It took exactly 59 excruciatingly competitive minutes on Sunday night,
but when the Indianapolis Colts finally wrestled the lead from the New
England Patriots, they didn't let it go. Not this time. No chance.
The Colts are going to the Super Bowl, and Peyton Manning is the
reason why. It was poetic justice - and one of the all-time greatest
conference title games ever played offensively.
Neither team could stop the other until Marlin Jackson picked off a
Tom Brady pass in the final minute to solidify the Colts' 38-34
victory and set off a raucous celebration inside the RCA Dome.
Sitting on Indianapolis' bench, Manning smiled ever so briefly, then
removed his baseball hat and put on his helmet. His teammates were far
less composed, and a moment later, after Manning took a knee, the
celebration commenced, one this town has waited for since the Colts
arrived in Indianapolis 23 years ago.
Manning hugged his nemesis, Brady, who was flawless until the end.
Then he found Tony Dungy, and the quarterback and coach embraced. As
blue-and-silver confetti drifted from the ceiling, Manning, followed
by a horde of photographers, jogged to one end zone, where his father,
Archie, stood.
The father hugged his son, then took an AFC champions hat from him,
pumped his fist and smiled.
The proverbial monkey has been removed. At least for a while.
Dungy will join Chicago's Lovie Smith as the first two African
Americans ever to coach in the Super Bowl. Smith's Bears crushed the
New Orleans Saints, 39-14, earlier in the day, and now he will face
his dear friend.
"It means a lot," Dungy said. "I'm very proud to represent African
American coaches. I'm so proud of Lovie ... but more than that, today
this is about the Indianapolis Colts and our team, and we're so
excited."
The Colts needed every one of their 455 yards of offense to mount the
biggest comeback in championship-game history. Manning finished 27 of
47 for 349 yards and one touchdown, with one interception. He hit nine
receivers, including former Temple defensive tackle Dan Klecko, who
caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter in the midst of
Indianapolis' comeback from a 21-6 halftime deficit.
Tight end Dallas Clark led all receivers with six catches for 137
yards, and Marvin Harrison had four catches for 41 yards.
Brady was even more efficient, completing 21 of 34 passes for 232
yards and a touchdown. But his interception was the difference in the
game. Trailing by four, the Patriots were driving with relative ease
and were at the Colts' 40-yard line with plenty of time.
For the Patriots, winners of three of the last five Super Bowls, it
was not to be.
The Colts, who had twice lost to New England in the playoffs, now get
their chance at a Super Bowl victory, and no one was happier about
that development than Manning.
"That sounds good, it really does," Manning said during the AFC trophy
presentation.
Manning admitted that he tweaked the thumb on his throwing hand midway
through the second half, during a rare drive that went three-and-out.
On the sideline after that drive, trainers examined Manning's thumb,
and then he took a few practice throws.
He said there was a question about whether he could return, but
"adrenaline carried through."
Trailing, 34-31, with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the game, the
Colts took over on their 20-yard line. Driving long distances in short
periods of time had not been a problem after halftime, and this time
was no different.
Manning hit backup tight end Bryan Fletcher with a 32-yard pass that
moved Indianapolis into New England territory. On the next play,
Manning found Reggie Wayne in the open field with a perfect pass that
Wayne caught, and then bobbled, momentarily freezing the crowd.
Wayne hauled in the pass while the Patriots were flagged for a
roughing-the-passer penalty that moved the ball to the 11-yard line.
Then the plan was simple.
Joseph Addai for 5 yards. Addai for 3 more. And the rookie Addai up
the middle, virtually untouched, for 3 yards and the game-winning TD
with a minute left.
"We talked in the locker room at halftime," Dungy said, "and said we
just have to keep our poise and continue to play and we'd have a
chance in the fourth quarter. ... They're such a unified group."
And now they're bound for the Super Bowl.
Last week, Dungy called it poetic justice that the Colts would have to
beat the Patriots to have a chance at achieving their season-long
goal, and poetic justice it was.
Great game. Incredible victory.
"Obviously there's a lot of emotion in that locker room," Dungy said.
"I could not be more proud of our guys. We had to do it the hard way.
We had to go through a great champion, and that wasn't easy to do. ...
I was really happy for Peyton. He was very, very calm. ... It's just
fitting. Our team went the hard way the whole year, but they hung
tough."
And now the Colts are going to the Super Bowl.
Finally.
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