2004: Neither Team Punts as Colts Defeat Chiefs in Divisional Playoff Game

The Kansas City Chiefs were back in the playoffs and hosting a postseason game for the first time in six years as they faced the Indianapolis Colts on January 11, 2004 in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. In their third season under Head Coach Dick Vermeil, the Chiefs won their first nine games on the way to a 13-3 record and first place in the AFC West. QB Trent Green passed for 4039 yards and 24 TDs and RB Priest Holmes scored a then-record 27 touchdowns while rushing for 1420 yards and gaining 2110 yards from scrimmage. TE Tony Gonzalez was, like Holmes, a consensus first-team All-Pro who caught 71 passes for 916 yards and 10 TDs, although the wide receivers were capable but unexceptional. WR Dante Hall received All-NFL recognition for his outstanding kick returning, in one stretch returning kicks for touchdowns in four straight games. The defense was an area of concern, however, ranking just 29^th overall in the league and twice yielding 45 points in late-season losses.

The Colts were in the playoffs for the second straight year with Head Coach Tony Dungy at the helm and the fourth time in five seasons. The key to success was sixth-year QB Peyton Manning (pictured above), a consensus MVP and first-team All-Pro after passing for 4267 yards and 29 TDs with only 10 interceptions. WR Marvin Harrison gained a Pro Bowl selection and both Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley were productive. RB Edgerrin James missed three games with a back injury but still rushed for 1259 yards and caught 51 passes. The defense was less impressive but respectable. Indianapolis topped the AFC South with a 12-4 tally and handily won their Wild Card playoff game the week before by a 41-10 score over Denver without punting once.

There were 79,159 fans in attendance at Arrowhead Stadium. The Colts took the opening kickoff and advanced 70 yards in 10 plays. Peyton Manning completed a pass to Marvin Harrison for 13 yards in a third-and-nine situation and Edgerrin James (pictured below) had a 15-yard run along the way. A Manning throw to WR Brandon Stokley was completed for a 29-yard touchdown and Mike Vanderjagt added the extra point.

Kansas City responded with a drive that included seven carries by Priest Holmes for 52 yards and Trent Green threw to Tony Gonzalez for 16 yards. But after getting first-and-goal at the Indianapolis six, the Chiefs were unable to reach the end zone and Morten Andersen kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 score.

The Colts came back with a six-play, 76-yard series. Manning passed twice to Harrison for gains of 13 and 38 yards and James ran around end for 13 yards in between, as well as 11 yards for a TD. Vanderjagt’s point after put the visitors in front by 14-3.

A 46-yard kickoff return by Dante Hall was nullified by a holding penalty, but in a series that extended into the second quarter, the Chiefs advanced 77 yards in 12 plays. Green completed five passes, including tosses to WR Eddie Kennison for 25 yards and WR Marc Boerigter for 21 to reach Indianapolis territory. Green ran for nine yards on a third-and-five play and a throw to WR Johnnie Morton picked up 14 yards to the seven. Hall caught a pass from Green for a nine-yard touchdown and, with Andersen’s extra point, the score was narrowed to 14-10.

Still, the Chiefs couldn’t stop the Colts, who drove 71 yards in nine plays. James had an 18-yard run and Manning completed four passes, including to WR Reggie Wayne for 17 yards, TE Marcus Pollard for 21, and RB Tom Lopienski for a two-yard TD. It was the only time that the rookie Lopienski touched the ball in his two-year NFL career and Vanderjagt’s PAT put the Colts up by 11 points at 21-10 with 4:34 remaining in the first half.

Starting from their 31 following the kickoff, the Chiefs gained 22 yards right away on a pass from Green to Gonzalez and two more throws to the tight end picked up eight and nine yards, although a longer completion was nullified by offensive pass interference. The possession stalled at the Indianapolis 13 and Kansas City came up empty when the normally-reliable Andersen missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Chiefs had the ball first in the third quarter, but Holmes fumbled at the end of a 48-yard run and CB David Macklin recovered for the Colts at the Indianapolis 22. With James and RB Dominic Rhodes running effectively and Manning completing passes of 11 yards to Stokley and nine to Wayne, the visitors moved into KC territory and, after LB Shawn Barber stopped James for a loss of five yards on third down, Vanderjagt kicked a 45-yard field goal to increase the Indianapolis margin to 24-10.

The Chiefs, benefiting from a 27-yard kickoff return by Hall that had them starting from their 45, drove 55 yards in eight plays, six of them runs by Holmes (pictured at right), the first of which picked up 24 yards and the last reached the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Andersen’s conversion made it a seven-point game.

The Colts went largely to the air on their next series as Manning completed five passes, three of them to Wayne, including the last that was for a 19-yard TD. Vanderjagt kicked the extra point, but it was a seven-point game once more shortly thereafter when Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Andersen added the PAT and the score was 31-24.

The game entered the fourth quarter and the Colts remained unstoppable on offense. Manning converted a third-and-three situation with a pass to Wayne for 17 yards and followed up with a throw to Harrison for a gain of 27 to the KC 30. Manning completed three more passes to get the ball inside the ten, and James finished the drive off with a one-yard carry for a TD. Vanderjagt again converted to put the visitors up by 38-24.

