Colts top Dolphins - Peyton Manning ahead of Johnny Unitas

More at Zennie62.com | Follow me on Twitter! | Get my widget! | Visit YouTube | Visit UShow.com

There are times in life when one has to stop and admire the passage of history. This is one of those moments. The Indianapolis Colts' QB Peyton Manning surpassed the great Jonny Unitas in all time franchise wins last night. The Indianapolis Colts beat the Miami Dolphins in a hard-fought contest 27 to 23, and it could have swung the other way.

Peyton Manning 

The Miami Dolphins came out using a daring game plan, mixing three running back sets with a healthy dose of The Wildcat Formation to form a brew of ball control offense.

But with all of that, and having the clock longer than the Colts, the Dolphins still lost. Why?

Because when the Dolphins had the ball, they didn't make the most of their chances. Period. It doesn't matter how long a team has the ball - within reason - they have to "do" something with it. The Dolphins didn't. The Colts won.

Attacking The Wildcat Formation. 

This game provided no useful examples of how to attack the Dolpins' Wildcat formation. The Colts played a loose defense and basically stuck with it the entire game. That's not how a team should play the Wildcat Offense.

What an organization should do is blitz and for a simple reason. Many of the plays out of the Wildcat Formation are long developing, so a defense sending seven or eight people to rush the quarterback will disrupt the timing of the offense.

That's something the Colts did not do in game planning for the Dolphins Offense. But the Colts high powered offense made it such that the Colts didn't have to. What Indy did do was figure out where the Dolphins were running and pursue to the ball more rapidly than they did in the first half.

The Colts won the game going away, but didn't solve the Wildcat problem in the process.

Dan Wetzel's Great Column On Tony Dungy and The Colts

Latest playoff push a rough ride for Dungy, Colts - NFL - Yahoo! Sports: “Through all the high-scoring victories, bids for a perfect season, wild comebacks, crazed finishes, playoff disappointments and, eventually, a Super Bowl triumph, the enduring image of Tony Dungy is one of calm.”

-- The column captures Tony's persona, but should -- does not -- mention his belief in Christ.

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 Hit A Wall With Injuries - Lose To Chargers 23-21 - ESPN

It hurts to see the Cols drop two games like this. One they should have won -- New England; the other they could have won even though they played terribly and lost -- San Diego.

A tough loss -- but a justified one for the Colts


By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: November 12, 2007
Comment
Email
Print
SAN DIEGO -- On a night filled with head-scratching frustration and dagger-through-the heart disappointment, Tony Dungy ultimately came to one conclusion: Justice was served. The 23-21 loss his Colts suffered to the Chargers didn't feel good, not good at all. But it felt right -- in some sick, twisted way.

"It's a game we probably didn't deserve to win," Dungy said, "and we didn't."

That's because the Colts who showed up to play Sunday night at Qualcomm Stadium did not -- other than a hard, tenacious effort by the defense -- resemble the defending Super Bowl champions. These were not your Dungy Colts. These were not your Peyton Manning Colts. Instead, these were your Rod Dowhower Colts, circa 1986, a throwback to the days when mistakes were the norm and the team seemed more interested in acquiring the top pick in the draft.


Donald Miralle/Getty Images
It was a bad night for Peyton Manning, but he still had the Colts in position to win.
Consider on this night:

• Manning throwing a career-high six interceptions (three to Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie), setting a franchise record in the process.

• Adam Vinatieri, one of the best clutch kickers in NFL history, missing two field goals, including the 29-yard chip shot that would've given Indianapolis a one-point lead with 1:31 left.

• The special teams allowing two touchdowns by San Diego return specialist Darren Sproles -- a kickoff return and a punt return, both in the first quarter.

• Dungy calling a dumb final timeout with 1:34 left before Vinatieri's last field goal attempt. That final timeout handcuffed Manning when he got the ball back with 22 seconds left because he had no way to stop the clock.

Yet despite all that, the turnovers and errant kicks and special-teams breakdowns and all the rest, the Colts still -- remarkably, incredibly -- had a chance to win after rallying from a 23-0 deficit.

The win even seemed to be a foregone conclusion when Colts running back Joseph Addai appeared to have picked up a first down on a 3-yard run to the Chargers' 6 with 1:36 remaining. Officials on the field signaled a first down … but officials in the replay booth challenged the spot. That caused an uproar on the Indianapolis sideline. Dungy had never seen that happen before, a replay challenging a spot in the final minutes.

Referee Gene Steratore reversed the call on the field and set up a fourth-and-1. The next play was, amazingly, even more bizarre and frustrating for the Colts.

Manning was on the field to run off clock time and try to draw the Chargers offside. As tight end Ben Utecht arose from a three-point stance, two other Colts started to motion to a new formation. Indy runs this play all the time, and according to Dungy, the league office said just last week that the Utecht type of shift was legal.

But it wasn't legal Sunday night, at least not to Steratore's officiating crew. Out came the false start flag, the call being that Utecht's move was too abrupt. Dungy complained in vain to officials. Still, he had Mr. Clutch -- Vinatieri -- waiting to give the Colts the lead.

Instead, the kick went wide right … barely. A few minutes later, the loss was official, and all of a sudden Indianapolis finds itself in a mini-crisis mode, with a two-game losing streak and just a one-game division lead over Jacksonville and Tennessee.

