CHIEFS D-STROYED
INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis’ 23-8 AFC wild-card domination of Kansas City yesterday was rife with subplots, from Colts coach Tony Dungy beating best friend and protege Herm Edwards to superstar Peyton Manning trying to finally break his personal playoff misery.
But the only plot that mattered was Indianapolis’ much-maligned defense – the worst rush defense in the Super Bowl era – turning in a Super Bowl-worthy effort, smothering running back Larry Johnson with a performance to remember.
Manning had been just 3-6 in the postseason, and threw three interceptions yesterday. But after carrying the Colts (13-4) on his back for much of his Hall of Fame career, his defense finally returned the favor, lifting him into a second-round date at Baltimore next Saturday.
“Our defense was awesome today,” said Manning. “We made some mistakes and the defense made sure we didn’t pay for it.”
Indianapolis held the Chiefs to just 16 yards in the first half, without a single first down – the first time that had happened in the playoffs since 1960. The Colts outgained the Chiefs 435-126, and held Johnson – second in the NFL with 1,789 rushing yards – to 32 yards rushing.
“We just played faster, more physical than them, because everybody told us we can’t do this, can’t do that. You take that personal,” said linebacker Cato June. “It’s basically saying you’re a man but those men are better than you. We were able to play with more intensity and more passion, and that was our edge.
“Nobody likes to get booed in their own home field, so we wanted to go out and hold up our end of the bargain.”
Edwards has been Dungy’s friend since they met in a college all-star game 30 years ago, and was Dungy’s associate head coach for five years in Tampa before taking the Jets head-coaching job. He led Gang Green to three playoffs in five years and coached the Chiefs to a surprising 9-8 debut, including yesterday’s loss. But he had no answers yesterday.
“They deserved to win,” Edwards said. “They beat us. Tony and his team did a good job.
In the regular season, the Colts allowed 5.3 yards per carry, the worst NFL mark since 1966. But yesterday the Colts outgained K.C. 255-16 at halftime. Still, the Colts led just 9-0 thanks to two Manning picks.
The first quarter set the tone, with the Colts holding a 130-2 edge in yardage, when cornerback Ty Law intercepted Manning at midfield and ran it to the Colts 9.
The defense held – Chiefs QB Trent Green getting stepped on by a lineman on a third-down running play – and Lawrence clanged a 23-yard miss off the left upright.
After Law picked off Manning again 2½ minutes into the third, the Colts changed tactics against a tiring defense. They rammed running back Joseph Addai (122 yards) down the Chiefs’ throats in a 12-play, 6:56 march that the rookie capped with a six-yard cutback TD for a 16-0 lead.
The clock read 4:14 left in the third quarter – but this game was over.
Kansas City finally mustered a first down with 3½ minutes left in the third, and eventually got on the board with Green’s six-yard TD to tight end Tony Gonzalez, and a two-point conversion to halve the lead. But the Colts answered right back with a Manning TD pass to Reggie Wayne and a 23-8 lead.
“Defensively it was a really good performance,” said Edwards, whose defense was helped by the return of Pro Bowl safety Brian Sanders.
“With Herm and I playing, we went out to dinner together last night. It was good to talk about 1996 [in Tampa], getting started out, and defense. It was Herm’s type of game.”
But not the outcome.
Colts 23 Chiefs 8
