Colts rally past Packers

INDIANAPOLIS – Reggie Wayne asked the Indianapolis Colts equipment manager to track down some orange gloves for him to honor ailing coach Chuck Pagano. He then turned those gloves into a day no one will soon forget.

Wayne caught 13 passes for 212 yards, and the biggest one of all was a 4-yard reception where he fought his way through two defenders for the game-winning touchdown in the Colts’ 30-27 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The Colts not only erased an 18-point deficit, but they accomplished their improbable goal of earning a game ball for Pagano, who is …

INDIANAPOLIS – Reggie Wayne asked the Indianapolis Colts equipment manager to track down some orange gloves for him to honor ailing coach Chuck Pagano. He then turned those gloves into a day no one will soon forget.

Wayne caught 13 passes for 212 yards, and the biggest one of all was a 4-yard reception where he fought his way through two defenders for the game-winning touchdown in the Colts’ 30-27 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The Colts not only erased an 18-point deficit, but they accomplished their improbable goal of earning a game ball for Pagano, who is in the hospital fighting acute promyelocytic leukemia.

“This is for Chuck,” Wayne said after he left an emotional, tear-filled Colts locker room.

Wayne has been friends with Pagano since they were at the University of Miami together, Wayne as a player and Pagano as an assistant coach.

“I wasn’t sure how it would go with being fined,” Wayne said. “If they fine me, they fine me. … But I’d take their fine and go do it for Chuck.”

The Colts won the game on a 13-play, 80-yard drive directed by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, who finished 31 of 55 passing for a career-best 362 yards and two scores.

The Colts trailed 21-3 at halftime before they came back with a furious second half. Green Bay’s Mason Crosby missed a potential game-tying 51-yard field goal at the end.

“Greatest win I’ve ever been a part of,” interim coach Bruce Arians said. “A storybook ending, and we got a game ball for Coach Pagano.”

Colts 30, Packers 27

GB—Kuhn 2 run (Crosby kick)

GB—Ja.Jones 6 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick)

Ind—FG Vinatieri 24

GB—Cobb 31 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick)

Ind—Allen 8 pass from Luck (Vinatieri kick)

Ind—FG Vinatieri 50

Ind—Luck 3 run (pass failed)

Ind—FG Vinatieri 28

GB—Ja.Jones 8 pass from Rodgers (pass failed)

Ind—Wayne 4 pass from Luck (D.Brown run)

A—67,020.

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).