NFL notes: Colts overcome Manning’s interceptions
Published 9:12 pm Sunday, December 13, 2009
Peyton Manning threw three interceptions in a game for the 14th time in his career. But it was only the second time his Indianapolis Colts could overcome those three thefts to win. Manning offset the three interceptions with four TD passes in a 28-16 victory over Denver.
Classy move by Denver WR Brandon Marshall after he caught a short first-half touchdown pass against the Colts at Indianapolis. He flipped the football to a fan in the stands four rows deep in the end zone wearing an orange “Marshall” jersey. It brought the woman to tears.
In upsetting the Jaguars in Jacksonville, 14-10, the Miami Dolphins won their fifth consecutive game in December under coach Tony Sparano.
Wes Welker became just the fourth player to post three consecutive 100-catch seasons. His 10 catches for 105 yards in a victory over Carolina gave him an NFL-leading 105 receptions and allowed him to join an exclusive NFL fraternity with Herman Moore, Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice.
Defending NFL rushing champion Adrian Peterson has only three 100-yard rushing games this season. But his 97-yard effort against Cincinnati’s No. 2-ranked run defense was his third game in the 90s.
Willis McGahee rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns for the Baltimore Ravens in a 48-3 romp over Detroit. This after rushing for 12 yards all of October and 77 yards all of November. McGahee lost his starting halfback position in September to Ray Rice, who gained 166 yards against the Lions.
The New Orleans Saints joined the Colts at 13-0 with a victory, but the Saints had to sweat out a 26-23 victory against Atlanta that included a late drive by the Falcons that crossed midfield in the final 90 seconds. Atlanta stayed close despite the injury absences of QB Matt Ryan and Pro Bowl RB Michael Turner. New Orleans has won its last two games on the road by a field goal apiece.
It was a bad start to a bad day by Tampa Bay rookie QB Josh Freeman. He threw an interception on his first pass and fumbled Tampa Bay’s third snap on the way to a 26-3 home loss to the New York Jets. Freeman has eight interceptions and five sacks in his last two starts and failed to generate a touchdown in either game.
Houston WR Andre Johnson broke out of his slump, catching 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns in a rout of Seattle. It was his first 100-yard game since the Texans’ bye in mid-November and his first multi-touchdown game since Arizona on Oct. 11.
QB Matt Cassel was 2-0 against Buffalo last season. But that was when he was taking the snaps for the 11-5 New England Patriots and throwing passes to Randy Moss and Wes Welker. As quarterback of the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, Cassel threw four interceptions Sunday in losing to the Bills for the first time.
