Rivers throw 3 TD passes as Colts rally past Bengals 31-27

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — After falling behind by 21 points, the Indianapolis Colts needed the biggest regular-season comeback in franchise history. Philip Rivers was up to the task.

After trailing 21-0, Rivers rallied the Colts with three touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score on the first play of the fourth quarter, for a 31-27 victory over Cincinnati.

It equaled the largest comeback in the franchise’s regular-season history. None of the previous four came at home, and the last time Indianapolis (42) achieved the feat came in 2003 at Tampa Bay. Only a 28-point comeback in the 2013 playoffs against Kansas City was a larger margin.

It’s the fifth time the Bengals (1-4-1) have blown a 21-point lead in franchise history, their second-worst all time.

Rivers was sensational. He wound up 29 of 44 with 371 yards, one interception, and threw the go-ahead 14-yard score to Jack Doyle on the first play of the fourth quarter. Rodrigo Sanchez added a 40yard field goal and Julian Blackmon picked off Joe Burrow with 39 seconds left to seal it.

Cincinnati, down 2827, could have taken the lead with a 48-yard field goal with 8:02 to play, but Randy Bullock hit the right upright.

Things sure didn’t start well for the Colts.

The Bengals converted Doyle’s fumble on the second play of the game into a 2-yard touchdown run from Giovanni Bernard. After forcing a punt, Burrow plunged in for a 2-yard score on fourth down to make it 14-0. And when Joe Mixon added a 7-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter, the Bengals led 21-0.

Indy began its comeback when tight end Trey Burton took a direct snap and scored on a 1-yard run. And after Cincinnati added a 47-yard field goal, Philip Rivers cut the halftime deficit to 24-21 with a 10-yard TD pass to Burton and a 17-yarder to Zach Pascal with 15 seconds left.