Yes, we know what you're thinking, that the Colts had a hangover from last week's tough loss to the Patriots, that they simply couldn't rebound quick enough from that emotionally draining game. To make matters worse, the physical shortcomings were even tougher to overcome.

On the pregame injury report, Indy looked like a team that had traveled to San Diego in an ambulance. The offense was missing three starters -- wide receiver Marvin Harrison, tight end Dallas Clark and left tackle Tony Ugoh. Out on defense were defensive tackle Raheem Brock and linebackers Freddie Keiaho and Tyjuan Hagler.


AP Photo/Denis Poroy
Adam Vinatieri isn't used to blowing a chance to nail the game-winning field goal.
Although Dungy preaches to his team not to use injuries as an excuse, Manning's offense was clearly undermanned. The Colts had just 17 active players on offense, and during the game, tackles Charlie Johnson and Ryan Diem were injured. That left Manning with three wide receivers, two tight ends, five offensive linemen and three running backs.

"We don't use injuries as an excuse, but we still had a chance to win the game," Manning said. "We have no choice but to refocus. … To lose two in a row is disappointing. Getting a win is the best remedy for a two-game losing streak."

Manning and Dungy had pained looks on their faces after the game, but few players were seen in the locker room. That's because they were in the training room. Defensive end Dwight Freeney left in the fourth quarter with a lower left leg injury. He left the stadium wearing a boot. Defensive end Keyunta Dawson followed him with what appeared to be a broken or badly bruised hand.

Indianapolis was down to third-stringers along the defensive and offensive line, at linebacker and at wide receiver.

"We certainly have not had a lot of breaks go our way as far as injuries," Manning said. "A lot of those things are out of your control. Hopefully, we can get some guys back. We've got to find a way to get a win, and certainly that starts with me playing better."

Manning blamed his interceptions and misfires on bad throws and bad decisions, but it was clear early in the game that the offense was struggling with Aaron Moorehead and Craphonso Thorpe trying to play the roles of Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez in the three-receiver sets. Thorpe has been around the NFL for four years with four teams but hadn't caught a pass in a game until Sunday night. Utecht and Bryan Fletcher won't be confused with Clark at tight end.

It didn't help that the Colts trailed 16-0 just 10 minutes into the game. Manning, trying to make something happen, was intercepted three times in the opening quarter as he threw to spots in which the pass-catchers weren't present. Thorpe and Moorehead lack the speed and experience to replace the injured Indy starters. In each half, Manning dialed up potential touchdown passes that Reggie Wayne or Harrison would have caught. Thorpe and Moorehead missed getting to them by a step or two.

Then, when LaDainian Tomlinson gave San Diego a 23-0 lead with a 4-yard run midway through the second quarter, Manning was robbed of another offensive weapon. Now, he couldn't balance the offense with runs by Addai.

So Manning (34-for-58, 328 yards) hoped to just chip away at the Chargers defense. He found Wayne for an 8-yard touchdown pass for the Colts' first score. Then he directed a lengthy drive that resulted in Vinatieri's having to rush onto the field in the final 10 seconds of the half. But he could not connect on the rushed 42-yard attempt.

"You're running out there as fast as you can to get things going, and I was just trying to get it off before the clock ran out," Vinatieri said. "It was perfect operation. It was just on me. If I make either one of those two, the game is different, and I let the team down."

The Chargers gave the Colts every chance to come back. Philip Rivers struggled and made turnovers. Norv Turner kept calling Tomlinson running plays and was booed by the San Diego crowd. Manning kept firing passes and was in position to win.

But the Colts, taking their cue from Dungy, knew they didn't deserve a victory.

"Usually when you have that many turnovers and you make that many interceptions, you usually don't have a chance," Manning said. "We kept fighting. We had a chance there at the end."

The Colts had the chance, and the way they lost was even more painful -- even if the outcome was justified.

John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

What If Sports - What If Sports Simulation: Colts 30, Pats 27

What If Sports is known for its simulations, but this one, or 1,000 of them, are special. This is what was reported on their website:

WhatIfSports.com “played” the upcoming Patriots-Colts game 1,000 times. Indianapolis won 52.8% of the time by an average score of 30-27. On a neutral field, this game would likely be a complete toss-up, but the Colts win in the Dome. An example boxscore with that score is below.

WhatIfSports.com
A division of FOX Sports.com on

WhatIfSports.com “played” the upcoming Patriots-Colts game 1,000 times. Indianapolis won 52.8% of the time by an average score of 30-27. On a neutral field, this game would likely be a complete toss-up, but the Colts win in the Dome. An example boxscore with that score is below.
2007 New England Patriots at 2007 Indianapolis Colts
Final - 11/4/2007 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT1 Total
2007 New England Patriots 0 7 10 10 0 27
2007 Indianapolis Colts 7 17 3 0 3 30
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Ind 8:46 TD Joseph Addai 19 yd. run (Vinatieri kick) 0-7
2nd Quarter
Ind 9:11 TD Dallas Clark 7 yd. pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick) 0-14
NE 3:00 TD Randy Moss 3 yd. pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick) 7-14
Ind 1:03 TD Marvin Harrison 3 yd. pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick) 7-21
Ind 0:00 FG Adam Vinatieri 56 yds. 7-24
3rd Quarter
NE 9:29 FG Stephen Gostkowski 29 yds. 10-24
Ind 3:54 FG Adam Vinatieri 30 yds. 10-27
NE 1:22 TD Laurence Maroney 6 yd. run (Gostkowski kick) 17-27
4th Quarter
NE 10:38 TD Kevin Faulk 11 yd. pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick) 24-27
NE 0:13 FG Stephen Gostkowski 42 yds. 27-27
OT 1
Ind 3:16 FG Adam Vinatieri 45 yds. 27-30

