The media tried to get Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy to say if Peyton Manning’s second-half heroics Sunday at Invesco Field at Mile High rank among his greatest performances.
Dungy smiled. Always polite and classy, Dungy wasn’t trying to embarrass the reporters. But that question, Dungy said, is impossible to answer.
“He does it all the time. This is not unusual,” Dungy said. “He’s had a lot of games like this. We’re running the same plays we’ve run. Peyton just knows where to put the ball.”
Never was Manning’s uncanny knack to improvise and break hearts more apparent than on his third touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne, a 19-yarder with 3:35 remaining in the game. Manning initially went under center, but checked off to another play after looking over the Broncos’ defensive alignment. Manning slid over to several teammates, making sure they had heard the audible, and then stepped back into a shotgun formation.
The next thing Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams saw was a spiral sailing over his head and into Wayne’s waiting arms. The pass was so precise, Wayne could have caught it blindfolded.
Manning completed the two-point conversion to, yes, Wayne to give the Colts a 31-28 lead. Then, after Denver’s Jason Elam tied the game with a 49-yard field goal with 1:49 left, Manning marched the Colts 62 yards in eight plays to set up Adam Vinatieri’s 37-yard game-winning 3-pointer.
“The Broncos make you execute; we had to concentrate on one play at a time,” Manning said. “That’s exactly why you practice routes during the offseason. You have to throw a perfect pass on a perfect route. Nothing is easy against those guys.”
The Colts’ final drive was vintage Manning.
Taking over at the Denver 20 with 1:49 to go, Manning got things started by burning two Denver blitzes for dump-off, but effective, completions to running back Joseph Addai. Along with a gutsy 11-yard pass to tight end Dallas Clark over the middle, Manning moved the ball to midfield before Broncos defenders could catch their breath.
Looking one way, then twirling to throw in the opposite direction, Manning kept the Broncos off balance, if not dizzy. He tossed left to Wayne for a 13-yarder to the Denver 37, and went back to Wayne on the left side for 9 more yards. An unexpected run up the middle by Addai caught the Broncos leaning back on their heels and was good for a 10-yard gain to the Denver 18.
Vinatieri was left with only a 37-yard game-winner. That’s a good 15 yards inside his comfort zone.
Manning completed 32-of-39 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Indianapolis scored points on all five of its second-half possessions.
“We knew Denver has an excellent defense,” Manning said. “We just tried to be efficient with our possessions.”
Even Dungy was amazed. That takes some doing.
“For us to get all those points (against Denver), it just speaks to how successful our offense is and how they keep their poise,” Dungy said.
In all, Manning foiled Broncos blitzes seven times for completions. He was not sacked.
On this afternoon, Invesco Field became Peyton’s place.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
