Jonathan Taylor ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns, Trey Sermon added a rushing TD and Jaylon Jones snagged two interceptions to boost the host Indianapolis Colts to a 21-16 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Indianapolis (1-2) overcame a pair of Anthony Richardson interceptions, succeeding with its ground game while shoring up what had been a suspect run defense.
The Colts had 150 rushing yards compared to 63 for the Bears (1-2).
Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the April draft, was 33-of-52 passing for a career-high 363 yards and his first two career TD passes to go with two interceptions. Williams also lost a fumble on a strip-sack that set up Taylor's 1-yard scoring run with 5:22 left that put the Colts ahead 21-9.
Sermon put the Colts ahead 14-3 on a 1-yard TD run in the final minute of the third quarter. Chicago forced a punt earlier in the possession but a neutral zone infraction against Daniel Hardy sustained the drive.
Chicago drew to within 14-9 when Williams found Rome Odunze for a 1-yard score with 8:21 left. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Odunze had six catches for 112 yards and a score while Cole Kmet had 10 catches for 97 yards and a TD.
Richardson was 10-for-20 for 167 yards and two interceptions.
Indianapolis opened the scoring on Taylor's 29-yard touchdown run with 8:19 to go in the second quarter. The Colts took over after an interception and traveled 70 yards in three plays and 1:16.
Williams passed for 213 yards in the first half while going 16 of 27 through the air.
Chicago had separate first-half possessions of 11 and 16 plays that both resulted in zero points. The Bears attempted a 56-yard field goal on the opening drive but Cairo Santos' kick was short.
Later, the Bears had a first-and-goal from the Colts' 4 but ended with a turnover on downs. D'Andre Swift lost 12 yards on an option carry on 4th-and-goal from the Indianapolis 1 to end a 16-play drive.
Santos gave the Bears their first points with a 53-yard field goal with 12:51 remaining in the third quarter, as Chicago capitalized on a Richardson interception on the first play after halftime.
--Field Level Media
Chicago | Indianapolis | |
Roschon Johnson | Player | Jonathan Taylor |
8 | Attempts | 23 |
30 | Yards | 110 |
3.8 | Avg Yards | 4.8 |
0 | Touchdowns | 2 |
9 | Long | 29 |
Chicago | Indianapolis | |
Rome Odunze | Player | Alec Pierce |
6 | Receptions | 1 |
112 | Yards | 44 |
18.7 | Avg Yards | 44.0 |
1 | Touchdowns | 0 |
47 | Long | 44 |
Yards | Scoring | Defense | ||||||
Team | Tot | Rus | Pas | TD | FG | INT | Sck | FF |
Chicago | 395 | 63 | 332 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 |
Indianapolis | 306 | 150 | 156 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4.0 | 1 |