DESPERATE JETS FACE UNDEFEATED COLTS

DESPERATE JETS FACE UNDEFEATED COLTS
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The Jets very own "Super Bowl" may very well be taking place at 4pm in Lucas Oil stadium. At 7-7 and needing help, the once 3-0 Gang Green take on the 14-0 Indianapolis Colts, needing to win in order to save the 2009 season. How many lives has Gang Green had? LB Bart SCott said jokingly "twelve." This after Rex Ryan called the season over after the horrifying last minute loss to Atlanta 10-7 that stripped the Jets of control of their own destiny from here on out. Who knew that the Raiders  much maligned former top pick QB Jamarcus Russell would later in the day come off the bench and save the Jets? This by rescuing the Raiders against hated rivals the Denver Broncos? Now forget the convoluted wildcard math for a moment, and focus in on this. Santa needs to leave a W by the Jets Christmas tree. Without a win, the Jets are no longer part of the conversation. Period. With a win that will shock the league, out will come the math and combos needed for the Jets to play past December. Gotta beat those Colts though.

 It won't be easy. Or will it? Nobody can quite tell if and when Indy coach Jim Caldwell will take out his starters.  With home field in the AFC wrapped up, all there is to play for is an undefeated season. All there is to lose is the health of key players. Will it be worth it to the Colts brass just to go 16-0?. It's certainly an incredible accomplishment that the Colts have come close twice to obtaining with Manning under center. But will hard hits on the future first ballot hall of fame QB,  should they occur, be worth accumulating in a game that matters only for the history books? What if pass rushing killer Dwight Freeney rushes around end and gets nicked up on the play? How far will the Colts be willing to go to win this game at full throttle? The Jets BETTER expect the Colts to go all the way. Anything less will leave the team flat and unprepared mentally for the challenge of outscoring a team second only to the Saints in total points, second to the Pats in points per game with 22.1 (Pats average 23.3) and fourth in yards per game at 383.00 per game.

 Peyton Manning leads all passers in passing yards with 4,213 and  perennial All pro WR Reggie Wayne is second in receiving yards with 1210, trailing only Andre Johnson, who Darrelle Revis shut down in the season opener at Houston this year. Revis will have to come up big once again as he's done all year against every top wideout the Jets have faced. TE Dallas Clark is having maybe his best year leading all tight ends in receiving yards while averaging 11.2 yards a catch. Expect once benched FS Kerry Rhodes, who has been playing great since the benching, to take that assignment on. Just as he did admirably against Tony Gonzalez for most of the Atlanta game. Versatile pass catching RB Joseph Addai missed practice Thursday due to personal issues but tough rookie out of UConn, Donald Brown, could fill in and keep the ground game going well should Addai miss Sunday's battle. 

Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have combined for 23 sacks this season. These two must be blocked by D' Brickashaw Ferguson and Damien Woody with the help of the Jets running backs, if Sanchez is to have any chance throwing it downfield. The last game Sanchez threw with confidence, threw downfield effectively, may have been the loss to Miami in week 5 on Monday night. The Jets, will surely start the game with an initial game plan to "Ground and Pound" it with RB Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene with a little Danny Woodhead mixed in. However, if and when the dam breaks on defense, the Jets could find themselves down two scores earlier than they'd like. Keeping Freeney and Mathis locked up will be the first of three essential steps the Jets will need to complete in order to hang with the Colts. The second will be confident decision making and accurate throws by the rookie QB out of USC. Third, Jet receivers will need to hold on to the catchable balls and also make a few tough grabs along the way. Hear that Braylon Edwards? Yards cannot be left on the field this week. A return to that confidence that was there in week 5, a long time ago, may be needed in a hurry on Sunday.

There are those in the media who DO give the Jets a chance this week, yet solely based on the assumption that the Colts won't finish the game with their starters. The truth is, if Revis and Rhodes can make Wayne and Clark pedestrian, if Rex Ryan's defense can pressure Manning at times, and Sanchez can regain an early season swagger that will not allow the Colts to keep eight in the box, the Jets can beat the Colts. WITH their starters. The real question is, can the Jets shut down two big passing game targets, get pressure on the QB, and attack through the air despite a shaky second half passing resume all on the same day? The answer to that difficult trifecta is days away but at least the three keys puts the onus on the Jets, not on the personnel decisions made by the Colts staff. Or the mindset of Santa Claus in determining which team has been naughty or nice this season. 

THREE KEYS TO THE COLTS GAME:

Sanchez get in the time machine: C'mon Mark, let's travel back to week 5 and Miami , when you brought the Jets back twice, played a carefree confident style in the pocket and GOT results. Tentative late throws won't help this week. In fact, they'll contribute to a rout. Dustin Keller Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, it's time to break out, all at once. 300 yards in the air for the first time this season. Let's do it.

Stop the Bermuda Triangle: Manning Wayne and Clark are a deathtrap. True there is Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and others, we know that. Yet It's those three that do the most damage. Clark is hard to jam at the line. Rhodes will need help but 
what is Rex Ryan's choice? PRessure Manning to speed up release time, have Revis shut down Wayne and Clark bothered play in play out, and there is hope. 
Get burned by this trio and you can warm up the buses by halftime. Oh, and THEN you'll see Colts second unit.

DESPERATION; MOTIVATION If the Jets DON'T come out with the same urgency and desperation that the Giants did in Washington Monday night, kiss 2009 goodbye. If the Colts come out highly motivated to stay perfect in 2009, kiss it goodbye as well. What the Jets could really afford, is a combo of playing desperate against a complacent Colts team that has it's sights already set on the Super Bowl in February. For the Jets, Sunday HAS to be THEIR Super Bowl.

follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter @ thejetreport

Indianapolis Colts middle linebacker Gary Brackett to miss at least two games

ESPN - Indianapolis Colts middle linebacker Brackett to miss at least two games

Colts Lose Entire Starting Defensive Line to Injuries - AP and NFL.com

Considering the injuries, it's amazing the Colts have done so well.

Indianapolis without five starters against Raiders
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts will sit five starters for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders, with injuries to defensive end Robert Mathis leaving the team without any of the first-string defensive linemen it had to start training camp.

The Colts decided Saturday that Mathis and safety Antoine Bethea would not play against the Raiders, Indianapolis spokesman Craig Kelley said. The team had already listed receiver Marvin Harrison (bruised left knee), defensive tackle Raheem Brock (ribs) and right tackle Ryan Diem (knee) as out for Sunday's game.

Mathis (sprains to both knees) and Bethea (sprained left knee) were injured during last Sunday's 44-20 victory in Baltimore. Neither finished the game, in which the Colts pulled most of their starters midway through the third quarter.

The absences of Mathis and Brock follow season-ending injuries to defensive end Dwight Freeney and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland, leaving the Colts (11-2) without any of the defensive linemen they had at the start of the season.

Rookie Ed Johnson has been the starter since McFarland was injured during training camp.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Colts Reggie Wayne Steps Up As Marvin Harrson Sits Out

I don't know what's wrong with Marvin Harrison's knee, but it's good in a way, because Gonzalez can get more reps. Thus, when Harrison does return, the Colts will have the best set of receivers -- Harrison, Wayne, Clark, and Gonsalez -- in the NFL.

INDIANAPOLIS (ESPN) -- Having averaged 78.5 catches, 1,103.3 yards and 8.3 touchdowns in the past four seasons as a starter, wide receiver Reggie Wayne wasn't quite sure how much more he could do to further establish himself as one of the NFL's premier playmakers.

And then eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Marvin Harrison suffered a debilitating knee injury in the Colts' victory over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 30, and everyone found out.

That's because when Harrison went down, Wayne's production went up. And the player considered by many to be the best No. 2 wideout in the league demonstrated that he is more than just a complementary component in the Indianapolis passing attack. He's no longer the "other" guy for quarterback Peyton Manning.

"He became the absolute biggest piece of our passing offense," tight end Dallas Clark said. "Right now, everything revolves around him. I mean, Marvin, with everything that he's done and accomplished, and probably going into the Hall of Fame some day, he casts a big shadow.

"But the past six or seven games, or whatever it's been, Reggie has shown that he doesn't have to play in anyone's shadow."

In every NFL season, there are players who step up to compensate for the loss of injured or departed teammates, or who simply seize the opportunity for quality playing time and then emerge as standouts in their own right. This year is no different.

The 2007 season has produced potential stars, such as running backs Justin Fargas (Oakland), LenDale White (Tennessee) and Ryan Grant (Green Bay), safety O.J. Atogwe (St. Louis), defensive end Trent Cole (Philadelphia), weakside linebacker James Harrison (Pittsburgh) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (Denver), among others.

Wayne, though, was already well-known. He was a first-round draft choice in 2001 (from the University of Miami), and he posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons and went to his first Pro Bowl in 2006. So based on his résumé alone, Wayne was expected to have a good season. But no one expected such a big season, especially without Harrison lining up across the formation from him.

For the season, Wayne, 29, has 76 catches for 1,169 yards and eight touchdowns. At his current pace, he would finish with 101 receptions, 1,559 yards and 11 scores. That would be 15 more catches and 200-plus more yards than his career bests.

