Colts 37, Patriots 27

This game promised to be an offensive show and it did not disappoint.

  The Colts won the toss and with a slight breeze elected to receive the kick. A 14 play drive from their own 32 ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal.  Ellis Hobbs took the kickoff at his own 1 yard line and didn’t stop running until he reached the end zone.  Just that fast, the Patriots took a 7-3 lead.  But Chad Simpson wouldn’t be shown up.  He took the return kick on his 24 and he too stopped running only when he crossed the goal line.  The Colts were right back in the lead 10-7.  The two teams traded punts and then Tom Brady opened the second quarter by marching his Patriot offense to the 9 yard line.  A draw to Sammy Morris netted only two yards but cost the Patriots the services of Morris for the rest of the game and at least six more weeks.  The injury must have shaken up Brady because the next play resulted in an interception by Antoine Bethea.  The Patriot defense rose to the occasion and the Colts were forced to punt.  On a 4th and goal at the Colts 1, Heath Evans went in for the  score, but the Patriots were detected holding and had to settle for a field goal.  Starting from his own 37, Peyton Manning took just 7 plays to cover the 63 yards, finding Dallas Clark in the end zone for a 6 yard td pass and a 17-10 lead.  Stephen Gostowski and Vinatieri traded field goals to make the score 20-13.  Then Willie Andrews did an Ellis Hobbs imitation and starting at the 1, went 99 yards for the Pats second return for a touchdown today, tying the score at 20.  With 2:48 remaining in the half, Manning started at his own 32 and, using 2:05 off the clock, took his team into the end zone, again finding Clark (8-68-2), this time for a 16 yard catch.  The Pats did not have enough time left to put together a drive and the half ended 27-20.

  The Pats opened the second half with a three and out, followed by a Colt three and out.  The teams again traded punts and this time Brady started from his own 44.  Brady used up four and a half minutes before tossing a 14 yard td pass to Wes Welker (4-43-1) to again tie the game.  The Colts used the remaining time in the third quarter and started the fourth quarter of play with Manning hitting Reggie Wayne (8-160-1) for an 18 yard td pass.  The Patriots drive stalled and punted the ball to the Colts 2 with 11:23 remaining in the game.  Manning (33-40, 394 yds, 3 tds, 2 sacks) executed a 15 play drive that consumed nearly 9 and a half minutes ending with another Vinatieri field goal.  with 1:54 left in the game, Brady hit Donte Stallworth (3-85) for 36 yards.  Brady (15-28, 238 yds, 1 td, 2 ints, 2 sacks) was forced from the pocket on the next play for a 2 yard gain and then missed Randy Moss (1-18) deep.  The next pass to db Jacob lacey and the game ended there.  Laurence Maroney had 81 yards on 15 carries for the Pats.  Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie each caught 6 passes for 89 and 70 yards respectively. 

Colts 37  Patriots 27 – submitted by Tom “Crash” Davis--