INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions spent three months scoring at a historic rate.
Now with the weather changing outside, they’re winning with old school football, too.
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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1), defended by Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30), is unable to catch a pass during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) signals a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) tackles Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) is pushed out of bounds by Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) trips Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) reaches in on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) pulls away from Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed (45) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell, left, and safety Kerby Joseph (31) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph reaches but is unable to catch a pass as Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) pulls away from Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs into the endzone for a 1-yard rushing touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for two scores, David Montgomery added a third TD run and Detroit's increasingly stingy defense kept the Indianapolis Colts out of the end zone on Sunday, leading the Lions to their ninth straight win, 24-6.
“This is, whatever it is, 10 quarters without allowing a touchdown and the three last games in the second half we're not allowing it,” coach Dan Campbell said. “We talk about it all the time — limiting points, play physical style, shut down the run — we were able to do that.”
They've been doing it all season in their greatest run in decades, but have been more effective lately and it has shown.
The Lions improved to 10-1 for the first time since 1934, their inaugural season in the Motor City. They own the league's longest active winning streak and are 6-0 on the road this season.
While the Lions have scored points by the dozens all season, Campbell's preference for physical football means they're equally capable of grinding out wins with the combination of a ball-control offense and an ascending defense that propelled them to this win.
Gibbs finished with 21 carries for 90 yards on a day Goff went 26 of 36 with 269 yards and no touchdowns. And for the third straight week, all against AFC South foes, the Lions had a second-half shutout.
“If you can win on the road, you're normally a pretty damn good team,” Campbell said. “And we can win on the road.”
The Colts (5-7) found out the hard way by losing their second straight home game and for the fourth time in their past five games.
Anthony Richardson had another up-and-down game, going 11 of 28 with 172 yards while rushing 10 times for 61 yards. But it was Indy's inability to finish drives with touchdowns that again cost the team.
That flaw was evident right from the start when Richardson took the Colts inside the Lions 5-yard line on the game's first series and settled for a short field goal when they couldn't punch it in.
“We've got to take advantage of our opportunities,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “This league comes down to inches, it comes down to yards and you've got to take advantage of those opportunities. We've had issues down in the red zone and you have to look at the tape and clean it up.”
Detroit made Indy pay dearly for its offensive miscues.
Gibbs' 1-yard TD run on the Lions' second series made it 7-3 early in the second quarter and after Indy settled for another short field goal, Montgomery spun his way across the goal line for a 6-yard TD and a 14-6 lead.
Detroit's defense made sure that was all the scoring punch it needed.
“Those players, we've been around each other long enough, they've been around each other to know exactly what we're looking for,” Campbell said. “We have an identity about us. We know the critical factors as they pertain to winning, and those guys take that stuff serious.”
Gibbs' 5-yard TD run late in the third quarter gave Detroit a 21-6 lead and they closed it out with a 56-yard field goal midway through the fourth.
Amon-Ra St. Brown caught six passes for 62 yards for Detroit while Michael Pittman Jr. had six catches for 96 yards for Indy despite leaving briefly in the first half with an injured shoulder.
Gibbs' first score extended Detroit's league record to 25 consecutive games with a TD run, including the playoffs. He's also the third Lions player with 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10 TDs in each of his first two pro seasons with Detroit, joining Billy Sims and Barry Sanders. Gibbs and Montgomery have each scored at least one TD in the same game nine times.
Lions: Things got ugly during a third-quarter flurry. Receiver-punt returner Kalif Raymond (foot), left tackle Taylor Decker (right leg) and Montgomery (shoulder) all left in quick succession. Raymond and Montgomery did not return. Decker did. CB Carlton Davis II left early in the fourth with what appeared to be a left knee injury.
Colts: Indy deactivated left tackle Bernhard Raimann (knee), forcing the Colts to again use three rookie linemen. Receivers Ashton Dulin (ankle) and Josh Downs (shoulder) both left in the second half. Downs returned, Dulin did not.
Lions: Host Chicago in its traditional Thanksgiving Day game.
Colts: Visit New England next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1), defended by Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30), is unable to catch a pass during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) signals a first down during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) tackles Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) is pushed out of bounds by Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) trips Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) reaches in on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) pulls away from Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed (45) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell, left, and safety Kerby Joseph (31) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph reaches but is unable to catch a pass as Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) pulls away from Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs into the endzone for a 1-yard rushing touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans on Sunday voted in the second round of the country's presidential election, with the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote.
The closing of polls started a countdown to the announcement of official results as independent polling firms were preparing to release so-called quick counts.
Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days — as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s left-leaning Broad Front.
Uruguay's staid election has turned into a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate who won 27% in the first round of voting on Oct. 27, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, who took 44% of the vote in the first round.
But other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger.
Congress ended up evenly split in the October vote. Most polls have shown a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, with nearly 10% of Uruguayan voters undecided even at this late stage. Many said they believed turnout would be low if voting weren't compulsory in the country.
“Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation," said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.”
Analysts say the candidates' lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere.
“The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.”
Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over a surge in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach.
Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of current President Lacalle Pou — in some ways making the election into a referendum on his leadership. He campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government."
While a string of corruption scandals rattled Lacalle Pou's government last year, the president — who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term — now enjoys high approval ratings and a strong economy expected to grow 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation has also eased in recent months, boosting his coalition.
Delgado served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor's pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce.
"We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday.
Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to iconic former President José “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-Marxist guerilla who raised Uruguay's international profile as one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations during his 2010-2015 term.
His Broad Front coalition oversaw the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation of 3.4 million people.
“He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeny Varone, a nurse, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.”
Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer, was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened.
“Uruguay is a small country, but it has earned recognition for being stable, for having a citizenry that respects institutional formalities,” he told reporters from his local polling station. “This is no small feat.”
While promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay, Orsi plans no dramatic changes. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions.
The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint.
Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected.
“I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans.
Orsi similarly pledged a smooth and respectful transition of power, describing Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade.
“The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.”
Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, talks to a boy after voting in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, waves to supporters after voting accompanied by his wife Leticia Lateulade, right, in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
Yeni Varone, a nurse, casts her vote in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter wrapped in a flag of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) arrives to a polling station to vote in the presidential run-off in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Pedestrians pass by Uruguay's national flag and political party banners for sale on the day of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter chooses his preference at polling station in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) talks to a boy after voting in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A woman votes in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), talks to journalists after voting in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A voter seals his ballot during the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Uruguay's former President Jose "Pepe" Mujica sits inside a polling station while waiting to vote in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Ballots of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi with running mate Carolina Cosse sit on a table outside a polling station in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), arrives to vote in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, waves after voting in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter wrapped in a flag of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) arrives to a polling station to vote in the presidential run-off in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, votes in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Uruguay's former President Jose "Pepe" Mujica votes in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), votes in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Pedestrians pass by Uruguay's national flag and political party banners for sale on the day of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter casts his ballot for the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A ray of light illuminates a poster of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi on a street wall covered in ads ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A poster of Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, covers a building ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Supporters of Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, attend his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, holds his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Children hold up masks of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi as they wait for the start of his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Las Piedras, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi holds his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Las Piedras, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Supporters of Broad Front coalition presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi campaign one day ahead of the presidential run-off election, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
FILE - This photo combo shows presidential frontrunner Yamandu Orsi, left, of the Broad Front coalition, on Oct. 22, 2024, and opponent, National Party candidate Alvaro Delgado, on Nov. 20, 2024, both in Montevideo, Uruguay. (AP Photo Matilde Campodonico, left; and AP Photo Santiago Mazzarovich, File)
