Perfection is now a thing of the past for the Indianapolis Colts.
Looking ahead isn't so grim, though -- especially with the Super Bowl still in their sights.
"It's tough to go 16-0. You have to play well every week," coach Tony Dungy said after his team was beaten 26-17 by San Diego to end its 13-game winning streak.
PHOTO: AFP
No, the Colts weren't happy -- the locker room was quiet and emptied quickly.
But the last team to start 13-0, the 1998 Denver Broncos, went on to win the Super Bowl, and several players from that team say now that losing their 14th (and 15th) games made the final victory easier.
"I never think losing helps," Dungy said. "But if it brings us back for the last two weeks with more resolve, maybe some good will come of it."
The Colts had erased a 16-0 deficit with a field goal and two touchdowns in a six-minute span of the third quarter. But the Chargers went ahead for good on a 49-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding with 6:41 left.
Then Michael Turner clinched it with an 83-yard touchdown run after rookie Luis Castillo sacked Peyton Manning to knock the Colts out of field-goal range.
"I think they're the best team in the football. But all week, we felt we could beat them," said San Diego rookie Shawne Merriman, who had two sacks and forced an important intentional grounding by Manning. "It will always go down in the books, no matter what happened before or after."
The win kept San Diego (9-5) alive for an AFC wild-card spot and prevented Denver from clinching the AFC West. The Chargers will need help to make the playoffs.
It also allows the Colts to rest starters for the final two games, having already clinched home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs.
And it certainly led to champagne celebrations by members of the 1972 Dolphins, the only team to complete a season undefeated.
"It's just another example of how tough it is to run the table in the NFL. And while congratulations are in order to the Colts for the great run they had this year, it points out once again that the 1972 team was something special, even if we don't always get recognized as such," said Manny Fernandez, a defensive lineman on that team.
Said Dungy: "The only consolation now is that we won't be asked all those questions, have all the media around and we can have more focus on our ultimate goal, to win the Super Bowl."
The Colts played dreadfully for much of the game -- almost as if they wanted to take off the pressure.
Manning was sacked on each of the first two series and also threw an interception, although he finished with 336 yards passing, many of them late in the game. Fortunately for Indy, Drayton Florence, who picked off the pass, fumbled it back as he was returning it.
Still, the Chargers were leading 16-0 midway through the third quarter on a 29-yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Keenan McCardell and three field goals by Nate Kaeding.
"They were treating it like a playoff game and we were, too," Manning said. "I feel very disappointed that we lost the game."
The Colts rallied behind their defense.
Trailing 16-3 after Mike Vanderjagt's field goal, Gary Brackett intercepted Brees' pass, setting up a 1-yard TD run by Edgerrin James. Then Dwight Freeney sacked Brees to force a fumble, and Manning threw a 1-yard TD pass to Dallas Clark.
Suddenly it was 17-16 with 40 seconds left in the third quarter, and the RCA Dome, quiet for almost three quarters, exploded in a raucous roar.
It got louder when McCardell fielded Hunter Smith's punt on the goal line a few minutes into the fourth quarter and could get only to his 8. But McCardell atoned, catching a 54-yard pass from Brees, who finished 22-of-33 for 255 yards, to set up Kaeding's field goal that put the Chargers up 19-17.
Nick Harper's end-zone interception after Dominic Rhodes fumbled the ensuing kickoff stopped one threat for the Colts. Manning drove the Colts down the field, but the grounding call when he was pressured by Merriman cost him 12 yards and Castillo's sack forced a punt.
Two plays later, Turner turned right end and raced untouched down the sideline for the clincher.
"We call multiple plays in the huddle or on the line. That's called an alert," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said of the run by Turner, who was subbing for LaDainian Tomlinson, who bruised his ribs. "We see what they show. Then we either run the play or run the alert. That was the alert."
That was the alert that made the 1972 Dolphins happy. It might be the alert that takes the pressure off the Colts en route to an NFL title.
Steelers 18, Vikings 3
In Minneapolis, Ben Roethlisberger ran for a touchdown, and Pittsburgh forced three turnovers and a safety to snap Minnesota's six-game winning streak.
