They came, they saw, they tried.
And they won.
The Colts, who according to president Bill Polian would coast after nailing down the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, went all out on Thursday night and toppled the playoff-desperate Jaguars, 35-31.
But it wasn’t easy. An interception by rookie defensive back Jacob Lacey thwarted what would have been a go-ahead Jacksonville drive with less than a minute to play.
The win extends to 24 the all-time best regular-season victory streak, and it was delivered via a 65-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to receiver Reggie Wayne.
The Colts now are the third team in NFL history to win 14 games to start a season. They are two regular-season victories from matching the only 16-0 season — and five from the first-ever 19-0 campaign.
After the game, quarterback Peyton Manning told NFL Network’s Scott Hanson that the players won’t lobby to continue to pursue perfection, and that they’ll defer to coach Jim Caldwell.
But Manning then made his only preferences known — he wants to keep trying.
Great game. Just fell short at the end. Good teams don’t have illegal procedure calls negating a big play and then have a WR run the wrong route on a game winning drive. When those things happen they become game losing drives.
Peyton played awesome (the 1 INT was totally on Dallas Clark.) The patchwork defense came up big late in the 4th quarter.
Garrard just cememted Tebow as the Jags 1st draft pick next year.
Keep up the good work, Colts.
Pats SUCK
LMFAO!!!!!
Not to take anything away from the Colts, but week after week their opponents are just giving away games. That Wayne TD was just awful. And Garrard missed multiple throws to wide open receivers on the last two drives. It seems like teams are just choking week after week against Indy.
NFL Network has 2 prime games this week with Saints and Colts and they dish out garbage.
Cringe at the thought of having to sit through another broadcast with the Saints and Cowboys. If they want people to pay for their product they need to make it at least comparable to the free network channels, if not better.
Currently it is not even close. Get the NBC, FOX, CBS or ESPN crews doing the technical work in the next contract.
At least I didn’t hear any memorable sound bites.
“But Manning then made his only preferences known — he wants to keep trying.”
Hey…. you only live once. Life is too short, just go all out and keep trying to stay undefeated.
The Streak Is 23 I believe, not 24.
Good for the Colts.
You play to win the game!
I hope the Saints do the same when they face off against the Cowboys on Saturday night.
Wow. It didnt go so well for Colts when they did rest starters (upset losses to Chargers 2 of last 3 playoff games).
Maybe they should just continue to play.
Mr, Florio.
I know this is the last PFT post of the night.
Know why? Because it was posted at 11:18 PM
WHAT THE FRICK IS WITH 11:18 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME?
Every day PFT ends at 11:18 PM E.S.T.
Does Mrs. Florio have an alarm clock that goes off… at exactly 11:18 PM E.S.T. Then walks in the room 2 seconds later and smacks you in the head.
There are people on the West Coast who log on this site you know.
Hire Someone to work the night shift… At least until 11:18 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.
Other than that… Make It A Great Tomorrow.
If Florio has to post many more positive stories regarding the Colts he will end up shutting down this site.
I take issue with “it wasn’t easy” did you not watch the game? It was pretty easy Manning could score whenever he needed to.
They played Mathis and Freeney lightly and would have played them more if it “wasn’t easy”
I feel for Jack Del Rio and the Jags. They gave it their all just to lose so suddenly..It was a great game though.
Thank you Colts!!! Ravens move to 6th seed.
If Florio has to post many more positive stories regarding the Colts he will end up shutting down this site.
I take issue with “it wasn’t easy” did you not watch the game? It was pretty easy Manning could score whenever he needed to.
They played Mathis and Freeney lightly and would have played them more if it “wasn’t easy”
As a Time Warner customer, I have to ask… What is this NFL Network of which you speak?
holy double posts batman
And lol at the person saying the Colts get games handed to them
Yeah they had nothing to do with winning
sheesh
I take issue with “it wasn’t easy” did you not watch the game? It was pretty easy Manning could score whenever he needed to.
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Did YOU watch the game? It was anything but easy. The Colts are one of the best teams in the league, but their defense was garbage without DFree/Mathis getting consistent minutes.
While I’m glad I get the NFL Network, the broadcasts are so minor league it’s pitiful. Other than being in HD, their is not much good to say.
Too bad they ended up with games featuring two undefeated teams this week.
Raider Pride says:
December 17, 2009 11:41 PM
Mr, Florio.
I know this is the last PFT post of the night.
Know why? Because it was posted at 11:18 PM
WHAT THE FRICK IS WITH 11:18 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME?
Every day PFT ends at 11:18 PM E.S.T.
Does Mrs. Florio have an alarm clock that goes off… at exactly 11:18 PM E.S.T. Then walks in the room 2 seconds later and smacks you in the head.
There are people on the West Coast who log on this site you know.
Hire Someone to work the night shift… At least until 11:18 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.
Other than that… Make It A Great Tomorrow.
———————————————–
Ummm… NEVER MIND.
the streak ends next week as the league’s #1 defense is heading into indy. wayne will be a non-factor with darrelle revis on him and peyton will be on his back all day.
They’ll go down as the first 16-0 team to exit the playoffs in the divisional round.
Just like Peyton the 13 straight receptions only to throw the 14th to a Jag.
