Week 10: Colts 35, Patriots 34

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November 20, 2009

Indy, Manning capitalize on Belichick's gamble

By Michael Marot, The Associated Press The Herald Bulletin Fri Nov 20, 2009, 09:43 AM EST

INDIANAPOLIS — A stunning gamble by Bill Belichick set up a stunning win for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

After the New England Patriots were stopped short on fourth down deep in their own territory, Manning took advantage by throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left that rallied the unbeaten Colts to a 35-34 win Sunday night.

Manning's toss to Reggie Wayne completed the Colts' comeback from a 17-point deficit. A decision by the Patriots coach put them in position for their 18th straight regular-season win.

Belichick decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 28 with 2:08 to go. Tom Brady threw to Kevin Faulk, who made a juggling catch but was pushed backward and came up just short.

Manning needed just four plays before hooking up with Wayne for the winning score.

"We were preparing to go 60, 70 yards," Manning said. "It was a great play by the defense, shortened our field."

It was the most improbable victory for the Colts (9-0) in their winning streak, tied for the second-longest in NFL history with New England. It was the first time Belichick's Patriots had lost when leading by at least 13 in the fourth quarter.

The Colts trailed 34-21 with four minutes left and seemed all but written off — just as they have in several other prime-time games this decade.

Manning threw four touchdown passes and Brady had three in the matchup of AFC division leaders, and longtime rivals for the conference title.

While it was another magical comeback for Manning, this one was set up by Belichick's bungled play-calling.

Belichick called two timeouts on that key series, the second to set up the fourth-down play. Faulk came up about a half-yard short of the first-down marker, giving Manning the ball at the New England 29 with 1:57 left and all three timeouts — an eternity for the three-time MVP.

Manning ran three plays before finding Wayne for the winning score and left New England with virtually no chance to rally.

New England (6-3) has now lost five of the last six in this series.

Manning passed Fran Tarkenton on the career victory list with No. 126, a win that Manning certainly will remember for a long time and many reasons.

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xSeason Recap

AFC Championship game: Colts 30, Jets 17 INDIANAPOLIS — Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon said he hoped to use Sunday’s AFC Championship Game to raise the hopes of relatives in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Sometime after he caught a 4-yard touchdown pass to give the Indianapolis Colts the lead in the third quarter and before he raised the Haitian flag on the postgame awards podium, he must have accomplished that goal.
January 25, 2010 1 Photo 1 Link
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Colts 20, Ravens 3 There's a price to pay for keeping the ball out of Peyton Manning's hands. Once he gets it, he doesn't give it back — at least not until he's gotten the Indianapolis Colts plenty of points and a playoff win. In his first game since winning an unprecedented fourth NFL MVP award, Manning threw for two touchdowns Saturday night in a 20-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
January 18, 2010 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 17: Bills 30, Colts 7 Peyton Manning had a tough time appreciating Mother Nature's picturesque snow-globe backdrop from the bench after he helped ensure a couple of milestones. The Buffalo Bills got a 30-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts to close a tumultuous season in an otherwise meaningless regular-season finale for both teams Sunday.
January 4, 2010 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 16: Jets 29, Colts 15 Like beauty, perfection evidently qualifies as one of life’s eye-of-the-beholder elements. With 5:36 remaining in the third quarter on Sunday, it became painfully obvious which direction the high-dollar decision-makers within the Indianapolis Colts organization were leaning:

Super Bowl championship 1, perfect record 0.
December 27, 2009 1 Photo 1 Link
Week 15: Colts 35, Jaguars 31 Peyton Manning completed every pass early and one big one late, exactly what the Indianapolis Colts needed to stay unbeaten. Manning threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65-yarder to Reggie Wayne to go ahead for good, and the Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-31 Thursday night to improve to 14-0 for the first time in franchise history.
December 18, 2009 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 14: Colts 28, Broncos 16 Sometimes it seems as if the Indianapolis Colts can’t stand prosperity. The Colts played well early but managed to squander a 21-0 second quarter lead. Indianapolis, though, battled back down the stretch in registering a record-setting 28-16 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
December 14, 2009 6 Photos 1 Link
Week 13: Colts 27, Titans 17 A 24-point first half and two red zone stands by their defense led the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans, tying an NFL record with their 21st consecutive regular season victory. “Certainly it’s not something you take for granted,” Peyton Manning said after throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee.
December 7, 2009 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 12: Colts 35, Texans 27 The AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts have perfected the art of the comeback in their undefeated march into the playoffs. Peyton Manning threw for three touchdowns and the Colts rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit Sunday for a 35-27 win over the Texans, their 20th straight regular-season victory. Indianapolis (11-0) is one win shy of the New England
November 30, 2009 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 11: Colts 17, Ravens 15 The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts sidestepped another potential obstacle in their march toward NFL history. The Colts kept Baltimore out of the end zone Sunday and got the go-ahead field goal from former Ravens kicker Matt Stover in a 17-15 victory, their 19th straight win over two seasons.
November 23, 2009 5 Photos 1 Link
Week 10: Colts 35, Patriots 34 A stunning gamble by Bill Belichick set up a stunning win for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. After the New England Patriots were stopped short on fourth down deep in their own territory, Manning took advantage by throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left that rallied the unbeaten Colts to a 35-34 win Sunday night.
November 20, 2009 5 Photos 1 Link
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Week 10: Colts 35, Patriots 34

Indy, Manning capitalize on Belichick's gamble

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