LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Raiders were hoping to narrowly avoid playoff elimination during their Week 17 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
In an all-or-nothing game, the Raiders have been knocked out of the playoffs with a 20 - 23 loss to the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts opened the game with a 50-yard offensive drive from wide receiver Josh Downs, placing running back Jonathan Taylor in range to score the first touchdown of the game.
Raiders' running back Zamir White emerged as an unstoppable force for the Silver and Black with 71 rushing and 29 receiving yards throughout the game. Josh Jacobs remained on the sideline with a quadriceps injury.
The Raiders would finally get on the scoreboard at the bottom of the first quarter with a 40-yard field goal, bringing the game to 3 - 7.
The Colts responded by widening their lead during the second quarter with a career-long touchdown from wide receiver Alec Pierce.
The third quarter also saw Davante Adams score the first touchdown of the game for the Raiders with six minutes left. The Silver and Black defense — led by Art Rooney Award finalist Maxx Crosby — would limit the Colts to only a field goal during the third quarter.
Colts rookie Jaylon Jones almost scored a pick-six at the top of the fourth, but the referees would recall the goal due to a holding call on Jones.
With less than five minutes left in the final quarter, the Raiders kicked a 33-yard field goal to cut into the Colts' lead. Colts would respond with their third field goal of the game — a 45-yard attempt — to bring the game back to a 10-point game.
Raiders would score a touchdown with less than a minute to play, slicing into the Colts lead once again. The comeback would prove unsuccessful.
The final score is 20 - 23.
