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Sunday, Dec. 26 1:00pm ET
Colts rally from nine-point deficit | |||||||||||||||||||||
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CLEVELAND (AP) -- Peyton Manning ended Cleveland's comeback season with yet another comeback of his own.
Edgerrin James scored three TDs and rushed for 103 yards for the Colts (13-2), who trailed by nine points at the start of the fourth before Manning brought them back for their 11th consecutive win. Indianapolis, which went 3-13 in 1998, made NFL history by winning 10 more games than they did the previous season. "We'll take that," Colts coach Jim Mora said of his team's worst-to-first turnaround. "We talked to the team yesterday, and they were aware that they could make some history. It's a nice thing to get." And Manning made it possible. Although he didn't throw a TD pass for the first time in 28 games, Manning added a sixth fourth-quarter rally to his 1999 Pro Bowl season résumé. He finished 28-for-44 for 283 yards -- going 10-for-11 on two fourth-quarter scoring drives -- and picked up a pair of key first downs on scrambles. "He's the real deal," Browns safety Marlon Forbes said. "Real poised."
Meanwhile, the expansion Browns (2-14) finished their first season back in the league since 1995 with the worst record in Cleveland history. About the only consolation was that by losing Sunday, they locked up the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NFL draft. But in losses to playoff-bound Jacksonville and Indianapolis the past two weeks, Cleveland looked light years from the team that opened the year getting blown out 43-0 by Pittsburgh. "I think it's two different teams," Browns coach Chris Palmer said. "I think we're competitive right now." Marvin Harrison set a team record with 14 receptions for 138 yards as the Colts remained in contention for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The Colts are tied with the Jaguars (13-2), but Jacksonville currently holds the tiebreaker based on total points in conference games. Indianapolis went 3-13 in '98, and entered the game tied with 1929 New York Giants and '63 Oakland Raiders with a nine-game victory swing. "It definitely was a complete turnaround," Harrison said. "Everybody put in a lot of hard work, and it was sure a lot better to be on this side of things this year." James also set an NFL rookie record with his 10th 100-yard rushing game. Ty Detmer, replacing injured quarterback Tim Couch, ran for one score and threw for another, and Terry Kirby had two short scoring bursts as the Browns went 0-8 at home this season. But Cleveland kept its fans around until the end, and had the Colts in big trouble when Kirby's second 1-yard TD plunge gave the Browns a 28-19 lead with 11 seconds left in the third quarter. "We fought until the very end," Browns defensive end Derrick Alexander said. "When you play like that, you really want to get back onto the field as soon as possible. I know a lot of guys can't wait to get started next year." With the Colts down 28-19, Manning, who seemed to struggle at times in the 28-degree weather, went to work. He completed six of seven passes and scrambled nine yards for a first down. James then drove through a pile to score from the 2, cutting Indianapolis' deficit to 28-26 with 9:54 left. Manning never doubted he could pull out the win. "I was just confident in the fourth," he said. "I'm not going to give you any of that -- you could see the fire in his eyes nonsense -- but I did go in the huddle and say, 'We've got to make some plays, now.' " The Browns got nothing on their next two series, and Chad Bratzke made a big tackle behind the line to help Indianapolis get the ball back. With James picking up yardage on every carry, and Manning throwing short to Harrison, Indianapolis moved to the Browns' 30. Manning then hit James for 10 yards and James ran for five. An encroachment penalty also helped the Colts set up Vanderjagt's winning kick off a high snap pulled down by holder Steve Walsh. "That was just a great hold," Mora said. "When I saw what happened I was really relieved. It was high, and he put it down there just great."
Detmer, playing behind a rag-tag offensive line missing four regulars, went 15-for-26 for 173 yards.
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