A long series by the Chiefs followed. Starting from their 24, Kansas City picked up a first down thanks to defensive holding on a third-and-six play and converted a fourth-and-six situation with a pass from Green to Kennison for 19 yards. Green had four more completions as the Chiefs chipped away. Facing fourth-and-five at the Indianapolis seven, Green again connected with Kennison for six yards to get a first-and-goal at the one, and from there Holmes went up the middle for a touchdown. Andersen’s extra point once more made it a one-touchdown contest.

The clock was down to 4:16 remaining in regulation as the Colts again took over on offense. Manning threw to James for 16 yards and a first down, and James ran for another first down to keep the ball away from the Chiefs as the time ticked away. Rhodes was stopped for one yard on a fourth-and-three play, but the ball was at the Kansas City 27 and there were just eight seconds left to play. Green completed one last inconsequential pass and Indianapolis came away the winner by a final score of 38-31.

For the first time in NFL playoff history neither team punted and, equally unprecedented, the Colts managed to play two consecutive postseason games without punting. The teams combined for 842 total yards, with the Colts gaining 434 to Kansas City’s 408 and also leading in first downs (27 to 24) and time of possession (32:13 to 27:47). The Chiefs gained 196 yards of their total on the ground, while Indianapolis had 292 net passing yards. There was only one sack, which was by the Chiefs, and one turnover, also by Kansas City. 

Peyton Manning completed 22 of 30 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns, with none intercepted. Edgerrin James ran for 125 yards and two TDs on 26 carries. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne each had 6 catches, for 98 and 83 yards, respectively, and Wayne scored once.

For the Chiefs, Trent Green was successful on 18 of 30 throws for 212 yards and a TD with no interceptions. Priest Holmes had 176 rushing yards on 24 attempts that included two touchdowns and also pulled in five passes for 32 more yards. Tony Gonzalez gained 55 yards on his four pass receptions and Eddie Kennison contributed 50 yards on three catches. Dante Hall (pictured at right), in addition to two receptions for 19 yards and a TD, had 208 yards on seven kickoff returns that also included a touchdown.

“I am hot right now, we’re hot as an offense,” said Peyton Manning.

The Indianapolis offense was cooled off in the AFC Championship game the following week in a 24-14 loss to New England. The Chiefs fell back to 7-9 in 2004 and, while they rebounded to 10-6 in Dick Vermeil’s last year before retiring, did not reach the postseason again until 2006.

Rookie of the Year: Edgerrin James, 1999

Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

Age: 21

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

James rushed for over a thousand yards twice in college, including 1416 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior in 1998. He declared for the NFL draft and was chosen in the first round (fourth overall) by the Colts, who were looking to replace the Marshall Faulk, who had been traded to the Rams, and felt that, with his receiving ability out of the backfield, he was a better fit for their offense than Heisman Trophy-winner Ricky Williams.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 369 [1]

Most attempts, game – 32 (for 118 yds.) at New England 9/19

Yards – 1553 [1]

Most yards, game – 152 yards (on 22 carries) at Philadelphia 11/21

Average gain – 4.2 [13]

TDs – 13 [2, tied with James Stewart, 1st in AFC]

100-yard rushing games – 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 62      

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 92 yds.) vs. Dallas 10/31, (for 90 yds.) vs. Kansas City 11/7, (for 53 yds.) vs. NY Jets 11/28

Yards – 586

Most yards, game – 92 (on 7 catches) vs. Dallas 10/31

Average gain – 9.5

TDs – 4

All-purpose yards – 2139 [2, 1st in AFC]

Scoring

TDs – 17 [1, tied with Stephen Davis]

Points – 102

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs. Tennessee)

Rushing attempts – 20

Rushing yards – 56

Average gain rushing – 2.8

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Pass receiving yards - 8

Average yards per reception – 8.0

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Colts went 13-3 (following two straight 3-13 records) to finish first in the AFC East while leading the conference in total yards (5726), passing yards (4066), and scoring (423 points). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Tennessee Titans (19-16).

Aftermath:

“The Edge” had another Pro Bowl season in 2000 as he again led the NFL in rushing (1709 yards) and also in yards from scrimmage (2303), scoring a total of 18 touchdowns. However, a knee injury finished him for the year six games into the 2001 season and, while he came back in ’02, was hindered by ankle and rib problems. While having lost some of his earlier explosiveness, he came back to rush for 1259 yards in 2003 and returned to the Pro Bowl in ’04 after running for 1548 yards and going over two thousand yards from scrimmage for the third time with 2031. After rushing for 1506 yards and 13 TDs in 2005, achieving one last Pro Bowl selection, he moved on to the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent. James was over a thousand yards in each of his first two years with the Cards, although with a declining average gain per carry and less production as a receiver out of the backfield. In clear decline by 2008, although he performed well in Arizona’s postseason run, he was let go afterward and finished his career with Seattle in 2009. Overall, James was chosen to the Pro Bowl four times as he rushed for 12,246 yards (9226 with the Colts) and gained a total of 15,610 yards from scrimmage as he added 3364 yards on 433 pass receptions. He scored a total of 91 TDs.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

2009: Cards Overcome Rally & Defeat Eagles for NFC Championship

The NFC Championship game on January 18, 2009 featured two teams that had won fewer than ten games during the regular season and were hardly expected to get so far. The Arizona Cardinals, winners of the mediocre NFC West with a 9-7 record, which made them the fourth-seeded team in the conference, hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, who were the sixth-seeded team after finishing second in the NFC East and qualifying as a Wild Card at 9-6-1.

