The San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts met in their NFL clash at Qualcomm Stadium in the final action of week six of the season.
The home side were coming into the game off a divisional loss to the Oakland Raiders while Chuck Pagano's men were on a high following their victory over the previously undefeated Seattle Seahawks.
However, it was the Chargers who came out with the win in a low-scoring game as Mike McCoy's side's defense held Andrew Luck and his offense without a touchdown to move to 3-3 in their season.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the NFL clash between the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts.
The Chargers come into this game with a 2-3 record following a defeat to their rivals the Oakland Raiders last time out.
Meanwhile the Colts are flying high at the top of the AFC South with a 4-1 record and should be coming into this game brimming with confidence after beating the previously undefeated Seattle Seahawks in their last game.
Mike McCoy's side have played some decent football this year but as ever with the Chargers, they tend to beat themselves sometimes. This was the case as they blew a 21-point lead in their opener against the Houston Texans and also against the Tennessee Titans. So they could easily be 4-1 and right in contention with the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
However, thanks to little mistakes in those games their chances of reaching the playoffs even in this early stages of the season look slim, with the way the Broncos and Chiefs are playing at present. A win tonight is a must.
The Colts and Chuck Pagano have surprised everyone with their performances this season, especially with their wins over the Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. They're 4-1 and truly deserve their place at the top of the AFC South. They could even be 5-0 if not for a shock loss to the Miami Dolphins at home.
A win on Monday Night Football will really put their marker down as one of the powerhouses in the AFC, along with the Broncos, Patriots and Chiefs.
The inactives have just been revealed and we'll start with the home side.
CHARGERS INACTIVES: Butler, Guy, Johnson, Mike Remmers, Rinehart, Sorensen, Taylor
COLTS INACTIVES: Landry, Herron, Conner, Holmes, Nixon, Werner, Hughes
Big losses for the Chargers tonight as they go into the game without linebackers Donald Butler and Jarrett Johnson. Johnson leads McCoy's side in sacks this season, while Butler is a tackling machine in the middle of the field. Those losses will have a big impact against the ever-improving Andrew Luck.
The Colts are without their first-round pick from the 2013 Draft as Bjoern Wener misses out with an injury while safety LaRon Landry is also out with an ankle injury.
Andrew Luck has started the season extremely well for the Colts and has thrown seven touchdown passes to just two interceptions. His leadership has been excellent since day one of his rookie season and he continues to grow as a quarterback. One day very soon he will probably be the best in the league.
If Luck is having a good season, Philip Rivers is having an excellent one. The Chargers QB has a passer rating over 110.6 through five games and has thrown 13 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Only Peyton Manning has had a better start to the campaign at the position.
Novak kicks the ball deep and Reed brings the ball out to the 20 where Luck and his offense will begin.
The Colts go big on first down and five as Luck and Richardson perform the flea-flicker as Richardson tosses the ball back to Luck and he throws downfield to Wayne on a deep post and he hauls in the catch for a 35-yard gain. A penalty on first against Thomas had shortened the yardage to first and five and the Colts took full advantage.
The Colts are rolling as Luck fires a strike to Hilton over the middle and he finds 11 yards and a first down before he's brought down by Shareece Wright.
Another first down pick up to move inside the redzone as Hilton goes on an out route and Luck slings the ball to him and he gets eight yards.
The Colts' drive comes to an abrupt end as Luck tries to find Wayne in the back of the endzone on a corner route but he overthrows the ball and it goes out of bounds. That will force Vinatieri into a 30-yard field goal.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Vinatieri kicks the ball through the posts with ease and the Colts take the lead in Qualcomm Stadium.
Hawkins takes the ball back to his side's 22 from McAfee's kick.
The Chargers go three and out despite picking up nine yards on first down thanks to a run from Mathews. However, Rivers opted to pass on second and third looking for tight end Gates but he couldn't find his receiver on either play, with linebacker Freeman making a nice play to knock the ball out of Gates's hands on third.