Even in error, there is perfection.
@ADX, I started the post by saying “not to take anything away from the Colts.” Kudos to them for putting themselves in position to win every week. That does not change the fact that Belichek handed them a win or that the Jags blew coverages and missed wide open receivers at key moments. PS, learn how to punctuate, you inbred.
14-0? Well I guess it’s that time again……
Mercury Morris time!
http://thesportscourier.com/content/tsc-interviews-college-footballnfl-legend-eugene-mercury-morris
To FarveOnHGH: Judging from your idiotic opinions, you apparently overdosed on HGH and a few other things:
1) Garrard had a very good game. It just so happens, that as usual, Peyton Manning outplayed the opposing QB. That Jags would have won this game against almost any other team.
2) The NFL Network is the greatest thing since the two point conversion for people that REALLY love the game. Not having to sift thru all the other garbage sports that the other channels concern themselves with (especially ESPN), is worth having to deal with the occasional technical glitch.
“Cringe at the thought of having to sit through another broadcast with the Saints and Cowboys.”
Then don’t watch it? Jeez some people are simple.
The free broadcast on NFL.com was like listening to an old AM disc jockey. They forgot the game as they fell in love with their own analysis. They wouldn’t shut up and cut away from the game to blab. WTF was that about….
I hate Peyton Manning. He’s officially become the Michael Jordan of the NFL. I’m tired of seeing him using all his talent to destroy his opponents. He’s just so damn good that he sucks. The guy even does commercials better than most.
You suck Manning !
I wonder why the Jags didn’t really use Maurice Jones-Drew-Joyner-Kersee in the second half all that much. They might have still lost, but I thought the physical, grind-it-out strategy was pretty effective in the first half.
Congrats to the Colts.
I would like to see them go all the way. This team deserves it.
-Patriots fan
NFL Network is the *only* cable channel on our system, out of about 300, that has these weird, faint, vertical red lines running through the picture at all times. I would think it’s Verizon’s fault except that NFLN is the ONLY channel that it happens on.
NFL Network needs to hire some qualified broadcast technicians.
I’m available
Wow, where do I start? Good offensive game, except for those miscommunications play b/t Garrard and Sims-Walker and the over throwns to Holt. Defense once again proves why it is last in the league in sack and 26th in pass defense. Just a let down. By the way, did everyone see that GHOST false start on the final drive with a 19 yard completion to Marcedes. They even replayed it and NO ONE moved. Refs can’t make stupid calls like that in game winning drive, unacceptable.
This team really needs gutting inside and out. Dirk Koetter is done. 1 good offesive game out of 15 ain’t gonna cut it. Mel Tucker is a good D coordinator, but this defense is irrelevant. Outside of Mathis, Cox, Durant and Ingram, there’s nothing there. Age has caught up with Big John and Harvey is a complete know show again. And REGGIE NELSON, time’s up with this guy. You made a draft mistake now time to move on. Seriously.
if garrard didnt blow game on that last drive with poorly, i mean terribly thrown off target, passes(plural) plus didnt run when he had lots of room to pick up at least 10 more yards, colts and their supposedly solid defense was beaten and jacksonville a team who usually can’t score much would have put up 38 on them.
but just another case when on the only game going on the much the better team on paper this time colts now 14-0 are either matched or outplayed by an inferior squad this time jacksonville now 7-7.
expect the same or worse tomorrow night in new orleans a team that scored 48 on giants and on eagles.
Jags4Life:
By the way, did everyone see that GHOST false start on the final drive with a 19 yard completion to Marcedes. They even replayed it and NO ONE moved. Refs can’t make stupid calls like that in game winning drive, unacceptable.
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You can thank the NFL Network for that. It wasn’t a false start, it was an illegal formation. NFL Network announced it wrong.
ARe you going to go out on a witch hunt for the next week on Reggie Nelson? His “pathetic” attemt to defend Reggie Waynes TD was an embarrassment to the sport.
Regarding the NFL Network, I really don’t know what the hell any of you are talking about. The broadcast is fine.
Hey guys I am back, the #1 hater!
Sorry if you missed me, but I had to take care of some indiscretions i may have had with a few SHEEP!!!
Pats RULE!!
LMFAO!!!!
A great game by the Jags (except for Reggie Nelson who doesn’t seem to want to tackle anyone). Another good draft and we’ll be playoff contenders next year.
Great game!! Manning was really flawless, Clark sometimes has mental lapses and caused his interception. I really want to see Manning go for it all this year. I have really been hard on the Colts coaching in recent years, I really don’t like Polian, but I seem to be likeing Caldwell better then Dungy.
Manning has a chance to break the completion record, yardage record and throw for 40 tds this year. He would be the only behind Warner and Marino for quarterbacks who have thrown for 40 tds at least twice in their career and Manning is still young and could break it next year. He has a chance to become the greatest quarterback of all time possibly this year, don’t take that from him Polian.
Jag4Life – “Outside of Mathis, Cox, Durant and Ingram, there’s nothing there” – how can you leave Daryl Smith out?? Nelson is 2nd string at best – where’s JDR’s “if you are not producing, you are not playing?” How he sits Nelson rest of the season….Gerald Alexander is terrific!!