Colts Team Notes
- The Indianapolis Colts improved to 8-6 following a win against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium Stadium, 27-17.
- Indianapolis defeated New England for the first time since 2009.
- The Colts are 4-0 in the Frank Reich era following their bye week.
- Indianapolis swept the AFC East and won each game by double digits. It marked the first time the Colts have swept the AFC East since 2006.
- The Colts converted a field goal on the ensuring series after Bobby Okereke's interception. The Colts lead the NFL in points off turnovers (122).
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Colts Offense
- Indianapolis registered 226 rushing yards. It marked the fourth game this season Indianapolis has eclipsed the 200-yard mark.
- They tied Philadelphia (four) for the most 200-yard rushing games this season.
- The Colts tallied 70 rushing yards in the opening quarter, which is the most allowed in the first quarter by New England all season, per ESPN Stats & Info.
- The Colts were 3-of-3 (100percent) on fourth downs. It is the third time since 2010 and the first time since Week 4 of 2019 vs. Oakland that Indianapolis converted at least three fourth downs and hit the 100-percent mark.
- Running back Jonathan Taylor led the team in rushing with 29 carries for 170 yards and one touchdown. He registered a 67-yard rushing touchdown to ice the game in the fourth quarter. According to Next Gen Stats, he hit 22.13 miles per hour on the rush, which is the fastest speed by a ball carrier this season.
- He passed Lenny Moore (16 in 1964) for the most rushing touchdowns in single-season team history. It marks Taylor's 11th consecutive game with a rushing touchdown, which ties Lenny Moore (BAL, 1963-64), Emmitt Smith (DAL, 1994-95), Emmitt Smith (DAL, 1995) and Priest Holmes (KC, 2002) for the fourth-longest streak in NFL history. He also tied Lenny Moore (11) for the franchise record.
- Taylor tied Clinton Portis (31) for the second-most touchdowns by an NFL player before turning 23 years old.
- He passed Edgerrin James (18 in 2000) for the second-most total touchdowns in single-season team history. It also marked Taylor's 11th consecutive game with a touchdown and he joins Lenny Moore (18) as the only players in team history to accomplish that feat.
- Taylor tied Eric Dickerson (1988) and Edgerrin James (2004) for the fourth-most 100-yard games (eight) in single-season Colts history. He ranks first in the NFL in 100-yard rushing games this season.
- The Colts are 11-0 when Taylor has 100 yards rushing.
- He passed Lydell Mitchell (nine in 1975) and Edgerrin James (nine in 2000) for the most games with 100-plus scrimmage yards and at least one rushing touchdown in single-season franchise history.
- Taylor passed Edgerrin James (seven in 2005) for the most games with 100-plus rushing yards and at least one rushing touchdown in single-season franchise history.
- Wide receiver Ashton Dulin had two carries for 39 yards.
- He registered a 37-yard rush in the first quarter. It marked the longest rush by a Colts wide receiver in the Indianapolis era and the third-longest rush by a wide receiver this season.
Colts Defense
- New England entered the game allowing less than 14 points in five consecutive games, which was the longest such streak since Pittsburgh in 2008.
- Indianapolis held New England to 17 points. The Patriots had scored at least 30 points against Indianapolis in nine consecutive games entering Saturday's contest.
- The Colts snapped New England's 99-game active streak of not being shutout in the first three quarters.
- It is the first time the Patriots didn't score in the first three quarters since Week 4 of 2016.
- Indianapolis held opponents to zero points in seven consecutive quarters.
- The Colts forced a punt on the Patriots first drive. Indianapolis hasn't allowed an opening-drive score since Week 7.
- Indianapolis tallied two takeaways and now has 31 this season. Dating back to last season, Indianapolis has now forced a turnover in 15 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL.
- Linebacker Darius Leonard compiled a team-high 10 tackles (seven solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, one pass defensed, one interception and one forced fumble.
- He reached 100 tackles for the season. Since 1987, Leonard is just the fifth player in Colts history to compile four consecutive 100-tackle seasons.
- Leonard picked off Mac Jones near the end of the first half to hold the first-half shutout for Indianapolis. He now has six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three interceptions in 2021.
- Cornerback Kenny Moore II recorded six tackles (five solo), 1.0 tackle for loss and two passes defensed.
- It was his fifth game this season with at least two passes defensed, which is tied for the most such games in the NFL (Trevon Diggs, J.C. Jackson).
- Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner registered four tackles (three solo), 1.0 tackle for loss and 1.0 sack.
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Colts Special Teams
- Kicker Michael Badgley converted 2-of-3 field goals and three extra points for nine points.
- Punter Rigoberto Sanchez tallied two punts for 87 yards (43.5 avg.) with one pinned inside the 20-yard line.
- Linebacker Matthew Adams blocked a punt in the first quarter that was recovered by E.J. Speed in the end zone for a touchdown.
- It marked Indianapolis' second blocked punt this season and Speed's second touchdown this year. Per NFL Research, Speed is the first player with multiple punt block return touchdowns in a single season since Ed Reed in 2003 with the Ravens.
- The Colts lead the league in blocked punts returned for a touchdown this season (two).
- Safety George Odum compiled one tackle, one forced fumble and one special teams stop.
- He passed Cory Bird (43) for the seventh-most special teams tackles in team history (since 1994).
