Manning, Colts bring unbeaten mark to Texas Stadium
IRVING, Texas (AP) -Peyton Manning has a chance Sunday to do something he's never done in his career.
Make the Indianapolis Colts 10-0? Yes, but that wouldn't be anything new. They were 13-0 last season.
Beat a team coached by Bill Parcells? Not a first, either. Manning's second career win was against the Parcells-coached Jets in 1998. He beat the Jets twice the next year and Parcells has avoided facing him ever since.
How about beating the Dallas Cowboys? Well, Manning has done that twice. But it's on the right track.
Manning has never won at Texas Stadium - although that could be merely because he's never played there. In fact, he's never been in the former home of Aikman and Staubach best known for the hole in its roof.
"I have a real appreciation for the great history and the great legacy of the Cowboys and the great quarterbacks that have played there," Manning said. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity."
Manning won't be the only quarterback making his first start at Texas Stadium. Dallas' Tony Romo will be, too.
Romo made his NFL debut during the Cowboys' last home game, taking over for Drew Bledsoe in the third quarter against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Fans welcomed him with a standing ovation and chants of "Ro-mo! Ro-mo!", then he threw an interception on his first play and two more that half. Still, he did enough things right for Parcells to let him keep the job.
It's turned out to be a wise move. Romo has won two of three games and would be 3-0 if not for a wacky ending in Washington. He's coming off a 308-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception performance against Arizona that earned him the NFC offensive player of the week award, and his quarterback rating is second in the NFL - behind only the Colts' Manning.
Because all of Romo's starts have been on the road, the locals haven't had a chance to show their appreciation. Considering fans gave him a hero's welcome for simply not being Bledsoe, they're probably going to really go bonkers now that they've crowned him the savior to this season.
Romo is trying to downplay it all. Perhaps it's because he realizes how much higher his stock will soar if he's able to topple the Colts.
In addition to being a much-needed confidence booster, a victory would make the aches and pains a little more tolerable Monday and Tuesday when Dallas is making its quick turnaround to play again Thursday.
Most importantly, a win would send the Cowboys (5-4) two games over .500 for the first time. With four of their final six games at home, they'd be in good shape for a playoff spot and perhaps even the division title, something that seemed out of reach after that loss to the Giants.
"In a way, I'm glad Buffalo didn't beat them (last week)," Dallas receiver Terrell Owens said. "If they're to be dethroned, I would kind of like it to be at Texas Stadium."
The last game Indianapolis lost was in the playoffs against Pittsburgh, with Mike Vanderjagt badly missing a field goal that would've forced overtime. The "idiot kicker," as Manning once called him, now plays for the Cowboys, with the Colts having signed Adam Vinatieri.
Vanderjagt declined to comment this week, but back in training camp he said: "I think Nov. 19 is somewhere in the back of my mind. That's going to be exciting for a lot of things. I have a lot of friends in Indianapolis, but there are some people that I would like to show that they made the wrong decision."
Indianapolis is coming off its second 1-point win and seventh by a touchdown or less, which is why they're not considered as dominant as their record would suggest. Chicago was winning more impressively until losing last week, leaving the Colts as the NFL's last unbeaten for a second straight season.
"This year is probably a little more fun because we're having to find different ways to win," coach Tony Dungy said.
Parcells scoffs at the notion Indianapolis is just getting by.
"They haven't struggled enough," he says, "because nobody's beaten them."
If Dallas is to win, though, it'll taking stopping Manning, and doing so. That task is even tougher this week with stalwart Greg Ellis going down to a season-ending injury last Sunday.
His absence means more playing time for top pick Bobby Carpenter, who was inactive for three games earlier this season. Al Singleton, a starter all last season when Ellis was playing defensive end, also will play a lot.
"It's a double whammy. You've got to replace one of your best pass rushers, one of your best players on the team, and then you've got to play arguably the best team in the league," fellow linebacker Kevin Burnett said. "You've got to find something fast."
