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Defense sets tone as Colts beat Chiefs

Jan 7, 2007 - 2:37 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- For once, the Indianapolis Colts' defense overshadowed Peyton Manning and the offense.

With their defense dominating from the outset and rookie Joseph Addai gobbling up yards on the ground, the Colts registered a 23-8 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC wild card game.

Entering the postseason, most of the talk around the Colts centered around their porous run defense, which ranked last in the NFL, allowing 173 yards a game and a staggering 5.3 yards per carry.

However, the Colts (13-4) were able to take away workhorse Larry Johnson while also having little problem shutting down the rest of the Chiefs' sputtering offense.

Indianapolis limited Kansas City to 16 total yards on 18 plays in the first half and did not allow a first down until less than four minutes remained in the third quarter.

"Our defense was awesome today," Manning said. "We made some mistakes and the defense made sure we didn't pay for it."

"It is embarrassing," Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez said. "There's no way this offense should not be able to pick up a first down in a whole half. That's ridiculous as far as I'm concerned."

Johnson, who rushed for 1,789 yards on an NFL-record 416 carries during the regular season, was limited to 32 yards on 13 attempts. Kansas City rushed for just 44 yards.

"They came out ready to stop the run," Johnson said. "You have to have a backup plan for that. They had a backup plan for stopping the run. We didn't have anything to come back with."

"We really didn't change anything," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "I thought our whole group just played faster, played a little faster than we had."

Defensive end Dwight Freeney led the defensive charge, registering a pair of sacks and forcing a fumble.

"We all knew they (Chiefs) were going to come in here and try to run the ball," said Freeney, who had a career-low 5 1/2 sacks in the regular season.

The Colts held a 435-126 advantage in total yards and garnered 28 first downs to just seven for the Chiefs.

"We didn't get any rhythm offensively," Chiefs coach Herman Edwards said. "I thought our defense hung in there for the most part, but got fatigued."

Addai had little trouble against the Chiefs' worn-out defense, rushing for 122 yards on 25 carries. His six-yard touchdown run with 4:14 left in the third quarter gave the Colts a 16-0 lead.

"Before the game, I was pretty amped up," Addai said. "But when the game started, I was able to settle down and relax."

Addai's running and three first-half field goals from clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri helped the Colts overcome three interceptions by Manning, who improved to just 4-6 in the postseason.

In his ninth season, Manning still carries the burden of never having led the Colts to a Super Bowl. His latest playoff journey will continue next Saturday when the third-seeded Colts visit the second-seeded Baltimore Ravens (13-3) in the divisional round.

Kansas City's Trent Green completed 14-of-24 passes for just 107 yards and two interceptions. He found Gonzalez for a six-yard touchdown with eight seconds left in the third quarter, and his two-point conversion to Kris Wilson pulled the Chiefs within 16-8.

"The running game is what we hung our hat on all year," Green said. "If we don't get our running game going, then the play action doesn't really work well. Once you fall behind and you are in passing and drop-back situations then you are playing right into their hands."

Manning then directed a nine-play, 71-yard drive, capping it with a five-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne with 10:16 left, giving the Colts a 23-8 cushion.

Needing two scores, the Chiefs went to a hurry-up offense, but Green was picked off in Colts territory by safety Bob Sanders.

Mannning completed 30-of-38 passes for 268 yards. His favorite target was tight end Dallas Clark, who had nine receptions for 103 yards.

Ty Law had two of the interceptions for the Chiefs (9-8), who were making their first playoff appearance since a 38-31 loss to the Colts in the divisional round in January 2004.

With the Chiefs trailing, 6-0, Law's first pick and 43-yard return to the 9 early in the second quarter looked like it would change momentum. But the Colts' defense stiffened, and Lawrence Tynes hit the left upright with a 23-yard field goal.

The Colts had no such problem in the kicking game with Vinatieri, who was a part of three Super Bowl-winning teams with New England before signing with Indianapolis last offseason.

Vinatieri connected on field goals of 48, 19 and 50 yards in the first half, which ended with the Colts holding a 9-0 lead. He has 29 career playoff field goals, second all-time to Gary Anderson (32).

In the first half, the Colts held the ball for more than 21 minutes and amassed 15 first downs but could not get in the end zone.