Under Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Cardinals were a pass-oriented team on offense with QB Kurt Warner (pictured above) throwing to wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, all three of whom reached a thousand receiving yards. RB Edgerrin James, once an outstanding runner with the Colts, was on the downside at age 30. The defense was suspect and ranked 28^th in points allowed. The Cards had been long-time underachievers and, after getting off to a 7-3 start, seemed to revert to form as they lost four of their last six games. Some of those defeats had been by lopsided scores, including a 48-20 blowout at the hands of the Eagles when they met on Thanksgiving night in Philadelphia. However, with expectations low as the postseason commenced, Arizona defeated the Falcons in the Wild Card round and then dominated the 12-4 Panthers on the road at the Divisional level to advance to the NFC title game.

The Eagles, under Head Coach Andy Reid, had been inconsistent and were 5-5-1 after being routed by the Ravens before winning four of five to make it into the playoffs. QB Donovan McNabb passed for a career-high 3916 yards, but was benched during the second half of the loss to Baltimore and not as much the running threat he had been in his early years. RB Brian Westbrook was an outstanding all-purpose back and rookie WR DeSean Jackson was developing into a big-play receiver. The heart of the defense was still FS Brian Dawkins, who had been joined in the backfield by Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel. Philadelphia defeated the Vikings in the Wild Card round and then the top-seeded Giants at the Meadowlands and was back in the conference championship game for the fifth time under Coach Reid.

There were 70,650 fans present at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ. While the weather was pleasant, the stadium’s retractable roof was closed in order to amplify the sound of the partisan crowd. The Cardinals took the opening kickoff and drove 79 yards in nine plays. Kurt Warner completed his first three passes, two of them to Anquan Boldin for a total of 16 yards and one to Larry Fitzgerald (pictured at right) for 19. Edgerrin James then ran three straight times, the last two for 16 and 12 yards to the Philadelphia 12 yard line. A short gain by RB Tim Hightower was followed by a Warner throw to Fitzgerald for a nine-yard touchdown. Neil Rackers added the extra point and Arizona had the early 7-0 lead.

The Eagles came right back with a long drive of their own that covered 33 yards in eight plays. Starting at their own 40 after Rackers kicked off out of bounds, Donovan McNabb scrambled for 21 yards to the Arizona 39. Short passes by McNabb interspersed with carries by Brian Westbrook got the ball to the 22, but with the crowd roaring, a five-yard penalty for a false start backed the Eagles up five yards to force third-and-nine and, after McNabb threw an incomplete pass, David Akers kicked a 45-yard field goal.

The Cards went three-and-out on their next series and the Eagles, following the punt, regained possession at their 33. Facing third-and-10 after two incomplete passes, McNabb’s next throw was intercepted by FS Aaron Francisco, but he fumbled at the end of a 27-yard return and OT Jon Runyan recovered for Philadelphia. Given a reprieve, the Eagles moved into Arizona territory as McNabb threw to WR Hank Baskett for 14 yards, Westbrook had a 14-yard run, and RB Correll Buckhalter carried twice for 12 yards to the Arizona 35. Now into the second quarter, the drive finally stalled at the 29, but this time Akers was wide on a 47-yard field goal try and the visitors came up empty.

On the next play, Warner went long for Fitzgerald on a flea-flicker and it was good for a 62-yard touchdown.  Rackers added the extra point for a 14-3 lead. Philadelphia came back with a seven-play, 65-yard series. A third down sack was negated by defensive holding and McNabb then threw to WR Kevin Curtis for a 47-yard gain to the Arizona 19. Once again, the visitors couldn’t reach the end zone, but this time Akers was successful on a field goal attempt from 33 yards.

The Cardinals started off their next drive with James running for 22 yards up the middle to his own 49. Warner completed passes to RB J.J. Arrington for 16 yards, TE Leonard Pope for 12, and Steve Breaston for 10 yards, with running plays interspersed, to reach the Philadelphia four. Warner connected with Fitzgerald for a third TD, this time from a yard out as the wide receiver outmaneuvered CB Sheldon Brown in the corner of the end zone. Arizona was ahead by 21-6.

The Eagles had to punt following their next series and the Cards again drove to a score, going 80 yards in nine plays. A Warner pass to Boldin that was initially ruled complete for a 32-yard gain was overturned following a challenge, but the Cardinals managed to overcome a third-and-15 situation as Warner threw complete to WR Jerheme Urban for 18 yards to the Arizona 49. A pass to Fitzgerald picked up 14 yards but DE Trent Cole sacked Warner two plays later and the Cards settled for a 49-yard Rackers field goal. Still, they went into halftime with a commanding 24-6 lead.

