You know that feeling when you wake up the next day still thinking about every single run, pass, and tackle from the game? Yep, that’s how I felt after looking at all the player stats from the Green Bay Packers vs Indianapolis Colts matchup. If you love breaking down the numbers as much as I do, this piece is for you.
Let’s talk performance, pop some stats into perspective, and break down what the key plays tell us about how both teams played. Whether you’re a die hard fan or just love numbers that scream “epic gridiron battle”, we’ve got you. Setting the Scene: Final Score and Context
Before we go deep into the stats, here’s what went down:
Packers 23, Colts 19 in a preseason matchup (yes, preseason, but it was still a fun display).
It wasn’t a classic regular season slugfest, but it was close, competitive, and had enough bits to chew on if you’re into the nitty-gritty player stuff.
Contents
- 1 Team Performance Overview
- 2 Passing Game Stats Breakdown
- 3 Rushing Stats That Tell the Tale
- 4 Special Teams and Other Contributions
- 5 Defense and Turnovers
- 6 Third Down and Efficiency
- 7 Penalty and Discipline Snapshot
- 8 Standout Player Moments
- 9 Final Thoughts: What Do These Stats Really Say?
- 10 In Closing
Team Performance Overview
Let’s start with the macro view what did the teams look like overall?
Packers Offensive Output
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Total Net Yards: 356 that’s decent production considering this was a mixed lineup of starters and backups.
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Passing First Downs: 10, Rushing First Downs: 9 truly balanced work.
Colts Offensive Look
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Total Net Yards: 360 nearly identical output to the Packers.
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Passing First Downs: 13, Rushing First Downs: 7 Colts leaned a bit more toward the pass.
So from a team totals perspective, both squads moved the chains and racked up yards barely separated. If this were a regular season game, that would be one tight stat line.
Passing Game Stats Breakdown
Alright, let’s talk aerial production. You don’t need me to tell you how important the passing game is, right?
Green Bay Packers Passing Leaders
Here’s how Green Bay’s aerial attack stacked up:
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Elgersma | 7/11 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 93.4 |
| Malik Willis | 6/11 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 75.2 |
| Sean Clifford | 7/12 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 72.9 |
| Backup QB | 3/7 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 59.8 |
| Team Total | 23/41 | 267 | 0 | 0 | 76.8 |
Yep no passing touchdowns here, and no interceptions to cry about either. Packers threw the ball but didn’t light it up via air. Still, solid contributions from a few different guys.
A few things jump out:
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Elgersma led the group gotta respect 101 yards with limited preseason reps.
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Willis and Clifford didn’t make huge splash plays through the air, but they kept drives alive.
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Zero interceptions is surprisingly tidy especially with rotated QBs.
Colts Passing Output
The Colts chunked up more passing first downs and slightly higher yardage through the air, but they struggled to finish with scoring passes.
That tells me their throw game wasn’t clicking into top gear, but they kept the chains moving.
Rushing Stats That Tell the Tale
Here’s where the game really got interesting.
Packers Rushing Leaders
| Back | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israel Abanikanda | 12 | 43 | 3.6 | 1 |
| Emanuel Wilson | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 0 |
| Amar Johnson | 7 | 22 | 3.1 | 1 |
| Sean Clifford | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 1 |
| Team Total | 40 | 159 | 4.0 | 3 |
So the Packers grinding up the ground was a thing. 159 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns isn’t fluff that’s a strong statement for what their running game brought to the field.
A few takeaways:
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Clifford with a rushing score? That’s fun.
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Multiple backs contributed depth is real, even in preseason.
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Strong average per run shows they weren’t just churning clock.
Colts on the Ground
The Colts didn’t do as much ground work, totaling 93 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Solid numbers, just not as explosive as what the Packers managed. But that’s okay Colts were mixing and matching here.
Special Teams and Other Contributions
Special teams can literally swing games even preseason ones.
Packers Returns
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Kick Return Average: 24.0+ not world beating, but decent.
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Punt Returns: Nice short gains that kept drives alive.
Colts Returns
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Kick returns averaged close to 28.7 that’s a hint the Colts could surprise you on special teams.
No return touchdowns here, but both units gave their teams good field position moments.
Defense and Turnovers
Rip off the helmets defense was competitive.
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No interceptions thrown by either team strange but true.
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Both defenses offered pressure and stops in key moments.
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No crazy sack numbers, but enough to make life uncomfortable.
Are defenses underrated in preseason? Maybe just slightly.
Third Down and Efficiency
Third downs tell you who really controlled momentum.
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Packers 8–16 on third downs that’s respectable.
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Colts 3–11 struggling to sustain drives when it counted.
Efficiency wins games. Packers had the edge here, and the final score reflects that.
Penalty and Discipline Snapshot
Funny how penalties can feel like extra yardage for the other team…
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Packers got tagged 12 times for 95 yards.
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Colts had 11 penalties for 103 yards themselves.
So guess what? Both teams dragged the chains backward plenty it’s preseason chaos. But hey, those are real world growing pains.
Standout Player Moments
Here are a few individual pieces that I personally found interesting as I sifted through the numbers:
Sean Clifford delivered a clutch 11-yard touchdown run late to take the lead.
That’s the kind of play that makes you do a double take.
Israel Abanikanda & Amar Johnson contributed tough runs throughout the game, showing that Packers’ backs can wear down a defense.
And on the Colts side, while they didn’t dominate, they kept things competitive almost too competitive right until the end.
Final Thoughts: What Do These Stats Really Say?
You ever look at a line like 356 total yards vs 360 total yards and just stop? Because I did.
These teams matched up almost spot on in total offense, and yet one team walked out with the win.
So here’s my takeaway:
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Packers moved the chains both ways better rushing TD execution, more effective third downs, and better scoring conversion.
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Colts weren’t bad they just didn’t close drives with touchdowns.
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Neither team turned it over that alone makes preseason scoring interesting.
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Penalties were both an annoyance and a storyline.
It makes you wonder: if this had been a regular season game, would the difference still be a field goal or less? Probably.
In Closing
Honestly, breaking down the Green Bay Packers vs Indianapolis Colts match player stats gave me way more respect for how preseason talent battles work.
Numbers don’t lie and these showed grit, opportunities seized (and missed), and enough performance nuance that both fanbases can point to something they liked

