Falcons buoy playoff hopes by racing past Colts

Taylor Heinecke threw for 229 yards and a touchdown, Younghoe Koo kicked five field goals and the host Atlanta Falcons remained alive for an NFC playoff berth with a 29-10 beating of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Heinecke completed 23 of 33 passes for the Falcons (7-8), who moved within a half-game of NFC South leader Tampa Bay, pending the outcome of its game later Sunday against Jacksonville. Atlanta finishes the season with road games against Chicago and New Orleans.

After hitting a pair of field goals in the second quarter, Koo helped put the game away in the fourth quarter by connecting from 41, 35 and 25 yards.

Tyler Allgeier gave the Falcons a 20-7 lead on the first possession of the second half with a 31-yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 69 yards on nine carries, while Bijan Robinson gained 72 yards on 12 carries and 50 yards on seven receptions.

Gardner Minshew cooled off after a hot start for Indianapolis (8-7), completing 20 of 37 passes for 201 yards with an interception. The Colts were outgained 406-262 and lost for just the second time in seven games.

Matt Gay's 33-yard field goal with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter was Indianapolis' only score of the second half. The Colts fell into a four-way tie with Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati for the AFC's last playoff spot.

The big storyline prior to kickoff was the return of Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor after a three-game absence following thumb surgery. And it was Taylor that started the scoring with a 1-yard run just over 5 1/2 minutes into the game to cap a 75-yard drive.

Atlanta responded quickly, scoring only five plays into its first possession on Heinecke's 24-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts. A shootout seemed to be possible but both defenses settled down and neither team found the end zone for the half's remainder.

But the Falcons put together two scoring drives in the second quarter. Koo converted from 23 yards out after an 82-yard march that lasted more than six minutes, then hit from 47 with five seconds left in the half to give Atlanta a 13-7 lead.

Taylor rushed 18 times for 43 yards in his return to action.