INDIANAPOLIS —With veterans like Frank Gore and Adam Vinatieri leading the way, the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 achieved quite a few milestones, both individually and as a team, despite their 4-12 record.
Let's take a look at some of the more notable marks reached by the team and its players throughout the season:
Colts' Offense:
• In Week 3 vs. Cleveland, the Colts scored touchdowns in four consecutive drives in the first half. The last time Indianapolis scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions came on December 9, 2007, in a 44-20 victory against Baltimore. The Colts scored 28 points in the first half, the highest total for the team in the first half of a single game dating back to September 21, 2014, in a win against Jacksonville (30 points).
• In Week 5 vs. San Francisco, following Marlon Mack's third quarter rushing touchdown, Indianapolis increased its streak of consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown to eight. It is the longest streak for the team dating back to Dec. 31, 2006 – Nov. 4, 2007 (nine straight games).
• In Week 14 at Buffalo, the Colts opened the game with 17 consecutive rushes and finished with 46 rushing attempts for 163 yards. The team's 46 attempts are the most in a game dating back to Dec. 7, 1997 against the New York Jets and the 163 yards were the most for Indianapolis in a game in the 2017 season.
Colts' Defense:
• In Week 12 vs. Tennessee, the Colts defense held the Titans to nine net rushing yards in the first half of play. It was the lowest total for Tennessee this season and the lowest first half total for a Colts opponent dating back to Oct. 7, 2007, when they held Tampa Bay to six net rushing yards in the first half. Indianapolis recorded two interceptions in the second quarter marking the first time the team intercepted two passes in the first half of play dating back to Nov. 16, 2014 against New England.Colts' Special Teams:
• In Week 8 at Cincinnati, defensive tackle Henry Anderson blocked a Bengals 34-yard field goal in the first quarter to keep Cincinnati's lead to 3-0. It was Indianapolis' first field goal block dating back to Nov. 24, 2013 (Sergio Brown at Arizona).
• In Week 16 at Baltimore, inside linebacker Anthony Walker blocked a punt in the fourth quarter to give the Colts possession at the Ravens 27-yard line. It was the first blocked punt for the Colts dating back to Oct. 26, 2014, at Pittsburgh. In 2017, the Colts blocked a punt, an extra point (Margus Hunt vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 12) and a field goal (Henry Anderson at Cincinnati on Oct. 29).
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett:
• In Week 3 vs. Cleveland, he completed 17-of-24 passes (70.8 percent) for 259 yards and one touchdown for a 120.0 passer rating. Brissett also added five rushes for 14 yards and two rushing scores. He became the first Colts quarterback since Andrew Luck in 2012 (vs. Cleveland 10/21/12 and at Jacksonville 11/8/12) to rush for multiple touchdowns in a single game. Brissett also became the first Colts quarterback to rush for two touchdowns and throw for one touchdown in a single game dating back to October 20, 1974, when Bert Jones accomplished the feat.
• He had four touchdown passes of 60-plus yards, just one short of John Unitas' franchise record of five set in 1960.
Tackle Anthony Castonzo
• In Week 12 vs. Tennessee, he started and played in his 100th career game.Tight end Jack Doyle:
• In Week 8 at Cincinnati, he set single-game career highs in receptions (12) and receiving yards (121) while adding one touchdown. Doyle's 121 receiving yards were the most for a Colts tight end in a game since Coby Fleener finished with 127 against Washington on Nov. 30, 2014. His 12 receptions are tied with Dallas Clark (Dec. 14, 2008) for the second-most in a single game by a Colts tight end in franchise history.
• With four receptions Week 17 against Houston, Doyle passed Dallas Clark (77) for the second-most receptions by a tight end in a single season in Colts history, and established a new single-season career-high in catches.
Running back Frank Gore:
• In Week 8 at Cincinnati, he became the first NFL running back to start 100 consecutive games since Curtis Martin totaled 119 straight starts from 1998-2005.
• In Week 13 at Jacksonville, he tallied 13 carries for 61 yards. With 61 rushing yards, Gore passed Jerome Bettis (13,662) for the sixth most and LaDainian Tomlinson (13,684) for the fifth most rushing yards in NFL history.
• In Week 14 at Buffalo, he tallied 36 carries for 130 yards and added one reception for 10 yards. Gore's 36 rushing attempts set a new single-game career high and tied for the third-most attempts by a Colts running back in franchise history. His 130 rushing yards are his most in a game dating back to Dec. 28, 2014 against Arizona. The total is also the most for a Colts running back since Dec. 18, 2011 when Donald Brown finished with 161 against Tennessee.
• In Week 15 vs. Denver, he tallied 10 carries for 31 yards and added three receptions for 37 yards. With 68 total yards, Gore became the second player in NFL history with 12 consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage, one behind Emmitt Smith's NFL record of 13 consecutive years (1990-2002).
• In Week 17 vs. Houston, he tallied 24 carries for 100 yards and added three receptions for 11 yards. With 100 rushing yards, Gore passed O.J. Simpson (42) for the 16th-most 100-yard games in NFL history. Gore, who also became the fifth player in NFL history to reach 14,000 career rushing yards in the game, had 111 yards from scrimmage against the Texans, reaching 1,200 yards from scrimmage in his 12th consecutive season, extending his NFL record. He also passed Marcus Allen (17,654) for the seventh-most yards from scrimmage in NFL history.