Team Statistics
2007 New England Patriots 2007 Indianapolis Colts
First Downs 26 23
- Rushing 5 4
- Passing 21 19
- Penalty 0 0
3rd Down Eff 10/18 3/11
4th Down Eff 1/2 0/0
Rushes-Yards 30-95 32-169
Avg Rush 3.2 5.3
Comp-Att-Int 29-48-2 20-36-0
Passing Yards 406 348
Sacks-Yards 1-3 1-4
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1
Punts-Avg 4-37.8 5-41.0
KR-Avg 5-23.6 7-16.3
PR-Avg 5-2.6 4-11.5
Penalties-Yard 2-20 3-17
Time of Possession 36:58 34:46

Historical match-ups are awesome, but you can take it a step forward with SimLeague Football. Build your own dream team of historical players and then compete for prizes against other members in a full season. Leagues simulate one game per day and include stat tracking, coaching and gm options. Turn your fantasy football league into a SimLeague using our easy-to-use theme league option.
Click here to get started in your FREE exhibition season.

2007 New England Patriots Individual Stats 2007 Indianapolis Colts Individual Stats
Rushing
Att Yds 20+ L TD
'07 Laurence Maroney 17 79 2 35 1
'07 Heath Evans 8 14 0 6 0
'07 Kevin Faulk 5 2 0 1 0

Rushing
Att Yds 20+ L TD
'07 Joseph Addai 23 99 1 29 1
'07 Kenton Keith 9 70 1 56 0
Receiving
Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
'07 Randy Moss 8 139 3 1 40 1
'07 Wes Welker 10 125 1 0 20 0
'07 Kevin Faulk 4 58 1 0 22 1
'07 Donte' Stallworth 3 54 1 0 24 0
'07 Heath Evans 1 21 1 0 21 0
'07 Kyle Brady 3 12 0 0 6 0

Receiving
Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
'07 Reggie Wayne 6 136 3 1 45 0
'07 Marvin Harrison 6 83 2 0 23 1
'07 Anthony Gonzalez 2 56 1 1 41 0
'07 Bryan Fletcher 1 31 1 0 31 0
'07 Dallas Clark 3 25 0 0 11 1
'07 Joseph Addai 2 21 0 0 11 0
Passing
Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
'07 Tom Brady 29 48 409 2 2

Passing
Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
'07 Peyton Manning 20 36 352 2 0
Defensive
Tackles Sacks INT
'07 Mike Vrabel 7 0 0
'07 Junior Seau 6 0 0
'07 Randall Gay 5 0 0
'07 Ty Warren 4 0 0
'07 Tedy Bruschi 4 1 0
'07 Rodney Harrison 4 0 0
'07 Ellis Hobbs 3 0 0
'07 Asante Samuel 3 0 0
'07 Adalius Thomas 3 0 0
'07 James Sanders 2 0 0
'07 Vince Wilfork 2 0 0
'07 Rosevelt Colvin 2 0 0
'07 Richard Seymour 1 0 0

Defensive
Tackles Sacks INT
'07 Raheem Brock 9 0 0
'07 Kelvin Hayden 8 0 0
'07 Dante Hughes 5 0 0
'07 Antoine Bethea 5 0 0
'07 Tyjuan Hagler 5 0 0
'07 Bob Sanders 5 0 0
'07 Marlin Jackson 4 0 0
'07 Dwight Freeney 4 0 0
'07 Robert Mathis 3 1 0
'07 Gary Brackett 2 0 2
Field Goals
Made Missed
'07 Stephen Gostkowski 29,42 -

Field Goals
Made Missed
'07 Adam Vinatieri 56,30,45 -

Player of the Game:
'07 Peyton Manning (2007 Indianapolis Colts)

