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Posted at 1:06 p.m., Sunday, October 7, 2007

NFL: Backup RB Keith runs for 2 TD's in Colts' win

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis replacements looked almost as good as the real thing.

Missing five starters, the Colts' offense dominated the game and the clock, while a revamped defense played as stingy as ever in blowing out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33-14 on Sunday.

Kenton Keith ran for two scores and 121 yards in his first NFL start, and Peyton Manning, the Super Bowl MVP, threw two more touchdown passes as the Colts (5-0) headed into the bye week unbeaten for the third straight year.

The scoreboard didn't even reflect the depth of the rout.

Indianapolis kept the ball an astounding 38:15 and limited the Bucs (3-2) to eight yards rushing and 74 yards in offense in the first three quarters, 56 yards coming on Tampa's only meaningful scoring drive.

As usual, it didn't take Manning long to get started even without injured Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison or running back Joseph Addai.

He found Dallas Clark for a 10-yard TD pass on the Colts first possession, then relied on a grinding drive that Keith capped with a 1-yard TD run — his first NFL score — early in the second quarter. That gave Indianapolis a 13-0 lead before Tampa Bay recorded a first down.

The Bucs finally got something going when Tanard Jackson picked off Manning's pass and returned it to the Tampa 44. Jeff Garcia, who was under pressure most of the day, eventually threw a 3-yard TD pass to Alex Smith, making it 13-7.

But the score came with a hefty price. A week after losing running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams to a season-ending knee injury, the Bucs lost backup Michael Pittman with a right ankle injury just two plays before the touchdown. Pittman was carted off the field and didn't return.

Then the Colts went back to work. Adam Vinatieri made a 27-yard field goal to close the first half, and Keith opened the second half with a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 23-7. Indy ran 23 plays compared to three for the Bucs in the third quarter.

And if the outcome wasn't already determined, Manning made sure of it by finding Reggie Wayne for a 9-yard TD pass that made it 30-7.

Garcia closed out Tampa's scoring with another 3-yard TD pass to Smith midway through the fourth quarter.