The New England Patriots have held off the challenge of the Indianapolis Colts to record a 34-27 victory in NFL and continue their perfect start to the season.
The Patriots improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2007, while it was the first meeting between the rivals since the 'Deflategate' storm erupted after the AFC title game in January.
Tom Brady threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns as the Patriots took advantage of a botched fake punt to claim victory.
It was the Colts who made the early inroads, as Andrew Luck drove 89 yards to set up Donte Moncrief for the first touchdown. However, the Patriots found a response, as Brady hit Julian Edelman for a 12-yard score to give the team their fourth touchdown catch of the season.
The Colts edged ahead early in the second quarter thanks to a 40-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. Then, Brady fired the ball to Edelman before it fell for Mike Adams, who carried it 14 yards into the endzone to give the Colts a 14-10 lead.
The Colts' lead lasted less than two minutes. LeGarrette Blount went on a 38-yard touchdown run to put the Patriots back on top, outrunning four Colts defenders in the process.
The Colts established the lead again before half time, going into the break 21-20 up. Luck found TY Hilton from three yards out to give the receiver his first score of the season and put them ahead 21-17, but another field goal from Gostkowski reduced that lead back to one point.
Brady hit Rob Gronkowski twice on the Patriots' first drive of the second half, his first two catches of the game. His first grab got them 10 yards, while his second resulted in a 25-yard touchdown. Gronkowski was in the clear over the middle of the field, before rounding one tackler on his way to score.
The Patriots were ahead by six when the Colts opted to make a fake-punt play. However, New England recovered the ball in Indy territory and Brady hit Blount for an 11-yard touchdown to put them two scores ahead. The Patriots needed just six plays to cover 35 yards and effectively end the Colts' chances of winning.
Luck found Griff Whalen for an 18-yard touchdown to reduce the Patriots lead to seven, bit it was not enough as the Colts go 3-3 in the season, while the Patriots remain unbeaten.
Steven Toplis
