Sport

Colts outlast Cardinals for third straight win

NFL Christmas day: Packers get past Browns as Aaron Rodgers breaks record

Mo Alie-Cox of the Indianapolis Colts is tackled by Budda Baker of the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Photograph: Norm Hall/Getty Images

Sun Dec 26 2021 - 14:07

Carson Wentz passed for 225 yards with two touchdowns, and Jonathan Taylor rushed for 108 yards to give the Indianapolis Colts a 22-16 win over the reeling Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at Glendale.

The Cardinals (10-5) have lost three consecutive games, failing to clinch a spot in the NFC playoffs with each loss. The Colts (9-6) have won eight of their last 10 games.

Taylor eclipsed the 100-yard mark on 27 carries. Indianapolis is 9-0 when Taylor rushes for more than 100 yards and 0-6 when he falls short of that mark.

Arizona's Matt Prater missed field goals of 51 yards and 41 yards and an extra-point attempt with holder Andy Lee, the punter, out because of Covid-19 protocols. Backup quarterback Colt McCoy and punter Ryan Winslow, signed Thursday, shared holding duties.

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Prater’s 28-yard field goal with 46 seconds left set up an onside kick attempt that was recovered by the Colts.

The Cardinals held Taylor to 14 yards on 10 carries in the first half after he rushed for 43 yards on his first touch of the game.

The run helped set up Indianapolis’ scoring drive culminating on Wentz’s one-yard touchdown pass to TY Hilton to put the Colts ahead 7-0.

Wentz completed 18 of 28 pass attempts with no interceptions, persevering through Arizona’s aggressive play up front that resulted in two sacks.

His 14-yard touchdown pass Dezmon Patmon with 6 minutes 45 seconds left in the game put Indianapolis ahead 22-13.

Kyler Murray’s 57-yard run in the first quarter set up Chase Edmonds’ two-yard touchdown run. The extra-point attempt by Prater was wide left and the Colts held on to the 7-6 lead with three minutes and three seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Murray completed 27 of 43 pass attempts for 245 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He rushed for 74 yards on four carries.

With the Colts leading 12-6, Murray connected with Antoine Wesley for a 24-yard touchdown to give Arizona a 13-12 lead with 10 minutes and 53 seconds left in the third quarter.

A 37-yard field goal by Michael Badgley with seven seconds left in the third quarter gave the Colts a 15-13 lead.

Aaron Rodgers set the Green Bay Packers' franchise record for most career touchdown passes Saturday on the way to a 24-22 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Green Bay.

Rodgers completed 24 of 34 passes for 202 yards and three scores, including an 11-yard strike to Allen Lazard with five minutes and 13 seconds left in the first quarter. That was his 443rd touchdown pass, breaking a tie with Brett Favre atop the franchise's list.

Green Bay (12-3) stayed atop the NFC with the win, sealing the outcome when Rasul Douglas intercepted Baker Mayfield with 43 seconds left at the Packers' 40. It was Douglas' second pick of the day.

Mayfield, who arrived in Green Bay just hours before the game, hit 21 of 36 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and a career-high four interceptions. His first three picks were converted into touchdowns.

Browns running back Nick Chubb rushed for 126 yards and a score on 17 carries. Cleveland (7-8) amassed 219 yards on 25 rushing attempts, but its playoff hopes were dealt a devastating blow.

The Browns pulled within two points on Mayfield's five-yard touchdown toss to Anthony Schwartz with four minutes and 31 seconds left in the game, then got the ball back with two minutes and five seconds remaining. They drove to midfield before Mayfield's last interception sealed the outcome.

Cleveland got off to a fast start, taking the opening kickoff and marching 75 yards in just two minutes 39 seconds. Chubb keyed it with a 40-yard gain off a screen pass and capped it with a one-yard touchdown run.

Green Bay took the lead for good after the first of Mayfield's three interceptions on Rodgers' record-setting scoring strike, then used another Mayfield interception to build a 14-6 second-quarter lead as Rodgers found Davante Adams for a nine-yard touchdown.

The Browns pulled within 14-12 at the seven minute and three second mark when Mayfield hit Harrison Bryant with a one-yard scoring strike. But Mayfield's third interception of the half led to Rodgers' one-yard touchdown flip to Adams 12 seconds before halftime for a 21-12 advantage.

Adams caught 10 passes for 114 yards.

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