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Manning, Colts rally past Jets, reach Super Bowl
By MICHAEL MAROT
January 24, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS —This is perfect for the Indianapolis Colts: They have Peyton Manning and they’re back in the Super Bowl.
The four-time MVP threw three touchdown passes and the Colts rallied from an 11-point, first-half deficit to beat the New York Jets 30-17 Sunday in the AFC championship game.
The Colts (16-2) are now headed back to the NFL title game for the second time in four years and their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. Better yet, they’re heading back to their lucky city—Miami, where they’ve played all four of those games and won there twice.
“I thought we just kept our mouths shut and went to work this week,” Manning said.
The big-talking Jets, and their equally big-talking coach, Rex Ryan, were all the incentive Indy needed Sunday.
A month ago, when the New Yorkers last came to town, Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell pulled his starters in the third quarter and gave up a chance at a perfect season to focus on a Super Bowl run. Fans booed throughout the fourth quarter and when the Colts left the field, and some spent the past month complaining publicly.
That’s over now.
Manning stayed on the field for every Colts play and instead of blowing a lead, the Colts rallied behind their leader.
This time, fans counted down the final seconds while streamers and confetti hung in the air, flash bulbs popped incessantly and when the official announcement was made, roars cascaded from the rafters.
“We talked about being patient against these guys,” Manning said. “We knew it would be a four-quarter game.”
The Colts will face either New Orleans or Minnesota in two weeks, giving Manning a chance to play in the same venue where he beat Chicago in the rain and won the MVP award three years ago.
Just as special was having the Colts career rushing leader, Edgerrin James, present the team with the Lamar Hunt Trophy, which goes to the AFC champs. He never made it to the Super Bowl with the Colts, though team owner Jim Irsay gave James a ring when the Colts beat the Bears.
Players savored every precious moment. Receiver Pierre Garcon, who had 11 catches for 153 yards, both career-highs, and the go-ahead score raised a Haitian flag to honor his family and friends who still live there. Garcon and others remained on the field long after the official celebration, mingling family, friends and fans as the Colts redeemed themselves for this season’s first loss.
“We’ve been here before, we had seven comeback wins this year. I think the guys were a little rattled at first, I think we took their best shot, but we came back,” linebacker Gary Brackett said. “I think we did a great job of being the hunters and imposing our will today.”
Manning finished 26 of 39 for 377 yards. He became the first player in league history with seven 300-yard postseason games. That broke a tie with Kurt Warner and Joe Montana.
The Jets’ magical run ended with their first road loss in six games.
New York (11-8) built a 17-6 lead and took advantage of trick plays. But the Jets lost running back Shonn Greene with a rib injury in the second half, and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was shut out over the final two quarters.
“Today wasn’t our day. There’s no question,” said Ryan, who declared his Jets the Super Bowl favorites before the playoffs. “You have to give credit to the Colts. Obviously they’re the cream of the crop right now.”
Jim Caldwell became only the fifth rookie coach to reach the Super Bowl. Only two others—San Francisco’s George Seifert and Don McCafferty, of the Baltimore Colts—have won it.
But Caldwell does have Manning, who drove the Colts right through New York’s No. 1 ranked defense with his uncanny precision. He kept dropping passes right over the fingertips of defenders, and the frustrated Jets couldn’t stop him.
“You can have great man coverage, but that ball is right where it needs to be,” safety Jim Leonhard said.
Garcon was one beneficiary. The other was rookie Austin Collie(notes), who had a career-best seven catches for 123 yards, his first 100-yard day as a pro. And the Jets allowed three TD passes for the first time all season.
After falling behind late in the first half, Manning responded. He took the Colts 80 yards in four plays, hooking up three straight times with Collie, including the 16-yard TD pass that made it 17-13 with 1:13 to go in the half.
Manning was just getting started.
The next time he got the ball, he took the Colts 57 yards in eight plays, connecting with Garcon in the back corner of the end zone to make it 20-17 with 8:03 left in the third quarter.
