Oct 7, 2008 - 10:54 AM
1 shoutBaltimore (2-2) at Indianapolis (2-2), 1:00pm, EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Indianapolis Colts received a huge reprieve in Houston - and they know it.
Now, the five-time defending AFC South champions hope they can put together a winning streak, starting with Sunday's home contest against the Baltimore Ravens.
Indianapolis (2-2) rallied from a 17-point deficit in the final 4:04 last week for an unlikely 31-27 victory over the Texas. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it is the largest comeback in the final five minutes of a game that did not go into overtime in NFL history.
Instead of being 1-3 and tied for last place, the Colts climbed back to .500 and remained within striking distance of the undefeated Tennessee Titans (5-0). Indianapolis still has to play Tennessee twice, so winning another division title is not out of a question.
However, the Colts are fortunate not to be 0-4. In their other win, an 18-15 victory at Minnesota, the Colts rallied from a 15-point deficit and prevailed on Adam Vinatieri 47-yard field goal with three seconds remaining.
Against the Texans, the Colts erased a 27-10 deficit by scoring 21 points in a 2:10 span, but coach Tony Dungy knows his team cannot continue to live so dangerously.
"That's not the way we practice," Dungy said. " That's not the way we've done things for a number of years. For some reason, we seem to have it this year. You're not going to be able to come from 15 points down week after week after week. It just doesn't work that way in the NFL."
The Colts can start by winning their first game in their new home, Lucas Oil Stadium, where they are 0-4, including a pair of preseason defeats.
"We have talent, but right now, we're at .500 because we aren't playing consistent football," Dungy added. "You just don't have that many 15-, 17-point comebacks in the NFL.
The Ravens (2-2) may be a good tonic for the Colts. Baltimore is coming off a heartbreaking 13-10 loss to the Titans, and the inexperience of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco may be starting to show.
After winning its first two games, Baltimore has dropped its last two. The Ravens were within two minutes of beating the Titans, but Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins tossed a game-winning 11-yard touchdown pass to Alge Crumpler with 1:56 remaining.
"We let two games the last two weeks get away from us, and eventually, we're going to have to find a way to win these games," Flacco said.
Indianapolis clinched its sixth straight playoff berth with a 44-20 rout of the Ravens last season. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes and Joseph Addai rushed for a pair of scores.
From the Bleachers
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BALTIMORE: 3
INDIANAPOLIS: 31
Final
Oct 12 4:02 PM -
-
BALTIMORE: 3
INDIANAPOLIS: 31
End of 3rd
Oct 12 3:17 PM -
NFL
FG BAL
MATT STOVER 37 YD
BALTIMORE 3
INDIANAPOLIS 31 1:15 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 12 3:14 PM -
NFL
TD IND
DOMINIC RHODES 1 YD RUN
(ADAM VINATIERI KICK)
BALTIMORE 0
INDIANAPOLIS 31 9:25 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 12 2:57 PM -
BALTIMORE: 0
INDIANAPOLIS: 24
Halftime
Oct 12 2:31 PM -
NFL
TD IND
MARVIN HARRISON 5 YD PASS FROM PEYTON MANNING
(ADAM VINATIERI KICK)
BALTIMORE 0
INDIANAPOLIS 24 1:48 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 12 2:25 PM -
BALTIMORE: 0
INDIANAPOLIS: 17
End of 1st
Oct 12 1:44 PM -
BALTIMORE: 0
INDIANAPOLIS: 17
End of 1st
Oct 12 1:42 PM -
NFL
FG IND
ADAM VINATIERI 37 YD
BALTIMORE 0
INDIANAPOLIS 17 0:38 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 12 1:42 PM -
NFL
TD IND
REGGIE WAYNE 22 YD PASS FROM PEYTON MANNING
(ADAM VINATIERI KICK)
BALTIMORE 0
INDIANAPOLIS 14 2:43 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 12 1:34 PM -
NFL
TD IND
MARVIN HARRISON 67 YD PASS FROM PEYTON MANNING
(ADAM VINATIERI KICK)
BALTIMORE 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 9:43 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 12 1:20 PM
