Colts vs Cardinals Week 16 2021: Final Score 22

Final2021 Week 16

State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZSat, Dec 25, 2021, 8:15 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts vs Arizona Cardinals, Week 16 2021

Indianapolis Colts

AwayWon

Arizona Cardinals

Home

Scoring by quarter
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Colts	7	5	3	7	22
Cardinals	6	0	7	3	16

IND 22ARI 16 Final

Passing leader
Kyler Murray
ARI · QB
21.9PPR pts
27/43, 245 YDS, 1 TD
Top fantasy scorer
Chase Edmonds
ARI · RB
26.7PPR pts
16 ATT, 56 YDS, 1 TD, 8 REC, 71 REC YDS
Cardinals leader
Zach Ertz
ARI · TE
13.4PPR pts
8 REC, 54 YDS
Defensive playmaker
Budda Baker
ARI
1 SACK, 13 TKL

Colts 22, Cardinals 16: Indianapolis beats Arizona

Indianapolis led 12–6 at halftime to win 22–16. Arizona outgained the Colts 378–346.

The Cardinals went 6-for-13 on third down, while the Colts kept the ball for 35:29 and finished without a giveaway.

Key advantages

+7% third-down rate IND 53% · ARI 46%
+10:58 time of possession IND 35:29 · ARI 24:31

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

Got a Colt or Cardinal on your fantasy team?

Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.

Connect your league

Works with Sleeper, ESPN and Fleaflicker. No password needed.

Why the Colts Won

Indianapolis won the third-down and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Colts vs Cardinals
Colts	Stat	Cardinals
53%	Third-down conversion	46%

35:29	Time of possession	24:31

Other team stats
346	Total yards	378

5.5	Yards per play	5.9

63	Plays	64

0	Turnovers	0

Scoring Summary

The Colts scored two touchdowns, two field goals, and one safety; the Cardinals scored two touchdowns and one field goal.

Scoring plays, Colts vs Cardinals
Time	Team	Play	IND	ARI
1st quarter
6:11	IND	Carson Wentz → T.Y. Hilton, 1-yard TD Takes leadMichael Badgley XP	7	0
3:03	ARI	Chase Edmonds 2-yard TD runXP missed	7	6
2nd quarter
4:20	IND	Safety Extends lead	9	6
0:01	IND	Michael Badgley 41-yard FG Extends lead	12	6
3rd quarter
10:53	ARI	Kyler Murray → Antoine Wesley, 24-yard TD Takes leadMatt Prater XP	12	13
0:03	IND	Michael Badgley 37-yard FG Takes lead	15	13
4th quarter
6:37	IND	Carson Wentz → Dezmon Patmon, 14-yard TD Extends leadMichael Badgley XP	22	13
0:42	ARI	Matt Prater 28-yard FG	22	16

Fantasy Points: Colts vs Cardinals, Week 16 2021

Fantasy leaders

Chase EdmondsARIRB26.7 PTSRB6
Kyler MurrayARIQB19.9 PTSQB7
Carson WentzINDQB17.4 PTSQB11
Michael PittmanINDWR16.5 PTSWR19