The Colts respond by going three and out as Richardson runs into a wall on first and only picks up a yard. On second Wayne is brought down for a short completion of three yards while the same happens to Fleener on third. McAfee's punt is collected for the fair catch by Royal at the San Diego 27.
A good hard count by Rivers gets the Colts' defense jumping into the neutral zone on third and four which hands the Chargers a first down at their 37. Woodhead and Mathews got the ball on two runs on first and second and had picked up five and one-yard respectively.
The Chargers turn to give away a costly penalty as Troutman jumps early and costs his side five yards on third and 10 to make it third and 15. Rivers gets his first completion of the game to Allen but he can only get 11 yards and Scifres is forced to punt. His punt is downed at the Colts' seven by Bird.
The Colts get moving on the ground as Brown picks up eight yards on first right through the middle of the line with a good driving run, and gets a power dive on second to get two yards and another set of downs.
Liuget gets pressure on Luck and gets the hit forcing an incompletion on third down after Luck found Fleener on a nine-yard pass on second, but another failed drive for the Colts. Defense is on top at the moment.
Big completion for 12 yards on third down as Rivers stays in the pocket under pressure and fires to Allen on a intermediate dig route and he comes up with the catch under pressure from Toler. A big moment for the rookie receiver.
Timeout called by Rivers on a third and two at the San Diego 48.
Gates comes up with a good catch on third and two and moves the chains for his side into Colts' territory for the first time. Rivers was patient and delivered the ball where only the tight end could get it on a crossing route. Allen had previously had another good grab on first down for eight under pressure from Davis.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: Indianapolis Colts 3-0 San Diego Chargers
The Chargers get another break on third down as the Colts discipline lets them down again as Toler holds Allen resulting in a five-yard penalty and a first down. There was another penalty on Moala anyway for offside so the Chargers would've had first down no matter what.
Allen is there again for Rivers to keep the chains moving as this time he cuts inside on a shallow in cut and he beats a couple of tackles to get the seven yards he needs to earn the Chargers another set of downs.
TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS!
The Chargers take the lead as Rivers throws deep to the endzone and Allen makes an excellent low catch as he gets in-between two defenders on a post route to get the score. That was an excellent drive for Allen and Rivers.
Reed returns Novak's kick to the 21 where Luck will begin again.
The Colts get their first, first down for what seems an age as Richardson gets the ball on check down and he powers through the tackle of Wright and gets the yardage and some more for a 13-yard gain after looking like being dropped for a loss.
However, the drive stops in the next series as Richardson only gets two yards on first and Luck throws two incompletions on second and third, as Hilton makes a crucial drop forcing McAfee to punt. His kick is out of bounds at the San Diego eight.
The Chargers are running the ball on first as Mathews drives through the line and takes Moala down as he tries to tackle him for a a six-yard gain. Then, Woodhead plow through for eight more on the ground to find a first down.
Woodhead proves his worth to the Chargers again as he finds space in the middle on a pass over the middle and gets the 12 yards for another set of downs and some more.
Toler gives away another costly penalty as he is penalised for a hold on Hawkins as he tried to get open. That was on third down and it gives the Chargers another set of downs and moves them five yards further downfield.
Mathews finds a ton of space over the left-hand side of the line and gets the first down with ease without being touched by a Colts' defender. That was an 11-yard pick up on first down.
Rivers deliver another big strike on third down over the middle as this time he finds Brown on the intermediate dig and he beats Toler in coverage to move the Chargers into the endzone with time in the half running out.
Woodhead gets into the action again he collects a swing pass from Rivers and beats Freeman in the open field for a eight-yard gain down the left-hand sideline. He then comes back for two yarder on a run through the middle of the line. A very versatile back, not bad for a 5ft 6in player.
The Chargers can't punch the ball into the endzone as Woodhead and Mathews are stopped for the first time of the drive on first and second while Rivers's attempted throw to Allen in the endzone is short and falls incomplete forcing Novak into a 26-yard field goal.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Novak nails a kick from 31 yards through the post after the Chargers were penalised five yards for delaying of game.
