Eason efficient, Ehlinger shines late as Colts beat Panthers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jacob Eason was businesslike successful spot of the injured Carson Wentz, and rookie Sam Ehlinger delivered successful the last 4th for the Indianapolis Colts.

Ehlinger, a sixth-round prime retired of Texas, began his NFL debut with an interception. But helium regrouped and drove the Colts to a tying touchdown capped by his 2-point conversion run. Ehlinger past scrambled 11 and 9 yards to acceptable up Eddy Pineiro’s 30-yard tract extremity successful the last seconds, and the Colts bushed the Carolina Panthers 21-18 successful a preseason crippled Sunday.

Eason played the archetypal fractional and finished 15 of 21 for 183 yards with a mislaid fumble arsenic the Colts got a look astatine their backup backmost options portion Wentz recovers from ft surgery. Ehlinger handled the 2nd half, completing 10 of 15 passes for 155 yards and the 1 pick.

“That’s the benignant of happening you privation to spot from your quarterbacks, intelligence toughness, being capable to grip the blitz and travel backmost and play winning football,” Colts manager Frank Reich said. “I deliberation some of them are astir apt going to people retired arsenic playing winning shot astatine the extremity of the day.”

Panthers starting backmost Sam Darnold didn’t play, either, and the crippled was dominated by antiaircraft reserves. Former Colts signifier squad subordinate P.J. Walker started for Carolina, going 10 of 21 for 161 yards and a touchdown.

“I felt similar erstwhile I was here,” Walker said astir his Colts stint from 2017 to 2019, “I didn’t person arsenic overmuch amusive playing football.”

Ehlinger entered successful the 2nd fractional with the Colts trailing 15-10. Kenny Robinson provided a humbling instauration by intercepting Ehlinger’s 4th pass.

But aft the Panthers widened their pb to 18-10, Ehlinger connected with Tarik Black for 47 yards, past deed Tyler Vaughns for a 25-yard summation to acceptable up Benny LeMay’s 1-yard TD run. Ehlinger scrambled up the mediate for the tying conversion.

On the adjacent drive, Ehlinger scrambled to support the Colts moving. An 11-yard tally connected 3rd down got the Colts to the Panthers 17 astatine the 2-minute warning. Pineiro’s deciding footwear with 7 seconds remaining capped a 16-play drive.

“Whatever it takes to win,” Ehlinger said. “Individually, it started disconnected a small shaky.”

The Panthers dominated overmuch of the archetypal half. Rookie Chuba Hubbard was seemingly swallowed up by the heap connected a third-and-1 wrong rush, but inexplicably emerged connected the different broadside and sped up for a 59-yard gain. Two plays later, Walker deed rookie Tommy Tremble connected a 7-yard TD walk to springiness the Panthers a 15-3 lead.

“We came retired determination and we evaluated, (but) we conscionable didn’t win,” Panthers first-year caput manager Matt Rhule said. “We don’t attraction if it’s a preseason game. We don’t attraction if it’s a scrimmage. We privation to triumph successful everything we do.”

Carolina’s Joey Slye converted tract goals from 29, 28 and 41 yards portion the Colts’ Rodrigo Blankenship made a 34-yarder successful the archetypal half. Carolina’s 2nd footwear was acceptable up by Marquis Haynes recovering his ain strip-sack astatine the Colts’ 14 adjacent the extremity of the archetypal quarter. Haynes had 3 backmost hits successful the opening quarter.

When the Colts drove into Panthers territory connected the adjacent possession, Frankie Luvu sacked Eason for a 13-yard nonaccomplishment connected a fourth-and-1 rollout. That acceptable up Slye for the 41-yard kick. Slye tried 1 from 63 yards connected the last play of the fractional but missed wide left.

Hubbard, a fourth-round prime retired of Oklahoma State, had gained 6 yards connected 5 carries earlier his breakaway rush. Walker completed a 26-yard walk to rookie Shi Smith connected the thrust earlier scrambling to propulsion for the touchdown.

The Colts responded 74 seconds aboriginal arsenic Jordan Wilkins scored connected a 3-yard tally with 42 seconds near successful the half.

“I was blessed with the effect of that drive,” Eason said of the hurry-up offense, “and to get that acquisition nether my belt.”

EBERFLUS OUT

Colts antiaircraft coordinator Matt Eberflus was unavailable for COVID-19-related reasons. Safeties manager Alan Williams made antiaircraft calls.

ALMOST EVERYBODY

The Panthers were flagged for six false-start penalties, including connected 3 consecutive plays successful the 4th quarter. On the sixth infraction, referee John Hussey said, “False start, everybody but the center.”

SIDELINE SPECTATORS

The Colts didn’t play immoderate violative starters and utilized conscionable 2 antiaircraft starters. Panthers manager Matt Rhule kept each of his No. 1s connected the bench, including Darnold and moving backmost Christian McCaffrey. The Panthers started six of this year’s draught picks.

INJURY REPORT

Colts cornerback T.J. Carrie suffered a close genu wounded during the archetypal 4th and was ruled out. As a effect of injuries stemming from Thursday and Friday scrimmages astatine Colts grooming camp, the Panthers rested moving backs Reggie Bonnafon and Rodney Smith, linebacker Nate Hall, halfway Mike Panasiuk and antiaircraft tackle Caraun Reid.

UP NEXT

The Panthers big Baltimore connected Saturday night.

The Colts sojourn Minnesota connected Saturday night.