Time Down
YTG Ball On Score
V - H F 1st Quarter Play by Play
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 15:00
15:00 Kickoff own 30 0 - 0 K 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares to kickoff.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) catch the ball at the NE 12 and return it to the NE 38.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 14:52
14:52 1/10 own 38 0 - 0 212 Brady's short pass is to Moss who holds on to the ball, makes a few guys miss for a 27 yd gain.
14:09 1/10 35 0 - 0 212 Brady's pass is intercepted.
Gary Brackett returns the interception to the Ind 38.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 14:03
14:03 1/10 own 38 0 - 0 221 Addai gets back to the line of scrimmage.
13:28 2/10 own 38 0 - 0 131 Manning overthrows Addai and the pass is incomplete.
13:23 3/10 own 38 0 - 0 140 Manning's pass is batted down. Incomplete pass.
13:18 4/10 own 38 0 - 0 P 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a punt.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) return it to the NE 35.
PENALTY on NE: Holding, 10 yards enforced on the NE 25.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 13:08
13:08 1/10 own 15 0 - 0 221 Maroney gains 1 yard up the middle.
12:34 2/9 own 16 0 - 0 131 Maroney rushes for a loss of 3 yards.
11:55 3/12 own 13 0 - 0 221 Brady hits Evans who makes the catch and falls forward for a 21 yd gain.
11:12 1/10 own 34 0 - 0 212 Maroney gains 3 yards up the middle.
10:33 2/7 own 37 0 - 0 221 Brady tosses the ball just out of reach of Welker. Incomplete pass.
10:28 3/7 own 37 0 - 0 221 Evans is caught behind the line for a loss of 4 yards.
9:47 4/11 own 33 0 - 0 P 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a punt.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) return it to the Ind 36.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 9:37
9:37 1/10 own 36 0 - 0 131 Manning hits Wayne deep downfield who makes the catch and falls forward for a 45 yd gain.
8:53 1/10 19 0 - 0 140 Addai gains 19 yards on a sweep left.
2007 Indianapolis Colts scores a touchdown!
8:46 PAT 0 - 6 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 2 plays, 64 yds, 0:51
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 8:46
8:46 Kickoff own 30 0 - 7 K 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares to kickoff.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) catch the ball at the NE 14 and return it to the NE 35.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 8:39
8:39 1/10 own 35 0 - 7 212 Brady's pass is to Moss who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 19 yd gain.
7:57 1/10 46 0 - 7 212 Brady screen pass falls incomplete.
7:54 2/10 46 0 - 7 131 Maroney pounds ahead for 5 yards.
7:10 3/5 41 0 - 7 221 Evans picks up 4 yards off tackle left.
6:27 4/1 37 0 - 7 P 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a punt.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) return it to the Ind 23.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 6:15
6:15 1/10 own 23 0 - 7 140 Addai picks his way for 1 yard.
5:40 2/9 own 24 0 - 7 131 Keith picks up 1 yard on a draw play.
4:59 3/8 own 25 0 - 7 050 Manning overthrows Wayne and the pass is incomplete.
4:51 4/8 own 25 0 - 7 P 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a punt.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) return it to the NE 41.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 4:42
4:42 1/10 own 41 0 - 7 212 Brady tosses the ball out to Faulk. Catch is good and Faulk gets big yardage for a 17 yd gain.
3:57 1/10 42 0 - 7 212 Evans gains 6 yards up the middle.
3:20 2/4 36 0 - 7 131 Maroney picks up 3 yards on a draw play.
2:37 3/1 33 0 - 7 212 Evans picks up 1 yard off tackle left.
1:55 1/10 32 0 - 7 212 Brady's pass is to Faulk who makes the catch and falls forward for a 22 yd gain.
1:13 1/Goal 10 0 - 7 212 Brady's pass is to Brady. Tackled immediately for a 6 yd gain.
0:32 2/Goal 4 0 - 7 212 Faulk gets back to the line of scrimmage before losing the ball.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) recovers the ball on the Ind 5.
0:00 3/Goal 5 0 - 7 221 Time Expires
End of 1st Quarter ... 2007 New England Patriots: 0 2007 Indianapolis Colts: 7