Cornerback Nate Hairston:
• In Week 4 at Seattle, he posted six tackles (three solo) and 1.0 sack which went for a safety. Hairston's safety was the team's first dating back to Dec. 27, 2015 in a win against Miami.Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton:
• In Week 3 vs. Cleveland, he caught seven passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. With 153 receiving yards, Hilton passed Lenny Moore (6,039) for the fourth most receiving yards in franchise history. The 100-yard receiving performance was the 25th of his career, which ranks third in franchise history. Hilton topped 145 receiving yards in the first half, which is the third-highest total in franchise history for a first half. He holds the first half record when he recorded 156 yards on Oct. 9, 2014.
• In Week 12 vs. Tennessee, he caught two passes for 15 yards and passed Bill Brooks (411) for the fifth most receptions in franchise history.
• In Week 16 at Baltimore, he led both teams in receiving with six catches for 100 yards. With his 16-yard reception in the fourth quarter, Hilton passed Dallas Clark for the fourth-most receptions in franchise history. The 100-yard receiving performance was the 28th of his career, which ranks third in franchise history.
Safety Malik Hooker:
• In Week 4 at Seattle, he notched three tackles, one interception and one pass defensed. With his third quarter interception, Hooker became the first Colts rookie to intercept at least one pass in three consecutive games dating back to 1984 when Eugene Daniel accomplished the feat from Weeks 13-15.Running back Marlon Mack
• In Week 5 vs. San Francisco, he tallied his best rushing performance of the season with nine carries for 91 yards and one touchdown and contributed with one catch for two yards. Mack's 91 rushing yards were the most for a Colts rookie running back since Dec. 16, 2012 when Vick Ballard totaled 105 at Houston.Cornerback Rashaan Melvin:
• In Week 3 vs. Cleveland, he totaled two solo tackles, two interceptions and four passes defensed. Melvin became the first Colts player to intercept at least two passes in a game since Mike Adams on October 8, 2015. His four passes defensed led the team and marked a single-game career-high.Outside linebacker John Simon:
• In Week 6 at Tennessee, he led the team with a career-high 11 tackles (six solo) while adding 1.0 sack and his first career interception which he returned for a 26-yard touchdown. It was also his first career touchdown. Simon's touchdown was the first defensive score for the team since Robert Mathis returned a fumble for a touchdown at Tennessee on Oct. 23, 2016. It was the first pick-six for the team since Jerrell Freeman's 23-yard return on Jan. 3, 2016 against the Titans.Kicker Adam Vinatieri
• In Week 1 at the Los Angeles Rams, he converted a 20-yard field goal in the first quarter and tied Morten Andersen (176) for the most field goals made from 20-29 yards in NFL history. The kick also marked his 42nd different stadium having converted at least one field goal. The game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the first of his career at the venue.
• In Week 2 vs. Arizona, he converted two field goals and one PAT for seven points. Vinatieri gave the Colts a 10-0 lead with his 46-yard field goal at the 1:27 mark in the first quarter. He added his second conversion from 29 yards in the fourth quarter to give the team a 13-3 lead. On the kick, he passed Morten Andersen (176) for the most field goals made from 20-29 yards in NFL history.
• In Week 3 vs. Cleveland, he converted one field goal and four PATs for seven points. With the victory, Vinatieri passed Gary Anderson (201) for the second-most career regular season wins in NFL history. George Blanda holds the league record for regular season wins with 209. Vinatieri currently holds the NFL record for the most regular season and postseason wins combined with 225.
• In Week 4 at Seattle, he converted one field goal and one PAT for four points against the Seahawks. After converting his second quarter PAT, Vinatieri has tallied at least one point in 46 different stadiums. The contest at CenturyLink Field was his first career game in Seattle.
• In Week 5 vs. San Francisco, he converted 4-of-4 field goals and two PATs for 14 points. Vinatieri tied Jason Hanson (327) for the fifth-most regular season games played in NFL history. He split the uprights on a 51-yard field goal attempt in overtime to seal the Colts win. It was his 27th career game-winning kick and his 10th career game-winning field goal in overtime (most in NFL history). On the field goal, Vinatieri moved into second place all-time in NFL history in field goals made with 539. With four attempts, he also tied George Blanda (639) for the third most in NFL history. Vinatieri gave the Colts a 3-0 lead with his 52-yard field goal on the team's opening possession of the game. On the kick, he became the third player in NFL history to accumulate 2,400-plus points (Morten Andersen, 2,544 and Gary Anderson 2,434). Vinatieri converted two field goals of 50-plus yards in a single game for the third time in his career (2013 at San Diego and 2016 vs. Chicago).
• In Week 6 at Tennessee, he converted 3-of-3 field goals and one PAT for 10 points. Vinatieri passed Jason Hanson (327) for the fifth-most regular season games played in NFL history. He tied the game at 3-3 with his 36-yard field goal at the 6:45 mark of the first quarter. With the kick, Vinatieri passed George Blanda (639) for the third most field goal attempts in NFL history.
• In Week 9 at Houston, he converted 2-of-2 field goals and two PATs for eight points against the Texans. With his extra point conversion on the team's first touchdown of the game, Vinatieri passed Gary Anderson (2,434) for the second-most points scored in NFL history.
• In Week 16 at Baltimore, he converted 3-of-5 field goals and one PAT for 10 points against the Ravens. With 10 points, Vinatieri reached 100 points for the season to extend his NFL record to 20 seasons with 100-plus points.
• In Week 17 vs. Houston, Vinatieri converted 2-of-2 field goals and two PATs for eight points. With his 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, Vinatieri tied Jason Elam (39) for the seventh-most made field goals from 50-plus yards in NFL history.
