COLT CLASSIC
Indy hands Peyton 13th playoff ’L’
DENVER — The Colts finally buried the ghost of Peyton Manning Sunday, and they might have thrown the last shovel of dirt on his storied career, too.
Whether Indianapolis gave up too soon on Manning three years ago was answered definitively on a chilly afternoon at Sports Authority Field where Andrew Luck and the Colts advanced to the AFC Championship Game by eliminating Manning’s Broncos with a 2413 divisional victory.
The Colts also might have sent their onetime franchise icon into retirement after the 38yearold Manning wheezed his way through a performance so dreadful the crowd booed him throughout the afternoon.
If this was Manning’s final NFL game — and he refused to guarantee after the game that it wasn’t — the result was another chapter in an otherwise glittering career marred by playoff futility.
It was Manning’s 13th playoff loss, his ninth postseason oneanddone and his sixth playoff defeat at home. All three totals are the most of any quarterback in NFL his
tory.
Asked if he planned to return next season, Manning was noncommittal.
“My mindset right now is just disappointment,” he said. “I need to process this game, and we’ll meet [Monday].”
While Manning was overthrowing receivers left and right and completing just 26of46 passes for 211 yards, Luck was leading the Colts to a trip to New England next Sunday for the right to go to the Super Bowl.
Luck completed 27of43 throws for 265 yards and two scores, and his two interceptions were essentially thirddown punts that proved inconsequential. The result was Indianapolis’ first AFC title game berth since the 2009 season, and Luck will be trying to redeem himself
after throwing four interceptions in an ugly, 4322 loss in Foxborough in the division round last season.
The Colts also dropped a 4220 decision to the Patriots in Indy just two months ago.
“Wins are sweet no matter what, and I don’t get caught up in the story lines or the emotions of being the underdog,” Luck said when asked about beating Manning.
The Colts led just 1410 at halftime, but made a 15yard TD grab by exGiant Hakeem Nicks midway through the third quarter and an Adam Vinatieri field goal stand up thanks to a defense that never let Manning or Broncos running back C.J. Anderson get anything going.
Realiz ing Manning had absolutely no zip on the ball because of age and his thigh injury, the Colts flooded the middle of the field with defensive backs and forced Manning to try to connect on deep sideline throws.
The Broncos mustered just one field goal in the second half, and their hopes ended with 2:40 left when Manning threw a 4yard pass to Anderson on fourthand8 and Anderson couldn’t make it to the marker.
That was typical of a day in which a Colts defense that allowed 30 or more points five times in the regu lar season came together and stifled Manning in almost every way possible.
The Broncos had one of the best redzone offenses in the NFL this season, but made it inside the Colts’ 20 once all day. Even worse, a Denver offense perennially among the league’s best in thirddown efficiency converted just 25 percent (4of16) on Sunday.
“How did I play today? Not well,” Manning said. “Not good enough. I didn’t play well enough, and I give them a lot of credit. I didn’t play as well consistently in the second half of the season, and I can’t give you a great reason for that.”
Broncos coach John Fox — who might not be back himself, according to a pregame report — said he thinks Manning is “definitely healthy enough” to continue playing next season, but Manning didn’t sound so sure.
The one thing that appeared certain Sunday was that, at least when it comes to the Colts, the torch at quarterback had finally and officially been passed.
“That guy,” Nicks said, pointing to Luck, “is going to do a lot of special things before he’s done.”