Time Down
YTG Ball On Score
V - H F 2nd Quarter Play by Play
15:00 3/Goal 5 0 - 7 221 PENALTY on Ind: Encroachment, 2 yards enforced on the Ind 5 - NO PLAY.
15:00 3/Goal 3 0 - 7 221 Maroney picks up 1 yard on a draw play.
14:24 4/Goal 2 0 - 7 212 Evans is caught behind the line for a loss of 1 yard.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 14:21
14:21 1/10 own 3 0 - 7 131 Addai picks up 6 yards on a draw play.
13:37 2/4 own 9 0 - 7 140 Keith gains 1 yard on a sweep left.
12:55 3/3 own 10 0 - 7 140 Addai picks up 4 yards on a draw play.
12:12 1/10 own 14 0 - 7 131 Manning completes the pass to Clark who makes the catch and falls forward for a 11 yd gain.
11:33 1/10 own 25 0 - 7 131 Keith pounds ahead for 56 yards.
10:43 1/10 19 0 - 7 221 Addai pounds ahead for 8 yards.
10:02 2/2 11 0 - 7 131 Manning soft pass is to Wayne who gets a few steps before being brought down for a 4 yd gain.
9:23 1/Goal 7 0 - 7 140 Manning's pass into the endzone is just out of reach of Harrison. Incomplete pass.
9:17 2/Goal 7 0 - 7 131 Manning's short pass is to Clark who catches the ball and walks into the endzone.
2007 Indianapolis Colts scores a touchdown!
9:11 PAT 0 - 13 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 9 plays, 97 yds, 5:10
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 9:11
9:11 Kickoff own 30 0 - 14 K 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares to kickoff.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) catch the ball at the NE 5 and return it to the NE 33.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 9:02
9:02 1/10 own 33 0 - 14 212 Faulk gets back to the line of scrimmage.
8:26 2/10 own 33 0 - 14 131 Faulk pounds ahead for 1 yard.
7:43 3/9 own 34 0 - 14 221 Brady hits Welker who makes the catch and falls forward for a 9 yd gain.
6:57 1/10 own 43 0 - 14 212 Brady overthrows Moss and the pass is incomplete.
6:51 2/10 own 43 0 - 14 221 Brady soft pass is to Moss who makes the catch and falls forward for a 6 yd gain.
6:11 3/4 own 49 0 - 14 122 Maroney pounds ahead for 24 yards.
5:28 1/10 27 0 - 14 212 Brady throws to Moss but he can't hold on to the ball.
5:23 2/10 27 0 - 14 212 Brady screen pass falls incomplete.
5:20 3/10 27 0 - 14 131 Brady hits Welker who gets a few steps before being brought down for a 20 yd gain.
4:33 1/Goal 7 0 - 14 212 Brady soft pass is to Welker who makes the catch and falls forward for a 4 yd gain.
3:47 2/Goal 3 0 - 14 212 Maroney carries, but is tackled for no gain.
3:04 3/Goal 3 0 - 14 122 Brady hits Moss in the endzone.
2007 New England Patriots scores a touchdown!
3:00 PAT 6 - 14 FG 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 12 plays, 67 yds, 6:02
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 3:00
3:00 Kickoff own 30 7 - 14 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 6 and return it to the Ind 33.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 2:51
2:51 1/10 own 33 7 - 14 140 Manning overthrows Addai and the pass is incomplete.
2:46 2/10 own 33 7 - 14 230 Manning completes the pass to Addai. Tackled immediately for a 11 yd gain.
2:04 1/10 own 44 7 - 14 131 Manning's pass is just out of reach of Harrison. Incomplete pass.
2:00 2/10 own 44 7 - 14 140 *** 2 Minute Warning ***
2:00 2/10 own 44 7 - 14 131 Manning's pass is to Wayne who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 10 yd gain.
1:51 1/10 46 7 - 14 131 *** 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) CALLS A TIMEOUT ***
1:51 1/10 46 7 - 14 140 Manning's pass is just out of reach of Addai. Incomplete pass.
1:44 2/10 46 7 - 14 131 Manning's long pass is to Wayne who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 33 yd gain.
1:15 1/10 13 7 - 14 131 Manning completes the pass to Harrison who gets a few steps before being run out of bounds for a 10 yd gain.
1:10 1/Goal 3 7 - 14 131 Manning hits Harrison in the endzone.
2007 Indianapolis Colts scores a touchdown!
1:03 PAT 7 - 20 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 8 plays, 67 yds, 1:48
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 1:03
1:03 Kickoff own 30 7 - 21 K 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares to kickoff.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) catch the ball at the NE 8 and return it to the NE 29.
PENALTY on NE: Holding, 10 yards enforced on the NE 28.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 0:58
0:58 1/10 own 18 7 - 21 212 Brady's pass is batted down. Incomplete pass.
0:54 2/10 own 18 7 - 21 221 Brady's pass is to Welker. Tackled immediately for a 14 yd gain.
0:46 1/10 own 32 7 - 21 221 *** 2007 New England Patriots (NE) CALLS A TIMEOUT ***
0:46 1/10 own 32 7 - 21 212 Brady overthrows Moss and the pass is incomplete.
0:41 2/10 own 32 7 - 21 212 Brady overthrows Moss and the pass is incomplete.
0:37 3/10 own 32 7 - 21 131 Brady hits Stallworth who holds on to the ball, makes a few guys miss for a 24 yd gain before being run out of bounds.
0:28 1/10 44 7 - 21 221 Maroney picks his way to the sidelines for 1 yard. Maroney runs out of bounds.
0:24 2/9 43 7 - 21 221 Brady's pass is to Welker who catches the ball and makes one guy miss before getting knocked out of bounds for a 10 yd gain.
0:19 1/10 33 7 - 21 212 Brady's pass is intercepted.
Gary Brackett returns the interception to the Ind 32.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 0:11
0:11 1/10 own 32 7 - 21 221 Addai picks up 29 yards on a draw play.
0:02 1/10 39 7 - 21 221 *** 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) CALLS A TIMEOUT ***
0:02 1/10 39 7 - 21 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a FG attempt.
Vinatieri's 56 yd. field goal is right down the middle!
Drive Summary: 1 plays, 29 yds, 0:09
End of 2nd Quarter ... 2007 New England Patriots: 7 2007 Indianapolis Colts: 24

