Indianapolis Colts vs Detroit Lions

The Colts struck first. Blake Grupe connected from 46 and 36 yards in the opening quarter to put Indianapolis up 6-0, backed by Anthony Richardson managing the starting offence efficiently (7/10, 80 yards across two drives).

Detroit responded late in the first quarter. Trayveon Williams capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, though Jake Bates pushed the extra point wide right to leave it 6-6.

The second quarter was decisive. Dobbs, entering after Altmyer had opened the game, found tight end Jackson Meeks for a 6-yard touchdown midway through the period to give Detroit a 13-6 lead. Indianapolis answered through rookie running back DJ Giddens, who tied it at 13 with a 6-yard rushing score — his first career touchdown.

Dobbs then executed the two-minute drill with precision. He connected with Lucky Jackson for a 35-yard completion with 12 seconds left and found Tay Martin for a 2-yard touchdown on the next snap, sending the Lions into the break up 19-13.

The third quarter belonged to the Colts' kicking battle. Spencer Shrader split the uprights from 60 yards — Indianapolis's only points of the second half — to cut the deficit to 19-16. But Williams added his second 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to establish the final 25-16 margin.

Dobbs' 35-yard strike to Lucky Jackson with 12 seconds left in the first half flipped the game. Indianapolis had just tied it at 13 and had momentum on defence, but the completion — the longest of the day for either team — set up the Martin touchdown that gave Detroit a lead it never surrendered. The Lions converted all four red-zone trips and went 13-of-19 on third down (68.4 per cent), suffocating any Colts comeback hopes.

Josh Dobbs (DET) — 15/19, 128 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 129.8 rating. Made his case decisively in the QB2 competition, working with poise and accuracy throughout.

Jacob Saylors (DET) — 17 carries, 100 rushing yards (5.9 per carry). Showed the familiarity in Detroit's system that head coach Dan Campbell values in a backup running back.

Lucky Jackson (DET) — 5 catches, 94 receiving yards. His 35-yard catch-and-run was the day's biggest play.

Sauce Gardner (IND) — One interception, a rare takeaway for the All-Pro cornerback who entered with only three career interceptions. His pick of Altmyer was one of four forced turnovers by Colts rookies.

Blake Grupe / Spencer Shrader (IND) — Combined 4/4 on field goals. Grupe was perfect in the first half (46, 36 yards, plus an XP); Shrader nailed a 60-yarder in the third quarter.

Player of the match: Josh Dobbs.

The Lions piled up 356 yards of total offence, including 186 on the ground, against a Colts defence that forced four turnovers (Gardner INT, strip-sack by George Gumbs Jr., two forced fumbles on special teams). Detroit's ability to overcome a -4 turnover differential underscores the imbalance in offensive execution: the Lions were perfect in the red zone (4/4) and dominant on third down (68.4 per cent conversion rate), while Indianapolis generated no offensive touchdowns after the first half. The Colts' 60-yard field goal was their only second-half score, reflecting an offence that stalled after the QB rotation turned over to Easton Stick (8/15, 78 yards).

Both teams now turn to the regular season. The Lions host the New Orleans Saints on 13 September, while the Colts welcome the Baltimore Ravens on the same date. Detroit's 53-man roster deadline arrives Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, and Dan Campbell acknowledged after the game that Dobbs had "really showed out" in the battle for the No. 2 quarterback job. For Indianapolis, the kicking competition between Grupe and Shrader appears tighter than ever after both went perfect on the day.

A preseason finale with genuine stakes delivered on them. Dobbs seized the backup job with his best outing of August, and the Lions' first-team offence — even without Jared Goff taking a snap all preseason — looks well-drilled entering Week 1. Indianapolis will take heart from a rookie class that forced four turnovers but will need more consistency from its quarterback room if it hopes to improve on last season.