Carson Wentz

The Indianapolis Colts are starting to turn things around this season.

Indianapolis defeated the San Francisco 49ers 30-18 in Sunday's showdown at Levi's Stadium. Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. led the way for the victors, who improved to 3-4 overall and 3-1 in their last four games.

A solid showing from Elijah Mitchell wasn't enough for the 49ers, who dropped to 2-4 with their fourth consecutive loss.

Notable Player Stats

• Carson Wentz, QB, IND: 17-of-26 passing for 150 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs; 4 carries for 23 yards, 1 TD
• Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: 18 carries for 107 yards, 1 TD
• Michael Pittman Jr., WR, IND: 4 catches for 105 yards, 1 TD
• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, SF: 16-of-27 passing for 181 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
• Elijah Mitchell, RB, SF: 18 carries for 107 yards, 1 TD
• Deebo Samuel, WR, SF: 7 catches for 100 yards, 1 TD

Colts Overcome Slow Start for Impressive Road Win

Indianapolis' season appeared to be in significant trouble when it started with three straight losses, but Sunday was an opportunity to move within one game of .500 and continue recent momentum against a struggling team.

The weather conditions had other ideas in the early going, as a wide-open Nyheim Hines dropping what could have been a long touchdown pass in the pouring rain was emblematic of the offense's early struggles.

Taylor lost a fumble, Wentz dropped a snap and San Francisco defenders actually made contact with more of the quarterback's first eight passes than his receivers did. Wentz also appeared to throw a terrible interception to Azeez Al-Shaair on a shovel pass from San Francisco's 4-yard line, although it was ruled a lost fumble instead.

Even with all of those issues, the Colts took a 13-12 lead into intermission thanks to strong defense, impressive running by Taylor, and a rushing and throwing touchdown from Wentz. The touchdown pass went to Mo Alie-Cox and was set up by a deep ball to Pittman.

Wentz took shots downfield to keep the offense moving, as the Colts drew multiple costly flags on San Francisco's secondary. One in the third quarter set up a Taylor touchdown run and a sliver of breathing room for the visitors.

The 49ers trimmed the lead to two in the fourth quarter, but Wentz responded by setting up a Michael Badgley field goal with his legs and then lofting a touchdown pass to Pittman in the final three minutes, all but ending the game.

Colts head coach Frank Reich went aggressive instead of simply looking to run out the clock, and Wentz rewarded him. The result was another win for a team that is trending in the right direction.

49ers Can't Overcome Mistakes in Loss

The biggest storyline for the 49ers since they drafted Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick has been the quarterback position, and it was Jimmy Garoppolo's turn Sunday.

The veteran started the first four games but was sidelined by injury during the loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He didn't have to win his job back, though, as Lance was out against the Colts with a knee injury.

A running quarterback like Lance might have worked better in the driving rain, as Garoppolo struggled with accuracy throughout the first half. Mitchell saved the 49ers for stretches with physical running and quick cuts into holes, and his touchdown started the scoring in the first quarter.

Joey Slye also made up for a missed extra point with a 56-yard field goal through the conditions, but the home team still trailed at the half after Deebo Samuel's lost fumble turned into a go-ahead touchdown for the Colts. The 49ers were notably met with boos from a home crowd that was growing frustrated with the poor play amid a losing streak.

The mistakes continued, and the boos grew louder in the third quarter when Garoppolo's fumble turned into a Taylor touchdown. Throw in costly penalties and the offense's overall issues, and things felt tenuous at best for the home team.

Garoppolo finally found a rhythm in the fourth quarter with two straight long completions to Samuel and Charlie Woerner before finding Samuel for a touchdown. That cut the deficit to two after the failed two-point conversion, but it was also the last real momentum for the 49ers.

The game then slipped away when Garoppolo threw interceptions to Xavier Rhodes and Khari Willis. The first one came when San Francisco had an opportunity to go ahead in the final minutes, and it was yet another mistake it couldn't overcome.             

What's Next?

The Colts host the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, while the 49ers travel to face the Chicago Bears.

The Baltimore Ravens kept pace with the AFC's best Monday night, improving to 4-1 with a 31-25 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The Colts, meanwhile, are trending in the wrong direction. Their hopes of making a second straight trip to the NFL playoffs took another hit as they slipped to 1-4, falling two games behind the wild-card pace.

