Can a single game define the legacy of a sportsman? Can one game change how a sportsperson is perceived by peers, the expert media, and the fans? Sometimes it is just destiny. In recent times, Goran Ivanisevic’s 2001 Wimbledon win comes to mind but that is a story for another day. Can the same be applied to a team sport?
Max Kellerman describes Peyton Manning as the greatest regular season football player and not just the greatest regular season quarterback of all time. Few would argue now that he is retired with 5 MVPs to his name. Until 2006, despite his regular season success and records, Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts would always come up short in the post season against the Tom Brady led and Bill Belichick coached New England Patriots or against a determined Pittsburgh Steelers team. In the NFL, despite football being a team game, the quarterback is the most important player and the leader of the offense and takes the blame for most losses while also being glorified for the wins. Imagine being in Manning’s or Brady’s shoes and performing well week in and week out!
It was the 2006 AFC Championship Game between the Colts and the Patriots. The winner would go on to take the NFC Champions in the Super Bowl. In the Wild Card game, Manning had thrown three interceptions but the Colts beat the Kansas City Chiefs easily by a margin of 23-8. In the Divisional Playoffs, Manning had thrown two interceptions but scraped past the Baltimore Ravens 15-6 courtesy of 5 field goals from Adam Vinatieri. Thus Manning entered the AFC game without putting on a notable display in the postseason. Brady and his Patriots had always been the Colts’ nemesis and were already three time Super Bowl Champions. The Patriots could be forgiven if they had a sense of entitlement for the big game. Apparently, the Patriots had no weaknesses. They had the clutch Tom Brady (who will perhaps go down in history as the greatest quarterback of all time), a stifling defense and were coached by the legendary Bill Belichick. The Colts coach Tony Dungy and Manning had a lot on their plate.
On that January afternoon, I was in Denver with my friends and we switched on the TV set almost resigned to the fate that the Patriots would beat the Colts again. The game was being played at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The ‘house that Peyton built’, the Lucas Oil Stadium did not exist then. We were rooting for the underdogs – Peyton and the Colts. The game began and in the 1st quarter, the Patriots’ running back Laurence Maroney fumbled the ball but it was luckily recovered by their guard Logan Mankins for a touchdown in the end zone. New England was up 7-0 after the PAT. It was an ominous start to the game for Indianapolis.
With about a minute left in the first quarter, the ex-Patriots and the new Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri scored a 42-yard field goal following a Colts drive that came up short. The Colts were finally on the score board. The score was 7-3 in favor of the Patriots. In the second quarter, Corey Dillon rushed for a touchdown and the Patriots were up 14-3. All the Colts fans probably had the same sinking feeling that they had become accustomed to during the postseason. Well if that was not enough, things were about to get even worse. On the next Colts drive, Asante Samuel stepped in front of the Colts receiver and Manning’s pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. With the Pick 6, the Patriots had a comfortable lead of 21-3. Manning and the Colts were imploding again. No team had ever come back from an 18 point deficit in a Championship game. However, the Colts were able to drive 80 yards and a Vinatieri field goal made it 21-6 at the half.
My friends and I were hoping against hope. Trailing New England by 15 points at halftime was one of the worst possible scenarios. We were wondering what the mood would have been in the Colts dressing room. The Patriots defense must have been very happy with the result. Then the second half began. Wonder what the pep talk was during halftime but the Colts scored a touchdown in the opening drive. Then they forced the Patriots to punt. In the ensuing drive aided by some smart plays by Dallas Clark and Dominic Rhodes, they made it to the 1-yard line. Manning threw a touchdown pass to Klecko and then his favorite receiver Marvin Harrison coverted on the 2 point play. The score was tied at 21 apiece!
Then Hobbs returned a kick for 80 yards. Brady threw and it was brilliantly caught by a leaping Gaffney who was pushed out of bounds and it resulted in a touchdown. Patriots took the lead again 28-21. Then in a carbon copy of the Mankins touchdown in the first quarter, Rhodes fumbled the ball but it was recovered in the end zone by the Colts center Jeff Saturday for a touchdown. The score was tied 28-28. A Gostkowski field goal was answered by a Vinatieri one. The score was tied again 31-31. Gostkowski was clutch and the Patriots were up 34-31 with 3:49 on the clock.
A Colts punt was followed by an amazing play by Bob Sanders who jumped right in front of Troy Brown which prevented a first down on 4th and stopped the Patriots from extending the lead. When Manning started the next drive with 2:17 left and down 31-34 after the succesive punts, we were hoping for a miracle. It was perhaps going to be his greatest drive ever, a career defining one and under extreme pressure. First he threw a pass to Reggie Wayne for a first down. The next pass to Fletcher with 2:12 left was incomplete. 2:08 left on the clock and Manning under pressure looked down the field and threw a lovely pass to Fletcher for 32 yards and he stepped out of bounds to stop the clock. 2:01 left on the clock. A beautiful short pass to Wayne who scooped up the ball when tackled but managed to catch the ball. A flag on the play gave them a few more yards. 1:53 to play. Addai got a few yards. 2nd and 6. Another Addai run. A couple of yards gained. New England called a timeout and the next play Addai rushed in for the touchdown with a minute left in the game. Colts had their first lead in the game. 37-34 to the Colts. Vinatieri’s PAT made it a 4 point game which ensured that to win the Patriots would have to score a touchdown and a field goal could not tie it. The Colts had scored 32 points in the second half.
It was Brady time. Brady lives for such moments. He thrives in them. Patriots always win the close ones. The writing was on the wall. The Indianapolis defense was determined though. An incomplete pass by Brady. 2nd and 10 with 49 seconds to go and Brady passed for 19 yards. The next play resulted in a 14 yard gain. Manning had his head down – possibly praying. It looked improbable that Brady could be stopped. Then the unthinkable happened. Brady threw a pass and it was intercepted by Marvin Jackson and the Colts won the game 38-34. One of the greatest games that I have watched and Peyton Manning was going to the Super Bowl!
NFL owns the rights to the following video on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZG1WpsOB4E