Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser's Indianapolis Colts game coverage: at Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts CB Jerraud Powers intercepts Matthew Stafford (AP Photo)

This is Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser's in-game coverage of the Indianapolis Colts' preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, August 29. Oehser will be updating throughout the game and answering questions made in the comment section below. Please ask questions or make comments throughout the game . . .

LIONS 18, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 17

The Lions rallied from a seven-point second-half deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts, 18-17, in a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit Saturday. What follows is IFY Editor John Oehser's line in-game update and comments . . .

LINEUP NOTES

Welcome. We're live. Let's go over some lineup changes . . .

Keyunta Dawson is starting at defensive end in place of Robert Mathis, and Dan Muir is starting in place of Ed Johnson at defensive tackle. Also, MLB Freddy Keiaho is starting in place of Gary Brackett.

Also, S Antoine Bethea is expected to play about 12 plays, with CB Jerraud Powers and CB Tim Jennings starting for a third consecutive game. S Jamie Silva likely will replace Silva and S Melvin Bullitt is also starting.

EARLY THOUGHTS

Interesting move by Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell to start Muir in place of Ed Johnson at tackle. Johnson's not injured, but Caldwell wants to approach the third preseason game as if it's the regular-season opener and Johnson will be suspended for that game. . . .

Also an interesting look early for the defense when Bullitt tackled Lions RB Kevin Smith in the backfield. The play came on a run blitz. There has been a lot of talk of more blitzing by the Colts, and it usually has been in the context of pass defense. Run blitz with Bullitt and the Colts' talented safeties would be an intriguing wrinkle. . . .

FIRST QUARTER I: The Colts got the Lions stopped on the first drive. They had a bit of trouble early on third downs, and that's something defensive coordinator Larry Coyer won't like. Third-down is an emphasis this season on defense. The Colts will take over on their 20 after a punt for a touchback. The Lions had possession for 6:36.

FIRST QUARTER II: The Colts took a 7-0 lead when QB Peyton Manning passed six yards to TE Dallas Clark, who was wide open over the middle. Indianapolis was effecient on the drive, with Manning completing five of five passes for 46 yards and the touchdown. A key play was a 36-yard interference penalty against Lions CB William James covering WR Anthony Gonzalez. This was an impressive possession for the Colts. They moved WR Reggie Wayne into the slot at least once and used TE Gijon Robinson and extensively. As was the case last week, the Colts have gotten the quick start they wanted.

FIRST QUARTER III: CB Marlin Jackson is in the game for the Colts. It's the first time he has played this preseason after missing last season with a knee injury.

SECOND QUARTER I: The Vikings tied the Colts, 7-7, early in the second quarter when WR Bryant Johnson caught a three-yard pass from QB Daunte Culpepper. The Lions earned that tie, and in reality, probably should have had the lead. Culpepper moved the Lions well on the first drive and the Colts forced a punt in their own territory. On the second drive, the Lions moved 71 yards on 12 plays and tied it when Culpepper found Johnson wide open in the front of the end zone. Culpepper left the game afterward and finished completing 7 of 12 passes for 67 yards.

SECOND QUARTER II: The Lions, after stopping the Colts, moved effectively again, taking a 10-7 lead on a 14-play, 79-yard drive, with K Billy Cundiff converting a 20-yard field goal with 3:21 remaining. Rookie Matthew Stafford replaced Culpepper at quarterback on the drive and completed 3 of 5 passes for 57 yards. This isn't a good day so far for the Colts' defense. They're playing without Mathis, Hayden, S Bob Sanders, LB Gary Brackett and DT Ed Johnson and it has shown. Even with the injuries, the Colts won't be happy with this effort. Not only have the Lions' quarterbacks played well, Detroit has moved effectively on the ground. After the second scoring drive, they had rushed for 86 yards on 20 carries. One very bright spot for the defense came on 3rd-and-goal, when Freeney and DE Marcus Howard pressured Stafford into an incomplete pass.

HALFTIME UPDATE: The Lions entered halftime leading the Colts, 10-7, with Colts CB Jerraud Powers interecepting a long pass by Stafford to end a late first-half by the Lions. Caldwell spoke to Jeffrey Gorman of the Colts as he was coming off the field. Caldwell's assessment of the half:

"The thing that happened with us is we had a problem with missed tackles.They controlled the line of scrimmage on us and we didn't get our offense enough posessions. We have to get off the field on defense on third down."

THIRD QUARTER I: The Colts took a 14-10 on the first drive of the second half, with RBs Joseph Addai and Donald Brown keying a 86-yard, 11-play drive and Brown giving the Colts the lead with a two-yard touchdown run. As he has through the preseason, Addai looked solid and got this drive started with a 21-yard reception on a screen pass and a 11-yard run. TE Dallas Clark continued a solid game/preseason with 23-yard reception down the middle.

THIRD QUARTER II: One roster note was that OG Kyle DeVan was working with the first team at left guard early in the second half after Jamey Richard started there in place of injured Ryan Lilja.

THIRD QUARTER III: Colts DE Marcus Howard had a drive-stopping sack in the third quarter on Detroit QB Matthew Stafford. That was the second time in the game the second-year veteran got good pressure on a third-down pass rush.

THIRD QUARTER IV: The third quarter ended with the Colts leading, 14-10, with Manning leaving the game after Indianapolis' go-ahead touchdown drive. Manning completed 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown and Clark caught six passes for 63 yards.The Lions had outgained Indianapolis 322-186 through three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER I: The Colts pushed their lead to 17-10 with a 29-yard field goal by Shane Andrus early in the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER II: The Lions rallied to take a one-point lead when tight end Dan Gronkowski caught a pass from QB Drew Stanton and fought off tacklers to get into the end zone. WR John Standeford, formerly with the Colts, caught a two-point conversion pass from Stanton to give Detroit an 18-17 lead.