Philadelphia came out throwing to start the third quarter. McNabb had completions of 20 yards to FB Dan Klecko, 14 yards to WR Jason Avant, and 8 to DeSean Jackson to reach the Arizona 49. But on third down, McNabb fumbled the ball away when sacked and DE Bertrand Berry recovered at the Philadelphia 43. The Cards were unable to move, however, and punted, seemingly pinning the visitors down at their 10 yard line.

The Eagles drove 90 yards in 13 plays, converting three third downs along the way. Short passes interspersed with runs by Westbrook got the ball to the Philadelphia 39, but after SS Adrian Wilson sacked McNabb for an eight-yard loss, the Eagles faced a third-and-18 situation. McNabb went deep for Curtis, who made the catch for a 50-yard gain to the Arizona 19. The possession ended with McNabb connecting with TE Brent Celek for a six-yard touchdown and, with Akers adding the PAT, Arizona’s lead was narrowed to 24-13.

The Cardinals went three-and-out on their next series, and following the punt the Eagles drove to another score. McNabb threw to Curtis for 14 yards and, on a third-and-six play, tossed to Jackson for nine yards to the Arizona 34. McNabb completed another touchdown pass to Celek, this time covering 31 yards, and while Akers missed the extra point, the Eagles were down by just five points heading into the fourth quarter.

Arizona’s seemingly unstoppable offense of the first half was unable to move effectively thus far in the second, and the Cards punted the ball back to the Eagles early in the final period. It took Philadelphia just four plays to score again. Starting at their 14, McNabb threw to Buckhalter for 12 yards and Avant for nine before Westbrook carried for three yards up the middle. McNabb then went long for Jackson, who was covered by CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The cornerback tipped the ball as he fell down, but Jackson was able to make the catch and proceed to the end zone for a 62-yard TD (pictured above). The Eagles tried for two points, but McNabb’s pass failed. Still, the Eagles were ahead by a score of 25-24 with just under eleven minutes remaining on the clock.

Breaston returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to his 28 yard line. Warner threw to Fitzgerald for 15 yards and Pope for nine before James lost a yard on a running play. Hightower gained the yard back, but the Cards now faced fourth-and-one at the Philadelphia 49. They converted when Hightower ran for six yards around right end. After a short carry by James, Warner connected with Fitzgerald for 18 yards to the 23. A three-yard run by James was followed by Fitzgerald catching a pass for six yards and, on third-and-one, Hightower came through again with a five-yard carry. Runs by James and Hightower netted a yard and it was third-and-goal at the eight. With his receivers spread out, Warner threw to Hightower out of the backfield for a touchdown. The Cards went for two and converted as Warner connected with TE Ben Patrick, putting Arizona back in front by seven points.

Taking over at their 20 with 2:53 remaining, the Eagles drove to the Arizona 47 as McNabb completed three straight passes, the longest to Westbrook for 19 yards. But that was as far as they got. The next four passes fell incomplete and the Cardinals took over on downs, effectively ending the game. Arizona was the winner by a final score of 32-25.

The Eagles had the edge in total yards (454 to 369) and first downs (22 to 21). However, Philadelphia also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by the Cardinals. The Eagles also were penalized seven times, at a cost of 64 yards, to just three flags thrown on Arizona, for 15 yards.

Kurt Warner completed 21 of 28 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Larry Fitzgerald had 9 catches for 152 yards and three TDs. Edgerrin James ran for 73 yards on 16 carries and Tim Hightower (pictured below) contributed 33 yards on 11 attempts as well as the game-winning touchdown on his lone pass reception. Defensively, Adrian Wilson recorded both of Arizona’s sacks.

For the Eagles, Donovan McNabb came on strong in the second half comeback and was successful on 28 of 47 throws for 375 yards and three TDs with one interception. Brent Celek had 10 pass receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns while Kevin Curtis gained 122 yards on four catches and DeSean Jackson added 6 receptions for 92 yards and a score. Brian Westbrook was the team’s top rusher with 45 yards on 12 carries.

The Cardinals went on to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a close Super Bowl battle. They had a 10-6 record in 2009, again topping the NFC West but losing to the Saints in the Divisional playoff round. Philadelphia also had a better record in ’09, going 11-5 and qualifying as a Wild Card after placing second in the NFC East. The Eagles lost to Dallas in the first round. 

2003: Last-Minute Goal-Line Stand Gives Patriots Win Over Colts

The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts both had 9-2 records as they faced off on November 30, 2003. The Patriots, after getting off to a 2-2 start, had won seven straight contests. Under the leadership of Head Coach Bill Belichick, they were a deep and cohesive team on both sides of the ball. While the running backs were average and the receiving corps contained no elite performers, QB Tom Brady (pictured above), in his third season as the starting quarterback, had already established himself as one of the league’s best. The tough defense was strongest at linebacker and the backfield.

Indianapolis, coached by Tony Dungy, also had an outstanding talent at quarterback in Peyton Manning, now in his sixth season. In addition, the Colts had RB Edgerrin James and WR Marvin Harrison, who were among the NFL’s best at their positions. Manning and Brady had faced off twice thus far since 2001, with the Patriots coming away as winners in both instances.

