The Indianapolis Colts (2-1) defeated the Atlanta Falcons (1-2) in their home opener on Sunday, 27-24, at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Though the game got close there for a second when the Falcons stormed back from a 17-point deficit, the Colts were poised enough in the fourth quarter to come away with the win.
Here’s a look at the studs and duds from the Week 3:
STUD: WR T.Y. Hilton
The veteran wide receiver only played one half of football before exiting with a quad injury. Hilton was enjoying a strong first half en route to catching eight of 10 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown came in the red zone—which marks his fourth of the season. Hilton caught his touchdown just before the half ended and immediately walked into the locker room with a noticeable limp. Regardless, he was the leading receiver for the Colts by the end of the game.
DUD: Pass rush
There were too many players involved in this aspect of the game. Despite going up against a vulnerable offensive line, the Colts pass rush didn’t get much going throughout the game and almost nothing at all during the second half, which nearly allowed the Falcons to make a comeback. There were flashes from defensive ends Kemoko Turay and Justin Houston while Denico Autry got some nice push from the interior. They wound up recording no sacks and only four quarterback hits. But this unit was stifled far too often, and they failed to make a big impact.
STUD: K Adam Vinatieri
There were major struggles with Vinatieri over the first two weeks of the season, but he silenced all of those doubts with a spectacular day. Maybe he simply needed a home game to get the juices flowing. Vinatieri was perfect on the day, converting all five of his kicks. He had two field goals (49, 21) and three extra-point attempts. It was a very encouraging outing for Vinatieri, who had struggled mightily entering this week.
DUD: Third-down defense
Through the first half, the Colts were controlling the clock in a massive way with the offense. This meant that the defense only had to face the Falcons offense on third downs twice, getting stops on both. However, the second half was an entirely different story. The Falcons opened the second half going 8-of-8 on third-down attempts, which went halfway into the fourth quarter. The Colts defense has been stingy to open the season, but the second half of this game was an entirely different outcome.
STUD: QB Jacoby Brissett
The fourth-year quarterback continues his ascension as a reliable signal-caller under center. He was accurate for most of his pass attempt—starting the game with 16 straight completions. His pocket mobility and eye discipline downfield continue to be impressive developments of his game. He also continues to show toughness through contact whether its inside the pocket or being elusive and creating with his legs when he needs to Brissett finished the game completing 27 of 38 passes for 310 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 118.1 passer rating.
STUD: LB Anthony Walker
The Colts had to fill Darius Leonard’s spot in the middle of the defense while he works through a concussion. In doing so, the Colts slid Walker over from his usual MIKE spot to Leonard’s WILL position. Walker paced the Colts defense with 14 tackles (11 solo) and 2.0 tackles for loss. The unit sorely missed Leonard’s leadership and play-making abilities, but Walker stepped up big time when they needed it.
