Manning, Colts ride to playoffs
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts were in playoff form yesterday. Now they'll have two weeks to prepare for the postseason.
Manning threw for 290 yards and five touchdowns, Edgerrin James ran for 126 yards, and the defense manhandled Michael Vick as the Colts beat Atlanta, 38-7.
Indianapolis's second straight win assured the Colts (11-3) of their fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, the first time that's happened since 1964-68. With Tennessee's win, the Colts will have to wait another week for a chance to clinch their first division title since 1999. One more win, or a Titans loss, gives Indianapolis the AFC South title.
Manning completed 25 of 30 passes, became the first Colts quarterback to throw for five TDs in a game twice in a season, and broke the NFL record for most consecutive seasons with 25 touchdown passes (six). In Wade Phillips's first game as interim coach for Atlanta (3-11), Vick was sacked four times and the Falcons' offense did almost nothing. Vick finished 6 of 19 for 47 yards.
Chiefs 45, Lions 17 -- Priest Holmes scored three touchdowns and Trent Green passed for 341 yards and three scores as Kansas City wrapped up the AFC West and handed Detroit its NFL record-tying 23d straight road loss.The Chiefs (12-2) had not won the AFC West since 1997, the last year they made the postseason. Holmes's scoring runs of 14, 9, and 3 yards ran his season total to 22, just three short of the NFL record held by Emmitt Smith. He needs four TDs rushing or receiving in his last two games to match the record set by Marshall Faulk in 1999.
The Lions (4-10) can surpass the record they now share with the Houston Oilers of the early 1980s at Carolina next week.
Rams 27, Seahawks 22 -- St. Louis (11-3) clinched the NFC West crown, its third division title in five years, as Marshall Faulk ran for 85 yards and led a clock-killing march that cemented the Rams' 13th straight home win. Faulk ended a string of four 100-yard games, but he had the ball on all nine plays in the clinching drive that started on the St. Louis 15 with 5:57 to go. Shaun Alexander had 126 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown for the Seahawks (8-6).
Broncos 23, Browns 20 -- Jason Elam hit a 36-yard field goal with six seconds left in regulation, then a 25-yarder in overtime, leading host Denver past Cleveland (4-10). Denver (9-5) has won three straight and four of five to stay ahead of Miami in the race for the final AFC wild-card spot. The Broncos hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Dolphins, who host Philadelphia tonight.
But star running back Clinton Portis, who had 139 yards and two touchdowns, had to be helped off the field after spraining his right ankle and knee on the play before Elam's winning kick.
Titans 28, Bills 26 -- In his first NFL start, Billy Volek threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as host Tennessee rallied to snap a two-game losing streak. With the ailing Steve McNair sitting for the first time in 43 games, Volek finished 26 of 41 for 295 yards. The Titans (10-4) didn't clinch a postseason spot, but remain the AFC's top contender for a wild-card berth. Buffalo (6-8) was eliminated from playoff contention.
The Bills had one last chance to force overtime when Drew Bledsoe found Mark Campbell on a 6-yard TD toss with 24 seconds left. But Bobby Shaw couldn't control a low pass on the 2-point conversion try.
Panthers 20, Cardinals 17 -- John Kasay kicked a 49-yard field goal with four seconds to play to help visiting Carolina (9-5) end a three-game losing streak and clinch the NFC South title. Neil Rackers, who missed a 35-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, kicked a 44-yarder with 1:15 to play to tie it for Arizona (3-11).
Bengals 41, 49ers 38 -- Chad Johnson caught the first of Jon Kitna's two touchdown passes, and Rudi Johnson ran for 174 yards and two more scores as host Cincinnati moved back into a first-place tie with Baltimore in the AFC North and left San Francisco (6-8) winless on the road and eliminated from postseason contention. The Bengals (8-6) took advantage of three costly 49er fumbles. Rudi Johnson's TDs came in the second half, giving Cincinnati its first win when allowing 38 points.
Bears 13, Vikings 10 -- Charles Tillman leaped in the corner of the end zone and took a pass out of Randy Moss's hands, intercepting Daunte Culpepper with 1:02 left to preserve a home win for Chicago (6-8). The loss dropped Minnesota (8-6) into a tie with Green Bay in the NFC North after the Packers beat San Diego.
Raiders 20, Ravens 12 -- Jerry Rice caught his second touchdown pass of the season and host Oakland (4-10) slowed down Jamal Lewis, snapping Baltimore's three-game winning streak.Baltimore (8-6) hasn't won on the road since Oct. 12, losing four straight. Though Lewis gained 125 yards on 24 attempts, the NFL's leading rusher couldn't get in the end zone.
Cowboys 27, Redskins 0 -- Rookie Terence Newman tied a team record with three interceptions, Pete Hunter had two fumble recoveries and an interception, and Troy Hambrick ran for a career-high 189 yards to power host Dallas (9-5), which eliminated Washington (5-9) from playoff contention.
Packers 38, Chargers 21 -- Brett Favre threw a season-high four TD passes and visiting Green Bay stayed alive in the NFC North title race by routing San Diego (3-11).
Saints 45, Giants 7 -- Aaron Brooks threw for 296 yards and five touchdowns, a team-record four to Joe Horn, as host New Orleans (7-7) sent New York (4-10) to its sixth straight loss to remain in the postseason hunt.
Buccaneers 16, Texans 3 -- Host Tampa Bay (7-7) kept its slim playoff hopes alive with its first two-game winning streak of the season, riding 134 yards rushing and a touchdown by Thomas Jones to beat Houston (5-9).
