Indianapolis Colts News

With two black coaches in the Super Bowl for the first time, the historic accomplishment presents a welcome dilemma for many black fans: For whom to root? Many are not picking sides in Sunday's game _ they see Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears Coach Lovie Smith's presence in the NFL's biggest game as a win-win situation. ``We can't lose,'' said New York University history professor Jeffrey Sammons, ...

Posing for photos Friday alongside the Lombardi Trophy, Tony Dungy wore a blue suit and slight smile. His friend and Super Bowl foe Lovie Smith wore a grey suit and his game face. Kickoff was only 57 hours away. A new wrinkle in the Super Bowl week routine, added months ago, briefly brought the coaches together during their morning news conferences. It's believed to be the first time coaches have ...

Art Schlichter's career stats are memorable for all the wrong reasons. Ten years behind bars. Twenty some convictions. Forty-four different prisons. One life wasted. ``I served my time,'' Schlichter said. ``I got an enormous amount of time for what I did.'' He was once the quarterback of the future for the Indianapolis Colts, the Peyton Manning of his time. He was always the ultimate con man, a smooth talker who ...

The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the NFL's best road teams throughout Tony Dungy's five years as coach. Until recently, that is. After struggling in losses at Dallas and Tennessee, the Colts spent this week looking to rekindle their winning formula. ``We've just not played well in those games,'' cornerback Nick Harper said Thursday. ``When you watch the film, it's sad to see. It's not as bad as it ...

Vince Young scored on the Indianapolis Colts with his arm. He tore them apart with his legs. The Tennessee rookie scrambled nine times for 78 yards. Seven of those picked up first downs, and six came on third down. He looked for an open receiver, then didn't hesitate to take off if everyone was covered. And yes, he's proving just as elusive in the NFL as he was at the ...

Ricky Proehl's agent said the veteran receiver signed Monday with the Indianapolis Colts, who have been without Brandon Stokley for most of the season. The 38-year-old Proehl agreed to a one-year deal that would be prorated on a US$1.2 million base salary, his agent Alan Herman said. The Colts made no announcement about the signing, and coach Tony Dungy said earlier Monday that the team was talking with Proehl. Herman ...

Peyton Manning reached another milestone Sunday night, becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 3,000 completions. The two-time MVP entered the game with 2,999 and set the mark in his 139th career game with a 17-yard completion to Reggie Wayne on the Colts' second pass play. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Dan Marino and Drew Bledsoe shared the record of 146 games. Manning completed two more passes ...

If Tony Dungy didn't have the attention of his players when they were chasing perfection, he certainly does now. After complaining for weeks about the Colts' run defence and mental errors, and more recently a rash of turnovers, Dungy believes Sunday's loss to Dallas sent a stronger message. Play smart, stay focused, and the wins will follow. Make mistakes and you're just another imperfect team. ``We had our chances, but ...

Jim Irsay uses the decorations in his office to tell his team's story. There's a signed photo of the three Manning quarterbacks, a plaque commemorating the record-setting combination of Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison, autographed game balls and even a framed newspaper from the Colts' 1958 championship game. Now he needs another spot to illustrate the latest chapter in Indianapolis' growing legacy. Despite Sunday's unimpressive 17-16 victory over Buffalo, Irsay ...

Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady. The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts versus the New England Patriots, who have only one loss. The hype versus the reality. There are plenty of subplots to Sunday night's game between two of the NFL's best teams _ Adam Vinatieri's first against the team for which he kicked two Super Bowl winning field goals, Manning's struggles against the Patriots and Brady's growing comfort with his new receivers. ...

Peyton Manning was back at Colts practice on Thursday, a day after he missed practice for the first time in his nine-year NFL career to attend his grandmother's funeral. ``Peyton was here and, obviously, just doing his best to kind of put things behind him. But we all understand how that is,'' Colts coach Tony Dungy said after a rare closed practice. Frances Thomas Williams, 86, died Monday in Meridian, ...

Two-time MVP Peyton Manning missed the first regular-season practice of his nine-year career Wednesday so he could attend his grandmother's funeral in Mississippi. Manning was one of three Colts' Pro Bowl players excused from the workout. The others were defensive end Dwight Freeney and safety Bob Sanders, who were not on the field because they were getting treatment for injuries. The Colts' six-time Pro Bowl quarterback is known as one ...

The Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans played role reversal Sunday for a half. Then Peyton Manning finally performed like a two-time MVP. Manning led the Colts on a late scoring drive for the second straight week, hooking up with Reggie Wayne for a two-yard touchdown pass with 5:10 left and giving Indianapolis a 14-13 come-from-behind victory. For 3{ quarters, it appeared the winless Titans might pull off one of the most shocking upsets in the NFL this season. But ...

The winless Tennessee Titans held a players-only meeting Wednesday, encouraged each other and pledged to recommit themselves. The Titans need all the cooperation they can muster to survive the next five games without tackle Albert Haynesworth, arguably their second-best defensive player. It won't be easy. The Titans (0-4) ranked last in the NFL in yards rushing with the physical 6-foot-6, 320-pound Haynesworth. Now they must face the league's highest-scoring offence ...

Peyton Manning may never be confused with Michael Vick, Vince Young or even Jake Plummer. That doesn't mean the two-time MVP can't move. He's been stepping away from would-be sack artists for years and over the past two weeks has given defences one more dimension to fear in his already dangerous repertoire: scoring runs. ``I was kind of hoping something would be installed for me this week,'' Manning joked. ``We ...

Tony Dungy can't complain about another road win in New York, the Colts' 4-0 record or Peyton Manning's poised comeback. After watching tape from Sunday's game, though, the usually unflappable Colts coach wasn't going to sugarcoat his criticism. ``I didn't feel good about the way we played,'' he said. ``We've got to sharpen up a little bit. You can't have all those penalties, we couldn't convert some of those third-downs ...

Coach Tony Dungy said the Indianapolis Colts plan to send a small group to Tuesday's funeral of wide receiver Reggie Wayne's brother. Among those expected to attend are quarterback Peyton Manning, Wayne's fellow receivers, Dungy and a few others. Dungy said other players might make their own arrangements to attend the funeral in Louisiana. ``I imagine there will be some guys who go on their own,'' Dungy said Monday. ``We're ...

Justin Miller's 103-yard kickoff return was the quick score the New York Jets needed. Only problem: It left Peyton Manning with one last chance and plenty of time. After Miller's dash gave New York the lead with 2:20 left, Manning led Indianapolis on the type of efficient drive that has defined his career _ capping it with a one-yard run that gave the Colts a wild 31-28 victory Sunday. Manning was 6-of-8 for 60 yards on the ...

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison moved past Andre Reed and into fourth place on the NFL's career receptions list Sunday with his 952nd catch. He passed Reed with a 14-yard reception, his third catch of the game, 37 seconds into the third quarter against the New York Jets. It's the second time in three weeks Harrison has moved up on the career receptions chart. He passed Art Monk for ...

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison tied Marshall Faulk's NFL record Sunday for most consecutive games with a reception to start a career, catching a pass in his 158th straight game. Harrison tied the mark with a 12-yard catch just before the two-minute warning in the second quarter against the New York Jets. The 11-year veteran entered the game needing three catches to pass Andre Reed and move into fourth ...

Indianapolis kicker Adam Vinatieri missed his second straight game, sitting out the Colts' game against the New York Jets on Sunday with a groin injury. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne was in the starting lineup after missing a few days of practice to be with his family after his older brother, Rashad, was killed in a traffic accident last Sunday. Vinatieri hasn't kicked in a game since he was injured in ...