INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts receiver Alec Pierce broke loose and began streaking toward the back corner of the end zone, a full yard of separation between him and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. His quarterback, Matt Ryan, delivered a precise throw that hit both of Pierce’s hands without causing him to break stride. It looked for all the world like a surefire touchdown.
Then, Pierce promptly dropped the ball.
The first game of his first NFL season would be marked by a major disappointment for the Colts’ rookie. His would-be touchdown could have produced a victory in an eventual tie with the Houston Texans in Week 1.