NFL: Colts rally past Packers 30-27 | The Salt Lake Tribune

With Pagano suffering from leukemia, Indianapolis rallies to stun Green Bay.

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Indianapolis • All Chuck Pagano asked the Indianapolis Colts to do was focus on football.

Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne did that — and more — to honor their ailing coach.

The rookie quarterback and veteran receiver connected at the most critical moments Sunday, including a 4-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left to complete the Colts' second-half rally and stun Green Bay 30-27 on perhaps the most emotional day in Lucas Oil Stadium history.

"I'm sure we were all lying to everybody the whole week, trying to downplay it," Luck said after throwing for a career-high 362 yards. "I think we all went out there wanting to do it for Chuck more than anything else. To see all the emotions on Mr. Irsay's face, BA's, everyone in there, I think it's one of the greatest athletic moments I've ever been a part of."

The sometimes emotional team owner, Jim Irsay, sniffled as he spoke inside a silent locker room before dashing off to the hospital where Pagano is undergoing treatment for leukemia. He wanted to personally deliver the game ball to Pagano, who celebrated his 52nd birthday Tuesday.

"I've got 12 years of [special] games," said Wayne, who has known Pagano since the two were at the University of Miami together in the late 1990s. "But this did mean a lot, just with the whole deal with how the week's been going."

Luck was 31-of-55 throwing with two touchdowns and one interception, and ran for a TD, too. Wayne finished with 13 receptions for a career-high 212 yards.

Green Bay (2-3) had a chance to force overtime with a 51-yard field goal. But Mason Crosby's attempt went left with 3 seconds to go.

"I thought they [Colts] played well," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Obviously, a tough week for them. I thought they played with a lot of emotion, a lot of energy. Frankly, I'm more focused on my football team and my football team is not playing the way we are capable of playing." Colts 30,Packers 27

Green Bay 7 14 0 6 — 27

Indianapolis 0 3 16 11 — 30

First Quarter

GB • Kuhn 2 run (Crosby kick), 2:07.

Second Quarter

GB • Ja.Jones 6 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 12:25.

Ind • FG Vinatieri 24, 6:21.

GB • Cobb 31 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 4:21.

Third Quarter

Ind • Allen 8 pass from Luck (Vinatieri kick), 11:06.

Ind • FG Vinatieri 50, 7:42.

Ind • Luck 3 run (pass failed), :18.

Fourth Quarter

Ind • FG Vinatieri 28, 8:04.

GB • Ja.Jones 8 pass from Rodgers (pass failed), 4:30.

Ind • Wayne 4 pass from Luck (D.Brown run), :35.

Attendance • 67,020.

GB Ind

First downs 21 28

Total Net Yards 356 464

Rushes-yards 23-141 30-119

Passing 215 345

Punt Returns 4-19 2-13

Kickoff Returns 3-95 0-0

Interceptions Ret. 1-0 1-0

Comp-Att-Int 21-33-1 31-55-1

Sacked-Yards Lost 5-28 4-17

Punts 7-45.1 5-44.6

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 9-89 9-100

Time of Possession 24:44 35:16

Individual Statistics

Rushing • Green Bay, Rodgers 5-57, Green 9-55, Benson 7-20, Kuhn 2-9. Indianapolis, D.Brown 17-84, Luck 6-24, Ballard 6-11, Hilton 1-0.

Passing • Green Bay, Rodgers 21-33-1-243. Indianapolis, Luck 31-55-1-362.

Receiving • Green Bay, Cobb 4-82, Ja.Jones 4-46, Finley 3-11, Nelson 2-29, Benson 2-21, D.Williams 2-20, Driver 1-14, Green 1-8, Crabtree 1-6, Kuhn 1-6. Indianapolis, Wayne 13-212, Fleener 5-41, Allen 4-38, Hilton 3-37, Avery 3-22, D.Brown 2-8, Ballard 1-4.

Missed Field Goals • Green Bay, Crosby 52 (WR), 51 (WR). Indianapolis, Vinatieri 53 (WL).