And if he indeed reaches those numbers? Consider it remarkable, simply because there is basically no other viable wide receiver in the lineup to draw the coverage away from him.

Clark has enjoyed a career season, too, and his versatility creates matchup problems for every Colts' opponent, because he can align in the slot or as a traditional in-line tight end. But with Harrison out of the lineup, and rookie first-rounder Anthony Gonzalez just now getting up to speed after rehabilitating from a broken finger, secondaries have focused their efforts on stopping Wayne.

And, for the most part, have failed.

"No doubt about it, he has stepped up his game, gone to another level with [Harrison] out of there," said Jacksonville cornerback Brian Williams, who was torched for a 48-yard touchdown catch by Wayne on Sunday. "He's taken [it] on himself to get better, and he has. He just keeps getting open. It's kind of frustrating not being able to stop him, because you know on the big downs that Manning is looking his way."


Stepping It Up

Besides Reggie Wayne, here are five other veterans who, given more playing time and responsibility, have dramatically increased their production and raised their profiles in 2007:

Trent Cole, DE, Philadelphia: Always an effective situational rusher, the three-year veteran (in photo above) moved into the starting lineup this season when the coaches decided that Darren Howard and Jevon Kearse were in decline. Cole has 9-1/2 sacks.

Justin Fargas, RB, Oakland: Pretty much an afterthought when the season began, he was buried behind LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes on the depth chart -- Fargas has rushed 181 times for 863 yards and three touchdowns, and has four 100-yard outings.

James Harrison, LB, Pittsburgh: Took over the weakside vacancy created by the offseason release of Joey Porter and has been a monster in the Steelers' 3-4 front, with 75 tackles, 8-1/2 sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver: With star wideout Javon Walker sidelined much of the year by a knee injury, the second-year speedster from Central Florida has flourished, and has 65 catches for 914 yards and four touchdowns.

LenDale White, RB, Tennessee: Out of shape, overweight and frequently injured as a rookie in 2006, the former Reggie Bush running mate at Southern Cal started the year on the bench, and no better than No. 3 on the depth chart. But when starter Chris Brown was injured, White became the Titans' power back, and he's rushed for 754 yards and six scores.

-- Len Pasquarelli

In the eight games since Harrison was injured, Wayne has 55 catches for 862 yards and five touchdowns. In the seven games that Indianapolis has played without Harrison -- the Colts' star played a limited number of snaps in the Oct. 22 contest at Jacksonville, but mostly as a decoy, catching only three passes for 16 yards -- Wayne has 46 receptions for 731 yards and five touchdowns.

"I think I've always been a hard worker," Wayne said. "But, if possible, I've forced myself to work even harder the past month or two. We're the defending Super Bowl champions, and we want to repeat.

"Sure, it's a little harder with Marvin not out there, but we've got guys who can make plays. You don't want to let guys down. I'm just trying to play my part, that's all."


In terms of production from the Indianapolis wide receivers, though, Wayne is virtually playing all the parts.


He has registered three 100-yard outings in the seven games in which Harrison has not played. In fact, three of the six career games in which Wayne has more than 140 receiving yards have come in the past six weeks with Harrison out of the lineup. In that same stretch, all the other Indianapolis wide receivers have totaled just 34 catches and 350 yards -- and no touchdowns.

Wayne is blessed with deceptive speed and has matured as a technically solid route runner. Manning loves to throw the ball to spots and counts on his receivers to get there, and Wayne has become increasingly polished at finding the open spaces. He isn't quite as precise as Harrison but is adept at double-move routes, and he works well off the sleight-of-hand play fakes at which Manning is so adroit. Oh, and Wayne has excellent burst to the ball when it's in the air.

On his 48-yard touchdown reception Sunday, which came one snap after Manning had absorbed a sack and faced a third-and-16, the Colts' quarterback was just trying to get some yardage back so that Adam Vinatieri would have a makeable field goal. But then he spotted Wayne streaking past the Jacksonville secondary. For a second or so, it appeared Manning's pass might be a stride two long, but Wayne accelerated and caught it on his finger tips.


It was, Manning acknowledged, the kind of play the Colts have come to expect from Wayne on a regular basis. And have come to increasingly rely on, since Harrison remains out of the lineup while rehabilitating for what the Colts hope will be a late-season return.


Time was when Wayne was viewed as the sidekick part of the Indianapolis wide receiver equation. Now he's the one kicking the butts of opposition cornerbacks when the Colts need a big, vertical play.

"He's definitely a playmaker," Manning said. "You can see how much he wants the ball and how much confidence he has. There's a big element of trust involved in our passing game, and we all trust that Reggie is going to keep making plays for us."

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

Colts RB Joseph Addai Goes Air Born Against Texans! - Video

Indianapolis Colts Regain Super Bowl Form, Top N.O. Saints 41-10

The key was the defense and a gaggle of second-year and third year players that stepped in to make the Colts even better than last year.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis Colts looked just as formidable on offense as they did when they won the Super Bowl last season.

And even better on defense.

Shaking off a sluggish first half, the Colts outscored New Orleans 31-0 after intermission in Thursday night's NFL opener to beat the Saints 41-10. At the same time, they served notice to New England, San Diego and other highly touted teams that losing six players who started the Super Bowl last season hasn't slowed them down a bit.

Four of them were on a defense that didn't allow a touchdown Thursday night.

"All offseason, that's what everyone talked about, that the defense has lost all these guys," said Peyton Manning, who threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns. "A lot of young guys played good tonight. It's only one game and there's a long way to go, but we played really well tonight."

Playing against his hometown team, Manning threw two TD passes to Reggie Wayne and another to Marvin Harrison. Joseph Addai ran for 118 yards on 23 carries and that super-quick defense shut down Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and the explosive New Orleans offense.

The game was tied 10-10 after a sloppy first half.

But Manning led two quick TD drives in the first 8:49 of the second half as the Colts put up 24 points in 20 minutes after intermission. On the first drive, Manning hit Harrison for 42 yards to set up a 2-yard TD run by Addai. Then the Super Bowl MVP came right back to throw a 28-yard TD pass to Wayne.

"NFL games are 60 minutes long. We were a little out of synch in the first half," coach Tony Dungy said. "They played us defensively a little different than we thought. We knew we had to run the ball a little more."

Another major player -- for both sides -- was New Orleans cornerback Jason David, who started for the Colts in their Super Bowl win over Chicago and then left as a free agent. He was victimized by Harrison on a 27-yard TD pass in the first half and again by Wayne on both his scores, the second a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter.

But David also produced the Saints' only TD, stripping Wayne after a second-quarter completion, picking up the ball and returning it 55 yards for the score.

"We don't do that," Manning said when asked if he deliberately went at David. "We had the right calls at the right time. With Marvin and Reggie, you're always going to throw it to those guys. If you have a good day, they say you're picking on one guy. We really don't do that."

David said he had to get used to a new scheme in New Orleans but didn't have any excuses.

"Any time you come back and play a team you used to play for, you want to play your best game," he said. "I didn't play my best game tonight. All the plays you saw tonight ... that's on me. There's nobody else to blame but me."

Wayne finished with seven catches for 115 yards.

"The joke in the locker room is that I scored on both sides of the ball," Wayne said of his run-ins with his former teammate. "I gave him a free touchdown, so I guess that was the appreciation we gave him."

The game finally put the focus back on football after an offseason dominated by player discipline problems and long suspensions, most notably involving Michael Vick and Adam Jones. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was at the game, said beforehand, "I think we're ready now to get the focus back on football."

It took a little while before Manning got the Colts' offense focused.

Manning was just 8-of-17 for 101 yards in the first half, 66 of those yards on two completions: the 27-yard TD to Harrison, plus 39 on a throw to tight end Dallas Clark that set up Adam Vinatieri's 33-yard field goal that tied the game at 10.

But the Saints, who reached the NFC title game last season before losing to Chicago, could never get their potent offense going.

"I thought at halftime, being on the road and with all that went on we were in good shape," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. "But we had some miscues. Our inability to convert third downs and keep the ball hurt us."

Colts TE Dallas Clark is such an integral part of this offense. The Saints played a ton of Cover 2, but could not account for Clark in the passing game. Indianapolis used very few three receiver sets on first and second down, but created the same effect by splitting Clark out wide. The Colts also added a new wrinkle by putting Clark on one side and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne on the other and it helped produce Harrison's first quarter TD catch.

In the third quarter, Clark drew the safety playing quarters coverage up while Wayne filled the void on his deep post for a huge touchdown that all but sealed the Colts victory.

Clark isn't known as a top blocker, but he was effective in sealing the edge for Indianapolis' stretch play. This play abused New Orleans which -- out of fear -- was reluctant to bring an extra defender into the box. Clark did a little of everything, including even getting a first down carrying the ball on an end around, and simply put, was instrumental in this win.
They had just 112 total yards in the first half, and Bush and Deuce McAllister each had just 21 yards rushing before intermission against a made-over Indianapolis defense. That unit included undrafted rookie Ed Johnson at defensive tackle in place of Anthony McFarland, out for the season with a knee injury.

