jets defensive end Micheal Clemons (72) Sunday, November 17, 2024, in East Rutherford. / Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets took a “It's not how you start it's how you finish” approach to beating the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

The only problem was the Jets didn’t finish.

The Colts staged their own rally in the final few minutes of the game to steal a 28-27 victory from the Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford N.J.

New York (3-8) needed 28 minutes to claim its initial first down of the game. That sparked them offensively and allowed them to build a five-point lead with 2:41 remaining. But the Colts (5-6) had other ideas.

A 39-yard pass from Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson to Alec Pierce put the Colts in Jets territory at the two-minute warning. Four plays later, Richardson rushed in from 4 yards out for the go-ahead score and the Jets were out of timeouts with 46 seconds left.

The Colts tried to make it a 3-point game but failed on a 2-point conversion for the second time in the game.

Down a point, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers fumbled on the first play of the drive under pressure, which resulted in a 13-yard loss and ended any chance of the Jets rallying for a win.

New York was awful for nearly the entire first half, drawing boos from the crowd as the Jets went three-and-out on their first four drives.

New York’s first down after the two-minute warning drew jaded applause, but it also seemed to spark the Jets, who were down 13-0.

Breece Hall scored on a passing strike from Rodgers to end the first half. Jets defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw forced a fumble from Richardson to start the third quarter, which Hall turned into a touchdown run on the next drive.

Up 14-13, the game stayed close.

Colts kicker Matt Gay and Jets kicker Anders Carlson traded field goals in the third quarter. Rodgers struck again early in the fourth quarter, as he threw tight end Kenny Yeboah his first touchdown reception of the season.

The Colts, down eight, sought to tie it up after Richardson connected with Josh Downs on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 10:11 left in the game. But, Richardson’s two-point pass, intended to tie the game, fell incomplete.

Up 24-22, New York put together its best drive of the game. Starting at its own 30-yard line, the Jets grinded out what it hoped would be a game-closing drive.

The Jets got all the way to the Colts’ 17 before they turned the game over to Carlson, whose 35-yard field goal pushed the Jets ahead by five points with 2:41 left. New York wiped out 7:30 on the game clock, but Indianapolis had one more shot — and they took it.

After an awful start, Rodgers finished 21-of-28 for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Hall rushed for 78 yards and caught six passes for 32 yards with a combined two touchdowns. Wide receiver Davante Adams also had six receptions for 72 yards.

Richardson, making his first start since he was benched last month, threw for 272 yards and one touchdown while rushing for another 32 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets limited Colts running back Jonathan Taylor to just 57 yards, while Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. each had five receptions.

The Jets are off this week for their bye and don’t return to the field until Dec. 1 when they start the home stretch of the season when they host the Seattle Seahawks.