“The guys have always been a very confident bunch and they do a great job of hanging in there,” Caldwell said. “Peyton had just an outstanding game. He’s one of those guys that can adjust to different situations. … A real champion.”
Manning still wasn’t finished. His 15-yard TD pass to Dallas Clark midway through the fourth quarter made it 27-17 and Kelvin Hayden’s late interception ended the Jets’ last hope
It sure didn’t look like it would end this way during a scoreless the first quarter.
The Colts uncharacteristically struggled to get first downs, and settled for field goals instead of scoring touchdowns.
New York also changed tactics, creating its big plays through the air.
Sanchez, the fourth rookie quarterback to lead his team to the conference title game and lose, used a beautiful play-action fake to fool rookie cornerback Jacob Lacey. Lacey, who started in place of the injured Jerraud Powers, was burned for an 80-yard TD pass by Braylon Edwards giving the Jets a 7-3 lead.
After the Colts cut it to 7-6, Jets receiver Brad Smith lined up in the TigerCat formation and connected with Jerricho Cotchery for a 45-yard pass to the Colts 12. It was Smith’s first career completion out of an offensive formation. Three plays later, Sanchez barely avoided a sack and found Dustin Keller(notes) for a 9-yard TD pass to give the Jets a 14-6 lead with 4:53 to go in the half.
The Jets made it 17-6 after Joseph Addai’s fumble set up Jay Feely’s(notes) 48-yard field goal.
That’s when Manning the Colts took over—and closed it out.
“Probably the biggest thing is when he goes up against the best, he takes his game to another level,” Caldwell said. “I think that’s something we’ve kind of grown accustomed to around here.”
NOTES: Sanchez was 17 of 30 for 257 yards with two TDs and a late interception. …. Curtis Martin, the Jets’ career rushing leader, was New York’s honorary captain. …
The Colts have won both AFC title games played in Indy by coming back from double-digit deficits. The Colts trailed New England by 18 points four years ago at the RCA Dome. … Referee Tony Corrente mistakenly called the Jets the Giants on the coin toss. … Cotchery caught five passes for 102 yards, while Edwards finished with two receptions for 100 yards.
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Prepare for epic Super Bowl matchup
By Bill Simmons
January 24, 2010
The Saints have never played in the Super Bowl. The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl, but have lost four of them. The Jets won Super Bowl III and haven't been back since. And the Colts? They're only trying to become the first team to finish 19-0. Throw in a New York market, the post-Katrina Saints, and two of the three biggest stars in football (Peyton Manning and Brett Favre), and if your deciding categories were "suffering," "tortured fan bases," "mainstream interest" and "historical significance," you couldn't pick a more fascinating final four.
(I know, I know ... the Colts gave away their chance for 19-0. The opening paragraph just looked better the other way. Sorry.)
So maybe it's 94 percent as fascinating as it could have been. I'm still hooked. For the first time I can remember, any conceivable Super Bowl matchup would be immensely fun for fans with no rooting interest in any of the four teams. To wit ...
COLTS vs SAINTS
Vegas odds: Even.
Enjoyable/poignant/fascinating subplots in play: New Orleans rebounds from Katrina. ... Manning versus Brees (the best Super Bowl QB matchup since Favre-Elway). ... Archie Manning's torn allegiances between Peyton and N'Awlins. ... The success of Rita Benson and Jim Irsay (two legacy kids who actually turned into good owners). ... Jim Caldwell's attempt to become the third black coach of a Super Bowl champ, as well as the first dead one. ... And obviously, can New Orleans win its first Super Bowl ever?