Both finished with just 38 yards, Bush on 12 carries and McAllister on 10. Brees was 27-of-40 for 183 yards and two interceptions.

"It just felt like we never got in synch," Brees said. "We felt we hadn't accomplished much in the first half so we were chomping at the bit to get out there and sustain some drives. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe we needed to get our butts kicked tonight to get a little fire going."

The only score by the New Orleans offense was a 34-yard field goal by Olindo Mare in the second quarter after a nine-play, 36-yard drive. From the middle of that quarter until the middle of the fourth, the Saints ran just one play in Indianapolis territory and that was for a 2-yard loss.

Indy linebacker Freddy Keiaho, replacing departed free agent Cato June, was outstanding.

In the second quarter, he drove through a blocker, carrying him into Bush and dropping the runner for a 5-yard loss. In the third quarter, he picked off a pass that led to a 33-yard field goal by Vinatieri that made it 27-10 in the first minute of the final quarter.

The Colts took a 7-0 lead on the Manning-to-Harrison TD in the first quarter. David's play tied the game, and Mare's field goal put the Saints up 10-7. That lasted until the late drive keyed by the Manning-Clark hookup.

Then the Colts took over completely in the second half.

The Manning-Wayne 45-yarder made it 34-10 five minutes into the fourth quarter and Matt Giordano's 83-yard interception return closed the scoring.

Indy Colts Release Cory Simon and Michael DePriest - AP

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) -- The Indianapolis Colts released former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon on Saturday.

Colts owner Jim Irsay said Wednesday that he expected to release the tackle within the next few days.

Simon did not pass his physical last weekend. He was expected to report to camp on time July 29 but was never seen at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology.

Simon did not play last year during the Colts' Super Bowl-winning season and was eventually placed on the non-football illness/injury list with an undisclosed ailment.

The Colts also waived rookie wide receiver Michael DePriest and placed tight end Mike Seidman on injured reserve with a knee injury. Seidman was signed this past spring after five seasons with Carolina.

Indianapolis also signed a pair of free agents, defensive end Noland Burchette and wide receiver Aaron Brown. Burchette is a 6-foot-2, 259-pound rookie defensive lineman who played at Virginia Tech. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Atlanta.

Brown is a 6-3, 212-pound rookie who played at New Hampshire. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Buffalo.

Bush Greets Colts at White House

Bush Greets Colts at White House
By BEN FELLER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON -- Even when football season ends, superstar quarterback Peyton Manning is hard to miss on TV. He has become such a marketable pitchman that his commercials -- a sports drink here, a credit card company there -- seem endless. Apparently, President Bush has taken notice while flipping the channels.

"So a lot of people here in the White House compound have been really looking forward to seeing Peyton Manning," Bush said Monday on the South Lawn. "They wanted to see a guy who gets more air time than I do."


The good-natured poke came as Bush welcomed another championship team to the White House: The Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts beat the Chicago Bears, 29-17, in a pounding rainstorm last February to become Super Bowl champs. On Monday, players basked in the sunshine below the South Portico, as Bush hailed them for ignoring naysayers and playing as a well-balanced team.

As he usually does at these events, Bush played up the theme of perseverance. He liked that the Colts fought through ups and downs.

"Isn't that what life is about, isn't it really?" Bush said. "Through the ups -- it's easy to fight hard in the ups. It's when the downs come that you've got to be a fighter."

The team's coach, Tony Dungy, became the first black coach to win a Super Bowl. Long one of the most respected figures in the National Football League, Dungy coped with the suicide of his son, James, in late 2005. Bush alluded to that.

"He is a man who has used his -- a position of notoriety to behave in a quiet and strong way in the face of personal tragedy that has influenced a lot of our fellow citizens," Bush said of Dungy, who stood next to him on stage. "And I want to thank you for your courage."

The Colts are used to getting showered with attention. More than 93 million people watched the Super Bowl. Yet the team's players and executives seemed awed to be at the White House, and they didn't hide it.

Players pulled out personal cameras to get photos with Bush. They did the same with another political star and football fan who showed up for the ceremony -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Earlier, players visited injured troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Manning, Dungy and a handful of others also got a 20-minute tour of the Oval Office from Bush.

"Winning the Super Bowl a few months ago was probably about as special as you could get," Manning told reporters after the White House ceremony. "But I'm not sure you could actually beat what's happened here today."

As for all those commercials, Manning said he's used to getting ribbing from teammates. All Bush did, he said, was provide "more ammo for the offensive line to have some fun with me."

NFL Network - NFL Replay Schedule For 2007

NFL Replay Telecast Schedule For Airing of 2006 NFL Games

Week 1: Sunday, March 11
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Buffalo at New England
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Giants

Week 2: Sunday, March 18
1:00 PM ET: Giants at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: New England at New York Jets
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Green Bay
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Minnesota

Week 3: Sunday, March 25
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
2:30 PM ET: Carolina at Tamp Bay
4:00 PM ET: Chicago at Minnesota
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Indianapolis

Week 4: Sunday, April 1
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at New York Jets
2:30 PM ET: Detroit at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Jacksonville at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Baltimore at San Diego

Week 5: Sunday, April 8
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Philadelphia
2:30 PM ET: St. Louis at Green Bay
4:00 PM ET: Tampa Bay at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Arizona

Week 6: Sunday, April 15
1:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Washington
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at St. Louis
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New Orleans
5:30 PM ET: Chicago at Arizona

Week 7: Sunday, April 22
1:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at Tampa Bay
2:30 PM ET: San Diego at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Pittsburgh at Atlanta
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Cincinnati

Week 8: Sunday, May 6
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Denver
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: Atlanta at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: St. Louis at San Diego

Week 9: Sunday, May 13
1:00 PM ET: Miami at Chicago
2:30 PM ET: Cincinnati at Baltimore
4:00 PM ET: Dallas at Washington
5:30 PM ET: Indianapolis at New England

Week 10: Sunday, May 20
1:00 PM ET: St. Louis at Seattle
2:30 PM ET: Baltimore at Tennessee
4:00 PM ET: San Diego at Cincinnati
5:30 PM ET: New Orleans at Pittsburgh

Week 11: Sunday, May 27
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: Oakland at Kansas City
4:00 PM ET: AFC North Battles; Cincinnati Bengals vs. New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons vs.
Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
5:30 PM ET: Charger Comebacks; San Diego vs. Broncos ( Week 10) & San Diego vs. Cincinnati
(Week 11)

Week 12: Sunday, June 3
1:00 PM ET: Chicago at New Orleans
2:30 PM ET: AFC West Replays; Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City and Oakland Raiders vs. San
Diego Chargers
4:00 PM ET: New York Giants at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Last Gasps; Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers vs. St.
Louis Rams

Week 13: Sunday, June 10
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at New York Giants
2:30 PM ET: Kansas City at Cleveland
4:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Tennessee
5:30 PM ET: Carolina at Philadelphia

Week 14: Sunday, June 17
1:00 PM ET: Indianapolis at Jacksonville
2:30 PM ET: Seattle at Arizona
4:00 PM ET: New Orleans at Dallas
5:30 PM ET: Denver at San Diego

Week 15: Sunday, June 24
1:00 PM ET: Dallas at Atlanta
2:30 PM ET: Tampa at Chicago
4:00 PM ET: Philadelphia at New York Giants
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Tennessee

Week 16: Sunday, July 1
1:00 PM ET: Cincinnati at Denver
2:30 PM ET: New England at Jacksonville
4:00 PM ET: Tennessee at Buffalo
5:30 PM ET: San Diego at Seattle

Week 17: Sunday, July 8
1:00 PM ET: Detroit at Dallas
2:30 PM ET: New York Giants at Washington
4:00 PM ET: San Francisco at Denver
5:30 PM ET: Jacksonville at Kansas City

Colts Motivated By OL Jeff Saturday's Speech On The Night Before The AFC Championship

Saturday's Words Motivated Colts Throughout Championship-Game Victory
INDIANAPOLIS - Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy’s not one for fiery speeches, pre-game, halftime or otherwise.
But he knows a good speech when he hears it.

And on Saturday night, he heard one from Colts center Jeff Saturday.

Saturday, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a leader of the Colts’ offense, spoke to the team late Saturday night. This was after the Colts’ final meeting of that, and it came after Dungy’s final words to the team.

“He said, 'This is our time,’’’ Dungy recalled. ‘‘ ‘We’ve got to make it happen.’’’

Saturday recalled it in detail after the Colts’ 38-34 victory in the AFC Championship Game Sunday night.

“I started by telling all the guys how much respect I had for each one and I believe in them,” Saturday said. “We all knew this was our opportunity. I kind of made a parallel to the move, ‘Miracle,’ with Herb Brooks and what he said. The thing I tried to emphasize the most is, ‘This is our time, this is our team. We just need to step up and make it happen.’

“Guys did it.”

Throughout the second half, as the Colts scratched and clawed their way back from a 21-3 first-half deficit and into their first Super Bowl in their 23-year history in Indianapolis, Dungy made sure Colts players didn’t forget those words.

That was particularly true early in the second quarter, Dungy said.

