Colts hold off Dolphins, retain faint playoff hopes

Today’s Miami Dolphins vs Indianapolis Colts NFL football game has a start time schedule of 1:00pm eastern time and airs on TV channel FOX in some markets along with DirecTV Sunday Ticket nationwide. The Texans (8-7) can clinch the AFC South if Cincinnati beats Denver Monday night. Matt Hasselbeck is really banged up and has had to be replaced at some point in each of his last three games.

Gore, behind two rushing touchdowns over the course of the first half, pulled the Colts to a 15-6 advantage by halftime.

TY Hilton has still managed to get over 1,000 yards this season.

There was a pass rush, and it made big plays. Facing 4th and goal from the four yard line and down by four, the Dolphins lined up for what may have been the winning play.

“We’re just going to keep believing”, said Colts defensive end Kendall Langford.

Four plays later, when a botched snap turned all that crackling fourth-quarter momentum into mush, the thunder of all those voices turned off like a spigot and a murderous silence took its place, the kind that follows playoff losses.

Lamar Miller has proven to be an effective running back, he just hasn’t been consistent this season. Robert Mathis was credited with the game-saving sack on Miami’s final play. It was also his 22nd in a row this year after missing his first two. Disappointing and pathetic. And once again the Dolphins fail to score 20 points. McGill started the scoring with a first-quarter sack for a safety. An offsides penalty struck Gore’s fourth-quarter fumble from the record.

After an incomplete pass, a deflected pass by linebacker D’Qwell Jackson and a pass broken up by cornerback Darius Butler it was fourth and goal with 27 seconds left.

The Colts were not without the occasional miscue.

“We have two opportunities”, said Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill. DeVante Parker caught a deep ball on a good throw by Tannehill giving a glimpse of his long threat ability, something they drafted him to help Tannehill extend the field. No team plans in Training Camp to use their backup(s) for more than half of a season, but that has been the case for the 2015 Colts.

This time, don’t expect Hasselbeck to bounce back. The 40-year-old Hasselbeck said it’s the first time in his 17-year pro career that he hurt his throwing shoulder.

“We’ll do an MRI Monday, but I think it’s just an AC sprain, which is great news”, Hasselbeck said. In addition to the jaw injury, he has faced issues with his back, shoulder, neck and ribs. He returned to take the final victory formation snap, but nevertheless will bear watching this week. He redshirted the following year due to knee surgery and then suffered another season-ending knee injury in 2003.

The Colts rank 25th in the league against the run, allowing 123.8 yards per game, but have been even worse in defending the pass and rank 29th with an average of 267.2.