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Colts to be third seed in AFC playoffs

Jan 1, 2007 - 3:07 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will not get a week off.

Manning threw for two touchdowns and also ran for a score as the Colts closed the regular season with a 27-22 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

After Baltimore defeated Buffalo at home, Indianapolis (12-4) lost any chance of gaining a first-round playoff bye. The Colts will host Kansas City (9-7) on Saturday in an AFC wild-card game.

"We still have some work to do, tighten up a little more on defense, tighten up our kick coverage," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "But it was a good effort and I'm looking forward to next week."

Manning did help the Colts complete an unbeaten 8-0 record at home by completing 22-of-37 passes for 282 yards.

"The idea, obviously, is to be playing some of your best football in the month of January," said Manning, who again has the pressure of taking the Colts to the Super Bowl. "It's what we've kind of talked about."

In the first half, Manning had a two-yard touchdown pass to Dan Klecko - a defensive tackle who also plays at fullback - and scored on an 11-yard run, helping the Colts to a 17-6 lead at the break.

Manning found Marvin Harrison for a 27-yard TD with 10:07 remaining in the fourth quarter for a 27-15 advantage.

A Pro Bowler for the seventh time in his career, Manning finished the season with 4,397 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.

Making his first career start, Cleo Lemon completed 18-of-35 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown with an interception.

Ronnie Brown rushed for 115 yards for the Dolphins (6-10), who finished a disappointing season with three straight losses.

One of the biggest questions facing the Dolphins in the offseason is whether or not coach Nick Saban will return for a third season. He has faced constant rumors that he is the leading candidate for the vacant Alabama coaching job.

"I'd like to say how proud I am of the competitive character that this team has demonstrated all year long," Saban said. "I think it says volumes about who they are relative to all the negatives this team has overcome all season long, starting out with the 1-6 (record).

"They could've thrown in the towel, but didn't and won five out of six games. Even though we were unsuccessful the last three game, we played and competed."