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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI at NO | ATL at TB | BAL at MIA | BUF at CLE | CHI at MIN | CIN at SF | DEN at HOU | DET at SD |
| GB at STL | IND at OAK | JAX at PIT | NYJ at NE | PHI at DAL | SEA at CAR | TEN at KC | WAS at NYG |
Week 15 Game Recap: Indianapolis Colts 21, Oakland Raiders 14
What you need to know
| Indianapolis Colts |
The Colts clinched their fifth straight AFC South Championship but the Raiders made them work for it. Oakland took a 14 -13 lead in the fourth quarter but Peyton Manning staged a late rally, driving his team 91 yards in eleven plays to earn the come from behind win.
Manning was pressured throughout the game but still completed 22 of 39 for 276 yards. Despite being sacked three times and throwing an interception, he appeared to will his team to the victory. He often had to jump around in the pocket to buy time and even scrambled once for an apparent touchdown. The play was challenged and overruled, but he was seldom able to sit back in the pocket and wait for receivers to break open.
The Indianapolis ground game continued to struggle and they were only able to rush for 58 yards. Twice inside the Oakland five yard line they were unable to punch it across the goal line. Once they tried to pass for it on fourth and goal from the one yard line but the play was broken up. Another time they had to settle for a 19 yard field goal. Joseph Addai gained 44 on 15 carries, testament to his sliding production. This is the sixth straight game in which he has failed to gain more than 75 yards.
WR Anthony Gonzalez led all receivers with seven balls for 89 yards. He scored the Colts only offensive touchdown when he caught a pass at the Raider seven and made a quick move to avoid the defender. Reggie Wayne was held to four receptions for 69 yard but made a spectacular one handed catch along the sidelines in the fourth quarter to keep the winning drive alive. T.J. Rushing scored the Colts' first touchdown on a 90 yard punt return.
| Oakland Raiders |
Twice the Raiders' defense staged a valiant goal line stand, only allowed one offensive touchdown, recorded three sacks and an interception, but it still wasn't enough to beat Peyton Manning and the Colts.
Justin Fargas was the offense star for Oakland, rushing for 89 yards on 26 carries and scoring one touchdown. He was able to pick up key first downs but hurt his right knee late the fourth quarter. Dominic Rhodes replaced him. As a team, Oakland rushed for 149 yards and helped control the clock for almost 34 minutes.
Josh McCown started at quarterback and in the second quarter directed a 20 play, 99 yard drive which he capped off with a touchdown pass to Ronald Curry. JeMarcus Russell replaced him at the start of the third quarter but produced three unproductive series. McCown returned and finished the game with 13 of 24 for 89 yards and a touchdown. He was not sacked and did not throw an interception.
Jerry Porter led the Raiders' receivers with four balls for 32 yards and Ronald Curry caught three for 23 yards and a touchdown. FB Justin Griffith caught four check down passes for 21 yards, but Oakland only threw for 109 yards.
What you ought to know
| QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 22 - 39 - 276 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 3 - 0 |
Manning put up pedestrian numbers by his standards, 22 of 39 for 276 yards and just one touchdown, but he engineered a 91 yard come from behind drive in the fourth quarter. He was sacked three times and was pressured most of the game.
In the first quarter Manning moved past Joe Montana for seventh all time in the NFL for career completions.
| RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 15 - 44 - 0, Rec: 5 - 33 - 0 (6 targets) |
Addai rushed for 44 yards on 15 carries marking the sixth straight game in which he has failed to gain more than 75 yards. He added five receptions for another 33 yards, but as a team the Colts' rushing attack has tapered off in the second half of this season. Despite having a slim lead through three quarters they only rushed for 58 yards. Addai converted the two point conversion in the fourth quarter.
| RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 3 - 11 - 0 |
Keith came in to spell Addai and got one red zone carry in the second half.
