|
|
|
|
|
Colts clinch division in Oakland
By Jeremy Kahn December 16, 2007 |
||
|
|
|||
|
OAKLAND-The Indianapolis Colts came to Oakland to accomplish three different things against the Oakland Raiders, and they accomplished all of them. Obviously, the first was to win the game, which they did by the final score of 21-14. “We're too far along to feel good because we played the world champs down on the 14-yard line to win the game,” said Lane Kiffin. “Who cares? We lost. We got to start winning these games. Some day we'll be that team that makes the plays and finishes people off like that.” Next on the list was to win the game, so they could win the AFC South for the fifth consecutive season and that was accomplished by the Colts. Finally, was to secure the other first round bye in the AFC, which they did as well. Peyton Manning threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to rookie Anthony Gonzalez with 4:49 remaining in the game. The touchdown from Manning to Gonzalez was the only offensive touchdown for the Colts, who raise their record to 12-2 on the season. “Play after play after play they were just making plays,” said. Warren Sapp. “We just couldn't get one. We couldn't get them in a situation where we had them and needed to make a play and got it done.” Justin Fargas gave the Raiders a 14-13 lead on a two-yard run with 10:29 in the fourth quarter, but Fargas was forced to leave the game later in the quarter due to a right knee injury. After the Fargas touchdown, the Colts were forced to start the drive at their own nine-yard line after a penalty that negated a 17-yard return by T.J. Rushing. Manning hooked up with Reggie Wayne for a nifty one-handed catch by the former University of Miami Hurricanes star. When the drive was all said and done, the Colts drove 91 yards in 12 plays that took five minutes 25 seconds to take the lead from the Raiders. Joseph Addai added a two-point conversion to push the Colts up to 21-14 with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Raiders were able to get down all the way down to the Colts’ 16-yard line, but Josh McCown’s fourth down pass to Jerry Porter was broken up by Kelvin Harden that gave the ball to the Colts on downs. Former Stanford star T.J. Rushing provided big excitement for the Colts in the first half, as he returned a Shane Lechler punt 90 yards to the end zone. The only other points scored by the Colts was on two Adam Vinatieri field goals. Addai gained just 44 yards on 15 carries, while Manning went 22-for-39 for 276 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Fargas carried the ball 26 times for 89 yards, as he went over the 1,000 mark for the first time in his professional career. McCown went 13-for-24 for 94 yards with a touchdown to Ronald Curry. On that touchdown to Curry, the Raiders went 99 yards on 20 plays in 11:49 to narrow the Colts lead down to 10-7. This long drive came after the Raiders defense was able to stop the Colts on fourth and goal from the Raiders one-yard line, as Thomas Howard was able to knock the Manning pass intended for Ben Utecht to fall to the ground. Howard also picked up his fifth interception, the most by a NFL linebacker Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens intercepted six in 2003. JaMarcus Russell played sparingly once again, as he went 2-for-5 for just 10 yards in the third quarter. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||