Lamar Jackson and Marquise Brown combined for the game-winning touchdown with a five-yard pitch-and-catch on the opening drive of the extra frame.

Mark Andrews caught his second touchdown pass with 45 seconds left in regulation, and Jackson hit him again to complete the two-point conversion and tie the game at 25 points apiece.

Rodrigo Blankenship, who was battling a hip issue and missed an extra point earlier in the game, was provided a shot at redemption with four seconds on the clock. His 47-yard attempt sailed wide left, putting the perfect finishing touch on a brutal Week 5 for kickers across the league.

Notable Performers

Carson Wentz, QB, Colts: 25-of-35, 402 yards, two touchdowns

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts: 15 carries, 53 yards, one touchdown; three receptions, 116 yards, one touchdown

Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts: six receptions, 89 yards, one touchdown

Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: 37-of-43, 442 yards, four touchdowns; 14 carries, 62 yards

Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens: 11 receptions, 147 yards, two touchdowns

Marquise Brown, WR, Ravens: nine receptions, 125 yards, two touchdowns

Jackson Puts Offense on His Back

Jackson was efficient through the air, and he had to deal with a near-total absence of a running game.

The 2019 MVP's 12-yard scramble in the third quarter showed how he turns nothing into something in a way no other quarterback can.

However, that possession ended when Jackson fumbled for the fifth time this season at the goal line. Rather than hand the ball off to Latavius Murray—a decision that probably would've resulted in a touchdown—he kept it for himself and lost control while getting tackled by Julian Blackmon.

A video review took Indianapolis' touchdown off the board, but the ruling on the fumble stood. Getting a touchdown there certainly would've been helpful when the Ravens started clawing their way back in the fourth quarter.

But Jackson inspired Baltimore's comeback, leaving his fumble as merely a footnote. The Ravens' final three drives all ended in touchdowns as they feasted on a weakened Colts secondary.

Once Baltimore won the toss to start overtime with the ball, the outcome felt inevitable. One thing is equally clear: The rest of the NFL hasn't figured Jackson out yet.

Colts Fade after Fast Start

The Colts defense picked a great time to have its best performance of the season in the first half. Indianapolis forced Baltimore into two straight three-and-outs to open the game. The home team also came away with just a field goal from a 1st-and-10 at the Colts' 11-yard line inside the final two minutes of the first half.

On offense, Indianapolis basically moved the ball at will early on, advancing up the field in big chunks. The unit's first three touchdowns came on 11 combined plays.

The Colts wasted little time getting on the board. Jonathan Taylor caught a screen out of the backfield and weaved his way 76 yards for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game.

After the teams exchanged field goals, Michael Pittman Jr. did his best Randy Moss impression by leaping above Anthony Averett and bringing down what proved to be a 42-yard touchdown reception, which made it a two-score game.

Indianapolis started running out of gas before it reached the finish line, though. Head coach Frank Reich may have out-thought himself, too, when he got conservative and played for a field goal inside the final five minutes and saw the field goal attempt blocked by Calais Campbell.

What's Next?

The Ravens turn their attention toward a highly anticipated home matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, a meeting that could have implications for playoff seeding in the AFC. The Colts host the Houston Texans, and a win will give them sole possession of second place in the AFC South.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz will reportedly start Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Colts are going with Wentz after he sprained both ankles last week. 

Rapoport noted Wentz has had "no setbacks" and was pushing to play, but the coaching staff does have backup plans in the event he "can't play to the proper level."

Wentz had suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams and was unable to finish the game.

"I've sprained my ankle probably 100 times since I was a kid," he told reporters after the game. "This one, I just couldn't play on it."

Jacob Eason filled in for Wentz against the Rams, and the second-year player would presumably take over once again if the starter is unavailable.

It has already been an unlucky year for Wentz when it comes to injuries. The 28-year-old needed foot surgery during training camp, which kept him away from practice with his new team.

The injury came with a timeline of five to 12 weeks, although he was able to return for the start of the regular season. He was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list during the preseason but was activated in time for Week 1.

Injuries were also a problem for Wentz during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, with him starting all 16 games just two out of five years.

If Wentz's ankles cause problems, the Colts will likely turn to Jacob Eason under center and rely heavily on their rushing attack led by Jonathan Taylor.