Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Colts beat Commanders 30–13 in London as Taylor runs for two touchdowns
Indianapolis overcame early turnovers and a 6–0 deficit, then pulled clear after Washington cut the third-quarter gap to four points.
The Indianapolis Colts beat the Washington Commanders 30–13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday, October 4, recovering from two Daniel Jones turnovers and an early six-point deficit. Jonathan Taylor ran for two touchdowns, but Washington remained within four points during the third quarter before Indianapolis pulled away.
Six early points, then a halftime reversal
Washington finished the first quarter ahead 6–0 after two Drew Stevens field goals. Jones lost a fumble on Indianapolis’ opening possession, giving the Commanders an early scoring opportunity. Washington reached the red zone twice in that quarter, but neither visit produced a touchdown.
That limited return left the Colts room to recover despite Jones also throwing an interception. Taylor’s first touchdown run and a Spencer Shrader field goal put Indianapolis ahead 10–6 at halftime. The reversal mattered: Washington’s early pressure had produced a lead, but not enough separation to survive one Indianapolis touchdown.
A rookie’s touchdown kept the game close
Marcus Mariota left with a knee injury and did not return, leaving rookie Athan Kaliakmanis at quarterback for Washington. Early in the third quarter, Jaylon Carlies intercepted Kaliakmanis. The Colts converted that possession into Taylor’s second rushing touchdown and extended their lead to 17–6.
Kaliakmanis answered with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Treylon Burks, cutting the deficit to 17–13. That response is important to the shape of the game: Washington had lost its starting quarterback for the day, yet still put itself within a touchdown of taking the lead. The eventual margin came later.
The ground game supplied all three Colts touchdowns
Taylor finished with 95 rushing yards on 20 carries. Jones added Indianapolis’ other rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Taylor rushed for 40 yards on that 51-yard scoring drive, helping turn a seven-point lead into a 27–13 advantage.
Shrader made three field goals. His third-quarter kick had moved the score to 20–13; his final kick completed the scoring at 30–13. The Colts therefore added 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Keeping those stages separate explains why the final score looks more comfortable than it was during the third quarter.
What the result changes
Indianapolis improved to 2–2, while Washington fell to 1–3. The Colts reached an even record by recovering from mistakes and finishing drives on the ground. The Commanders’ early field goals and later long touchdown pass gave them chances to stay competitive, but they scored no points in the fourth quarter.
For readers catching up on the London result, the key distinction is between the opening and the finish. Indianapolis trailed after one quarter, led narrowly at halftime and still faced a one-score game late in the third. Its stronger closing stretch turned that contest into a 17-point win.
