The Las Vegas Raiders keep their playoff chances alive in a tight duel against the Indianapolis Colts. The game is decided by a field goal in the final second.

Munich/Indianapolis – The Las Vegas Raiders still have a good chance of reaching the NFL playoffs. The Indianapolis Colts, on the other hand, gave away their first match point for postseaseon participation. The Colts lost to the Raiders 20-23 (10-13) at their home Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis.

Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, who only made the leap from the Covid list to the matchday squad at the last moment, finished with 148 passing yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Once again, running back Jonathan Taylor was the most active in the Colts’ offence with 108 rushing yards and a touchdown.

For the Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Derek Carr also had an upgradeable performance with 255 passing yards, one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

Jonathan Taylor with 20th touchdown

The Raiders scored a touchdown on their first drive with a 2-yard rush by tight end Josh Jacobs. At the start of the second quarter, kicker Daniel Carlson made a 47-yard field goal to put the visitors up 10-0.

On the other side, it took until the second quarter before Colts quarterback Wentz got his first pass to a teammate. At least kicker Michael Badgley made sure Indianapolis got on the scoreboard with a 46-yard field goal. Another field goal by Carlson gave the visitors a 13-3 lead.

The Colts’ first really successful drive, with Wentz completing seven passes in a row, brought Indianapolis into the red zone seconds before the break. Running back Jonathan Taylor completed the drive with a one-yard run for his 20th touchdown of the season to make the score 10-13 at the half.

Curious touchdown pass from Carson Wentz

And also in the first minutes after the break the Colts were more awake and provided the most curious scene of the game: A 45-yard pass from Carson Wentz towards the Raiders end zone flew into the double coverage – but the egg slipped through the hands of the defenders, so that wide receiver T.Y. Hilton only had access to the end zone. Hilton had only to grab it in the end zone and put the Colts in the lead for the first time.

In the final quarter, the Raiders regained the lead after Derek Carr’s first touchdown pass of the game. He found his receiver Hunter Renfrow for eleven yards. With just under two minutes remaining, Colts kicker Badgley hit a 41-yard field goal to tie the game at 20-20.

Kicker Daniel Carlson with decisive field goal

Two seconds before the end, the Raiders won the game: kicker Daniel Carlson kept his nerve from 33 yards and hit a field goal with the clock running out for the final score of 23:20.

The Raiders now have a 9-7 record and could clinch a play-off spot with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Matchday 18. The Colts (9-7) face the Jacksonville Jaguars.