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	CMP/ATT	Pass YDS	TD	INT	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	Rate	Start/Sit
Kyler MurrayARIQB	19.9	QB7	27/43	245	1	0	4	74	0	85.9	Start/Sit →
Carson WentzINDQB	17.4	QB11	18/28	225	2	0	2	4	0	112.9	Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	POS	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	TGT	REC	Rec YDS	Rec TD	Start/Sit
Chase EdmondsARIRB	26.7	RB6	RB	16	56	1	9	8	71	0
Michael PittmanINDWR	16.5	WR19	WR	1	3	0	12	8	82	0
T.Y. HiltonINDWR	15.1	WR22	WR	—	—	—	5	4	51	1
Zach ErtzARITE	13.4	TE5	TE	—	—	—	13	8	54	0
Christian KirkARIWR	11.8	WR38	WR	—	—	—	9	7	48	0
Antoine WesleyARIWR	10.9	WR41	WR	—	—	—	4	2	29	1
Jonathan TaylorINDRB	10.8	RB23	RB	27	108	0	2	0	0	0	Start/Sit →
Dezmon PatmonINDWR	8.4	WR57	WR	—	—	—	1	1	14	1
Mo Alie-CoxINDTE	6.2	TE22	TE	—	—	—	4	2	42	0	Start/Sit →
A.J. GreenARIWR	4.3	WR81	WR	—	—	—	3	1	33	0
Ashton DulinINDWR	3.3	WR92	WR	—	—	—	2	1	23	0	Start/Sit →
Nyheim Miller-HinesINDRB	2.8	RB63	RB	3	11	0	1	1	7	0
Kylen GransonINDTE	1.6	TE49	TE	—	—	—	1	1	6	0	Start/Sit →
Demetrius HarrisARITE	1.3	TE51	TE	—	—	—	1	1	3	0
Jonathan WardARIRB	0.3	RB77	RB	1	3	0	—	—	—	—

Fantasy Usage

Indianapolis Colts

Snap Share

Michael PittmanWR68 snaps97%
Mo Alie-CoxTE63 snaps90%
Jonathan TaylorRB55 snaps79%
T.Y. HiltonWR47 snaps67%
Kylen GransonTE32 snaps46%

Target Share28 targets

Michael Pittman43%, 12 targets
T.Y. Hilton18%, 5 targets
Mo Alie-Cox14%, 4 targets
Ashton Dulin7%, 2 targets
Jonathan Taylor7%, 2 targets
Other11%, 3 targets

Carry Share33 carries

Jonathan Taylor82%, 27 carries
Nyheim Miller-Hines9%, 3 carries
Carson Wentz6%, 2 carries
Michael Pittman3%, 1 carries

Arizona Cardinals

Snap Share

Zach ErtzTE63 snaps97%
Chase EdmondsRB60 snaps92%
A.J. GreenWR56 snaps86%
Christian KirkWR55 snaps85%
Antoine WesleyWR50 snaps77%

Target Share39 targets

Zach Ertz33%, 13 targets
Christian Kirk23%, 9 targets
Chase Edmonds23%, 9 targets
Antoine Wesley10%, 4 targets
A.J. Green8%, 3 targets
Other3%, 1 targets

Carry Share21 carries

Chase Edmonds76%, 16 carries
Kyler Murray19%, 4 carries
Jonathan Ward5%, 1 carries

View full usage tableHide full usage table

Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
Player	SNAPS	SNAP %	TGT	TGT %	CAR
Michael PittmanINDWR	68	97%	12	43%	1
Zach ErtzARITE	63	97%	13	33%	0
Chase EdmondsARIRB	60	92%	9	23%	16
Mo Alie-CoxINDTE	63	90%	4	14%	0
A.J. GreenARIWR	56	86%	3	8%	0
Christian KirkARIWR	55	85%	9	23%	0
Jonathan TaylorINDRB	55	79%	2	7%	27
Antoine WesleyARIWR	50	77%	4	10%	0
T.Y. HiltonINDWR	47	67%	5	18%	0
Kylen GransonINDTE	32	46%	1	4%	0
Keke CouteeINDWR	29	41%	0	0%	0
Ashton DulinINDWR	28	40%	2	7%	0
Demetrius HarrisARITE	21	32%	1	3%	0
Nyheim Miller-HinesINDRB	18	26%	1	4%	3
Jonathan WardARIRB	9	14%	0	0%	1
Darrell DanielsARITE	6	9%	0	0%	0
Andy IsabellaARIWR	5	8%	0	0%	0
Dezmon PatmonINDWR	5	7%	1	4%	0
Jack DoyleINDTE	2	3%	0	0%	0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

PPRHalf PPRStandard

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Biggest overperformer+6.7T.Y. Hilton15.1 PTS vs 8.4 xFP
Biggest underperformer−9.9Jonathan Taylor10.8 PTS vs 20.7 xFP
Highest expected volume25.4 xFPChase Edmonds26.7 PTS scored