In a 53-second span, the Patriots scored two touchdowns to turn a 7-3 lead into a 21-3 deficit that appeared insurmountable to some.

It didn’t seem that way to Dungy.

To make sure the players believed that, too, he referred to Saturday’s speech.

“All I did at that time

was go up and down the sidelines and tell the guys, ‘It’s still our time – we got plenty of time left,’’’ Dungy said.

Dungy also relied on past history with the Patriots. In 2003, in the first game of the current Colts-Patriots rivalry, New England led 31-10 in the second half before a dramatic fourth-quarter rally by the Colts.

Indianapolis eventually tied the game, 31-31, and trailing 38-34 late, had a chance to win late in the game before running back Edgerrin James was stopped on 4th-and-goal from New England’s 1-yard line.

“We were in this situation the last time we played these guys here,” Dungy said. “They got way up on us and we had the ball at the end to win the game. I think we were down 21 in that game. I told the guys at halftime, ‘We’re going to have the ball with a chance to win in the fourth quarter. This time, we’re going to make it happen.’’’

Only 18 players remain from that team, but those that did remembered.

“Jeff Saturday talked and Tony talked and we just felt like this was our time. We’ve been through a lot. Guys have been through a lot from a personal standpoint off the field this year. When things started coming together at the end, we just said, ‘You know what? Things are going well. We’ve got the home game. This is our time to take advantage of this.’ We’ve got one more game.

“A lot of the veteran guys remembered we were in the exact same position in ‘03. The momentum shifted. We got some turnovers, got some stops and the offense got going.”

Said Dungy, “Our guys just fought. Nobody ever got to the point. We just wanted to fight. Even if we didn’t win it, they just wanted to fight all the way and that’s what this team is all about.”

Call The Colts / Pats Game "The Encounter In Indy"

Sports Illustrated's Andrew Perloff calls the 2007 AFC Championship Game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots, was one of the greatest in history. I have to agree. In this article below, he asks for a nickname for the game. That's hard because unlike "The Drive" -- Denver v. Cleveland -- or "The Catch" -- SF v. Dallas in 1981 -- there were so many moments and plays it's hard to pick just one defining moment. In the sprit of "The Thrilla In Manilla" I'll call it the "Encounter In Indy." Short and sweet.

There are so many reasons for this nickname. First, we all expected -- and got -- a massive battle. For the Colts was the fourth best comback in NFL Playoff History, and the best comeback in Championship Game History. Second, it was billed as the most inportant game in Colts QB Peyton Mannings's life, and his performance was the defining one in the game. Manning has six key drives -- not one but six -- where he placed his team in position to keep pace with New England and then beat them. He led the Colts to scores on six of their final eight drives (not counting the final kneel-down). The shortest of the six drives was 59 yards, and four of them ended in touchdowns. Third, it was the third playoff meeting between these two teams in four years, and the Colts had lost the previous two "encounters" in Foxborough, thus the name "Encounter In Indy."

Here's Andrew's article:

The Colts' 38-34 win over the Patriots tonight ranks as one of the top three conference championship games in NFL history. The only two contests I'd put ahead of Indy's stunning victory were the 49ers' 28-27 win over the Cowboys in 1981 (“The Catch”) and the Broncos' 23-20 overtime win over the Browns in 1986 (“The Drive”).

The showdown at the RCA Dome might not have a nifty nickname yet, but there are so many remarkable stories coming out of Indianapolis. It was the biggest comeback (18 points) in championship game history. Peyton Manning is no longer the best quarterback never to reach a Super Bowl. Tony Dungy will join Lovie Smith as the first two black coaches in Super Bowl history. The great Tom Brady finally falters in the final minute of a playoff game.

From a historical perspective, this game could end up having a parallel to the '81 49ers' win. San Francisco was able to slay the mighty Cowboys, who had thoroughly dominated the NFC, and begin a new era in the NFL. Perhaps this game will mark the end of New England's domination of the AFC and usher in Indy's time to shine.

The game started out looking like a typical Patriots' domination of the Colts. And until the end of the first half, Indy gave no one any reason to think differently. But this Colts team is different from ones that have wilted in Foxboro in years past. It shook off New England's best shot early on and finally played like the team that is so hard to beat during the regular season. Now Indianapolis has to beat Chicago so this masterpiece doesn't go to waste.

Let me know where you think this game ranks among the best conference championship games of all time.

An Interview With: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

January 19, 2007

An Interview With:

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Of all your touchdown passes, is there one that stands above all the rest and can you talk about compared to Tom Brady the two Pro Bowl receivers that you've played with that it has got to make your job a little easier?

PEYTON MANNING: Playing quarterback is a tough job, no matter what team you're playing for. But obviously there hasn't been a day that has gone by that I haven't been thankful to call Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne teammates. They're special players and every accolade they've received they deserve because they work hard. Their work ethic is second to none. I can't think of one particular touchdown that I've thrown to Marvin -- maybe one that stands out was my first one. It was actually in a preseason game we were playing out in Seattle. I'm pretty wide-eyed and pretty nervous. On the third play of the game the headphones go down. The call doesn't come in, so kind of panicked and nervous so I just kind of called a basic three step drop, the most basic play you have, and Marvin catches it and runs 50 yards for a touchdown. I said, ‘This NFL isn't all that hard.’ That was kind of a special one. But both those guys, like I said, real thankful we call them teammates.

Q. What have you learned from the two previous playoff games against New England?

PEYTON MANNING: Well, obviously we've had quite a history with these guys and really since Coach Dungy has been here, it's been the seventh time we've played them. I think every game has its own identity, its own story and certain plays have kind of decided the outcome of the game.

So I think in a lot of ways the past games are somewhat irrelevant to this year's game. Obviously the more relevant game is the game we played earlier in the season because it's this year's players and it's the 2006 team. So as you think back and recap all the games, usually just the team that executes better is the team that's won the game.

Q. Peyton, you usually are a routine guy, you talk to us on Wednesdays. Today you're talking to us on a Friday. What's your routine been like this year? Has it been difficult, out of sorts in any way?

PEYTON MANNING: Actually it's been a good routine, good week. Usually I talk once a week to the media. And so I was kind of encouraged that Friday was the day when more people would be here, be more convenient. So basically what I usually do on Fridays during this time, which is studying tape and getting some medical treatment, I kind of did that on Wednesday.
So I've been able to keep my normal routine and also I wanted to be able to dress up and look good for you, be here. A lot of contributing factors.

But it's been an exciting week. Obviously to be one of four teams playing this weekend, Coach Dungy talks about just to take advantage of the opportunity, but also to enjoy all that's going on because it's an exciting time to be playing football and we're looking forward to Sunday.

Q. Peyton, you've been here before facing the Patriots in the post season. On your checklist, talk about maybe some of the items that you feel that you really do have to take care of in terms of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts as you prepare to take on this team this week?

PEYTON MANNING: Well, I think it's a lot of the basic fundamentals of football that you would want to do against any team and any game that you want to win. But maybe more so versus these guys because they're so sound in what they do defensively, very rarely have I ever seen anybody that's running wide open because of the busted coverage or what-not. They're very sound in their techniques and fundamentals so that's where you have to be great as well. Play solid quarterback play. Solid play from all the skilled positions from the offensive line but it's going to take a great team effort on Sunday. All three phases defense, offense, the special teams are going to do need to do their part and we've had a good week of practice and hopefully we can take it to the playing field Sunday.

Q. Peyton, all your teammates say that all the talk on the outside about the past playoff failures doesn't bother you. What is it about your personality that allows it not to bother you?

PEYTON MANNING: I wouldn't say it didn't bother me. The past playoff games that we've lost versus those guys, hey, they're there. They're part of history. There's nothing we can do to change the outcome of those games. And I don't think no matter what happens from here on out into the future you're still going to be disappointed about those games that we've lost in the playoffs.
But I think one thing this team has been able to do is to bounce back from the ending of the season the year before. And that really starts, Bob, in the month of March when the off season lifting program starts. Coach Dungy gives us a date March 24th boom everybody is there. Everybody is lifting, working out, participating in the voluntary workouts and that's really all we've known to do, is to just keep working hard, keep trying to become a better football team and it's paid some dividends for us this year.
It's been an up and down type of season. We started out high and we were pretty low after the Jacksonville game. But throughout it all Coach Dungy has been the same. He's been preaching to keep working hard, to keep doing the things we've been teaching you and good things will happen. And that's what's happened so far.

Q. Peyton, Coach Dungy described it as poetic justice that you guys have to go through the Patriots to get to the Super Bowl that you'll have to face off again with Tom Brady, do you agree with that assessment?

PEYTON MANNING: I think it's a great rivalry. It's been an outstanding series over the past couple of years. I think it's rare that you find this kind of rivalry in a non-division situation, because the Patriots obviously used to be a division opponent and we played them twice a year in the old AFC East and it's really been almost like that the past number of years because of playing them once in the regular season and usually once in the playoffs.

So it's going to be a great ball game Sunday. I know it's a game that a lot of other people are looking forward to watch. But I think all the players playing in it are looking forward to playing in it as well.

