Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has praised the San Diego Chargers defense after they restricted his side to just three field goals during last night's match.

The Chargers dominated possession during the game, enjoying almost twice as much of the ball as their opponents, and restricted the much-fancied Colts offense when they finally did get onto the field.

The Colts were successful on just two of 10 third down attempts on their way to a 19-9 defeat, and Luck believes that the Chargers' defensive performance was the main reason behind their inability to improve those figures.

"We stunk on third down today. A lot of credit to their defence. I think we made our fair share of mistakes, but I think it's what they did," Luck told The AP.

"If we can't convert third downs and drives continually stall like that, it's a short rest for our defence and no points for us, so it's a bad combination."

Despite the result, the Colts are still top of the AFC South but face a tough match against the unbeaten Denver Broncos on Sunday.