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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 26, 2007

Manning-led Colts tame Lions, 37-10

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Sorgi is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis for a 16-yard loss in the third quarter at Indianapolis. Alama-Francis, a former University of Hawai'i player, finished with two tackles and the sack.

MICHAEL CONROY | Associated Press

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INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Dungy wanted last night's preseason game to be a tuneup for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Peyton Manning was thinking more about cleaning up.

The Super Bowl MVP threw three first-half touchdowns and was nearly perfect as the Indianapolis Colts routed Detroit, 37-10, for Indy's second win in 13 preseason games.

"Detroit was pretty active in their blitzes, and when they're doing that, it's going to give you some chances to throw the ball," Manning said. "Our execution in the passing game was pretty good."

Manning made it look easy for the Colts (1-2).

When he last faced the Lions (2-1) on Thanksgiving in 2004, Manning threw six TDs, a number he might have matched yesterday had he not been replaced at halftime of a meaningless game.

Manning completed 23 of 27 passes for 233 yards and converted six plays for first downs when he needed at least 10 yards.

Manning is now 31 of 40 for 331 yards and no interceptions in three weeks, and he was so efficient against Detroit that Dungy uncharacteristically changed the script by pulling his starters at halftime. Dungy said he intended to use them into the third quarter.

"We were shooting for 35 to 40 plays but we ran 45 in the first half, so we decided to pull them out," Dungy said.

Marvin Harrison beat single coverage on a slant route for a 13-yard touchdown to give Indy a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. There was a lobbed dump pass in the end zone that the lunging Dallas Clark scooped off the turf for a 5-yard score to make it 14-3. Then there was the nifty 1-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne with 5 seconds left in the half, a ball Manning whizzed past the head of an unknowing Stanley Wilson, for a 21-3 halftime lead.

Meanwhile, Detroit lost three starters to injuries. Running back Tatum Bell left in the first quarter after hurting what appeared to be his right leg. Linebacker Boss Bailey left with a slight concussion, and safety Daniel Bullocks will have an MRI on his injured knee today. None of the three returned.

"I think we need to learn what we can't do versus a good team like this," Bailey said. "We were playing hard, playing fast. We've just got to make the plays."

The Colts also had two potentially significant injuries.

Clark, Indy's top tight end, emerged from the locker room after halftime with an ice pack wrapped around his right thigh.

And three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney went to the locker room before halftime with what was believed to be a quadriceps injury. Dungy downplayed the injury, saying Freeney could have played if it was a regular-season game.

Buccaneers 31, Dolphins 28: Jeff Garcia played three series and threw a 26-yard touchdown to Joey Galloway on his final pass to lead Tampa Bay (2-1) past host Miami (2-1).

Bruce Gradkowski brought the Bucs from behind twice in the fourth quarter and threw touchdown passes of 6 yards to Earnest Graham and 1 yard to Paris Warren.

Rookie John Beck played the entire second half for the Dolphins and threw for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

University of Hawai'i alum Chad Owens returned two kickoffs for 50 yards and returned two punts for 15 yards for the Buccaneers.

Bears 31, 49ers 28: Rex Grossman played the first half and passed for 211 yards and two touchdowns, and the defending NFC champions Bears (3-0) held off visiting San Francisco (1-2).

Grossman, who also fumbled a snap and had an interception returned 52 yards for a touchdown, led the Bears to a touchdown on the game's opening drive, a field goal on their second possession, and touchdowns on the third and fourth series. He completed 13 of 20 passes.

San Francisco's Alex Smith was 4 of 8 with 47 yards before giving way to Trent Dilfer in the third.

Former UH wide receiver Ashley Lelie had four catches for 48 yards, defensive tackle Isa'ako Sopoaga had three tackles and linebacker Jeff Ulbrich added two assisted tackles.

Bears wide receiver and return specialist Devin Hester left with a shoulder injury in the first quarter.

