The Patriots lose a touchdown to the Colts in the final seconds and score a two-point conversion

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Anthony Richardson threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce with 12 seconds left and ran for the 2-point conversion, and the Indianapolis Colts beat New England 25-24 on Sunday when the Patriots’ Joey Slye missed a 68-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Richardson finished 12 of 24 for 109 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to help the Colts (6-7) keep their playoff hopes alive. Three of Indianapolis’ last four opponents have losing records.

The Patriots (3-10) have lost four of five games. Drake Maye finished 24 of 30 for 238 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Indianapolis took advantage of a pass interference penalty to get into the red zone with just over a minute left. Then, faced with fourth-and-goal at the 3, Richardson rolled out and hit Pierce to bring Indy within a point.

After the successful conversion, Maye connected with tight end Hunter Henry on two passes for 20 yards to advance the ball to midfield. From there, the Patriots lined up for a field goal that would have set an NFL record. Slye’s kick was on the line but missed the crossbar.

Indy’s Jonathan Taylor caught 25 carries for 96 yards, passing Marshall Faulk (5,320 yards) for third place on the franchise rushing list.

Matt Gay gave the Colts a 17-16 lead with a 25-yard field goal early in the third quarter.

New England then drove to the Colts 7. Maye threw a pass that hit Henry in the hands at the goal line, but Julian Blackmon deflected the ball for an interception.

Indy punted and the Patriots marched back into the red zone. Antonio Gibson ran the ball in from 11 yards out, followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Maye to Kayshon Boutte that gave the Patriots a 24-17 lead with just over eight minutes left.

The Patriots had the ball for nine minutes longer in the first half than the Colts.

But once again they struggled to finish drives, coming away with a TD and three field goals on four red zone trips. New England’s offensive line was whistled for four holding penalties, which helped slow those offenses.

Indy took just one penalty in the first 24 minutes and made it 2-2 within 20 minutes. New England led 16-14 at halftime.

Injuries

Patriots: Henry left the game in the first quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit. He returned in the second quarter.

Peppers returns

Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers started after being removed from the commissioner’s exempt list this week due to his ongoing domestic violence and drug case.

He was added to the list on Oct. 9, two days after he was arrested and accused of shoving his girlfriend’s head against a wall and choking her. The league said this week that its review was ongoing.

He finished with nine tackles.

Next

Colts: After a Dec. 15 bye at Denver.

Patriots: After a Dec. 15 bye at Arizona.

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