Q. Peyton, with all the talk about these big game situations for yourself, do you filter out the talk, the chatter about how you will play, how you have played? Do you let it in, how do you deal with that?

PEYTON MANNING: I just really try to concentrate on doing my job. And the game is big enough itself and I really just try to concentrate on that. My week has been -- I've had a good week of preparation, plenty of film to study against these guys and I've tried to go through my normal week of preparation.

So as far as all the outside factors and defining moments in the past history of this series, like I said, there's enough right there in the actual Xs and Os of the football game to think about and focus on. That's really what I've tried to focus on all week. And I haven't tried to make the game any bigger than it is.

Believe me it's a big game and a game that we worked real hard to get here and prepared real hard this week and one we want to win, and to me that's enough to focus on and that's plenty to keep your mind on.

Q. Peyton, could you talk about Tony's coaching style and the impact his personality has on the team?

PEYTON MANNING: Well, I think what you see with Coach Dungy on the sidelines is really, is very accurate. He's very calm in the first quarter and he has that same calm look on his face in the fourth quarter when it's fourth and one and we have to go for it to try to win the game or to try to get back into the game. And I think that calming presence really resonates with the rest of the team, especially our young players.

And we have a very young football team. So he talks about being calm in the high pressure situations and being able to do your job in the high pressure situations. So his personality and his demeanor, people see how calm he is and how focused he is in the beginning of the game, end of the game that allows everybody else to have that same type of attitude and allows us to execute in the high pressure situations.

Q. Peyton, earlier in the week Coach Dungy said that quarterbacks are ultimately judged by whether they win Super Bowls and he referenced [Bart] Starr and [Terry] Bradshaw and [Brett] Favre, et cetera. Given that definition, how do you judge your post season career as of now?

PEYTON MANNING: Well, I don't know if that definition is the tell-all definition or the lone definition of a quarterback. Hey, I can't change what's happened in the past and the facts are what they are.

We have a tremendous opportunity this year in this playoff run and it's a run we'd like to keep going and continue.
People talk about the legacy, it's kind of a deep word for me here as a quarterback getting ready to play a playoff game and I really haven't taken much time or really any time to analyze that and all the things that have been kind of stories with this week. I really just focused on the game and the task at hand. Believe me, this Patriots defense is plenty to think about and plenty to keep your mind focused on.

Q. Peyton, this is just a kind of a follow-up to that question. Do you feel the pressure grow on yourself as your career advances and do you feel the clock ticking?

PEYTON MANNING: Certainly you feel the clock ticking. I think with free agency and with injuries especially when you see it firsthand, when you see Edgerrin James get injured or you see Edgerrin James go to another team or you lose good players like David Thornton and Ken Dilger and Marcus Pollard not only great teammates but friends as well and you realize when you have an opportunity you certainly want to take advantage of it and I think you hear this term all the time with you the days of building or playing for next year are long over with and even Coach Dungy mentioned I think from the 2003 team we played these guys last. There's only 18 players still on that team. And nothing will change what happened in that game.
There's 35 guys not on this team anymore, and so you're disappointed that you didn't take advantage of the opportunity right then with that team. But this is a different team and we have an opportunity now one we want to take advantage of.
But certainly you're definitely living in the moment, and sure the more you play the longer you play going into your ninth year you realize you probably won't get as many opportunities and when you have one you want to be able to take advantage of it.

Q. Peyton, what would it mean to get Tony past this week to the Super Bowl for all he's done with the organization, how close he's come and then obviously what he had to go through last year?

PEYTON MANNING: I can't speak for what Coach Dungy went through last year. I don't think anybody can. We've tried to be here to support him as players. He's coming out here in a minute and he can answer any type of questions that you have.
But I think everybody is in it together. That's what Coach Dungy talks about. We have maybe four or five guys that have won a Super Bowl. Coach Dungy as a player. Vinatieri, McFarland. A couple of other guys that aren't coming to mind. But everybody is kind of in the same boat here. And sure when you get close and the opportunity knocks, gets exciting and you start to taste it and it's something that you want to go out and try to achieve. So I think everybody is just trying to win for each other as opposed to one particular player, one particular coach. This whole team is kind of in this same boat.

Q. Peyton, do you see that this team has sort of been built for this moment? I mean with the quick striking possibilities on offense, with Joe [Addai] in the smaller quicker defensive ends, the idea it's built to play indoors, it's built to play in this kind of game?

PEYTON MANNING: I've never looked at it that way. And I guess the people in charge of building this team have been Coach Dungy and Bill Polian and Jim Irsay, and I've never been aware of what the true theme, what they were trying to do as far as where we were playing and the surface and the weather. I think you try to get good football players on your team. And that's what we've been accustomed to around here.

We've had good players. We've lost some really good football players. We've added more good players and the players that have been here for the core of the period have gotten better every year, like Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne and Jeff Saturday and Tarik Glenn and it's been an honor to call all of those guys teammates. I think to win in this league it's important to have good football players and I've been lucky to call a lot of those guys teammates.

Q. In the past years you've, a factor that always came up for you guys whether it was a poor defense or sometimes bad luck or the Patriots, this year everything has come together at the right time and you haven't played very well in those two playoff games so do you feel you have to carry the team on your shoulder because of the way you played those two games?

PEYTON MANNING: I just feel I need to do my part. I think it's important that I play the quarterback position well on Sunday and it's different ways to define that. But obviously I want to make good decisions with the football. I want to protect the ball 100 percent and keep our defense out of tough situations. When the opportunity rises to try to help my team get into the end zone. We had to settle for five field goals last week, which was enough to win. But it's hard to count on that every single time.
So we like to score more touchdowns. So I want to do my job well. That's what I've tried to do every game I've played, to perform my position at a high level in order to help my team win and that's kind of been my motto. That's kind of what my coaches have coached me to do and I think that will be important this Sunday.

Q. Peyton, before Super Bowl I, the late Buck Buchanan of the Kansas City Chiefs wanting to gain all the insights he could about the Green Bay Packers bought Vince Lombardi's book, Run to Daylight and poured over it by the hour. I wondered if you tried the same thing about reading the book about Belichick?

PEYTON MANNING: I didn't read it this week. (Laughter) I've not read the book, but I know some members of our organization have. And I think your scouts and your management system, they're always trying to look to better their team and find ways to learn knowledge of your opponent. So I think the game on Sunday, it's about the coaches and players. But I think it will ultimately be decided by the players. And I've had a lot of -- I think it's never been an accurate way to phrase, they say this guy versus Belichick. Last week you heard about Philip Rivers versus Belichick. I just don't know, I don't know if that makes quite great sense to me.

I've even heard Coach Belichick say one time, I'm not going to be out there making any tackles. And believe me, I probably wish he was out there making tackles as opposed to Vrabel and Bruschi and all these other great players that they have, because those are the guys that keep my mind on them. Because they execute Coach Belichick's or Coach Pees’ system to a T. It's been a general philosophy system through the past number of years.

But it's those players that make it work, all the way across the board from Seymour. The list goes on and on. They've just got a great group of players and obviously they're well coached and he's just an outstanding coach and there's no secret as to why they've been so successful because of their great coaching and their great players.

Q. Peyton, is there any part of you that wishes it were not the Patriots in front of you again in the playoffs, or do you sort of appreciate the idea that for the Colts to finally get to the Super Bowl it's sort of appropriate that you're going to have to go through New England to do it?

PEYTON MANNING: Once again, that's pretty -- I don't know what the word is, but I guess that makes for a good story and all of the past history and all the side stories.

But, hey, you don't have a choice who you're going to play. Once the seeding comes out, you kind of know who you're going to play in the opener, and then you sort of look at it and you say I think this team will win.

But I, like probably most players or anybody that knows football, you know, assume that the Patriots would beat the Jets in the first game and then you look going out to San Diego, I think they'll beat San Diego.

So I kind of had a pretty good idea that they would be in this game, and I was really focused on just trying to get us there and to get us to do this part. As far as you know who you're playing, I'm sure it wouldn't have totally bothered me if we would have been playing Oakland in this game.
(Laughter) I think they do have the first pick this year. But like I said, common sense tells you that you're probably going to be playing a great football team like New England. And they did a great job taking care of their business the first two weeks. MODERATOR: Thank you.
If you have a question for Reggie Wayne, please raise your hand.
Q. Reggie, your dome, playing at home, those fans can make it brutal for opposing teams. Can you talk about what kind of atmosphere you expect Sunday and what kind of difference that can make in the final outcome?
REGGIE WAYNE: I think as a team we all think it's going to be electrifying. We are truly blessed to have the opportunity to play at home. We've been pretty strong at home all year, and just like the fans are, we're expecting a great game against a great opponent. And it will be a great show to look at.
Q. In the last two games you scored 67 points, and I know this year earlier in the season you and Marvin both had great games. What's working offensively for you right now against them?
REGGIE WAYNE: It's nothing different. It's just us protecting the ball not going out making mental mistakes. We know the team that has the most mistakes is probably going to be the team that loses, normally.
We're just doing our thing. Coach Dungy always talks about just do what we do, and that's pretty much what we've been doing.
Q. Reggie, can you talk about the style of play of the Patriots cornerbacks and the comments coming from your general manager, Bill Polian as he's trying to maybe encourage the officials to understand how maybe they bumped the receivers beyond that five-yard boundary?