Texans 28, Cowboys 16: Matt Schaub connected with Andre Johnson for a 6-yard touchdown early in the second quarter and found speedy rookie Jacoby Jones for a 19-yard TD just before halftime to lead host Houston (2-1) over Dallas (2-1).

Jones, a third-round pick from Division II Lane College, also returned a punt 91 yards for a score early in the first quarter.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo finished 14 of 22 for 197 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Terrell Owens had a 35-yard touchdown catch.

Former UH punter Mat McBriar averaged 40.8 yards on four punts with a long of 59 yards. He placed two inside Houston's 20.

Jets 20, Giants 12: Quarterback Kellen Clemens came off the bench in the second half and led two third-quarter touchdown drives as the host Jets (2-1) beat the Giants (1-2).

The Jets scored twice in a little over four minutes to take command. Danny Ware had a go-ahead 16-yard touchdown run and Clemens completed consecutive passes of 45 and 34 yards before scoring on a 1-yard sneak.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning hit 17 of 25 passes for 146 yards. That included a 5-yard touchdown to free agent Anthony Mix late in the first half to put the Giants ahead 12-7. Jets starting quarterback Chad Pennington, who combined with halfback Leon Washington on a 79-yard touchdown on a stunning first play from scrimmage, finished 5 of 11 for 89 yards.

Giants linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who was born in Honolulu, left the game in the first half with a groin injury.

Seahawks 30, Vikings 13: Matt Hasselbeck, playing for the first time since he had a single series in the exhibition opener two weeks ago, completed 12 of 17 passes for 129 yards and threw an interception as host Seattle (2-1) beat Minnesota (1-2).

Hasselbeck took advantage of starting on average from Seattle's 46 in the first half to lead the Seahawks to scores on four of five drives. He left a 16-10 halftime lead for backup Seneca Wallace.

Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson overcame a lost fumble on the game's first snap to complete 9 of 18 passes for 117 yards.

Browns 17, Broncos 16: Brady Quinn was efficient and effective for the second straight game although it probably wasn't enough to win him the starting job over Charlie Frye as Cleveland (2-1) beat host Denver (1-2).

Quinn threw a pass in the left flat that Joshua Cribbs turned into a nifty 20-yard touchdown to break a 10-10 tie in the third quarter, but the rookie from Notre Dame was robbed of another apparent TD toss on Cleveland's previous possession.

Although Joe Jurevicius hauled in Quinn's perfectly thrown 39-yard pass in the end zone, the nearest official ruled he didn't get both feet down before going out of bounds — replays showed otherwise, but Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel didn't challenge the call. Quinn completed 7 of 11 passes for 81 yards.

Former UH kicker Jason Elam had a 29-yard field goal and an extra point for the Broncos.

Chargers 33, Cardinals 31: With quarterback Philip Rivers finding receivers all over the field, San Diego's first-team offense moved the ball at will against host Arizona's first-string defense.

Arizona (0-3) appeared to have it won when third-team quarterback Shane Boyd hit Matt Trannon for a 5-yard touchdown pass, giving the Cardinals a 31-30 lead with 1:05 to play. But Arizona's reserve defense let San Diego (2-1), led by Billy Volek, drive 53 yards on seven plays to set up a 37-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding with 2 seconds to go. It was Kaeding's fourth field goal.

The Chargers first-team offense mounted four drives of at least 64 yards in the first two quarters and one series in the third quarter.

Arizona safety Aaron Francisco, a Kahuku High School alum, had five tackles and five assisted tackles.

Redskins 13, Ravens 7: Washington (2-1) led visiting Baltimore (1-2) 13-7 when play was stopped with 11:38 remaining in the third quarter. Fifty minutes later, with the radar showing dangerous storms throughout the area, the NFL commissioner's office said that the game would not resume.

The Redskins backups scored the winning touchdown shortly before the game was halted. On the Ravens' first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Anthony Trucks blitzed and knocked the ball away from Kyle Boller just as the quarterback was about to pass. The ball landed in the hands of rookie linebacker Dallas Sartz, who strolled 3 yards for the touchdown.