Time Down
YTG Ball On Score
V - H F 3rd Quarter Play by Play
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 15:00
15:00 Kickoff own 30 7 - 24 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 3 and return it to the Ind 21.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 14:53
14:53 1/10 own 21 7 - 24 140 Manning's pass is to Gonzalez who makes the catch and falls forward for a 15 yd gain.
14:15 1/10 own 36 7 - 24 140 Addai gets back to the line of scrimmage.
13:39 2/10 own 36 7 - 24 140 Manning's long pass is just out of reach of Moorehead. Incomplete pass.
13:31 3/10 own 36 7 - 24 140 Manning overthrows Gonzalez and the pass is incomplete.
13:22 4/10 own 36 7 - 24 P 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a punt.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) return it to the NE 32.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 13:11
13:11 1/10 own 32 7 - 24 212 Evans picks up 2 yards on a draw play.
12:28 2/8 own 34 7 - 24 212 Brady's short pass is to Moss. Catch is good and Moss gets some yardage for a 13 yd gain.
11:46 1/10 own 47 7 - 24 212 Maroney gains 35 yards on a sweep left.
10:59 1/10 18 7 - 24 221 PENALTY on Ind: Encroachment, 5 yards enforced on the Ind 18 - NO PLAY.
10:59 1/5 13 7 - 24 230 Maroney picks his way to the sidelines for 1 yard. Maroney runs out of bounds.
10:17 2/4 12 7 - 24 212 Faulk gets back to the line of scrimmage.
9:38 3/4 12 7 - 24 122 Brady overthrows Welker and the pass is incomplete.
9:33 4/4 12 7 - 24 FG 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a FG attempt.
Gostkowski's 29 yd. field goal hooks through the uprights!
Drive Summary: 6 plays, 51 yds, 3:38
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 9:29
9:29 Kickoff own 30 10 - 24 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 11 and return it to the Ind 21.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 9:24
9:24 1/10 own 21 10 - 24 221 Addai rushes for a loss of 4 yards.
8:43 2/14 own 17 10 - 24 230 Addai pounds ahead for 5 yards.
8:07 3/9 own 22 10 - 24 050 Manning completes the pass to Harrison who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 21 yd gain.
7:21 1/10 own 43 10 - 24 221 Addai rushes for a loss of 1 yard.
6:43 2/11 own 42 10 - 24 230 Manning's long pass is to Gonzalez who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 41 yd gain.
5:55 1/10 17 10 - 24 131 Addai gains 3 yards up the middle.
5:12 2/7 14 10 - 24 140 Addai picks up 2 yards on a draw play.
4:34 3/5 12 10 - 24 131 Keith is caught behind the line for a loss of 1 yard.
3:58 4/6 13 10 - 24 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a FG attempt.
Vinatieri's 30 yd. field goal is right down the middle!
Drive Summary: 8 plays, 66 yds, 5:26
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 3:54
3:54 Kickoff own 30 10 - 27 K 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares to kickoff.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) catch the ball at the NE 6 and return it to the NE 39.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 3:43
3:43 1/10 own 39 10 - 27 212 Brady overthrows Maroney and the pass is incomplete.
3:35 2/10 own 39 10 - 27 221 Brady's pass is just out of the reach of Welker.
3:30 3/10 own 39 10 - 27 221 Brady's pass is to Welker who makes the catch and falls forward for a 15 yd gain.
2:50 1/10 46 10 - 27 212 Evans gets back to the line of scrimmage.
2:16 2/10 46 10 - 27 221 Brady's pass is to Moss who holds on to the ball, makes a few guys miss for a 40 yd gain.
1:26 1/Goal 6 10 - 27 212 Maroney gets 6 yards on a pitch right.
2007 New England Patriots scores a touchdown!
1:22 PAT 16 - 27 FG 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 6 plays, 61 yds, 2:21
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 1:22
1:22 Kickoff own 30 17 - 27 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 11 and return it to the NE 32.
PENALTY on Ind: Holding, 10 yards enforced on the Ind 26.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 1:07
1:07 1/10 own 16 17 - 27 140 Manning overthrows Addai and the pass is incomplete.
0:59 2/10 own 16 17 - 27 131 Manning's pass is batted down. Incomplete pass.
0:54 3/10 own 16 17 - 27 050 Manning is sacked by Tedy Bruschi for 4 yards.
0:11 4/14 own 12 17 - 27 P 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a punt.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) return it to the NE 48.
End of 3rd Quarter ... 2007 New England Patriots: 17 2007 Indianapolis Colts: 27