Usage and expected fantasy points
Player	PTS	xFP	vs xFP	Snap%	Usage	Rte%	Pass att	Car	Car%	Tgt	Tgt%
Chase EdmondsARI · RB	26.7	25.4	+1.3	92%	76% car	—	0	16	76%	9	23%
Zach ErtzARI · TE	13.4	21.9	−8.5	97%	33% tgt	—	0	0	0%	13	33%
Kyler MurrayARI · QB	21.9	21.5	+0.4	100%	43 att	—	43	4	19%	0	0%
Michael Pittman Jr.IND · WR	16.5	20.9	−4.4	97%	43% tgt	—	0	1	3%	12	43%
Jonathan TaylorIND · RB	10.8	20.7	−9.9	79%	82% car	—	0	27	82%	2	7%
Christian KirkARI · WR	11.8	15.2	−3.4	85%	23% tgt	—	0	0	0%	9	23%
Carson WentzIND · QB	17.4	13.6	+3.8	100%	28 att	—	28	2	6%	0	0%
T.Y. HiltonIND · WR	15.1	8.4	+6.7	67%	18% tgt	—	0	0	0%	5	18%
Antoine WesleyARI · WR	10.9	6.7	+4.2	77%	10% tgt	—	0	0	0%	4	10%
Mo Alie-CoxIND · TE	6.2	6.7	−0.5	90%	14% tgt	—	0	0	0%	4	14%
A.J. GreenARI · WR	4.3	5.1	−0.8	86%	8% tgt	—	0	0	0%	3	8%
Nyheim HinesIND · —	2.8	3.6	−0.8	—	9% car	—	0	3	9%	1	4%
Ashton DulinIND · WR	3.3	3.4	−0.1	40%	7% tgt	—	0	0	0%	2	7%
Demetrius HarrisARI · TE	1.3	1.7	−0.4	32%	3% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	3%
Dezmon PatmonIND · WR	8.4	1.7	+6.7	7%	4% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	4%
Kylen GransonIND · TE	1.6	1.7	−0.1	46%	4% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	4%
Jonathan WardARI · RB	0.3	0.6	−0.3	14%	5% car	—	0	1	5%	0	0%

Team totals: Colts 28 targets and 33 carries; Cardinals 39 targets and 21 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Carson Wentz

IND · QB · 17.4 pts on 13.6 expected

18 of 28 passing for 225 yards, 2 touchdowns; 2 carries for 4 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Carson Wentz →

Kyler Murray

ARI · QB · 21.9 pts on 21.5 expected

27 of 43 passing for 245 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 carries for 74 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 21.5 expected.

No interceptions after 5 in the previous four games.

Start/Sit: Kyler Murray →

Michael Pittman Jr. Volume, no payoff

IND · WR · 16.5 pts on 20.9 expected

12 targets (43% of the team's), 8 catches for 82 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 3 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.9 expected.

Jonathan Taylor Volume, no payoff

IND · RB · 10.8 pts on 20.7 expected

2 targets (7% of the team's), 0 catches for 0 yards; 27 carries (82% of the team's) for 108 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 20.7 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Fewest points since Week 3. A touchdown in 7 of the last 8 games.

Start/Sit: Jonathan Taylor →

Chase Edmonds Strong role

ARI · RB · 26.7 pts on 25.4 expected

9 targets (23% of the team's), 8 catches for 71 yards; 16 carries (76% of the team's) for 56 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 25.4 expected.

Season high in targets (9). Season high in carries (16).

Zach Ertz Volume, no payoff

ARI · TE · 13.4 pts on 21.9 expected

13 targets (33% of the team's), 8 catches for 54 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 21.9 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Season high in targets (13).

T.Y. Hilton Ran hot

IND · WR · 15.1 pts on 8.4 expected

5 targets (18% of the team's), 4 catches for 51 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 8.4 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best fantasy game of the season.

