Colts Win AFC Championship
Posted on January 21st, 2007 by
Unless you are a Patriots fan (which by the way, I’m not), tonights AFC championship game was one for the ages. Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts from a 18 point deficit to a 38-34 win. In fact the only time that the Colts actually led was in the final minute of the game after taking a 37-34 lead on Joseph Addai 3 yard run.
A comeback, a drive, a legacy. And yes — finally — Peyton Manning gets his Super Bowl trip, too.
Football’s most prolific quarterback put on a show for the ages Sunday, rallying the Indianapolis Colts from 18 points down and driving them 80 yards for the winning score in a wildly entertaining 38-34 victory over the New England Patriots.
In his nine years in the league, Manning has never played in a game like this AFC championship contest. He threw for 349 yards and one touchdown and brought his team back from a 21-3 deficit.
Joseph Addai capped Manning’s late drive with the winning score, a 3-yard run with 1 minute left to help the Colts (15-4) complete the rally and send coach Tony Dungy to his first Super Bowl — and a very special one.
Dungy and the Colts will face the Chicago Bears and his good friend Lovie Smith in Miami in two weeks. Together they are the first black coaches to make the Super Bowl in its 41 years.
After Indy’s last touchdown, Manning was on the sideline, his head down — he couldn’t bear to watch. New England’s Tom Brady — he of the three Super Bowl rings — threw an interception to Marlin Jackson and the RCA Dome crowd went wild. One kneel down later and Manning ripped off his helmet to celebrate.