There were 57,102 fans in attendance at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Patriots had first possession and went 50 yards in 11 plays. Tom Brady completed five passes and Adam Vinatieri capped the drive with a 43-yard field goal. The first series for the Colts ended when Peyton Manning fumbled and DT Dan Klecko recovered at the Indianapolis 36. The Patriots made the most of the break as Brady completed another four throws, the longest to RB Kevin Faulk for 16 yards, and RB Michael Cloud ran the last four yards for a touchdown. With Vinatieri’s extra point, the New England lead was up to 10-0.

The Colts went three-and-out on their next possession and, following the punt, the Patriots put together another scoring drive as the game moved into the second quarter. This time they went 73 yards in nine plays that ended with Brady throwing to WR Dedric Ward for a 31-yard TD.

Down by 17-0, the Colts responded with a 10-play, 53-yard series. Manning completed four passes, including one to WR Marvin Harrison for 20 yards, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 40-yard field goal to get the home team on the board.

The Patriots reached the Indianapolis 40 before being forced to punt, and the Colts, taking over at their 14, proceeded to drive 86 yards in 11 plays. Manning converted a third-and-10 situation with a pass to Edgerrin James that gained 17 yards and, following the two minute warning, James carried for 20 yards to the New England 31. Manning had back-to-back completions to Harrison for nine yards and WR Troy Walters for 15 and, three plays later, he connected with TE Marcus Pollard for an eight-yard touchdown.

Vanderjagt’s PAT made it a seven-point game with 12 seconds remaining in the half, but on the ensuing kickoff the Colts chose to kick away rather than squib it, and WR Bethel Johnson (pictured at left) went 92 yards for a TD. New England took a 24-10 lead into halftime.

The Colts had the ball first in the third quarter and punted. The Patriots responded with a long drive that covered 61 yards in 11 plays. Brady completed another four passes, one to Ward for 19 yards while facing third-and-14, and the visitors also recovered two of their own fumbles along the way. Cloud ran one yard for a touchdown and, with Vinatieri converting, New England’s margin was up to a commanding 31-10.

It didn’t get any better for the Colts when a Manning pass was intercepted by CB Tyrone Poole, but two plays later CB Donald Strickland picked off a Brady throw and returned it 24 yards to the Indianapolis 42. It seemed to turn the tide as the Colts advanced 58 yards in nine plays. James ran effectively and, facing fourth-and-nine, Manning connected with WR Reggie Wayne for a 13-yard TD. Vanderjagt added the extra point.

The Colts got the ball back shortly thereafter on another interception, this time by CB Nick Harper in New England territory, and Manning immediately threw to Harrison for a 26-yard touchdown. In stunning fashion, the home team was only down by 31-24 as the game headed into the fourth quarter.

The Patriots punted following their next series, and the Colts proceeded to drive 70 yards in nine plays. Manning completed four passes, the last to Walters for a six-yard TD and, with Vanderjagt’s kick, the game was tied at 31-31.

The Patriots had been quiet on offense during the Indianapolis comeback, but now they benefited from a 67-yard kickoff return by Johnson to get excellent field position at the Colts’ 31. Brady threw twice to WR David Givens for 18 yards and, two plays later, he connected with WR Deion Branch for a 13-yard touchdown. Adding the extra point, New England was back on top by seven points.

The Colts drove just past midfield on their next possession but had to punt. They got the ball back three plays later when Faulk fumbled and DE Raheem Brock recovered at the New England 11. Manning threw three incomplete passes and Vanderjagt kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a four-point game with 3:27 to go.

The Patriots were only able to run off a little time on their next possession before punting, and the kick by Ken Walter went just 18 yards. The Colts started off at the 50 and Manning tossed passes to James for five yards and Wayne for 13. RB Dominic Rhodes ran for nine yards before the two minute warning. After James ran for three yards, Manning threw to Harrison for nine yards to get inside the 10 and James ran for seven yards to give Indianapolis a first and goal at the two yard line.

The Colts were without TE Dallas Clark, FB Detron Smith, and RB James Mungro, their short-yardage specialist, all lost to injuries, and their absence became more apparent as Indianapolis sought to reach the end zone from down close. James gained a yard but then was stopped for no gain on second down. Manning went to the air on third down to no avail. James carried once more on first down and again came up short as LB Willie McGinest, who had earlier twisted his knee, blew into the backfield to make the stop (pictured below). The Patriots had held on to win by a final score of 38-34.

The Colts led New England in total yards (370 to 282) and first downs (26 to 21). The Patriots turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Indianapolis. They also benefited from two kickoff returns that generated 159 yards and one direct score while setting up another TD.

Tom Brady completed 26 of 35 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns along with two interceptions. Deion Branch had 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD while Kevin Faulk contributed 5 pass receptions for 36 yards to go along with his 42 rushing yards on 15 carries. Bethel Johnson had the key kickoff returns and overall averaged 38.4 yards on his five runbacks.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was successful on 29 of 48 throws for 278 yards and four TDs while tossing one interception. Edgerrin James ran for 88 yards on 25 attempts and caught 8 passes for 50 more yards. Marvin Harrison gained 88 yards on his 7 catches that included a touchdown.