Make the Indianapolis Colts 10-0? Yes, but that wouldn't be anything new. They were 13-0 last season.
Beat a team coached by Bill Parcells? Not a first, either. Manning's second career win was against the Parcells-coached Jets in 1998. He beat the Jets twice the next year and Parcells has avoided facing him ever since.
How about beating the Dallas Cowboys? Well, Manning has done that twice. But it's on the right track.
Manning has never won at Texas Stadium - although that could be merely because he's never played there. In fact, he's never been in the former home of Aikman and Staubach best known for the hole in its roof.
"I have a real appreciation for the great history and the great legacy of the Cowboys and the great quarterbacks that have played there," Manning said. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity."
Manning won't be the only quarterback making his first start at Texas Stadium. Dallas' Tony Romo will be, too.
Romo made his NFL debut during the Cowboys' last home game, taking over for Drew Bledsoe in the third quarter against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Fans welcomed him with a standing ovation and chants of "Ro-mo! Ro-mo!", then he threw an interception on his first play and two more that half. Still, he did enough things right for Parcells to let him keep the job.
It's turned out to be a wise move. Romo has won two of three games and would be 3-0 if not for a wacky ending in Washington. He's coming off a 308-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception performance against Arizona that earned him the NFC offensive player of the week award, and his quarterback rating is second in the NFL - behind only the Colts' Manning.
Because all of Romo's starts have been on the road, the locals haven't had a chance to show their appreciation. Considering fans gave him a hero's welcome for simply not being Bledsoe, they're probably going to really go bonkers now that they've crowned him the savior to this season.
Romo is trying to downplay it all. Perhaps it's because he realizes how much higher his stock will soar if he's able to topple the Colts.
In addition to being a much-needed confidence booster, a victory would make the aches and pains a little more tolerable Monday and Tuesday when Dallas is making its quick turnaround to play again Thursday.
Most importantly, a win would send the Cowboys (5-4) two games over .500 for the first time. With four of their final six games at home, they'd be in good shape for a playoff spot and perhaps even the division title, something that seemed out of reach after that loss to the Giants.
"In a way, I'm glad Buffalo didn't beat them (last week)," Dallas receiver Terrell Owens said. "If they're to be dethroned, I would kind of like it to be at Texas Stadium."
The last game Indianapolis lost was in the playoffs against Pittsburgh, with Mike Vanderjagt badly missing a field goal that would've forced overtime. The "idiot kicker," as Manning once called him, now plays for the Cowboys, with the Colts having signed Adam Vinatieri.
Vanderjagt declined to comment this week, but back in training camp he said: "I think Nov. 19 is somewhere in the back of my mind. That's going to be exciting for a lot of things. I have a lot of friends in Indianapolis, but there are some people that I would like to show that they made the wrong decision."
Indianapolis is coming off its second 1-point win and seventh by a touchdown or less, which is why they're not considered as dominant as their record would suggest. Chicago was winning more impressively until losing last week, leaving the Colts as the NFL's last unbeaten for a second straight season.
"This year is probably a little more fun because we're having to find different ways to win," coach Tony Dungy said.
Parcells scoffs at the notion Indianapolis is just getting by.
"They haven't struggled enough," he says, "because nobody's beaten them."
If Dallas is to win, though, it'll taking stopping Manning, and doing so. That task is even tougher this week with stalwart Greg Ellis going down to a season-ending injury last Sunday.
His absence means more playing time for top pick Bobby Carpenter, who was inactive for three games earlier this season. Al Singleton, a starter all last season when Ellis was playing defensive end, also will play a lot.
"It's a double whammy. You've got to replace one of your best pass rushers, one of your best players on the team, and then you've got to play arguably the best team in the league," fellow linebacker Kevin Burnett said. "You've got to find something fast."
posted by The Gryphon at 8:22 AM
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