Novak's kickoff is returned to the 29 by Reed, who almost breaks the last line of tacklers but is brought down just in time.
Luck and his side are moving quickly as Hilton finds four yards on a clearout route and Heyward-Bay fights through a tackle to pick up a first down for 12 yards on a hitch route.
Luck moves the chains again as he fires the ball downfield on an out route to Hilton, who catches the ball and gets out of bounds to kill the clock on a 10-yard pick up.
The drive comes to an end thanks to two drops from Fleener over the middle and Luck scrambles for six yards to set up a field goal from Vinatieri.
FIELD GOAL GOOD
Vinatieri kicks the ball through the posts from 50 yards with an excellent boot. That kick was going over from a lot further. A great kick from the veteran.
HALF-TIME: Indianapolis Colts 6-10 San Diego Chargers
The Chargers have been in control of this game since the second quarter but only have a four-point lead thanks to a good drive from Luck as the end of the half.
There's been some solid defense from both side's in the first half, which has been a surprise to see considering both teams are built around their offenses.
McAfee boots the ball out of the endzone and Rivers will begin at the 20.
The Chargers are moving immediately as Rivers throws a screen pass to Gates and he gets behind a couple of blocks to get a first down after powering through a tackle for the last hard yard.
There's Woodhead again as he comes over the middle on an option route and Rivers picks him out and he runs with the ball for another 13 yards for another set of downs for his side. Another great play by the running back.
Allen's turn to shine for the Chargers now as he makes an impossible low catch for five yards and then picks up the first down on second with a good route over the middle on a shallow cross to get eight yards for another set of downs for his side.
Rivers is in the zone at the moment as he fires a lovely timing route to Brown down the left-hand sideline on a curl route for 15 yards as he beat the coverage of Davis, who was on him man-to-man.
The Chargers' drive comes to an end just before the redzone as the Colts' defense finally steps up as the halt McClain for a three-yard loss on second and on third the rush Rivers out of the pocket and he can't complete his throw on the run. That will leave a 33-yard field goal for Novak.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Novak kicks his 33 yarder through the posts with ease to make it a seven-point game at Qualcomm Stadium.
Novak boots his kickoff out of the endzone so Luck and his offense will begin at the 20.
Richardson gets a vital run on third down for the Colts and gets over the line for 13 yards and a first down for his side. That was a better run from the first-round pick of the 2012 Draft. They need more of them from his in this game.
Richardson gets the carries again and finds nine yards on first and second and is given the ball again on third to find that hard yard and he crashes through the line to get it. They're putting him to work in this drive.
The Colts drive stalls as Luck's pass to Wayne is incomplete on third down after he and Richardson could only combine for six yards on first and second. Surprisingly they're taking the ball out of the quarerback's hands against a weak secondary and pass rush. McAfee is forced to punt and Allen collects for the fair catch at the San Diego 10.
Allen does well again for the Chargers on third down as he gets the ball on a slant route and spins out of a tackle and gets the yardage for the first down on a 14-yard gain. That was his eighth reception of the night for 93 yards.
McClain powers through the line for a tough yard on third down and one to get another set of downs for his side, after Woodhead picked up 10 yards on second when a penalty on the back looked like costing them crucial yards, when he was penalised for an illegal shift.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: Indianapolis Colts 6-13 San Diego Chargers
Rivers gets in the zone with a lovely looped pass on first down as he finds Green on a corner route for his first catch of the night for 25 yards to move his side into Colts's territory. A brilliant throw by the quarterback.
There's McClain again in short yardage after Woodhead runs for nine yards through the middle of the line, the full back gets the ball on short handoff from Rivers and powers through a tackle to bring up another set of downs for his side.
Mathews takes his turn now as he runs behind his line for 10 yards to move the chains with some solid running and juking as he powers through a couple of tackles to get the yardage. This is what the Chargers wanted to see finally from their 2010 first-round pick.
SACK! Redding comes up with a crucial play for the Colts bringing down Rivers for a sack in the redzone on third down, which forces a field goal. A touchdown there would have been curtains for the visitors. Novak is left with a 34 yarder.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Novak knocks his kick through the posts to make it a two-score fame at Qualcomm Stadium.
