Posted on 01/16/2005 5:54:15 PM PST by bikepacker67
FOXBORO, Mass. Jan 16, 2005 — The New England Patriots are a game away from their third Super Bowl trip in four years, thanks to a stifling defense that shut down Peyton Manning and his receivers. Corey Dillon and New England's ball-control offense rushed for more than 200 yards Sunday and kept the NFL's MVP on the sidelines as the Patriots rolled to a 20-3 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Patriots will be in Pittsburgh for next week's AFC title game.
Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest and coach Bill Belichick's defense frustrated Manning on all but a couple of drives. Manning was 27 for 42 for 238 yards, but the Colts could only fashion a field goal.
Manning is now 0-7 in Foxboro, where he lost his second straight playoff game in the snow. In the Patriots' 24-14 win over the Colts in last year's AFC championship game, Manning was helpless in even whiter conditions, throwing four interceptions.
The main beneficiary was Dillon, who rushed for 144 yards in his first NFL playoff game in his eight seasons.
Tom Brady threw for one touchdown, ran for another and completed 18 passes in 27 attempts for 144 yards as he improved to 7-0 in playoff games.
New England (15-2) led 6-0 on Adam Vinatieri's field goals of 24 and 31 yards in the second quarter with the first one capping a 16-play, 78-yard march that lasted 9 minutes, 7 seconds.
The only points Indianapolis (13-5) scored came on Mike Vanderjagt's 23-yard field goal on the last play of the first half.
When Brady threw a 5-yard scoring pass to David Givens to cap a third-quarter drive that lasted 8:16, Manning had to make his remaining possessions count against the hard-hitting defense.
He didn't and Brady followed with a drive 94-yard drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run.
Facing a 20-3 deficit with 7:10 left, even Manning couldn't do much.
The Patriots proved once again they could win without their best defenders. Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour was sidelined with a knee injury and starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole are on injured reserve.
They did it against a team that had the fifth highest scoring season in NFL history then led Denver 35-3 at halftime of a 49-24 divisional playoff win a week earlier in Indianapolis.
And the season ended for the Colts where it started. They lost the season opener there 27-24 when Vanderjagt missed a 48-yard field goal attempt in the final minute.
I tried to get onto the Indianapolis Star website to chat with Indy fanOhh please post a link. I have tomorrow off (thanks MLK) and could enjoy a bit of lurking schadenfreude.
Did you at least catch the 38 - 9 thrashing of the Redskins (in '84)?
That game was on my third birthday, so at least I was alive for that one.
I'm sure now that Belicheck is in Manning's head. Manning looked nervous from the start. Psychology can play a big role in sports. The Colts coming to Foxboro reminds me of when the Patriots used to travel to Mile High. You never held much hope of winning.
I cant believe those idiots had t-shirts made up....big mistake
They need to work on the D cause they cant get home field losing 4 and 5 games and they cant win outdoors in january
I got the pats cause the steelers sucked saturday and were damn lucky to pull it off...big ben looking like a rookie lately
The Colts coming to Foxboro reminds me of when the Patriots used to travel to Mile High. You never held much hope of winning.Until, of course, you willingly give up a safety for better field position! Perhaps BB's most brilliant call!
Yep, too bad you weren't around back then. ....back in the days when Al Davis rarely missed an opportunity to tout the Raiders as "the winningest franchise in professional sports history." (And it was the truth). But alas, those days a Long gone.
From a winning percentage standpoint, that is. ....or was.
"They need to work on the D cause they cant get home field losing 4 and 5 games and they cant win outdoors in january"
They can't! Payton and the rest of the offensive prima donnas have consumed a monstrous portion of the salary cap.
As you can imagine I had an absolute blast at the game yesterday.
That chant was heard before, during, and after the game. The Indy fans that were there were not amused.
The list of football "experts" who have to eat crow today is huge. The Patriots were sick and tired of hearing about the almighty Colts.
If the Pats don't turn the ball over I think they'll win.
Manning was nervous but his receivers were beyond pitiful. They played like they were scared out of their minds!
They were.
I was up there, too. It was almost perfect football weather, not quite cold enough 8^)
We kept trying to get a "Hoosier Daddy" chant going, but it fell short numerous times so we joined in with the "Cut that meat" crowd.
Never did I think that we would hold them to 3 pts. Talk about a punch in the mouth!
Bring on the Squealers Steelers! The best team in football. They'll be the first to tell you that! I like out chances. 13-0 against opposing QB when they face them the second time.
Leave it up to the Jets to blow yet another prime opportunity. If not for those clowns, we'd be hosting another game. Although for the good of my health, and my marriage, it's probably best that we aren't ;^)
Every single one of them was looking to either fall down or run out of bounds rather than take a hit. They should be ashamed. As I was walking into the stadium yesterday one Colt fan assured me that Dallas Clark would run over the "small" Patriot DB's. How many balls did he drop? I lost count.
As you can imagine I had an absolute blast at the game yesterday.Any Pictures?
Where were you sitting? I was up in 335.
Unfortunately I forgot my camera. I'm scrolling through yesterday's big playoff thread to see how the Indy fans reacted to yesterday's game. Did the one's who were running their mouths all week admit they were wrong?
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