Time Down
YTG Ball On Score
V - H F 4th Quarter Play by Play
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 15:00
15:00 1/10 own 48 17 - 27 212 Brady hits Welker. Catch is good and Welker gets some yardage for a 16 yd gain.
14:14 1/10 36 17 - 27 221 Maroney carries, but is tackled for no gain.
13:37 2/10 36 17 - 27 221 Brady's pass is to Welker who makes the catch and falls forward for a 15 yd gain.
12:52 1/10 21 17 - 27 212 Brady hits Moss but in and out of his hands.
12:45 2/10 21 17 - 27 131 Maroney rushes for a loss of 2 yards.
12:04 3/12 23 17 - 27 221 Brady completes the pass to Stallworth who catches the ball and makes one guy miss before getting tackled for a 11 yd gain.
11:19 4/1 12 17 - 27 212 Faulk gains 1 yard up the middle.
10:44 1/10 11 17 - 27 212 Brady zips the short pass to Faulk. Catch is good and Faulk gets into the endzone.
2007 New England Patriots scores a touchdown!
10:38 PAT 23 - 27 FG 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for the extra point.
The extra point attempt is good.
Drive Summary: 8 plays, 52 yds, 4:22
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 10:38
10:38 Kickoff own 30 24 - 27 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 6 and return it to the Ind 21.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 10:32
10:32 1/10 own 21 24 - 27 140 Manning's pass is just out of reach of Wayne. Incomplete pass.
10:26 2/10 own 21 24 - 27 140 Manning completes the long pass to Wayne who gets a few steps before being brought down for a 34 yd gain.
9:39 1/10 45 24 - 27 131 Manning's pass is just out of the reach of Clark.
9:34 2/10 45 24 - 27 230 Manning completes the pass to Wayne who makes the catch and falls forward for a 10 yd gain.
8:53 1/10 35 24 - 27 131 Addai gains 1 yard on a sweep left.
8:12 2/9 34 24 - 27 131 Manning's pass is to Addai. Tackled immediately for a 10 yd gain.
7:29 1/10 24 24 - 27 221 Keith gains 4 yards on a sweep left.
6:53 2/6 20 24 - 27 122 Addai picks up 1 yard off tackle left, and is run out of bounds.
6:15 3/5 19 24 - 27 140 Addai picks up 4 yards on a draw play before running out of bounds.
5:32 4/1 15 24 - 27 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a FG attempt.
Vinatieri's kick is blocked! Ball is recovered at the NE 23.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 5:23
5:23 1/10 own 23 24 - 27 212 Brady screen pass is to Brady who makes the catch and falls forward for a 1 yd gain.
4:45 2/9 own 24 24 - 27 212 Brady overthrows Moss and the pass is incomplete.
4:39 3/9 own 24 24 - 27 221 Maroney picks up 2 yards on a draw play.
3:58 4/7 own 26 24 - 27 P 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a punt.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) return it to the Ind 42.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 3:48
3:48 1/10 own 42 24 - 27 131 Addai gains 6 yards on a sweep left.
3:05 2/4 own 48 24 - 27 122 Manning completes the long pass to Fletcher who makes the catch and falls forward for a 31 yd gain.
2:21 1/10 21 24 - 27 140 Addai carries, but is tackled for no gain.
2:00 2/10 21 24 - 27 230 *** 2 Minute Warning ***
2:00 2/10 21 24 - 27 230 Keith pounds ahead for 3 yards. The ball is stripped free.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) recovers the ball on the NE 17.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 1:54
1:54 1/10 own 17 24 - 27 212 Brady's pass is to Faulk. Faulk falls out of bounds, but holds on to the ball for a 8 yd gain.
1:48 2/2 own 25 24 - 27 212 Brady hits Moss who gets a few steps before being brought down for a 11 yd gain.
1:39 1/10 own 36 24 - 27 212 *** 2007 New England Patriots (NE) CALLS A TIMEOUT ***
1:39 1/10 own 36 24 - 27 212 Brady overthrows Moss and the pass is incomplete.
1:35 2/10 own 36 24 - 27 131 Brady overthrows Welker and the pass is incomplete.
1:30 3/10 own 36 24 - 27 221 Brady completes the pass to Moss who makes the catch and falls forward for a 20 yd gain.
1:10 1/10 44 24 - 27 212 Brady hits Welker who makes the catch and is run out of bounds for a 14 yd gain.
1:03 1/10 30 24 - 27 212 Brady completes the pass to Welker who makes the catch and falls forward for a 8 yd gain.
0:41 2/2 22 24 - 27 122 Brady is sacked by Robert Mathis for 3 yards.
0:21 3/5 25 24 - 27 122 Brady's pass is just out of reach of Gaffney. Incomplete pass.
0:17 4/5 25 24 - 27 FG 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a FG attempt.
Gostkowski's 42 yd. field goal is right down the middle!
Drive Summary: 9 plays, 58 yds, 1:37
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 0:13
0:13 Kickoff own 30 27 - 27 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 8 and return it to the Ind 31.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 0:08
0:08 1/10 own 31 27 - 27 131 Manning completes the pass to Clark who gets a few steps before being run out of bounds for a 7 yd gain.
0:02 2/3 own 38 27 - 27 041 Manning's deep pass is broken up. Incomplete pass.
End of 4th Quarter ... 2007 New England Patriots: 27 2007 Indianapolis Colts: 27
Game Time Weather Report for Indianapolis, IN (The RCA Dome):
71 degrees, clear skies, little to no wind
Time Down
YTG Ball On Score
V - H F Overtime 1 Play by Play
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 15:00
15:00 Kickoff own 30 27 - 27 K 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares to kickoff.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) catch the ball at the Ind 7 and return it to the Ind 23.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 14:53
14:53 1/10 own 23 27 - 27 131 Addai gains 4 yards up the middle.
14:11 2/6 own 27 27 - 27 122 Addai carries, but is tackled for a loss of 1 yard.
13:34 3/7 own 26 27 - 27 050 Manning completes the pass to Harrison. Catch is good and Harrison gets some yardage for a 23 yd gain.
12:50 1/10 own 49 27 - 27 221 Keith gets 3 yards on a pitch right.
12:11 2/7 48 27 - 27 230 Manning overthrows Utecht and the pass is incomplete.
12:05 3/7 48 27 - 27 140 Manning's pass is batted down. Incomplete pass.
11:59 4/7 48 27 - 27 P 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a punt.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) return it to the NE 9.
2007 New England Patriots (NE) at 11:51
11:51 1/10 own 9 27 - 27 212 Maroney is stopped at the line.
11:12 2/10 own 9 27 - 27 212 Brady completes the pass to Brady. Tackled immediately for a 5 yd gain.
10:28 3/5 own 14 27 - 27 221 Brady hits Stallworth. Catch is good and Stallworth gets some yardage before being run out of bounds for a 19 yd gain.
9:42 1/10 own 33 27 - 27 221 Evans gets 6 yards on a pitch right.
8:58 2/4 own 39 27 - 27 212 Maroney pounds ahead for 2 yards.
8:23 3/2 own 41 27 - 27 221 Brady's pass is to Moss and dropped.
8:17 4/2 own 41 27 - 27 P 2007 New England Patriots (NE) prepares for a punt.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) return it to the Ind 31.
2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) at 8:05
8:05 1/10 own 31 27 - 27 131 Addai picks up 1 yard on a draw play.
7:26 2/9 own 32 27 - 27 140 Manning hits Harrison who makes the catch and falls forward for a 16 yd gain.
6:45 1/10 own 48 27 - 27 221 Addai pounds ahead for 7 yards.
6:01 2/3 45 27 - 27 122 Manning's pass is to Harrison who holds on to the the ball and runs for a 10 yd gain.
5:21 1/10 35 27 - 27 140 Addai picks up 4 yards on a draw play.
4:38 2/6 31 27 - 27 122 Keith gains 3 yards up the middle.
3:58 3/3 28 27 - 27 131 Keith is stopped at the line.
3:20 4/3 28 27 - 27 FG 2007 Indianapolis Colts (Ind) prepares for a FG attempt.
Vinatieri's 45 yd. field goal hooks through the uprights!
Drive Summary: 7 plays, 41 yds, 4:45
End of Overtime 1 ... 2007 New England Patriots: 27 2007 Indianapolis Colts: 30