Dezmon Patmon Ran hot

IND · WR · 8.4 pts on 1.7 expected

1 target (4% of the team's), 1 catch for 14 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 1.7 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best fantasy game of the season.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Indianapolis Colts

Stock up: T.Y. Hilton played 67% of the snaps, up from a 47% season average.
Stock up: Mo Alie-Cox played 90% of the snaps, up from a 53% season average.
Stock up: Kylen Granson played 46% of the snaps, up from a 18% season average.

Arizona Cardinals

Stock up: Chase Edmonds played 92% of the snaps, up from a 52% season average.
Stock up: Zach Ertz played 97% of the snaps, up from a 70% season average.
Stock up: Antoine Wesley played 77% of the snaps, up from a 37% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Colts defense and Cardinals defense
Points allowed to	Colts D	Cardinals D
QBs	16.6	16.5
RBs	19.5	20.5
WRs	32.8	37.9
TEs	14.4	7.7

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Arizona opened at 59% win probability and fell below 2% in the fourth quarter.

Cardinals win probability

Key Swings

−22Wentz → Hilton, 1-yd TD58% → 36%Q1 6:11
+19Edmonds 2-yd TD run35% → 55%Q1 3:03
+30Murray → Wesley, 24-yd TD30% → 60%Q3 10:53
−18Badgley 37-yd FG60% → 43%Q3 0:03
−33Wentz → Patmon, 14-yd TD35% → 3%Q4 6:37

Swing in Cardinals win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Colts vs Cardinals
Indianapolis Colts	Measure	Arizona Cardinals
63	Plays	64
48%	Pass rate	67%
7.3	Yds / dropback	5.7
3.8	Yds / carry	6.3
8/15	Third downs	6/13

Efficiency edge Indianapolis ran 1 fewer plays but gained 1.6 more yards per dropback.

Top targets
IND Pittman 43% · Hilton 18% · Alie-Cox 14%
ARI Ertz 33% · Edmonds 23% · Kirk 23%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Colts vs Cardinals
Result	IND	ARI
Touchdowns	2	2
Field goals	2	1
Punts	3	1
Turnovers	0	0
Turnovers on downs	1	2
Missed field goals	1	2
Safeties	0	1

The Colts opened the scoring on their first possession, a 6-play, 59-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
The Colts drained the clock with three second-half drives of four to six minutes.

All 20 possessions, drive by drive

Drive chart
Team	Start	Plays	Yards	Time	Result
ARI	Q1 15:00	12	47	5:20	Missed FG
IND	Q1 9:40	6	59	3:29	Touchdown
ARI	Q1 6:11	7	90	3:08	Touchdown
IND	Q1 3:03	8	40	3:53	Missed FG
ARI	Q2 14:10	7	24	4:01	Downs
IND	Q2 10:09	6	19	4:19	Punt
ARI	Q2 5:50	3	-8	1:30	Safety
IND	Q2 4:20	10	45	4:19	Field goal
ARI	Q2 0:01	0	0	0:01	End of half
IND	Q3 15:00	6	21	2:45	Punt
ARI	Q3 12:15	3	42	1:22	Touchdown
IND	Q3 10:53	9	39	5:11	Downs
ARI	Q3 5:42	3	0	0:21	Punt
IND	Q3 5:21	10	56	5:18	Field goal
ARI	Q3 0:03	11	52	3:56	Missed FG
IND	Q4 11:07	7	69	4:30	Touchdown
ARI	Q4 6:37	5	15	1:18	Downs
IND	Q4 5:19	3	1	1:03	Punt
ARI	Q4 4:16	16	81	3:34	Field goal
IND	Q4 0:42	1	-1	0:42	End of game

About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Colts vs Cardinals Head-to-Head

The Colts and Cardinals first met in 1961 and have played 18 times since.

