Final2023 Week 8

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

New Orleans Saints vs Indianapolis Colts, Week 8 2023

New Orleans Saints

AwayWon

38

Indianapolis Colts

Home

27

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Saints71471038
Colts7130727

NO 38IND 27 Final

  • Passing leader

    Derek Carr

    NO · QB

    18.3PPR pts

    19/27, 310 YDS, 2 TD

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Alvin Kamara

    NO · RB

    27.0PPR pts

    17 ATT, 59 YDS, 1 TD, 4 REC, 51 REC YDS, 1 REC TD

  • Colts leader

    Michael Pittman Jr.

    IND · WR

    18.0PPR pts

    8 REC, 40 YDS, 1 TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    Paulson Adebo

    NO

    1 INT, 3 TKL

Saints 38, Colts 27: New Orleans beats Indianapolis

New Orleans led 21–20 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and outscored Indianapolis 17–7 after the break to win 38–27. The Saints finished with a 511–371 edge in total offense and averaged 7.7 yards per play.

The Colts went 7-for-16 on third down and committed one turnover.

Key advantages

  • +2.2 yards/play NO 7.7 · IND 5.5
  • +140 total yards NO 511 · IND 371
  • +6% third-down rate NO 50% · IND 44%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

Got a Saint or Colt 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 Saints Won

New Orleans won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Saints vs Colts
SaintsStatColts
7.7Yards per play5.5
511Total yards371
50%Third-down conversion44%
Other team stats
66Plays67
1Turnovers1
30:09Time of possession29:51

Scoring Summary

The Saints scored five touchdowns and one field goal; the Colts scored three touchdowns and two field goals.

Scoring plays, Saints vs Colts
TimeTeamPlayNOIND
1st quarter
6:56INDGardner Minshew → Michael Pittman Jr., 10-yard TD Takes leadMatt Gay XP07
3:44NODerek Carr → Alvin Kamara, 18-yard TD Ties gameBlake Grupe XP77
2nd quarter
14:49INDMatt Gay 20-yard FG Takes lead710
11:39INDZack Moss 1-yard TD run Extends leadMatt Gay XP717
7:28NOTaysom Hill 20-yard TD runBlake Grupe XP1417
5:42NODerek Carr → Rashid Shaheed, 58-yard TD Takes leadBlake Grupe XP2117
0:21INDMatt Gay 42-yard FG2120
3rd quarter
0:07NOAlvin Kamara 16-yard TD run Extends leadBlake Grupe XP2820
4th quarter
10:49NOTaysom Hill 1-yard TD run Extends leadBlake Grupe XP3520
8:19INDGardner Minshew → Drew Ogletree, 33-yard TDMatt Gay XP3527
0:24NOBlake Grupe 27-yard FG Extends lead3827

Fantasy Points: Saints vs Colts, Week 8 2023

Fantasy leaders

  1. Alvin KamaraNORB27.0 PTSRB4
  2. Rashid ShaheedNOWR24.3 PTSWR8
  3. Taysom HillNOTE22.5 PTSTE3
  4. Derek CarrNOQB18.3 PTSQB13

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Derek CarrNOQB18.3QB1319/27310201-10133.3
Gardner MinshewINDQB15.8QB1623/412132113076.6

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Alvin KamaraNORB27.0RB4RB1759154511Start/Sit →
Rashid ShaheedNOWR24.3WR8WR———331531Start/Sit →
Taysom HillNOTE22.5TE3TE963211140
Michael PittmanINDWR18.0WR14WR———138401
Zack MossINDRB14.4RB15RB116611180
Josh DownsINDWR14.2WR30WR———97720Start/Sit →
Michael ThomasNOWR10.8WR41WR———74680
Jonathan TaylorINDRB10.7RB20RB129502120Start/Sit →
Drew OgletreeINDTE10.3TE15TE———31331Start/Sit →
Chris OlaveNOWR9.6WR49WR———95460Start/Sit →
Alec PierceINDWR7.1WR66WR———53410
Jamaal WilliamsNORB4.8RB52RB63001180
Kendre MillerNORB2.9RB62RB31001190Start/Sit →
Mo Alie-CoxINDTE2.1TE38TE———21110Start/Sit →
Will MalloryINDTE1.6TE43TE———2160
Juwan JohnsonNOTE1.5TE44TE———2150Start/Sit →
Juwann WinfreeINDWR0.0—WR———1000

