Peyton Manning’s chase of Dan Marino’s 48-touchdown season will last at least another week.
The Indianapolis quarterback wants Colts fans to be as patient as he was Sunday night, when he threw a season-low one touchdown pass in a 20-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. He remains one short of catching Marino.
A Ravens defense that had given up only 10 touchdown passes all season held Manning and the Colts to a season-low score, but Manning was most disappointed in fans who booed in the fourth quarter thinking they were missing out on history.
An interception by Colts linebacker Cato June set up Manning at the Baltimore 4-yard line with 59 seconds left. Instead of going for the record, Manning knelt twice to end the game.
“I can’t get over the crowd booing like that,” Manning said. “I hope they were Baltimore fans.”
Earlier, fans expressed dismay when the Colts went for a field goal that Mike Vanderjagt missed instead of allowing Manning a shot on fourth down from the 15-yard line.
Manning’s only touchdown pass came in the third quarter on a 29-yard strike to Marvin Harrison that gave the Colts a 13-3 lead. Later in the quarter, Manning handed off to Edgerrin James for a 3-yard score when the Ravens were playing pass.
“They were playing pass all the way,” Manning said. “It was a no-brainer look, and that’s the way it will always be. If [the record] happens in the normal course of a game, that’s the way it should be.”
Manning pointed out the Colts are now 11-3 and play host to the 11-3 San Diego Chargers next weekend in their final home game.
“We’re still holding out hope to get a higher seed,” Manning said. “I’ll keep doing whatever I have to do to win games.”
Manning was 20 of 33 for 249 yards and his touchdown. Baltimore’s Kyle Boller was 18 of 40 for 210 yards and one touchdown but threw two interceptions as the Ravens dropped to 8-6 in the tight AFC wild-card race.
Just before kickoff, Colts owner Jim Irsay and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson announced a $450 million plan to build a retractable-roof stadium next to the RCA Dome that might as well be called “Peyton’s Place.”
With Manning, the Colts are at the crest of their popularity since moving from Baltimore before the 1984 season, and some believe that a new stadium deal might never have happened had he not arrived in 1998.
“We used to be a laugher on the schedule,” Manning said. “[Team President] Bill Polian also came in 1998, and now we’re a legitimate contender. To get a stadium, I’m very proud about that.”
The stadium deal ended speculation that an untenable lease in the NFL’s smallest stadium would force the Colts to eventually move to Los Angeles or elsewhere. A 30-year lease is part of the new plan. Details about financing and a construction timetable will be unveiled Monday.
For Irsay to make the announcement preceding a game against the city his father Robert abandoned was a coincidence that didn’t go unnoticed among the smattering of Ravens fans.
“We have always been proud to be the Indianapolis Colts,” Irsay said.
The project will be part of a $750 million expansion of the downtown convention center. Included will be a basketball facility capable of hosting the NCAA Final Four, Peterson said. Fans cheered a video presentation of the proposed stadium.
While throwing touchdown passes at an unprecedented pace all season, Manning has insisted that it hasn’t been as easy as it has looked. The Ravens helped Manning underscore the point by frustrating the Colts’ offense throughout the first half.
“Multiple, multiple looks,” Manning said. “We just had to stay patient and sort it all out.”
When June accidentally stepped out of bounds at the 4-yard line with his interception in the last minute, Colts coach Tony Dungy said he would have allowed Manning to try to score had the Ravens called a timeout.
“We take a knee unless they call time out,” Dungy said. “That was the only thing to do. Hopefully, we’ll get it next week.”
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Tale of 2 QBs
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Breakdown of Dan Marino’s 48-TD season and Peyton Manning’s season to date
Peyton Manning, 2004
OPPONENT A C YDS TD INT
at New Eng. 29 16 256 2 1
at Tennessee 33 24 254 2 0
Green Bay 40 28 393 5 0
at Jacksonville 29 20 220 2 1
Oakland 26 16 198 3 1
Jacksonville 39 27 368 3 0
at Kansas City 44 25 472 5 1
Minnesota 29 23 268 4 0
Houston 27 18 320 5 2
at Chicago 28 17 211 4 1
at Detroit 28 23 236 6 0
Tennessee 33 25 425 3 2
at Houston 33 26 298 2 0
Baltimore 33 20 249 1 0
San Diego – – – – –
at Denver – – – – –
Totals 451 308 4168 47 9
Dan Marino, 1984
OPPONENT A C YD TD INT
at Washington 28 21 311 5 0
New England 27 16 234 2 2
at Buffalo 35 26 296 3 1
Indianapolis 29 14 257 2 0
at St.L (Cards) 36 24 429 3 0
at Pittsburgh 24 16 226 2 1
Houston Oilers 32 25 321 3 0
at New Eng. 39 24 316 4 1
Buffalo 28 19 282 3 3
at N.Y. Jets 42 23 422 2 2
Philadelphia 34 20 246 1 1
at San Diego 41 28 338 2 1
N.Y. Jets 31 19 192 4 0
L.A. Raiders 57 35 470 4 2
at Indianapolis 41 29 404 4 1
Dallas 40 23 340 4 2
Totals 564 362 5084 48 17
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