REGGIE WAYNE: New England is going to do what they do as well. Corners are going to play football. It's a contact sport. They're doing what they're taught to do. I just have to fight through whatever they do.

It doesn't bother me. I like contact anyway. So I can't worry about all that. I've got enough stuff to worry about on my end before worrying about how many flags the officials throw. As long as we go out, play Colts football, not put it in the hands of the officials, everything will be fine.

Q. Reggie, when you hear the criticism that Peyton can't win the big one or the big game, what's your reaction?
REGGIE WAYNE: I wouldn't know anything about that. I played in a lot of games that I felt like was big games and he's come through. Who decides what's the big game, you know what I'm saying?

Look, we've got the opportunity right now where we can seize this moment. If we take care of the ball and do what we normally have been doing all year we shouldn't have a problem. Hopefully we can make it to the big game. But for the main point is what determines what the big game is? So that might be a question you might want to ask Peyton.

Q. Reggie, what would it mean to get Coach Dungy to the Super Bowl considering what he's meant to this organization, how close he's come?

REGGIE WAYNE: It will be huge. Coach Dungy is like a father figure. You kind of sit back and you don't want to let him down. And it's just like what Peyton was talking about, so much he's went through last year. I kind of went through the same thing this year. You kind of want to dedicate the season to your troubles. But as far as Coach Dungy, I think he deserves it. I think Peyton deserves it. I think the city deserves it.

Like I said, it's a chance for us to seize the moment and hopefully we can take care of business and make it happen.

Q. Reggie, how do you treat what's got to be the biggest game of your career as just another game? Or can you treat it as just another game?

REGGIE WAYNE: I think if you put too much pressure on yourself and you treat it like it's the biggest game ever, then you will struggle. But if you just stay relaxed and have everything come to you as it's been coming all year, all your life, then you'll be fine. We've been doing a pretty good job of just staying focused, not letting the outsider distract us or whatever. Just playing football. That's how we'll go into this game as well.

Q. Reggie, couple of players and Coach Dungy have all talked about the fact it's almost fitting that it's poetic justice you have to get through New England that Peyton has to get through Tom to reach the Super Bowl. How fitting do you think it is? How appropriate?

REGGIE WAYNE: I'm just glad I'm here. We have laid the foundation how we wanted to – these are the cards that we were dealt. It really didn't matter who we played. We just have to still go out there and play football. But just playing against New England, it's going to be another good game. Those guys they pretty much have a dynasty going. So you just don't want to be another part of that dynasty, so you just want to go out there, do what you can to get a W on your side.

Q. Reggie, you made the Pro Bowl this year so obviously I'm sure you're very glad about that, and yet it came in a season in which you went through some very trying times personally. How would you just categorize the season and how are you going to look back on this year?

REGGIE WAYNE: Look at the season as a tough one personally for me, but at the same time it's unfinished.
We have the opportunity to go somewhere where a lot of guys on this team have never been. Me personally, I've never been part of a team that's won a championship. I've won some individual accolades but never as a team.
So this is a chance for me to have something for the first time in my life as well. There's a lot of talk I made the Pro Bowl and all that. To be honest, I really haven't enjoyed being part of the Pro Bowl, because we still have unfinished business to take care of.

So hopefully we can take care of our business and get to Miami and take care of business there and then I can enjoy the Pro Bowl. But until then, you know, we've still got some football to play.

Q. Reggie, you talk about Coach Dungy and his coaching style and the impact his personality has on the team?
REGGIE WAYNE: Coach Dungy, like I said, he's like a father figure. He's not an in your face, rah-rah guy. That's fine. When Coach Dungy talks, he means business. He's a man that's strong, and he always pinpoints on doing the little things and just taking care of those little things and doing them the right way. You never want to put him nor the Colts out there for something negative, because he's so nice to us all.

So this is a chance to, for him to cap off something in his career as well, being part of the championship and being able to coach one. So you want to help be part of that as well. So like I've been saying we have a chance to make something happen and hopefully we'll take care of business.

DWIGHT FREENEY

Q. Dwight, with your New England roots, you certainly can appreciate how important it was for the Red Sox to get through the Yankees to get to the World Series. Is it the as similar you having to get through the Patriots, Peyton having to get through Tom to get there?

DWIGHT FREENEY: I would say I think it's just -- like the guys have been saying, it's like the cards are dealt. I guess if you want to look at it and look at it real closely and try and try to analyze it, I guess you could say every team has their nemesis and team that they have to pass and they have to beat.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say the Patriots have been that for us for the last couple of years. I mean, prior to last year we really struggled. But remember the year before we played the Jets, lost to them and New England and lost to Pittsburgh and whatever. There's a lot of teams. It's just all about finishing off.

Q. Dwight, can you talk about a couple of things that you guys have been doing defensively the last couple of games that maybe you weren't doing in the regular season?

DWIGHT FREENEY: I think the big thing is just making plays. Opportunities to make plays and making them. No brand-new defenses. No new anything. It's just about attitude. Guys going out there, playing hard, and making those plays when the opportunity presents itself. So hopefully that continues come Sunday.

Q. Dwight, one of the knocks on this team has been that it's soft and it's a finesse team, speed team. With the way you've played in the playoffs and particularly with the drive that Baltimore had, do you think you changed that perception?
DWIGHT FREENEY: If we did, we did. If we didn't, we didn't. At the end of the day it's about 11 guys going out there to play ball. It's amazing how words get thrown around, soft. What makes a team soft? If a guy is not in the hole and no one is there and they run for 80 yards, does that make you soft or is it the guy didn't do the responsibility.
There's a lot of things that play into the game of football. And it's so easy to call a team soft. You see a run defense average, things that don't really matter. It's all about guys making sure they're in the position to make the plays and making them.
Q. Looks like this team offensively and defensively has been built to play indoors, played regular games, Houston, good weather. Do you think this team is made built to play for a game like this quicker smaller, attacking?

DWIGHT FREENEY: At the end of the day I would say that doesn't matter. Our team is just constructed how it is and we just have to do what we have to do regardless of who we're playing where we're playing. No excuses, if we had to play outside, if we had to play in San Diego. So at the end of the day, you know, us being built for a particular game or a particular anything, I wouldn't say that.

Q. Dwight, after the Baltimore game you inferred accurately how in the playoffs when the team has lost, the defense really hasn't given up a lot of points. Does that give you confidence that basically in recent years, even when you had problems, the defense has done its job in the post season?

DWIGHT FREENEY: Like I've been saying all year, everybody wants to like to bring up the stats of the year, what you haven't done. You guys are the worst defense ever against the run, while stats start over or you don't carry over stats from the regular season, so it's playoff time and we've been playing pretty well. So, I mean, as far as what we can't do and all that and our first game was against the Chiefs and we played very well. The next game was against Baltimore. We played very well. So we hope to continue that and have success.

Q. Dwight, wonder if you could talk about Tony's coaching style and the impact his personality has on the team?

DWIGHT FREENEY: I think the big thing with Coach Dungy is that he's so calm. Even in -- I guess you could say in the worst moments. But, I mean, when everybody else is frantic and running around like what do we have to do next all you have to do is look at Coach. Coach is calm. And I think that kind of trickles down throughout the team.
So that's the biggest thing that I see when I see Coach. And during the game, fourth quarter, game on the line, you know look into his eyes. It's like all right we got this. He's got a confident look.

Q. During the season, you had to rely on the offense and now in the playoff, it's the opposite. How do you feel about the way Peyton Manning has been playing these last two games and do you feel any pressure for getting this team to the next level because of the way you're playing?

DWIGHT FREENEY: At the end of the day, it's a team. It's a team game. You have different phases of the game. You have special teams. You have offense you have defense. So to point out one guy, this, that, what he hasn't done, I mean, you have 11 guys on the field at one time. So it's about 11 guys doing their job. So as far as Peyton, Peyton has done a great job. We're here. He's done what he had to do to get us here. having the biggest stats and four and five touchdowns you're not going to have it all throughout the season, playoffs what have you. I think he's done a great job and we just have to continue that success.

Q. Dwight, a lot of people around the country are routing for Coach Dungy to get there. What would it mean to the team to get him there?

DWIGHT FREENEY: Basically I think it would mean a lot to the team. Just the fact that his coaching style, the way he treats all the guys around the locker room. Does such a good job with everybody. Not just a good coach, a good man. Definitely you would want to, if you had to say okay you want to win it for someone, definitely would be Tony. But also like I said it's also for the city, and for us, a lot of guys on the coaching staff who haven't won. It's kind of for everyone.

Q. Do you think that Tony doesn't get enough credit, though, for being a tactician, for being an help intellectual coach? Coach Belichick has books written about him and people call him a genius, do you think that Tony doesn't get enough credit?