The Patriots kept winning the rest of the way, finishing the regular season on top of the AFC East with the NFL’s best record at 14-2. Indianapolis lost once more to end up first in the AFC North with a 12-4 tally. The teams faced off for the AFC Championship and New England again came away the winner before moving on to defeat Carolina in the Super Bowl for a second NFL title in three years. 

2001: Patten Runs, Catches, and Passes for TDs as Patriots Rip Colts

The New England Patriots brought a 2-3 record into their October 21, 2001 game at Indianapolis. The biggest story of their season thus far had been the injury to starting QB Drew Bledsoe that propelled unknown backup Tom Brady into the starting lineup. In the second year under Head Coach Bill Belichick the club was still viewed as a work in progress.

The Colts had been to the postseason the previous two years under Head Coach Jim Mora but had been badly beaten by the Patriots two weeks earlier and then, after their bye week, had lost to Oakland to fall to 2-2. Fourth-year QB Peyton Manning was already considered to be one of the NFL’s best, as was RB Edgerrin James in his third year. But the defense was becoming a source of concern.

There was a crowd of 56,022 at the RCA Dome. The Colts had first possession and drove to the New England 28, with the big play being a pass from Manning to TE Ken Dilger that gained 25 yards, but Mike Vanderjagt’s 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned 35 yards by New England CB Leonard Myers to give the Patriots excellent starting field position at the Indianapolis 29. They made the most of it in short order as WR David Patten took the ball on an end-around play and raced around right end for the 29-yard touchdown.

The Colts again drove into New England territory on their next possession as Edgerrin James ran effectively and caught a pass from Manning. Vanderjagt booted a 42-yard field goal to get the home team on the board.

The Patriots punted to end their next series and Indianapolis appeared set to score again when Manning threw to WR Marvin Harrison for a 68-yard gain to the New England two. However, the Colts weren’t able to punch into the end zone and, following a sack of Manning by LB Mike Vrabel for a six-yard loss on third down, Vanderjagt again had a field goal attempt blocked, this time by safety Tebucky Jones on a 25-yard try, and the score remained 7-3 after a quarter of play.

The teams traded punts to start the second quarter, but after the Patriots took possession on their own nine yard line following a 34-yard kick by Hunter Smith, it was Patten again making a big play as he pulled in a pass from Brady at the 48 and went the distance for a 91-yard touchdown. With another successful extra point by Adam Vinatieri, it was 14-3 in favor of New England.

Following a short series by the Colts, it was Patten striking again on the Patriots’ next play from scrimmage, this time throwing an option pass to WR Troy Brown for a 60-yard touchdown. David Patten had accounted for a touchdown in three different ways – by rushing, receiving, and passing – and in each instance it was on the first play of a New England possession. He had almost singlehandedly staked the Patriots to a 21-3 lead that would prove insurmountable for the Colts.

Things got worse for Indianapolis when James fumbled on the next series and LB Tedy Bruschi recovered for the Patriots at the Colts’ 24. Six plays later Brady passed to TE Jermaine Wiggins for a two-yard TD. While the Colts managed to score once more on a 42-yard Vanderjagt field goal before the period was over, New England went into halftime leading by a 28-6 margin, even though the offense’s time of possession was just eight minutes. The frustrated home crowd booed the Colts heavily as they headed for the locker room.

The second half was anticlimactic. The Colts drove to a two-yard Manning-to-Harrison touchdown pass followed by a successful two-point conversion that made it 28-14. The Patriots responded with a 43-yard field goal by Vinatieri. Indianapolis again reached scoring territory but, after having a first down at the New England 12, was unable to penetrate the end zone and settled for a 24-yard Vanderjagt field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, Brady tossed another TD pass to Patten, this time from six yards out, and that was it. Another drive by the Colts ended with Manning fumbling the ball away while being sacked by DE Bobby Hamilton after reaching the New England 16, and the Patriots were able to eat up almost all of the remaining time with an 18-play possession. New England came away with a big 38-17 win.

The Colts led in total yards (484 to 385) and first downs (28 to 19) but were beaten by big plays and blocked kicks (prior to the two blocked field goals in the first quarter, Mike Vanderjagt had had only two of his previous 100 attempts blocked). They had difficulty scoring when they got inside the red zone and turned the ball over twice while New England suffered no turnovers. The Patriots sacked Peyton Manning four times while the Colts never got to Tom Brady.

David Patten was the biggest star for the Patriots as he became the first player since Walter Payton of the Bears in 1979 to account for a touchdown by rushing, receiving, and passing in the same NFL game. His overall statistics were four catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns, one rushing attempt for 29 yards and a TD, and one pass completion for a 60-yard score.

Tom Brady had a fine performance, completing 16 of 20 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Troy Brown caught 8 passes for 120 yards and TD. RB Antowain Smith led the rushing attack with 71 yards on 21 carries.

Several noteworthy offensive performances for the Colts went to waste. Peyton Manning was successful on 22 of 34 throws for 335 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Edgerrin James gained 143 yards on 30 rushing attempts. Marvin Harrison had 8 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown.