Fantasy Usage

New Orleans Saints

Snap Share

  1. Chris OlaveWR49 snaps74%
  2. Foster MoreauTE46 snaps70%
  3. Michael ThomasWR44 snaps67%
  4. Juwan JohnsonTE40 snaps61%
  5. Alvin KamaraRB38 snaps58%

Target Share29 targets

  1. Chris Olave31%, 9 targets
  2. Michael Thomas24%, 7 targets
  3. Alvin Kamara17%, 5 targets
  4. Rashid Shaheed10%, 3 targets
  5. Juwan Johnson7%, 2 targets
  6. Other10%, 3 targets

Carry Share36 carries

  1. Alvin Kamara47%, 17 carries
  2. Taysom Hill25%, 9 carries
  3. Jamaal Williams17%, 6 carries
  4. Kendre Miller8%, 3 carries
  5. Derek Carr3%, 1 carries

Indianapolis Colts

Snap Share

  1. Michael PittmanWR70 snaps99%
  2. Alec PierceWR67 snaps94%
  3. Josh DownsWR57 snaps80%
  4. Jonathan TaylorRB43 snaps61%
  5. Drew OgletreeTE38 snaps54%

Target Share38 targets

  1. Michael Pittman34%, 13 targets
  2. Josh Downs24%, 9 targets
  3. Alec Pierce13%, 5 targets
  4. Drew Ogletree8%, 3 targets
  5. Mo Alie-Cox5%, 2 targets
  6. Other16%, 6 targets

Carry Share24 carries

  1. Jonathan Taylor50%, 12 carries
  2. Zack Moss46%, 11 carries
  3. Gardner Minshew4%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Michael PittmanINDWR7099%1334%0
Alec PierceINDWR6794%513%0
Josh DownsINDWR5780%924%0
Chris OlaveNOWR4974%931%0
Foster MoreauNOTE4670%00%0
Michael ThomasNOWR4467%724%0
Juwan JohnsonNOTE4061%27%0
Jonathan TaylorINDRB4361%25%12
Alvin KamaraNORB3858%517%17
Drew OgletreeINDTE3854%38%0
Taysom HillNOTE2944%13%9
Zack MossINDRB2839%13%11
Lynn BowdenNOWR2436%00%0
Mo Alie-CoxINDTE2332%25%0
Rashid ShaheedNOWR1827%310%0
Jamaal WilliamsNORB1523%13%6
Will MalloryINDTE1521%25%0
Kendre MillerNORB914%13%3
Juwann WinfreeINDWR913%13%0
A.T. PerryNOWR812%00%0
Isaiah McKenzieINDWR57%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

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+19.3Rashid Shaheed24.3 PTS vs 5.0 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−5.4Chris Olave9.6 PTS vs 15.0 xFP
  • Highest expected volume21.7 xFPMichael Pittman Jr.18.0 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Michael Pittman Jr.IND · WR18.021.7−3.799%34% tgt—000%1334%
Alvin KamaraNO · RB27.018.8+8.258%47% car—01747%517%
Gardner Minshew IIIND · QB15.817.9−2.1100%41 att—4114%00%
Chris OlaveNO · WR9.615.0−5.474%31% tgt—000%931%
Josh DownsIND · WR14.215.0−0.880%24% tgt—000%924%
Derek CarrNO · QB18.312.0+6.383%27 att—2713%00%
Michael ThomasNO · WR10.811.7−0.967%24% tgt—000%724%
Jonathan TaylorIND · RB10.710.70.061%50% car—01250%25%
Zack MossIND · RB14.48.4+6.039%46% car—01146%13%
Alec PierceIND · WR7.18.3−1.294%13% tgt—000%513%
Taysom HillNO · TE22.58.0+14.544%25% car—2925%13%
Jamaal WilliamsNO · RB4.85.4−0.623%17% car—0617%13%
Drew OgletreeIND · TE10.35.0+5.354%8% tgt—000%38%
Rashid ShaheedNO · WR24.35.0+19.327%10% tgt—000%310%
Kendre MillerNO · RB2.93.5−0.614%8% car—038%13%
Juwan JohnsonNO · TE1.53.3−1.861%7% tgt—000%27%
Mo Alie-CoxIND · TE2.13.3−1.232%5% tgt—000%25%
Will MalloryIND · TE1.63.3−1.721%5% tgt—000%25%
Juwann WinfreeIND · WR0.01.7−1.713%3% tgt—000%13%

