INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts entered Sunday afternoon's matchup with the Arizona Cardinals as comfortable 9.5-point betting favorites. However, the game was anything but a breeze, as the Colts narrowly escaped with a 31-27 win to move to 5-1 on the season.

Both sides came into the game shorthanded due to injuries, and they battled back and forth through numerous second-half lead changes.

Ultimately, the Colts' defense finally made a stop when they needed it most, deep in their own territory. 

FIRST QUARTER

The Colts made news before kickoff even occurred on Sunday, as backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. and top cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. were both injured during warmups and ruled out prior to the game.

The Colts took the opening kickoff and made quick work of their first drive, going 65 yards in nine plays, as an eight-yard Tyler Warren touchdown catch put the Colts up 7-0 early. Both Tyler Warren and Josh Downs were quite active on the drive, Warren catching three passes for 37 yards and the score, and Downs catching three balls for 25 yards.

After the Cardinals and Colts exchanged punts, the Cardinals put together a plodding 11-play, 56-yard drive for a score as Bam Knight plunged in from a yard out to tie the game at 7s with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Gameplay got ugly from there, as the teams exchanged punts once again, and then they had back-to-back interceptions.

The Colts put an end to the errors, going 87 yards in nine plays, as Daniel Jones scrambled into the end zone himself from three yards out. It was Jones' fourth rushing touchdown of the season. Strong runs by Jonathan Taylor and Ameer Abdullah aided the Colts in getting downfield. The Colts went ahead 14-7 with 7:51 remaining in the first half.

The Cardinals added a 40-yard field goal from kicker Chad Ryland with just under two minutes remaining.

THIRD QUARTER

The Cardinals gladly got the scoring started in the second half, as the Colts' defense wilted. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett picked them apart inside the sticks as no pass rush was around to be found. Ultimately, Arizona got a one-yard touchdown from Brissett to tight end Trey McBride, as the extra point put them ahead, 17-14, with 8:39 left in the third quarter.

The Colts responded to Arizona's touchdown by putting three points on the board with a 45-yard field goal from new kicker Michael Badgley.

The Cardinals continued their second-half surge, aided by an ill-timed unnecessary roughness penalty on Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin. Arizona went 66 yards in six plays, getting a 12-yard touchdown from Brissett to Greg Dortch to go up 24-17, with 1:22 left in the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Colts' offense reclaimed its firepower on the following drive, getting receptions of 13 yards by Warren and 26 yards by Alec Pierce to get them into the red zone. Jones ultimately found Josh Downs in the back of the end zone from five yards out to tie the game at 24 with 13:12 left in the game.

The Cardinals got well into Colts territory but were forced to settle for a field goal as Adetomiwa Adebawore hit Brissett as he threw on third down. Ryland got a 44-yard field goal out of it to go up 27-24 with 9:31 left.

The Colts' offense responded with one of their strongest drives of the game, marching 66 yards in nine plays, as Jonathan Taylor took a pitch from Jones from two yards out for the go-ahead score to make it 31-27 with 4:32 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals began what would be their final drive of the game, getting deep into Colts territory after a 30-yard throw from Brissett to Michael Wilson down the left side. On 4th-and-7 from their own 9-yard line, the Colts' defense held firm, forcing an incomplete pass in the end zone.

The Colts' offense took over on downs and milked out the clock.

Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL. 

Colts’ Anthony Richardson, Charvarius Ward Injured Pregame, OUT vs. Cardinals Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson Sr. (eye) and cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. (concussion) were both injured during pregame warmups and are OUT for t...