DWIGHT FREENEY: I guess I would say that. But at the end of the day, I guess the media and everybody else kind of gives you credit when they want to give you credit and kind of not when they don't want to.
It's kind of a funny thing. But Tony has done a great job every place he's been he's turned teams around. He comes up with great schemes and kind of lets the players be the type of player they can be.
It's not always okay draw a line here, you go here, like a bunch of robots. We kind of go out there and do the same thing and get better at it. So I think he should get probably a lot more credit for what he does as a mind in the game.
Q. Dwight, again playing at home, does it enhance your game when you've got the crowd noise? Jonathan Ogden said maybe you're a half-step quicker at home. Do you feel you're more effective, you and Robert, when you're playing at home?

DWIGHT FREENEY: Obviously any defense, any defensive lineman will say home, it's a whole other level. Adrenalin, everything is based on attitude, adrenalin, crowd noise.
So regardless of us, us being quick fast guys or if it was somebody else who wasn't a quick fast guy, you know on another team, you definitely want to play home because you've got that 12th man behind you. And that does sometimes give the offense some problems. They have to work on different things, silent count. Sometimes they might not jump on time, sometimes they will. Sometimes they may jump off sides. It brings up a little advantage for the defense. At the end of the day it doesn't matter where or what, we have to go out and perform, whether it be at home or away.
TONY DUNGY
Q. A lot of people around the country are rooting for you on Sunday for a lot of reasons. Do you feel that and what would it mean for you to finally get to the Super Bowl?

COACH TONY DUNGY: Well, I do appreciate that. I have had a lot of calls and a lot of well wishes from people I've worked with in the past, that type of thing. Definitely appreciate that.
But the big thing is for our team, for our organization, for our city. And that's what we're looking for. It's a big challenge. We want to get there. It would be fantastic first time since the team's been here in Indianapolis, and that's more what we're wired into.
Q. Tony, before last Sunday, had you made any kind of preparations for possibly facing the Chargers this week, and if you hadn't, were you tempted to?

COACH TONY DUNGY: No, that's one of the things I've learned over the years, going back to working for Coach (Chuck) Noll, you can never tell how things are going to go. If you have to start preparing, that's one thing. But we gave the coaches off Sunday. We said we wouldn't even know until 8:00 who we would be playing. So we just went home, watched the game as fans and when we knew who we were playing we came in on Monday morning and started to prepare.
Q. Tony, in New England, Tom Brady has gone through a collection of receivers in his career. None of them Pro Bowlers, I don't think [Note: WR Troy Brown made Pro Bowl in 2001]. You had the same thing in Tampa, just trying to find the Pro Bowl receiver to help you out. Can you talk about here having a pair of Pro Bowl receivers, what a luxury that is and how much that helps you as a head coach?

COACH TONY DUNGY: It does, any time you can have continuity, and since before I got here, I guess 2001, when Reggie came, having the same guys, same quarterback, same system, same receivers, they just get better and better.
And they have. We haven't changed too much. Those guys have grown as players. Marvin has been tremendous. Reggie has gotten better every year. And I think the fact that continuity is there it makes such a big difference in the passing game and it's something that we were definitely blessed to have.
Q. Tony, this is along the lines of the last question. Reggie once said "who dreams of being the other guy?" With all due respect to Marvin, do you just think it's this season that people are fully beginning to appreciate what Reggie brings to your team?
COACH TONY DUNGY: Reggie Wayne has been an excellent player for us for a number of years, his stats have gotten better every year and more balls every year and I think Peyton has become more comfortable with a lot of our receivers over the last three years. And the years those guys had a couple years back when they each had the thousand yards and 10 touchdowns, that's ideally what you want. But Reggie has been tremendous and I believe this year just starting to get the accolades and the notice from the public.
But he's been a very good receiver for us for the last probably three years.

Q. Tony, what do you think about how coaches are labeled? Some coaches are labeled geniuses, tacticians, and others are labeled as players' coaches, motivators, those things? What do you think of labeling? Is it overly simplistic and does it shortchange people that have more going on than people think at least?

COACH TONY DUNGY: No, I think you're always going to get labeled the way you're perceived and whatever style is, if you win, then that label seems to be good. And if you lose, the same label can be bad. And it maybe is not even necessarily true. But that's the way you're perceived. The big thing is if you win then everything is pretty much fine.

And I've never really worried too much about that and how you're labeled, as long as you're winning.

Q. Tony, pardon the nuts-and-bolts question, but how are you guys health-wise? Joseph, and has Cato June passed his neuro test?
COACH TONY DUNGY: We're in really very good, say probably the best we've been health-wise. We held Rob Morris out of practice today. But he's going to play and is doing fine. Everyone else is ready to go. We probably don't have a physical decision on our team. Cato June is fine and practiced all week. Joseph Addai is fine and practiced all week so I think we're ready to go.
Q. Tony, over in the other conference your friend and former colleague Lovie Smith is one game away from the Super Bowl as well. What aspects of Lovie do you tribute the Bears' success?
COACH TONY DUNGY: Lovie is a tremendous coach. Great knowledge of the game. A way of instilling confidence in his players. That's what I see in the Bears. We played them two years ago, and you could see the system coming in place. And now they're doing the same things, they're just doing it with so much more confidence and that's how he always was in Tampa. He quietly instilled confidence in our guys. They played hard. They play extremely hard, and they play like they expect to win, and I think that's what a good coach does.

Q. Tony, your players always talk about your calm exterior, even in the worst moments. What does your interior look like?

COACH TONY DUNGY: I heard those guys talking about that. Believe me, that's something that's come along lately. I haven't always been like that. As a matter of fact, my high school teammates kind of laugh when people describe me as calm and under control and that kind of thing. Because I wasn't always that way. Part of it is learning. My dad always talked to me about trying to figure out how to make things better, not worrying about what happened in the past.

I think some of it is just Christian maturity and growing as a person and not being as caught up in things you can't control. But most of it is just trying to give my team the sense that I'm thinking about the next play and trying to get them in the right situation and that I'm not losing my mind over there. And I guess judging from their comments it's working a little bit.
Q. Tony, with all the stats that were hanging over the head of your run defense -- right in the middle -- all the stats that were hanging over the head of your run defense towards the end of season, Dwight was talking about how none of it carries over. Is there a psychological benefit to these guys knowing that they're starting fresh again?
COACH TONY DUNGY: We always look at it that way. And I tell the team a lot that what happened last week has no bearing on what's going to happen this Sunday. So you look at the tape. You make the corrections, but you don't assume if you play great and you shut down a team that you're automatically going to do that next week and vice versa. We saw some of the problems that we had. We addressed them.
There were some things that took a while to get straightened out but every week is different every week we went in thinking we'll play well. Some weeks we didn't play as well as we like. But I don't think we ever got to the point where we said, oh, we're not a very good team, we're not a very good defense. It was always when we get things the way we need them we'll be fine.
Q. Tony, with so much pressure, have you talked to your guys about finding ways to relax during the course of the week?
COACH TONY DUNGY: We haven't, that's something we'll talk about tomorrow morning from our meeting time and our walk-through. Then it's going to be a long 36 hours and hopefully the guys will relax. But that's what this is all about. And that's what we've talked about. It's not necessarily taking your game to another level when you get to the playoffs or you get to the championship game, but it's being able to do what you've done for 16 weeks and do it when the stakes are really high and the teams that can relax and play it like it's a normal game, even though it's not, that's who is going to be successful.
And we've had some playoff experience now in these last five years. We've been in the championship game once. The game, it's a game of great magnitude. But I think we'll have some guys that can relax and come out and play the way we're capable of.
Q. Coach, when people talk about the playoff games you've had trouble in, they always want to look at Peyton's statistics, but going along with that Marvin has had some trouble. Only two touchdowns I think in 12 games. How important is it for him to have a good start to the game and as a follow-up will we ever see him at a podium like this or a room like this./

COACH TONY DUNGY: I think when we went to Foxborough in '03 and Marvin went and did a great job. He's not a guy that likes to do it. So whether you'll ever see him again, I'm not sure. But we need everybody, and depending on how the game goes, we've had some games where we've won and Marvin hasn't caught many balls. We've had games that we've lost and he's had big days. So it's not just this guy has to get going, that guy has to get going.
We have to play well as a team and I think that's the way we all look at it.

Q. Tony, talking about the experience of playing in this game and winning a game like this, how much do you think that helps a team that have been in games like this and been in Super Bowls?

COACH TONY DUNGY: It's a help. I know when I got to Pittsburgh and we got to the playoffs, the guys were very zeroed in during practice, and as a rookie, as a young guy, I was watching them and you just felt good about it because everybody else felt good. And the veteran guys showed you the way to play. So I think it definitely does help. You can see it in New England's play. When they get in games in touch situations they're down eight points in San Diego. I doubt there was any panic on the sideline, because the young guys watched the veterans who knew how to handle it. So there is an advantage to being there, but every game is different. Every year is different. Every team is different. This is our '06 team and it's not the '05 or '04 or '03 team.

Indy Mayor Bart Peterson Gets Crab From Gov. Martin O’Malley For Colts Win Over Ravens - Indy Star Blog

By Susan Guyett and Indy Star's Colt Blog

Mayor Bart Peterson will be swimming in crab when he collects on that bet he had with former Baltimore Mayor, now Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley tomorrow.