All-time series: 10–8Colts lead, 18 meetings since 1961
Postseason: 0No playoff meetings
Largest Colts win: 27–01968
Largest Cardinals win: 40–112013

Since 2021

2–0 Colts lead

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. IND = Colts win, ARI = Cardinals win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

2025 Wk 6 Cardinals at Colts, 2025 Wk 6 recap Sun, Oct 12, 2025 IND 31 ARI 27 IND W
2021 Wk 16 Colts at Cardinals Sat, Dec 25, 2021 IND 22 ARI 16 IND W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Colts vs Cardinals
Colts	Stat	Cardinals
9-8	Record	11-6

26.5	Points per game	26.4

347.1	Yards per game	373.6

5.6	Yards per play	5.6

21.5	Points allowed per game	21.5

343.2	Yards allowed per game	329.2

Colts vs Cardinals Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread: ARI −3Cardinals failed to cover by 9
Total: 48Under: 38 points scored (by 10)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
Team	Implied	Actual	Difference
Cardinals	25.5	16	−9.5
Colts	22.5	22	−0.5

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Indianapolis Colts

Against the spread: 10–5
Over/under: 8–7
ATS as favorite: 4–2
ATS as underdog: 6–3
ATS on the road: 6–1

Arizona Cardinals

Against the spread: 9–6
Over/under: 7–8
ATS as favorite: 4–6
ATS as underdog: 5–0
ATS at home: 2–5

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Colts and Cardinals in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Colt or a Cardinal, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Colts vs Cardinals Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Colts vs Cardinals Week 16 game?

The Indianapolis Colts beat the Arizona Cardinals 22–16 in Week 16 of the 2021 season. The game was played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, on December 25, 2021. See the Colts' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Colts vs Cardinals?

The final score was Colts 22, Cardinals 16. The Colts led 12–6 at halftime, and the second half went Colts 10, Cardinals 10.

What happened in the Colts vs Cardinals game?

Indianapolis led 12–6 at halftime to win 22–16. Arizona outgained the Colts 378–346. Chase Edmonds led all players with 8 catches for 71 yards, plus 16 carries for 56 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Colts vs Cardinals?

Chase Edmonds led the game with 26.7 PPR fantasy points, the RB6 of Week 16, on 8 catches for 71 yards, plus 16 carries for 56 rushing yards and a touchdown. Kyler Murray was next with 19.9 (QB7).

Who led Colts vs Cardinals in passing, rushing and receiving?

Kyler Murray (ARI) led all passers with 27 of 43 for 245 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Taylor (IND) led in rushing with 27 carries for 108 yards. Michael Pittman (IND) led in receiving with 8 catches for 82 yards.

How many fantasy points did Chase Edmonds score against the Colts?

Chase Edmonds scored 26.7 points in PPR leagues, 22.7 in half-PPR and 18.7 in standard scoring against the Colts in Week 16 of the 2021 season, on 8 catches for 71 yards, plus 16 carries for 56 rushing yards and a touchdown. He drew 23% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Colts vs Cardinals?

T.Y. Hilton outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 15.1 PPR points on 8.4 xFP (+6.7). Jonathan Taylor fell furthest short, with 10.8 points on 20.7 xFP (−9.9). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Colts vs Cardinals?

Chase Edmonds had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 25.4 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 26.7. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

What was the turning point of Colts vs Cardinals?

Carson Wentz's 14-yard touchdown pass to Dezmon Patmon with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter was the biggest swing of the game, moving the Cardinals' win probability from 35% to 3%.

What is the all-time Colts vs Cardinals record?

The Colts lead the all-time series 10–8 across 18 meetings since 1961.

When did the Colts and Cardinals last play before this game?

Before Week 16 of 2021, they last met in the 2017 season on September 17, 2017, when the Cardinals beat the Colts 16–13.

What is the Colts vs Cardinals record since 2021?

The Colts lead 2–0 across 2 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.

What was the closing spread for Colts vs Cardinals?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Cardinals −3, making the Arizona Cardinals 3-point favorites, with a closing total of 48. That implied about 25.5 points for the Cardinals and 22.5 for the Colts.

Did Colts vs Cardinals go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 48, and the teams combined for 38 points, 10 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Colts vs Cardinals?

The Colts covered as 3-point underdogs against the closing line of Cardinals −3. The final margin was 6 points.