Think you can run a college football program? Here's your big chance! Get your foot in the door at a DIII school, then prove yourself and you can land that DI dream job. Compete for prizes against your friends in recruiting battles, conference rivalries and more. Set your practice plans, game plans and depth charts. Decide who gets a scholarship and who needs study time. It's all on your shoulders!
Click here to begin your college coaching career!
[Terms of Use] [Customer Support] [Privacy Statement]

© 1999-2007 WhatIfSports.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WhatIfSports is a trademark of WhatIfSports.com, Inc. SimLeague, SimMatchup and iSimNow are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts, Inc. Used under license. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

New England Patriots At Indianapolis Colts Game - Tickets And Preview

From NFL Media.com

Click for tickets to the game!

IT’S THE PERFECT MATCHUP:
UNDEFEATED COLTS & PATS CLASH IN HISTORIC GAME

It hasn’t happened in 88 seasons.

But it will this Sunday in Indianapolis. Two teams with records of 7-0 or better will meet for the first time in NFL history – the New England Patriots (8-0) at the Indianapolis Colts (7-0).

“It will be a circus,” says Colts head coach TONY DUNGY.

Wrong, Coach. It’s already a circus! It is hard to recall a regular-season game that was talked and written about two weeks before it was played. But that’s what has happened for Pats-Colts (CBS, 4:15 PM ET).

“A Week Before Showdown with New England, Colts Must Beat Panthers on Short Week,” said the Associated Press on October 25.

Usually, stories about a team’s next opponent don’t start until perhaps the Wednesday before the game. Not this week.

“Don’t Try to Stop Us; It’s Officially Time to Start the Hype Machine,” said the Indianapolis Star this Monday. “Dream Game Finally Here,” blared the Boston Herald the same day.

The matchup has all the attributes of a classic: last season’s Super Bowl winner against the team that has won it three times in the decade…the league’s top two teams in net points…quarterbacks tied for the most wins since realignment in 2002 – TOM BRADY and PEYTON MANNING (67 apiece)…and opponents that have met seven times in the past four years, including three times in the playoffs.

Everybody will be ready. “You play football for competition, the level of intensity,” says Patriots defensive lineman RICHARD SEYMOUR. “When you have a chance to play against the best team in football, you get excited about it.”

As the NFL reaches the mid-point of its season in Week 9, here are some of the key games:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-0) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-0)

STORYLINE: The Perfect Bowl!

The Dome will be rocking! What can New England do to take some of the decibels out of those voices? What it has done in all eight of its 2007 games -- score on its first drive, the only team in the NFL to do so in every game this year. The Patriots have scored an opponent-deflating 79 points in the first quarter this season, while giving up only seven points in the period.

Of course, that’s a huge hurdle for any opponent, but if anybody can parry such an opening salvo, it’s Indianapolis. Last season in the AFC Championship Game, it went into the half down 21-6 to New England before outgaining the Patriots 311-149 in total yards in the second half during an 18-point comeback for a 38-34 win.

But who knows what will happen Sunday with these two opportunistic teams? They are tied for the league lead in turnover differential with a plus-11.


PATS-COLTS FACTOID

NFL NETWORK TREATS IT LIKE A MID-SEASON SUPER BOWL: NFL Network will broadcast 36-and-a-half hours of coverage surrounding this Sunday’s Patriots-Colts game, a record for the network for a non-Super Bowl game.

One of the key battles will come between New England’s receivers and Indy’s No. 1 NFL pass defense, led by havoc-causing S BOB SANDERS. The Patriots have two receivers in the top five in NFL catches – WES WELKER (tie, No. 2, 56) and RANDY MOSS (No. 4, 47). They have combined with DONTÉ STALLWORTH for a total of 20 TD receptions.

The Colts hope to get WR MARVIN HARRISON (knee) back this week to prevent the Pats from ganging up on REGGIE WAYNE (fourth in the NFL with 668 yards). New England has added to its arsenal with the return of RB LAURENCE MARONEY (75 yards last week). The Colts, on the other hand, have the league’s top TD rusher, JOSEPH ADDAI (7). These guys always seem to have the answers!