| WR Anthony Gonzalez, Rec: 7 - 86 - 1 (8 targets) |
The Ohio State rookie continued to impress. He led the Colts with seven balls for 86 yards and scored their only offensive touchdown. His quickness makes him an inviting target when he is lined up in the slot and Manning seemed comfortable throwing to him in any situation.
| WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 4 - 69 - 0 (8 targets) |
Wayne was held to four receptions for 69 yards but made a spectacular one handed grab along the sidelines on the Colts' winning fourth quarter drive.
| WR Devin Aromashodu, Rec: 2 - 37 - 0 (5 targets) |
Aromashodu was the target when Manning threw his only interception. He caught two passes for 37 yards.
| WR Marvin Harrison |
Harrison remains sidelined with a knee injury.
| TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 3 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) |
He was the red zone target on fourth and goal in the first half but couldn't make the catch. Utecht caught three passes for 42 yards but left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return.
| TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) |
Clark only managed to catch one pass, even though he was moved to the slot occasionally to get better match ups.
| TE Bryan Fletcher (1 targets) |
Fletcher stepped in when Utecht was injured but had a limited role in the offense.
| PK Adam Vinatieri 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
He was good on field goals from 22 and 19 yards and converted his only extra point.
| IND Rush Defense |
The Raiders entered the game ranked fifth in rushing with 132 yards per game average and ran up 149 against the Colts. Justin Fargas gained 89 yards and topped the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career. LB Freddie Keiaho registered 14 tackles, ten of which were solos.
| IND Pass Defense |
The Colts did not record a sack or an interception. The Raiders only threw for 109 yards as they relied on their rushing attack and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter.
| QB Josh McCown, Pass: 13 - 24 - 94 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 16 - 0 |
McCown made his eighth start for the Raiders and nearly pulled off the upset. He did not put up eye popping fantasy stats, 13 of 24 for 109 yards and one touchdown, but he did not throw an interception and showed athletic ability in avoiding the pass rush and not getting sacked.
| QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 2 - 5 - 10 - 0 TD / 0 INT |
Russell started the first three series in the third quarter, but only completed two of five passes for ten yards. He did not look especially sharp in his limited role.
| RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 26 - 89 - 1, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Fargas is a hard runner who plays with a high motor on every play and went over the 1,000 yard mark late in this game. He almost carried the Raiders to an upset win over the Colts and finished with 89 tough yards on 26 carries and one touchdown. He was hurt in the fourth quarter and left the game but was seen on the sideline with an ice bag on his right knee.
| RB Dominic Rhodes, Rush: 7 - 41 - 0, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (4 targets) |
Rhodes was a change of pace back until Fargas was injured. He finished with 41 yards on seven carries against his old team and added two receptions for nine yards.
| RB Justin Griffith, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 4 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) |
FB Justin Griffith was used primarily as a blocker and lit up S Bob Sanders more than once. He also caught four check down passes for 21 yards and picked up three yards on his only carry.
| WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 4 - 32 - 0 (10 targets) |
Porter led the Raiders with four receptions for 32 yards. Half of his targets came in the fourth quarter when Indianapolis went ahead. His last target came on fourth and nine at the Colts' 16 yard line but the slant pass fell incomplete because the defensive back was holding his right arm.
| WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 3 - 23 - 1 (5 targets) |
Ronald Curry caught three of his five targets for 23 yards and a touchdown. Two passes were thrown high to let him jump up and try to make the catch over the defensive back.
In High School, Curry excelled in both football and basketball and was a member of Dean Smith's last recruiting class at North Carolina.
| WR Tim Dwight |
Dwight was inactive for this game.
| TE Zach Miller, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) |
The rookie tight end caught one pass for 12 yards in the third quarter.
| PK Sebastian Janikowski 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points |
He converted both extra points but did not attempt a field goal.
| OAK Rush Defense |
The Raiders held the sliding Colts running game to just 58 yards and no rushing touchdowns.
| OAK Pass Defense |
LB Derrick Burgess sacked Manning once and later forced an errant pass that Thomas Howard intercepted. Howard also defended the fourth and goal pass to Ben Utecht in the end zone.