Reed runs Novak's kickoff back to 20 before he's brought down. Luck and his offense will begin again, a score here is a must.
Luck gets his side rolling straightaway with a 23-yard pass to Wayne who sits down in the zone in the middle of the field and runs all the way to his side's 43.
Luck and Wayne combine again with another good pick up this time he fires down the right for the receiver who makes an excellent catch low down at his feet for 21 yards. That moves the Colts to the San Diego 36.
SACK! Reyes bursts through the line and brings down Luck for a huge loss on second down setting up third and 19 for the Colts. Luck can only find Havili for 12 yards setting up a 51-yard field goal for Vinatieri.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Vinatieri hits another excellent field goal right through the middle of the posts with great distance to make it a seven-point game.
McAfee's kick goes out of the endzone and Rivers will begin at the 20.
Allen is there for San Diego again as Rivers finds him on a slant route and he beats his man and gets the first down for an 18-yard reception and more importantly at this stage, it keeps the clock moving.
SACK! The Colts bring pressure and Sheppard brings Rivers down for a nine-yard loss, which kills the drive as Woodhead can only get back 10 of the yards on third down forcing Scifres to punt. Hilton takes the punt to the 23 but the play is brought back to 8 due to an illegal block by the Colts.
Luck will now drive from the eight to try and bring his side back into the game. He has nine game-winning/tieing drives in 21 games. That is an NFL record in that amount of starts!
A penalty on Thornton for unnecessary roughness kills the drive for the Colts as they get backed up for second and 15 on their own three-yard line. Luck manages to get 14 of the yards back but Fleener is dropped just short of the first down marker on third, forcing a decision from Chuck Pagano, to go for it or to put faith in his defense to get the stop after a punt.
McAfee punts to the 48 where Rivers and his offense will look to kill the clock or get a score to end the game.
Mathews gets a vital first down making up for a false start penalty on Troutman which put his side back five yards, as he ran over unopposed on the right-hand side for 15 yards. An excellent run, which may have won the game for the Chargers.
A crucial measurement will decide this game as Rivers fires to Gates on third and two and he may have got the yardage but the initial spot is short of the marker. Mathews had undone some of his work slightly by running out of bounds on first stopping the clock helping the Colts save one of their timeouts. This is the vital moment in the game.
SHORT! The measurement is short leaving the Chargers with fourth and inches. Decision time for McCoy, a field goal from 50-yards or do they go for it?
The Chargers are going for the field goal, which would all but end the game.
FIELD GOAL GOOD!
Novak knocks his kick through the posts despite the best efforts of Sergio Brown to try and block it with a huge jump and now the Chargers have a 10-point lead and should close this game out.
INTERCEPTION CHARGERS!
Luck overthrows Wayne on a deep route and his pass is intercepted by Cox, who makes the catch and immediately hits the deck in midfield and that should be that.
Mathews runs through the line and gets the first down for his side, which will end the game.
Rivers finishes the game with a kneel down and the Chargers move to 3-3 with a vital victory.
FULL-TIME: Indianapolis Colts 9-19 San Diego Chargers
The Chargers beat the Colts in a surprise win for Mike McCoy's side as they won the defensive battle at Qualcomm Stadium. That keeps their playoff hopes alive as the move to 3-3.
Following their win over the Seattle Seahawks last time out the Colts come crashing back to earth and drop to 4-2 in their season, but they still lead they AFC South over the Tennessee Titans just. They were held without a touchdown against the Chargers and that's the first team they've done that to since 2010.
Luck and his offense will need to get their game into gear as they host the unbeaten Denver Broncos on Sunday where Peyton Manning will return to Indianapolis for the first time since leaving the Colts in 2012.
The Chargers will look to take this momentum into their clash with the winless Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday to get their season on track.
Thanks for joining our coverage this morning. We'll be back with live action on Friday morning when the Seattle Seahawks take on the Arizona Cardinals. Until then, goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