Team totals: Saints 29 targets and 36 carries; Colts 38 targets and 24 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 2023 season: 1.67 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.61 per carry and 0.42 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Derek Carr Ran hot

NO · QB · 18.3 pts on 12.0 expected

19 of 27 passing for 310 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 carry for -1 yards.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 12.0 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Gardner Minshew II

IND · QB · 15.8 pts on 17.9 expected

23 of 41 passing for 213 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; 1 carry for 3 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.9 expected.

Alvin Kamara Ran hot

NO · RB · 27.0 pts on 18.8 expected

5 targets (17% of the team's), 4 catches for 51 yards and 1 touchdown; 17 carries (47% of the team's) for 59 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 18.8 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Alvin Kamara →

Chris Olave Volume, no payoff

NO · WR · 9.6 pts on 15.0 expected

9 targets (31% of the team's), 5 catches for 46 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 15.0 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Chris Olave →

Michael Pittman Jr. Volume, no payoff

IND · WR · 18.0 pts on 21.7 expected

13 targets (34% of the team's), 8 catches for 40 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 21.7 expected.

Josh Downs

IND · WR · 14.2 pts on 15.0 expected

9 targets (24% of the team's), 7 catches for 72 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.0 expected.

Start/Sit: Josh Downs →

Zack Moss Ran hot

IND · RB · 14.4 pts on 8.4 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for 8 yards; 11 carries (46% of the team's) for 66 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.

Taysom Hill Ran hot

NO · TE · 22.5 pts on 8.0 expected

1 of 2 passing for 44 yards; 1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for 14 yards; 9 carries (25% of the team's) for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 8.0 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Stock Up, Stock Down

New Orleans Saints

  • Stock down: Alvin Kamara played 58% of the snaps, down from a 73% season average.
  • Stock down: Jamaal Williams played 23% of the snaps, down from a 40% season average.
  • Stock down: Rashid Shaheed played 27% of the snaps, down from a 62% season average.

Indianapolis Colts

  • Stock up: Jonathan Taylor led the backfield with 61% of the snaps after trailing Zack Moss before this game.
  • Stock down: Zack Moss lost the backfield lead: 39% of the snaps to Jonathan Taylor's 61%.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2023 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Saints defense and Colts defense
Points allowed toSaints DColts D
QBs15.415.9
RBs19.326.1
WRs29.931.6
TEs12.412.9

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

How the Game Swung

Indianapolis opened at 50% win probability, climbed as high as 83%, then lost.

Colts win probability

Colts win probability by game minuteColts started at 50%, stood at 46% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 11 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +21Minshew → Pittman, 10-yd TD50% → 71%Q1 6:56
  2. −22Carr → Kamara, 18-yd TD72% → 50%Q1 3:44
  3. +21Moss 1-yd TD run61% → 81%Q2 11:39
  4. −26Carr → Shaheed, 58-yd TD61% → 35%Q2 5:42
  5. −32Kamara 16-yd TD run44% → 12%Q3 0:07

Swing in Colts win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Saints vs Colts
New Orleans SaintsMeasureIndianapolis Colts
66Plays67
45%Pass rate64%
11.7Yds / dropback4.8
4.5Yds / carry6.8
6/12Third downs7/16