Thomas Baker of Chevy Chase, Maryland, with Andrea Lipiro. "This was taken at Giants stadium in New Jersey at the Colts-Jets game. There were very few fans and a hostile environment, but the Colts took the win."
The good-natured wager over last week’s football game between the Indianpaolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens has turned into a crab feast that will be prepared and served to about 30 special guests at Second Helpings.

O’Malley became governor on Wednesday but arrranged the crab transfer before he changed jobs, according to Joanna Phillips of Phillips Seafood Restaurant.

Philips will fly to Indianapolis later today with her brother, Brice and they will bring enough crab for their chef Dennis Gavagan to prepare a three-course meal of crab cocktail, crab soup and crabcake sandwiches to Peterson’s staff and some members of the Blue Crew, according to Nora Spitznogle of Second Helpings, the local food rescue/job training program.

Brice said her entourage will have dinner tonight at St. Elmo Steak House, the restaurant that was going to supply Baltimore with shrimp cocktail and steak had the Colts lost last week.

Indianapolis Colts Await The New England Patriots For The AFC Title Game

What is a classic battle is well-recounted in this Indy Star article.

Familiar foe, in the dome
Patriots meet Colts for crown in AFC

By Mike Chappell
mike.chappell@indystar.com

Brace yourself, Indy, for the most important football event that's ever visited the Circle City.

One step away from their first Super Bowl appearance in more than three decades, the Colts will attempt to take that monumental step against nemesis New England on Sunday evening in the RCA Dome. The No. 4-seeded Patriots earned their spot in the AFC Championship Game by upsetting No. 1 seed San Diego 24-21 on Sunday, sending the conference title game to Indianapolis.

The third-seeded Colts (14-4) reached their third AFC title game since 1995 by stuffing the second-seeded Baltimore Ravens 15-6 Saturday. They then sat back and waited for their opposition to be determined.

Hello, Patriots. They advanced when rookie place-kicker Stephen Gostkowski made a 31-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining.
Talk about instant karma. The Colts KO'd the Ravens on the strength of five field goals by former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, who was replaced in New England by Gostkowski.

"There will be a lot of (story) angles there, with them finally having to come here, with Vinatieri on our side, with all the history between the two teams,'' Colts coach Tony Dungy said before Sunday's game when asked to address the possibility of the Patriots visiting Indy.

All will unfold in front of what promises to be a raucous sellout crowd in the RCA Dome.

"Playing at home,'' Dungy said, "is what you like for your fans.''

Now, it's up to the Colts to seal the deal. And there's perhaps no more appropriate final hurdle to clear than the Patriots.
New England (14-4) has won three of the past five Super Bowls, and used the Colts as steppingstones twice, each time in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots dismissed the Colts 24-14 in the AFC title game after the 2003 season, then dominated them 20-3 the following season in the divisional round.

The Colts have gained a measure of revenge in the past two regular seasons, again in Gillette Stadium. They snapped a six-game losing streak to the Patriots in 2005 with a 40-21 victory, then posted a 27-20 win on Nov. 5.

New England, Dungy said, "obviously is an organization and team we have a lot of respect for.''

"Tom Brady is still doing all those things that cause you to win games,'' he said. "I don't think they're a team anyone wants to play.''

The Colts, though, welcome the opportunity. The last time the franchise reached the Super Bowl was after the 1970 season, and it still called Baltimore home. The Colts defeated Dallas 16-13 to win Super Bowl V.

There won't be a lack of story lines:

Brady versus Colts' counterpart Peyton Manning. Brady is 12-1 in the postseason, Manning 5-6.

Vinatieri kicking against the team that opted not to re-sign him after the 2005 season. All he's done for the Colts is convert all eight of his field goal attempts in the postseason.

Manning and offensive coordinator Tom Moore matching wits with Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

The Patriots making their first visit to Indy since 2003, when they stopped running back Edgerrin James short of the goal line in the closing seconds to preserve a 34-31 win.

The Colts attempting to finish what they were unable to a year ago. They squandered home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by losing to Pittsburgh 21-18 in the RCA Dome in the divisional round.

Dungy attempting to become the first black coach to take his team to the Super Bowl.

All Dungy requires of his Colts is to continue to play at a high level and with poise even though they must do so on a pressurized, national stage.

"If you can do the things you normally do . . . when the stakes are really high, that's what it takes,'' he said.

Indianapolis Colts Beat The Baltimore Ravens 15-6 - Full Recap - ESPN

Vinatieri boots five FGs, boosts Colts over Ravens
Photo Wire

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair wipes his face in the closing minutes of the AFC divisional playoff...
(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Peyton Manning couldn't get Indianapolis into the end zone and, for once, it didn't matter.

That's because Adam Vinatieri provided the Colts with all the offense they needed to advance to the AFC championship game.

Signed during the offseason specifically for his playoff experience, Vinatieri kicked five field goals Saturday to put his name in the NFL record book and carry Indianapolis past the Baltimore Ravens 15-6.

"Adam's been exceptional all year," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "You just feel like you're going to make it every time when he goes out there. In games like this, it's necessary."

Although unspectacular, Manning was efficient enough to make up for some of his previous playoff failures and keep alive his hope of playing in the Super Bowl for the first time. All he needed to do was get the Colts close enough for Vinatieri, who did the rest.

"I'm not sure if we ever won one before in the nine years I've played here without scoring a touchdown. My guess is no," Manning said. "You want to get touchdowns and it was frustrating to have to settle for field goals. But we saw how our defense was playing early, and we thought field goals would be enough -- if we got enough of them."

Vinatieri won two Super Bowls with late field goals and scored 117 points in the postseason for New England. He was signed by Indianapolis as a free agent to replace Mike Vanderjagt, who missed a 46-yard field goal with 17 seconds left last season in the Colts' 21-18 playoff loss to Pittsburgh.

Vinatieri justified the acquisition with a flawless performance against the Ravens, connecting on field goal tries of 23, 42, 51, 48 and 35 yards. The fourth kick gave him an NFL-record 33 career postseason field goals.

"Baltimore is the No. 1 defense in the league. Points are at a premium with them," Vinatieri said. "It's hard to score on those guys. The way our defense played -- they stepped up and kept them out of the end zone the whole time -- sometimes you win like that."

Indianapolis (14-4) never trailed in eliminating the No. 2-seeded Ravens (13-4), who were coming off a first-round bye and poised to extract a measure of revenge against the franchise that broke the hearts of Baltimore fans by sneaking out of the city to Indianapolis in March 1984.

"This football team is as disappointed as our fans are, which is matched tenfold by the players," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "(The fans) were deserving of better than that, but it just wasn't going to happen and we will move forward now."

Not until next year. The third-seeded Colts, however, will next face the winner of Sunday's game between San Diego and New England. If the Patriots win, the game will be in Indianapolis.

Vinatieri, who kicked three field goals last week against Kansas City, broke the mark of 32 held by Gary Anderson. The record-setting kick came with 10:57 left in the third quarter and put the Colts ahead 12-3.

That was enough support for a defense that during the regular season finished last against the run. The Colts didn't allow a touchdown, held Jamal Lewis to 53 yards rushing and also forced four turnovers -- intercepting Steve McNair twice and recovering two fumbles.

"You can't turn the ball over in a championship-style game," Billick said. "That's an awful lot to overcome."

Like Vinatieri, McNair was obtained during the offseason because of his success in the playoffs. With McNair leading the way, the Ravens finished with nine wins in 10 games for the best regular-season record in franchise history.

But he went 18-of-29 for only 173 yards, and Baltimore managed only two field goals by Matt Stover in its first playoff game since 2003.

Manning finished 15-of-30 for 170 yards. The victory improved his career playoff record to 5-6.

Baltimore fans were looking forward to this game since the Colts advanced with a 23-8 win over Kansas City last week. Many in Baltimore have never really gotten over the Colts' move to Indianapolis nearly 23 years ago, and those emotions came to the forefront Saturday.

In a tribute to former Baltimore Colts quarterback John Unitas, who wore No. 19, someone in the lower deck unfurled a sign that read: "19 WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THAN 18," the number worn by Manning.

The record crowd of 71,162 did all it could to hinder Manning's calls at the line, but he appeared undaunted by the noise from the outset. After the Ravens went three-and-out on their first possession, Manning put together an 11-play drive that produced a field goal.

The volume of the crowd dimmed even further during the ensuing drive, when Ravens tight end Todd Heap lost a fumble at the Baltimore 31 after being hit by Colts cornerback Nick Harper. Referees ruled Heap down, reversed the call after Dungy challenged the call, and Vinatieri followed with a field goal for a 6-0 lead.

Baltimore halved the deficit with a 40-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Ed Reed then picked off a pass by Manning, and the Ravens moved to the Indianapolis 5 before Antoine Bethea intercepted McNair's third-down throw at the 1.

It was the closest Baltimore would get to scoring a touchdown.

The Colts then held the ball for six minutes before Vinatieri kicked a 51-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced through.

"I don't want to say I missed it. I just didn't hit it as good as I could," Vinatieri said. "Thank goodness it was just long enough."