--
LOWEST GAMBLING SPREADS
IN SUPER BOWL HISTORY
XVI: Niners -1 Bengals
Result: 49ers 26, Bengals 21
VII: Dolphins -1 Redskins
Result: Dolphins 14, Redskins 7
V: Colts -2.5 Cowboys
Result: Colts 16, Cowboys 13
IX: Steelers -3 Vikings
Result: Steelers 16, Vikings 6
XVII: Dolphins -3 Redskins
Result: Redskins 27, Dolphins 17
XVIII: Redskins -3 Raiders
Result: Raiders 38, Redskins 9
XXII: Broncos -3 Redskins
Result: Redskins 42, Broncos 10
XXXV: Ravens -3 Giants
Result: Ravens 34, Giants 7
--
Secretly coolest subplot: For the first time since Super Bowl XVI (San Fran giving 1 to Cincy), we'd probably have a Super Bowl line that was less than 3. My guess would be Colts by 2?, but if the Saints thrash Minnesota this Sunday, it might be close to a pick 'em. A pick 'em! Can you imagine???
(Sign No. 357 that I have a gambling problem: I'm waaaaaaaaaay too excited about the first-ever pick 'em Super Bowl.)
Potentially horrifying media day subplots: Will anyone cross the Marvin Harrison line with a Colts player? Will anyone cross the Kim Kardashian/sex-tape line with Reggie Bush?
Annoying subplot in play: Indy eschewing 19-0 (and whether it was worth it). This topic should have died three weeks ago. I blame Skip Bayless. Maybe it's not his fault but I haven't blamed him for anything in a while.
Funniest subplot: South Beach being morbidly depressed that, instead of New York fans flooding in last minute to see the Jets, blue-collar Colts fans arrive for the second time in four years. Would anyone like to book a half-price suite at the Delano?
Anyone? Please? For the love of God, anyone????
U.S. rooting breakdown: A national landslide for New Orleans, the likes of which we've never seen for a Super Bowl. Aside from Indiana residents, Volunteer fans, fans of Manning's commercials and people wagering on the Colts, what normally impartial person would root against the Saints in this particular game? Really, you're going to root against a city that was annihilated by a hurricane, then attached itself to a football team as part of the healing process ... only to see that same football team make a Super Bowl four-plus years later?
Possibility of a memorable game: Exceedingly high.
COLTS vs VIKINGS
Vegas odds: 5-2.
Enjoyable/poignant/fascinating subplots in play: Brett Favre finds redemption. ... Manning versus Favre (the most marquee Super Bowl QB matchup since Bradshaw-Staubach). ... A week of Jared Allen (he delights me for some reason). ... Indy eschewing 19-0 (and whether it was worth it). ... Jim Caldwell (see above). ... Has any coach ever looked more like the focus of a "Hoarders" episode than Brad Childress? ... And, obviously, can Minnesota win its first Super Bowl ever?
Potentially horrifying media day subplot: Will anyone cross the Marvin Harrison line or the "Brett, you're 40 years old and improbably playing better than ever, how do we know you're not using PEDs?" line?
Annoying subplots in play: Indy eschewing 19-0 (and whether it was worth it). ... Brett Favre backlash (look, the media is gonna make a big deal out of him, you know this, it's a foregone conclusion, so just don't read it or watch it). ... If the Vikes keep this "Pants on the Ground" song going and inspires the "Pants on the Ground" Guy to show up for Super Bowl week (I think he's available).
Funniest subplot: I have four words for you: Minnesotans, Hoosiers, South Beach.
Saddest subplot: A Favre Super Bowl appearance with an original NFC Central team not named "Green Bay" would be the football equivalent of dropping an atom bomb on Wisconsin. Polarizing, depressing, anger-inducing, bitter. ... It's going to elicit every crummy emotion a sports fan could have. And if Favre hoists the Lombardi trophy, Packers fans are going to react like someone just bought them a treadmill: abject fear, horror and confusion.
U.S. rooting breakdown: A decade of media-gushing over Favre led to an unprecedented backlash in which fans root against him. Not because they don't like him, but because they can't stand listening/reading/seeing people gush about him. Has that ever happened before? Nobody has ever had their game muted more times than Brett Favre. He also turned others off with his retirement flip-flopping. Tough one. I say 60/40 Vikes.
Possibility of a memorable game: Not so high. I think Indy would roll in this one. Favre outdoors against a fast defense? No thanks.
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