“It started out bad with the blocked field goal and it didn’t get a whole lot better,” summed up Jim Mora for the Colts.

It did get better for the Colts with wins over the next two weeks, but they were followed with seven losses in the last nine games. Indianapolis sank to 6-10 and a fourth place finish in their last AFC East season, which also was the end for Jim Mora’s coaching reign.

New England, on the other hand, lost its next game but then won eight of nine to win the AFC East with an 11-5 record. The improbable climb continued to a Super Bowl upset of the St. Louis Rams.

Rising quickly out of obscurity, Tom Brady had a Pro Bowl year, completing 63.9 percent of his passes for 2843 yards with 18 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

David Patten caught 51 passes for 749 yards (14.7 avg.) and four touchdowns. He ran the ball five times for 67 yards with the TD against the Colts his only one of the year (and, for that matter, his career) and had one other passing attempt, which was intercepted. Formerly with the Giants and Browns, the undersized (5’10”, 190) but fast fifth-year wide receiver went on to play a total of four seasons in New England where he was a member of three championship squads. 

2003: Fred Taylor Runs for 152 Yards as Jaguars Upset Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a dreadful 1-7 as they hosted the 7-1 Indianapolis Colts at ALLTEL Stadium on November 9, 2003. Jacksonville was coming off of three straight losing seasons and was struggling under first-year Head Coach Jack Del Rio. Veteran QB Mark Brunell, anticipated to be on his way out after eight seasons with the club, was injured and had been replaced by rookie first-round draft pick Byron Leftwich, who was experiencing typical growing pains. Moreover, the Jaguars had never beaten the Colts in five meetings (they had only just become members of the same division as a result of the NFL’s realignment the previous year).

It hardly seemed likely that the Jaguars would have better luck this time against Head Coach Tony Dungy’s Colts. With significant playmakers on offense that included QB Peyton Manning, WR Marvin Harrison, and RB Edgerrin James and a tough defense anchored by DE Dwight Freeney, the Colts were playing like a championship contender and had pulled out some impressive wins along the way.

Jaguars RB Fred Taylor (pictured above) set the tone in the lead-up to the game as he complained about excessively rough play by Colts rookie SS Mike Doss in the previous meeting of the two teams earlier in the season and said, “I'm going to punish him. If he hits me, fine, but if I catch him, believe me, I'm going to get the better shot.” The veteran running back, one of the key players on the offense, was both healthy and motivated, and ultimately, the team gained a lift as a result.

It was Indianapolis getting on the board first, though, as Manning connected with Harrison for a 30-yard touchdown. Jacksonville responded with a seven-play, 43-yard drive later in the first quarter that ended with Taylor running for a five-yard touchdown. But the second quarter was all Colts as Mike Vanderjagt kicked field goals of 27 and 26 yards and TE Marcus Pollard scored a touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Manning just before the end of the half. Indianapolis had a seemingly-secure 20-7 lead at the intermission. However, they had lost Harrison for the remainder of the game due to a strained hamstring.

The Jaguars, who had been held to 85 total yards in the first half, opened the third quarter with an 80-yard drive in 13 plays that resulted in Leftwich running for a four-yard touchdown. Then, early in the fourth quarter, Leftwich completed a 28-yard pass to TE George Wrighster that bounced off of at least three Colts defenders before the tight end pulled it in. Leftwich followed up with a 43-yard touchdown pass to veteran WR Jimmy Smith, and with the successful extra point, Jacksonville was in the lead at 21-20.

The Colts came right back as Manning completed a pass to Pollard for a 70-yard gain to the Jaguars’ nine yard line, but an apparent touchdown throw to WR Troy Walters was nullified because Walters had stepped out of bounds prior to making the catch. The Colts settled for a 27-yard field goal by Vanderjagt to retake the lead, 23-21, with 5:16 left on the clock.

Jacksonville responded by driving to the Indianapolis 11, but an attempted field goal was botched when holder Mark Royals couldn’t handle the snap and, tossing a desperation pass, was intercepted by LB David Thornton.

There were just over two minutes remaining, but the Colts were unable to gain a first down that would have allowed them to run out the clock and had to punt. The short kick was returned 27 yards by Jacksonville RB David Allen to the Indianapolis 31. Two plays later, and after losing a yard, Taylor broke three tackles (including one by Doss) and ran 32 yards for a touchdown.

The Jaguars had a five-point lead, but the Colts still had one last opportunity with a timeout remaining. However, with 11 seconds left safety Deke Cooper picked off a Manning pass to seal the stunning 28-23 win for the Jaguars.

Jacksonville dominated the second half, gaining 268 of 353 total yards and successfully converting seven of eight third down situations. The Colts outgained the Jaguars overall with 394 yards, but the fact that the yardage total ended up being so close and that the clubs were even with 20 first downs apiece testified to Jacksonville’s strong second half surge after being dominated for the first two quarters.


