By Michael Marot
The Associated Press
Indianapolis – Peyton Manning is still setting records, but the Indianapolis Colts’ ground game and defense are producing the wins.
Edgerrin James topped 100 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season Sunday, while the Colts used another strong defensive effort and two time-consuming drives in the second half to hold off the Cleveland Browns 13-6.
“There’s been times where we’ve been 2-1 and scoring a lot of points and everybody says, ‘What’s wrong with the defense?”‘ Colts coach Tony Dungy said. “I think when our offense gets into situations when we have to score and play up-tempo, I’m pretty confident we’ll be able to score.”
Indianapolis (3-0) followed this year’s standard formula to win a record seventh straight at the RCA Dome.
With the Browns (1-2) defending the deep pass, Manning let James grind it out. He carried 27 times for 108 yards, and the Colts’ suddenly impressive defense took care of the rest by pressuring Trent Dilfer and shutting down the Browns’ running game.
Indianapolis has allowed 16 points in its first three games, the best start in franchise history. The previous best was in 1971, when they allowed 17 points before posting a shutout in Week 4.
“They’re making you throw the ball in front of them and using their speed to make the plays,” Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. “They’re fast.”
For the third straight week, an opposing defense kept Manning and the Colts’ high-scoring offense from getting in sync.
Manning was 19-of-23 for 228 yards with one interception against his old nemesis, Crennel, who had won six straight against Manning since 2001 as Patriots defensive coordinator.
Still, Manning did enough to become the second-fastest quarterback to top 30,000 yards passing in his 115th game. Miami’s Dan Marino did it in 114 games.
Dilfer was every bit as good as Manning, the two-time MVP. One week after outplaying three-time MVP Brett Favre in Green Bay, Dilfer stood up to the pressure and finished 22-of-29 for 208 yards.
“I came in feeling we could score three or four touchdowns,” Dilfer said. “I thought we were better than the first two teams they played. We just didn’t make the big play.”
