Nov

12

Manning’s 6 INT’s, late botched FG boost Chargers past Colts 23-21

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers 

San Diego Chargers return specialist Darren Sproles (43) spikes the ball as teammate Antonio Cromartie (31) looks on, after Sproles scored the first of his two touchdowns in the Chargers
The matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers had the makings of a suspense novel – lots of subplots, unusual twists and turns and a touch of weirdness. And the central characters of the novel are Peyton Manning and to an extent, Adam Vinatieri. In any other game, 6 interceptions thrown by any NFL quarterback would mean a certain defeat by that QB’s team.

But this is Peyton Manning we’re talking about, people. Manning almost – almost – pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. But it took a missed 29-yard field goal by Vinatieri to seal the win for San diego, as they squeaked by Indianapolis 23-21. The game in and of itself started bad for the Colts. Chargers return specialist Darren Sproles returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown; he would later score on a 45-yard punt return.

But the Colts, as is their custom, staged a near-miraculous comeback. With San Diego up 23-7, Manning tossed a TD pass to running back Kenton Keith, making the score 23-15 Chargers. It gets better. On a 3rd-and 10, from the Chargers 8-yard line, San Diego QB Philip Rivers went back to pass, only to have the ball slip out of his hand and into the end zone. Rivers tried to punch the ball out of the end zone, but it instead was recovered by Colts linebacker Gary Brackett for a TD, closing the gap to 23-21. The climactic ending happened when the Colts’ Vinatieri, as previously mentioned, missed a very makeable 29-yard FG that went wide right.

Manning went a record 34-of-56 (a team record) for 328 yards with 2 TD’s and yes – 6 INT’s (also a team record). Running back Joseph Addai had a mediocre effort, rushing 22 times for 56 yards; but the offensive star for Indianapolis was wide receiver Reggie Wayne, who caught 10 passes for 140 yards and a TD. Tight end Bryan Fletcher caught a career-high 8 balls for 55 yards. San Diego, who was outgained by Indianapolis offensively 386-177, were led by RB LaDanian Tomlinson with 76 yards on the ground. But the star of the Chargers was without a doubt the aforementioned return specialist Darren Sproles. He returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns – which made the difference for San Diego.

San Diego (5-4), which now owns first place in the AFC Worst AFC West, will travel east to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday, while Indianapolis (7-2), which now holds a slim 1-game lead over Jacksoville and Tennessee in the AFC South, will return home to host the Kansas City Chiefs, also on Sunday.


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