Mike Wells, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

First-half performance proves Frank Gore and Colts capable of running ball

INDIANAPOLIS -- It was a part of the game that got lost in T.Y. Hilton's breakout performance, Andrew Luck's two turnovers and the defense sealing the victory by forcing a turnover.

The Indianapolis Colts spent the first part of Sunday's victory over the San Diego Chargers feeding Frank Gore out of the backfield, and the 33-year-old running back responded by finding the creases to run through.

Gore, who is trying to become the first Colts running back to rush for at least 100 yards since Week 15 of the 2012 season (a drought of 53 straight regular-season games, if you're counting), had 82 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in the victory.

"Yeah, Frankie did a nice job and the O-line did a nice job and the tight ends," coach Chuck Pagano said. "He was running extremely hard; he was obviously very determined. Frank did a nice job, and we have to continue to keep working and get that run game even better."

Last season, Gore rushed for at least 80 yards four times, with the high being 98 yards. During the first half against the Chargers, it looked he was on his way to having his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 17 of the 2014 season, when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. Gore had 13 rushes for 70 yards (5.4 yards a carry) during the first 30 minutes. The stage was set for him to join Vick Ballard as the only two players rush for 100 yards since the Colts selected Andrew Luck in 2012.

But the game changed when the Chargers forced Luck to fumble, they picked it up and returned it for a touchdown to tie the game 13-13 late in the first half.

"When we have success early and when he has success early, it sparks this offense and it sparks this football team," Pagano said of Gore. "They feed off that. I think that is why, other than the two miscues with the turnovers in the first half, we would've played one heck of a half. We were sitting there getting ready to go up -- it was 13-6, I think -- and we were going to get at least a field goal, and they got a touchdown. And it was a totally different deal."

Gore had only eight carries for 12 yards in the second half. What the Colts' first-half performance proved is that they are capable of running the ball when they're not having to play catch-up from an early deficit.

Jacksonville, the Colts' next opponent, is 20th in the NFL (109.7 yards) in stopping the run.

"It was big, what we did," Gore said. "The way the game was going early on, there was a chance we could get [100 yards]. Now people see we can run the ball. Hopefully we can keep going and keep getting better and better."

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