Peyton Manning and the explosive Indianapolis Colts outgunned the Kansas City Chiefs 38-31 on Sunday to set up an AFC title clash against New England next week.
The Colts picked up where they left off in last week's 41-10 rout of Denver in the wildcard playoff by scoring on their first three possessions to silence the noisy Chiefs fans at the Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs found Manning, who threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, and his offense unstoppable with the home side's own potent attack being forced to play catch-up for the whole game.
The AFC Championship between the Colts and Patriots will take place in Foxboro, Massachusetts next Sunday with the winner going on to Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston two weeks later.
"We knew we had to score a lot of points," Manning told reporters. "We knew they were going to match us.
"Edgerrin [James's] running kept them off balance."
James racked up 125 rush yards and scored twice despite a few stumbles early in the game.
"It was all about us taking care of our responsibilities," James said. "Peyton makes all the calls. When my number is called, I gotta run hard, move the chains."
Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, starting his first playoff game at the age 33, threw for 212 yards and a TD, with regular-season touchdown leader Priest Holmes rumbling for a club playoff-record 176 yards and two scores.
Dante Hall got Kansas City's first and third TDs on a nine-yard reception and a 92-yard kickoff return, his speciality all season.
But it was Manning who made his mark early on, hooking up with Brandon Stokley from 29 yards to cap off a 70-yard drive to open the game.
Green then took the Chiefs on a 73-yard drive, which stalled on the Colts five-yard line, leading to a 22-yard Morten Andersen field goal.
The Colts came right back, marching 76 yards, with James scampering 11 yards up the middle for his first TD.
Kansas City quickly replied with Green finding Hall to bring the Chiefs to with four points at 14-10, but Indianapolis then drove 71 yards with Manning hooking up with little-used Tom Lopienski from two yards to make it 21-10.
Mike Vanderjagt's 45-yard field goal extended the advantage and although Holmes went over the top from a yard Manning immediately replied again with a 19-yard scoring toss to Reggie Wayne.
Hall took the ensuing kickoff all the way down the right sideline to make it a one-TD game once more but James then ploughed over from a yard for his second TD to finish off an 81-yard Indianapolis drive.
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