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Colts avoid 0-2 start, beat Vikings with late field goal

Sep 14, 2008 - 10:27 PM By Brian Hall PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts found their rhythm just in time to avoid their first 0-2 start in a decade.

Adam Vinatieri nailed a 47-yard field goal with three seconds remaining as the Colts rallied from a 15-point deficit to stun the Minnesota Vikings, 18-15, on Sunday.

Shut out in the first half for the first time since October 8, 2006, against Tennessee, the Colts finally got on the board on Joseph Addai's 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.

Manning hit Reggie Wayne for a 32-yard touchdown with 6:01 left and Dominic Rhodes scored on the two-point conversion run to tie it.

"Our old coach, Jim Mora, said, 'Never, ever take winning for granted,' and that is probably something that probably needs to be reminded to people around here," Manning said. "We have won a lot of games. I don't believe in ugly wins. All wins are sweet, they're hard to come by."

Adrian Peterson had 29 carries for 160 yards, but Minnesota repeatedly stalled in scoring position. Ryan Longwell supplied the Vikings' entire offense with five field goals, three coming in the first half.

"Would I have loved to be up 21-0? Certainly I would have, but to stake ourselves to a lead and be shutting them out," Minnesota coach Brad Childress said. "They found a way to make one more play. We need to find a way to make one more play."

After forcing a three-and-out deep in Vikings territory, Indianapolis took possession at midfield with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter. On 3-and-9, Manning connected with Wayne on a 20-yard pass over the middle to put Vinatieri - who had missed a 30-yarder early in the fourth - in position for the game-winner.

"It looked like we were down and out," Vinatieri said. "We found a way to get back into it. We fought back the whole and found a way to get it done."

The Colts were sluggish throughout the first half, a week after a disappointing 29-13 season-opening loss against the Chicago Bears.

However, they woke up in the second half, gaining 236 yards after being held to 85 in the first half.

"I guess we executed better in some phases," Manning said. "We never got much of a running game going, ever. We hit a couple of plays."

Manning struggled to connect with his All-Pro receivers Wayne and Marvin Harrison. Wayne caught his first pass in the second quarter and dropped a long pass on third down which went through his hands. Harrison did not record his first catch until the last play of the third quarter.

Manning finished 26-of-42 passing for 311 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

"We were hitting him all day," said Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, who tallied his first sack for Minnesota. "He did a great job of stepping up at the end."

One receiver that Manning was able to hook up with was Anthony Gonzalez, who caught nine catches for 137 yards and had a momentum-changing play late in the third quarter.

On a 3rd-and-6 at their own 24-yard line, Gonzalez caught a long pass from Manning and took it into Vikings territory. As he was being brought down by a defender, Gonzalez lateraled the ball to Wayne, who took it 18 yards before being tackled at the 1.

"Reggie was coming down to set up a block and I just flipped it to him," Gonzalez said. "I was hoping he would do something with it. He did, he's a playmaker."

"No different whether the ball comes from Peyton or Gonzalez, I have to come up with it," Wayne said. " We were kind of struggling and needed a big play, and (Gonzalez) threw it to me and I got it."

The initial call was a touchdown by Wayne, but after a Minnesota challenge, he was ruled down before crossing the goal line.

After two sneaks by Manning failed, Addai scored on third down. The Vikings challenged the ruling again, but the on-field call was upheld as the Colts drew within 15-7.

"We needed a big play," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said. "It changed the field position. The ball was in our end of the field the whole first half. That kind of turned it around. Once we were able to get back within one score, then we had some energy on our sideline."

Addai was stymied by Minnesota's top-ranked rush defense from a year ago. He finished with just 20 yards on 15 carries.

The Colts again played without star center Jeff Saturday, and tight end Dallas Clark missed the game after being hurt in the opener.

"This was probably one of the most satisfying wins we've had, definitely since I've been in Indianapolis," Dungy said. "It wasn't the most artistic, and I told the team we've got a lot of the glass-is-half-empty, glass-is-half-full stuff, but I was very, very proud of our effort."

Minnesota quarterback Tarvaris Jackson struggled for the second straight week, finishing 14-of-24 for 130 yards. The Vikings were 2-of-13 on third down.

"We're all in this together," Childress said. "The last time I checked, they're not going to crown anybody king after one game or after two games. That's why we press on."