Fred Taylor had his best game of the season, gaining 152 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns; he also caught two passes for another 32 yards. Byron Leftwich (pictured at left) had his strongest performance to date, completing 12 of 22 passes for 179 yards with a TD and none intercepted. Jimmy Smith led the receivers with four catches for 87 yards and a score.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was successful on 28 of 45 passes for 347 yards with two touchdowns, but also two interceptions. Edgerrin James led the rushers with just 44 yards on 15 carries – he went largely unused during much of the second half and was replaced by Ricky Williams, considered the better receiver out of the backfield, although he was co-leader for the Colts with six pass receptions (for 26 yards). WR Reggie Wayne also caught six passes, for 46 yards, while Marcus Pollard gained 92 yards and scored a TD on his three receptions.

A frustrated James complained in the locker room afterward, “Maybe I'm not good enough, but I don't make those decisions. I don't know why we had so many screens called. That's not my call. I just do my job.” However, all was well the next week as he ran for 127 yards, Manning passed for 401, and the Colts defeated the Jets. Indianapolis ended the regular season atop the AFC South with a 12-4 record and won two playoff games before succumbing to New England in the AFC Championship game.

A happy Fred Taylor said afterward, “I probably should have just taken the silent approach, but sometimes things happen, so I just put it out there, and my teammates backed me up.” The Jaguars crashed back to earth at Tennessee the next week in a 10-3 loss, but won three more games the rest of the way to finish at 5-11, the same as the Texans, at the bottom of the division.

Taylor ranked sixth in the NFL with a career-high 1572 yards on 345 carries (4.6 avg.) with six touchdowns. In 11 seasons with Jacksonville, he gained 11,271 yards on the ground.

While his career with the Jaguars was ultimately disappointing, Byron Leftwich had a decent rookie season in which he completed 57.2 % of his passes and averaged a healthy 11.8 yards on 239 completions. He threw 14 touchdown passes, against 16 interceptions.

2003: Ball Control – and a Fake FG – Helps Colts Overcome Big Plays by Jets

The New York Jets were struggling with a 3-6 record as they took on the 7-2 Colts at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on November 16, 2003. The Colts were coming off a loss to Jacksonville and were missing star wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who was out with a hamstring injury, while New York had won for the third time in five games at Oakland.

Following a 31-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt of the Colts, the Jets scored the first touchdown of the game on a 62-yard pass play from QB Chad Pennington to WR Jonathan Carter. However, the Colts came back with a TD pass of their own from QB Peyton Manning to WR Troy Walters that covered 46 yards. After two short scoring runs by RB Edgerrin James in the second quarter, with a Jets field goal in between, Indianapolis held a 24-10 lead at the half.

New York came back strong with three touchdowns in just over eight minutes in the third quarter, starting with WR Curtis Conway hauling in a 28-yard TD pass from Pennington. The Colts responded with James scoring his third short touchdown run of the day, but Carter returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a TD to again shorten the Indianapolis lead to 31-24. The game was tied when Jets WR Santana Moss scored on a pass play from Pennington that covered 48 yards.

Indianapolis drove to the Jets 21 yard line and went ahead to stay when punter Hunter Smith, the holder for placekicks, ran for a touchdown on a fake field goal attempt. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the Colts defense stiffened, and Manning finally settled the matter with a 35-yard pass to WR Reggie Wayne in a third and seven situation for a game-clinching first down with 1:46 remaining in the contest.

Showing the significance of big plays in keeping the Jets in the game, the Colts ran far more plays (77 to 34) for more yards (538 to 324) and controlled the ball far longer (38:52 to 21:08). Manning completed 27 of 36 passes for 401 yards and a TD, with none intercepted. The Colts had two receivers hit the 100-yard threshold, Reggie Wayne with 141 (on a team-leading 9 receptions) and TE Dallas Clark with an even 100 on five catches.

But while Manning had an outstanding game even with his best receiver on the sideline, it was Edgerrin James who helped the most to keep the Colts offense on the field (and the Jets offense off of it), running 36 times for 127 yards, including the three scores. James had complained in the previous week’s loss about a lack of carries, but workload wasn’t an issue in this contest. He also passed Lydell Mitchell’s franchise record of 5487 yards to become the all-time rushing leader for the Colts.

The Jets benefited most from Jonathan Carter’s 242 yards on six kickoff returns, including the one TD; when combined with his long scoring reception, his total yardage for the day came to 304. Chad Pennington had an efficient performance, completing 11 of 14 passes for 219 yards and three TDs, while RB Curtis Martin had 105 rushing yards on just 13 carries. Overall, New York averaged 9.4 yards per play.

“Defensively, we couldn’t get off the field enough times,” said a disappointed Jets Head Coach Herman Edwards afterward. Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy summed up his team’s win by saying “Championship teams find ways to win games differently…We've won 9-6 games, we've won games where we shut people down, we won today because we outscored them.”

Indianapolis ended up winning the AFC South with a 12-4 record and advanced to the conference championship, losing to New England. The Jets won three of their next four games and finished with a 6-10 record at the bottom of the AFC East along with Buffalo.

For the year, Peyton Manning led the NFL in passing yards (4267), completion percentage (67.0), and passes completed (379). Edgerrin James rushed 310 times for 1259 yards and 11 touchdowns, his third thousand-yard season and first since 2000.