The tightrope finally snapped inside Lucas Oil Stadium on primetime Monday Night Football as the Indianapolis Colts suffered a fifth straight loss in a 48-27 blowout against the San Francisco 49ers.
What began as a hopeful holiday stage to showcase what was at one point the league’s most explosive offensive unit entering the Week 11 BYE, has turned into a miserable five-game drought. It was a sobering reminder of the annual collapse around this time of year that leaves playoff dreams dangling by a thread.
The Colts loss guaranteed playoff berths by the Bills, Chargers and Jaguars, which reduces the Colts’ postseason hopes down a fragile path. Indianapolis must win out and hope Houston stumbles Saturday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. The door could be slammed shut before the Colts play another game, which could alter the game plan of who commands the offense for the final two weeks of the regular season.
San Francisco made sure there would be no late drama in Indianapolis. The 49ers scored on six of their first eight meaningful possessions and racked up 440 total yards of offense, methodically dismantling a Colts defense that spent most of the night on its heels. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 295 yards and five touchdowns, spreading the ball to seven different receivers while repeatedly exploiting mismatches over the middle.
Far too often, opponents scheme to stop the run, but Colts head coach Shane Steichen dialed up an aerial attack to bring it to the 49ers and make it seem competitive. 44-year-old Philip Rivers delivered five completions to engineer a crisp opening drive, capped by a 20-yard touchdown strike to receiver Alec Pierce. The Colts standout receiver later hauled a 16-yard touchdown to level the score at 14 midway through the second frame.
The Colts were rolling early on, but those wheels fell completely off from that point forward. San Francisco answered every Colts jab with a punch of its own. Purdy hit Deebo Robinson for a 22-yard score and connected with Christian McCaffrey in the end zone twice through the air. The fourth-year pro leaned on veteran tight end George Kittle, who torched the Colts secondary for 115 receiving yards and a touchdown in just three quarters.
erased any lingering doubt as the 49ers opened the second half with an eight-play, 64-yard march finished by a short touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings, pushing the lead to 31-17.
Jonathan Taylor capped a 12-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to pull the Colts within 34-27, briefly injecting life into the building. The response was immediate and soul crushing.
McCaffrey gashed the Colts for a 24-yard run on the ensuing drive, then slipped into the flat for a 9-yard touchdown reception to restore a two-score cushion. The crowd harmonized with one last gasp moments later when Dre Greenlaw Winters sensed the quick route, picked off Rivers and returned it for a 74-yard pick-six to officially seal the blowout.
McCaffrey finished with 117 rushing yards and two receiving touchdowns,
The Colts managed 312 total yards but struggled to generate any protection or consistency on the ground. Taylor was held to just 46 rushing yards on 16 carries.
With two games left to play, the Colts now stand at the mercy of the result of another game. The Colts stood at a 98% chance to make the playoffs after a sensational 7-1 start, but those odds have dwindled down to less than 5% following the fifth straight loss. Indianapolis is still mathematically alive and in the playoff hunt, but those playoff hopes couldn’t feel more further away after the latest defeat.