Efficiency edge New Orleans ran 1 fewer plays but gained 6.9 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • NO Olave 31% · Thomas 24% · Kamara 17%
  • IND Pittman 34% · Downs 24% · Pierce 13%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Saints vs Colts
ResultNOIND
Touchdowns53
Field goals12
Punts45
Turnovers11
  • The Colts opened the scoring on their second possession, a 7-play, 81-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
All 24 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
INDQ1 15:00361:41Punt
NOQ1 13:195232:04Punt
INDQ1 11:157814:19Touchdown
NOQ1 6:567753:12Touchdown
INDQ1 3:449733:55Field goal
NOQ2 14:49300:34Fumble
INDQ2 14:156302:36Touchdown
NOQ2 11:398754:11Touchdown
INDQ2 7:283-51:04Punt
NOQ2 6:242630:42Touchdown
INDQ2 5:4213515:21Field goal
NOQ2 0:211-10:21End of half
NOQ3 15:006193:13Punt
INDQ3 11:47362:22Punt
NOQ3 9:255192:01Punt
INDQ3 7:247643:40Interception
NOQ3 3:447713:37Touchdown
INDQ3 0:07340:25Punt
NOQ4 14:428763:53Touchdown
INDQ4 10:496752:30Touchdown
NOQ4 8:196192:57Punt
INDQ4 5:226111:34Punt
NOQ4 3:489583:24Field goal
INDQ4 0:24340:24End 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.

Saints vs Colts Head-to-Head

The Saints and Colts first met in 1967 and have played 15 times since.

All-time series
10–5Saints lead, 15 meetings since 1967
Postseason
1–0Saints won in 2009
Largest Saints win
62–72011
Largest Colts win
55–212003

Since 2021

1–0 Saints lead

1 meeting since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. S = Saints win, C = Colts win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

  • 2023 Wk 8 Saints at Colts NO 38 IND 27 NO W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2023 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Saints vs Colts
SaintsStatColts
9-8Record9-8
23.6Points per game23.3
337.2Yards per game336.8
5.1Yards per play5.2
19.2Points allowed per game24.4
327.2Yards allowed per game349.8

Saints and Colts in Fantasy

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

Keep Exploring

2023 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Saints vs Colts Game FAQ

Who won the 2023 Saints vs Colts Week 8 game?

The New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts 38–27 in Week 8 of the 2023 season. The game was played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, on October 29, 2023. See the Saints' 2023 schedule.

What was the final score of Saints vs Colts?

The final score was Saints 38, Colts 27. The Saints led 21–20 at halftime, and the second half went Saints 17, Colts 7.

What happened in the Saints vs Colts game?

New Orleans led 21–20 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and outscored Indianapolis 17–7 after the break to win 38–27. The Saints finished with a 511–371 edge in total offense and averaged 7.7 yards per play. Alvin Kamara led all players with 4 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, plus 17 carries for 59 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Saints vs Colts?

Alvin Kamara led the game with 27.0 PPR fantasy points, the RB4 of Week 8, on 4 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, plus 17 carries for 59 rushing yards and a touchdown. Rashid Shaheed was next with 24.3 (WR8). See Alvin Kamara's 2023 game log.

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

Derek Carr (NO) led all passers with 19 of 27 for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor (IND) led in rushing with 12 carries for 95 yards. Rashid Shaheed (NO) led in receiving with 3 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Alvin Kamara score against the Colts?

Alvin Kamara scored 27.0 points in PPR leagues, 25.0 in half-PPR and 23.0 in standard scoring against the Colts in Week 8 of the 2023 season, on 4 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown, plus 17 carries for 59 rushing yards and a touchdown. He handled 47% of his team's carries.

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

Rashid Shaheed outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 24.3 PPR points on 5.0 xFP (+19.3). Chris Olave fell furthest short, with 9.6 points on 15.0 xFP (−5.4). 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 Saints vs Colts?

Michael Pittman Jr. had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 21.7 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 18.0. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Saints come back to beat the Colts?

The Saints' chances of winning fell as low as 17% in the first half. Alvin Kamara's 16-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the biggest swing of the game. They finished the comeback with a 38–27 win.

What was the turning point of Saints vs Colts?

Alvin Kamara's 16-yard touchdown run with 0:07 left in the third quarter was the biggest swing of the game, moving the Colts' win probability from 44% to 12%.

What is the all-time Saints vs Colts record?

The Saints lead the all-time series 10–5 across 15 meetings since 1967, including a 1–0 record in the postseason.

Have the Saints and Colts played in the Super Bowl?

Yes, once: the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV 31–17 over the Colts after the 2009 season.

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

Before Week 8 of 2023, they last met in the 2019 season on December 16, 2019, when the Saints beat the Colts 34–7.