Colts defeat Dolphins 27-17 to pick up first win of the season

Winning in the NFL is never easy, it's a hard lesson the Indianapolis Colts have had to endure after three straight hard fought losses to start the season. The Colts and Head Coach Frank Reich relied heavily on the run game. Second-year back Jonathan Taylor finished the day with 103 yards on the ground and a touchdown. The Colts needed a boost in the second half and Taylor came out with a 38-yard scamper out of the gate. The Colts were extremely efficient, they were able to control the tempo of the game with the run, and the defense smothered quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The Colts controlled the time of possession, 37:09 to 22:51, and ran 67 plays compared to the Dolphins' 49.

For the Dolphins it was a day of struggles and the name Deshaun Watson may continue to loom. The offense struggled to put together scoring drives and explosive plays didn’t happen until far too late in the game. Dolphins only mustered up 203 total yards and just 91 by the end of the third quarter, when the team trailed 17-3. Dolphins defense has struggled to maintain any consistency and allowed 139 rushing yards and 5.2 yards per play to a Colts offense that entered the game ranked in the bottom half of the league in most statistical categories.

Colts quarterback Carson Wentz finished the game 24-of-32 passing for 228 yards with a pair of touchdowns on his two sprained ankles. The Colts were a playoff team a year ago and have struggled at the early part of the season. This may be the kind of win that can jumpstart their season for the better. The Colts look to carry their momentum onto Monday Night Football next week against the Ravens. As for the Dolphins things don't get easier for them as they play the defending champs, the Buccaneers with hopes of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returning to the lineup with a rib injury.