Packers Rally Late, Colts Turn to Jones as Starter After 23-19 Preseason Loss

Football Nation
Aug 20
3 min read

Packers Rally Late, Colts Turn to Jones as Starter After 23-19 Preseason Loss

The Green Bay Packers overcame a sluggish start and rallied for a 23-19 preseason win in Indianapolis on Saturday. While the result won’t count in the standings, it was a night of significance for the Colts, who have now officially announced that Daniel Jones will open the year as their starting quarterback

Colts’ Quarterback Battle Settled

The Colts entered camp with a clear quarterback competition between veteran Daniel Jones and second-year passer Anthony Richardson. Both saw extended playing time Saturday, but Sunday’s announcement from head coach Shane Steichen ended the suspense:

Daniel Jones will be under center for Week 1 against Miami.

Jones was sharp in limited work, moving the offense efficiently and completing 7 of 11 attempts for 101 yards. Richardson, meanwhile, showed both promise and inconsistency, going 6 of 11 for 73 yards while helping engineer Indy’s only touchdown drive of the night.

Steichen had hinted after the game that a decision was close, and by Sunday he made it official.

Packers Close Strong Behind Young Reserves

Matt LaFleur kept much of his roster sidelined, including injured starting quarterback Jordan Love, but Green Bay’s depth carried the night.

Israel Abanikanda finished off a strong third-quarter drive with a three-yard touchdown.
Amar Johnson tied the game late in the fourth, though a missed extra point left it knotted at 16.
With just 1:31 to go, Sean Clifford scrambled 11 yards for the game-winning score, capping Green Bay’s comeback.

The Packers leaned on the run all night, piling up 159 rushing yards, which proved the difference against a Colts team that settled for four field goals from rookie kicker Spencer Shrader.

Injuries Pile Up for Indianapolis

While the quarterback decision is finally settled, the Colts now face growing injury concerns:

Right tackle Braden Smith exited with a groin injury.
Backup Blake Freeland was carted off with a fractured lower leg.
Rookie safety-linebacker Hunter Wohler (foot), cornerback Johnathan Edwards (concussion), and linebacker Jacob Phillips (bicep) also left the game.

Discipline Remains a Problem

Both teams were plagued by penalties, continuing a trend from the preseason opener.

Green Bay finished with 12 infractions, including five on rookie tackle Anthony Belton before halftime.
Indianapolis racked up 11 penalties for 103 yards, stalling multiple drives.

By the Numbers

Total Yards: Colts 360, Packers 356
Rushing: Packers 159 yards; Colts 93
Turnovers: 0 by both teams
Colts Scoring: Four field goals (Shrader) + 1 rushing TD

Looking Ahead

Packers: Another joint practice awaits this week against Seattle, followed by their preseason finale against the Seahawks.
Colts: Travel to Cincinnati, now with Daniel Jones locked in as the starting quarterback, giving him a chance to get first-team reps before Week 1.

Final Word

The Colts finally have clarity at quarterback with Steichen announcing Jones as the Week 1 starter. Richardson’s flashes of talent ensure he will remain part of the game plan, but for now, Indianapolis is counting on Jones’ steadiness. Green Bay, meanwhile, proved once again that its young depth is capable of carrying the load, finishing strong in a 23-19 comeback victory.

Final Score

Packers 23, Colts 19

Team Scoring by Quarter

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	0	3	7	13	23
Colts	0	13	3	3	19

Passing Stats

Team	Player	Comp/Att	Yards	TD	INT	QBR
Packers	Taylor Elgersma	7/11	109	0	0	96.4
Packers	Malik Willis	6/14	83	0	0	N/A
Packers	Sean Clifford	1/4	11	0	0	N/A
Colts	Daniel Jones	7/11	101	0	0	93.4
Colts	Anthony Richardson Sr.	6/11	73	0	0	75.2

Rushing Stats

Team	Player	Att	Yards	TD	Long
Packers	Israel Abanikanda	12	43	1	8
Packers	Amar Johnson	7	22	1	9
Packers	Sean Clifford	3	19	1	11
Colts	Tyler Goodson	2	10	1	7
Colts	DJ Giddens	6	28	0	12
Colts	Ulysses Bentley IV	7	27	0	7

Receiving Stats

Team	Player	Targets	Rec	Yards	TD	Long
Colts	Coleman Owen	5	4	46	0	21
Colts	Michael Pittman	3	2	31	0	22
Colts	Anthony Gould	3	3	30	0	12
Packers	Cornelius Johnson	4	3	41	0	18
Packers	Mecole Hardman	4	2	27	0	21