Indianapolis Colts

Chargers at Colts: Highlights, score, and recap

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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For the third consecutive year, the Indianapolis Colts opened the season with two straight losses. They looked to fix things against the San Diego Chargers.

Is it really desperation time for the Indianapolis Colts?

Not really. But history tells us that only five times in league annals has a club rebounded from a 0-3 start to reach the playoffs. A home loss to the San Diego Chargers would obviously put Chuck Pagano’s team behind the eight ball in a big way.

Of course, the Bolts reside in the AFC West, making them Indianapolis’ third non-divisional foe in as many games. In their last 50 regular-season contests dating back to 2013, Pagano and company are a combined 16-2 vs. the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. It has been a much different story against the rest of the NFL, with the Colts owning a 14-18 mark in 32 games – including losses this year to the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos.

For the record, the Chargers have fared very well in this series over the last 10-plus seasons. Since 2005 and including a pair of postseason wins, San Diego is 6-1 in last seven meetings, which includes a 3-0 mark at Indianapolis. And Philip Rivers and his offensive mates know they will be facing a team that has allowed a combined 73 points during its winless start.

Will the Colts’ defense finally show up this week? It’s a unit with some injury issues but one that must step up its play in a hurry.

Highlights Posted Live as They Happen

Three Stars

1. T.Y. Hilton

Two games into 2016 and while the big-play performer leads the Colts with 10 catches and is second with 120 receiving yards, he’s yet to find the end zone. With Donte Moncrief out for an extended period of time (via the staff at the Indianapolis Star), Hilton will be even busier than usual – although you can expect second-year wideout Phillip Dorsett to see his share of passes his way as well.

2. Andrew Luck

Although Chuck Pagano’s club is winless in the early stages of this season, his quarterback has thrown five touchdown passes in two games (while committing a pair of turnovers). We expect Luck to put up plenty of yards against the league’s 29th-ranked pass defense and three more scores – a pair to fellow fifth-year pro T.Y. Hilton.

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3. Philip Rivers

The Bolts have split their first two games of 2016 and so far haven’t had any problems reaching the end zone. The San Diego offense has scored eight touchdowns to date – including five through the air. Win or lose, the prolific Rivers will amass more than his share of yards and a pair of scores. But it may not be enough against the hungry Colts.

Odds

While the OVER/UNDER in this contest settled in at 51, the line dropped one point from earlier in the week. The Colts kicked off Sunday as 1.5-point favorites.

Next Week

Mike McCoy’s San Diego Chargers welcome the New Orleans Saints to the west coast. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts head to jolly old England to battle the Jacksonville Jaguars.