Opportunity Fell in His Hands : Verdin Returns Punt for Touchdown as Colts Beat Jets, 17-10

For most of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, the Indianapolis Colts’ offense found just about every way it could to blow scoring chances.

Then Clarence Verdin found the best way to succeed--ensure that the offense wouldn’t get the ball by returning a punt 49 yards for the winning touchdown as the Colts defeated the Jets, 17-10.

Verdin’s touchdown made up for several Colts’ mistakes, including two touchdowns nullified on the same series; giving up a touchdown on a 92-yard interception return; numerous key penalties; losing a scoring chance when Eric Dickerson fumbled at the Jets’ 15-yard line, and a botched fake punt.

Dean Biasucci’s 39-yard field goal tied the score, 10-10, with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter. A minute later, Verdin fielded Joe Prokop’s punt on the New York 49, raced between two defenders and up the middle untouched into the end zone.

“Everyone knows this is a game of emotion and I think the return finally turned it around for us,” Verdin said, “especially after the 14-point turnaround in the first quarter. We needed this lift.”

The Colts (2-2) drove to the Jets’ 10 when Dickerson burst up the middle for an apparent touchdown.

But replay official Tom Kelleher ruled that Dickerson’s knee hit the ground at the one. Two plays later, Dickerson went over again, but left guard Randy Dixon was called for illegal motion.

Colts’ Coach Ron Meyer said: “We were in the end zone twice and they took points off the board both times. I was so irate the staff had to calm me down. Fortunately, we were able to come back. We practice punt returns so much, it was good to see it pay off.”

Pat Leahy’s 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half gave the Jets a 10-0 lead. The drive was extended by a bizarre flea-flicker play on which Roger Vick lateraled the ball from a crowd, Ken O’Brien picked it up on a bounce and completed a 10-yard pass to Mickey Shuler.

“That seemed typical of our day,” Meyer said.

But Jack Trudeau, who was 17 of 30 for 246 yards, hit Billy Brooks on a 55-yard touchdown pass play 2:10 into the second half.

The Colts’ defense sacked O’Brien five times, twice by rookie Quintus McDonald. O’Brien finished with 20 of 31 for 222 yards for the Jets (1-3).