Willie Parker rushed 14 times for 81 yards for the Steelers (9-5), who won their second consecutive game and put themselves in prime position for an AFC wild card. The Vikings (8-6) sealed their demise at the end of an embarrassing week. Four players, including the injured Daunte Culpepper, were charged Thursday with three misdemeanors apiece for their lewd behavior in the infamous bye-week boat party.
Bears 16, Falcons 3
In Chicago, Rex Grossman added a different dimension after relieving the struggling Kyle Orton in the third quarter. The projected starter before breaking his left ankle in a preseason game at St. Louis, Grossman completed 9 of 16 passes for 93 yards with an interception. It was plenty, though, with Chicago's staunch defense shutting down Michael Vick and the Falcons (8-6).
The NFL's No. 1 defense limited the Falcons to 231 yards. The Bears increased their lead in the NFC North to two games over Minnesota. The teams meet Jan. 1 in the regular-season finale.
Chicago (10-4) turned to Grossman after watching Orton complete 2 of 10 passes for 12 yards in the first half.
Seahawks 28, Titans 24
In Nashville, Tennessee, Matt Hasselbeck threw three touchdown passes, including a 2-yarder to Darrell Jackson in the fourth quarter, and the Seahawks rallied to clinch a first-round playoff bye.
Seattle (12-2) won its 10th straight for the first time in team history and also matched the 1984 squad for most victories in a season. Hasselbeck finished with 285 yards as the Seahawks beat the Titans (4-10) for the fifth straight time in their first meeting since 1998.
Jaguars 10, 49ers 9
In Jacksonville, Florida, David Garrard ran for a touchdown, Josh Scobee kicked the winning field goal and the Jaguars moved closer to a playoff berth.
Jacksonville (10-4) won for the sixth time in seven games -- all of the victories coming against teams with losing records -- and now can return to the postseason for the first time since 1999 with a victory against Houston or Tennessee to end the season.
San Francisco (4-12) has lost 12 of 13 since beating St. Louis in the season opener.
Dolphins 24, Jets 20
In Miami, replacing an injured Gus Frerotte to start the second half, Sage Rosenfels threw a 50-yard completion for the go-ahead touchdown, and the Dolphins earned their fourth win in a row.
Despite the victory, Miami (7-7) was eliminated from the AFC playoff race when Pittsburgh and San Diego won. The Jets (3-11) finished 0-8 on the road for the first time. The only other time they went winless on the road was in 1964, when they were 0-7. After Frerotte was sidelined by an injury to the index finger on his throwing hand, Rosenfels helped Miami overcome a 17-10 fourth-quarter deficit with touchdowns on consecutive possessions.
Panthers 27, Saints 10
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jake Delhomme led Carolina (10-4) back into first place in the NFC South, throwing for a touchdown and running for another.
Delhomme's fourth victory against his former team came in the same week the Saints (3-11) benched quarterback Aaron Brooks after 82 straight starts. His replacement, seldom-used Todd Bouman, struggled, finishing with four interceptions and a lost fumble.
Eagles 17, Rams 16
In St. Louis, Mike McMahon tossed the winning touchdown pass to long snapper Mike Bartrum on the first play of the fourth quarter and the Eagles (6-8) won for the second time in eight games. The Rams (5-9) lost for the fifth time in six games.
Texans 30, Cardinals 19
In Houston, The Texans ended a six-game losing streak but may have jeopardized their chances of the claiming the top pick in the NFL draft. Houston (2-12) is now tied with San Francisco for the worst record in the NFL after the 49ers lost to Jacksonville. The Texans face San Francisco in the season finale on New Year's Day.
Redskins 35, Cowboys 7
In Landover, Maryland, Washington won its third straight and beat the Cowboys twice in the same season for the first time in 10 years.
Phillip Daniels had four sacks and a fumble recovery, Marcus Washington had two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble, Chris Cooley caught three of Mark Brunell's four touchdown passes, and Clinton Portis ran for 112 yards.
The game left the Redskins (8-6) and Cowboys (8-6) two games behind the New York Giants in the NFC East, but the Redskins hold the tiebreaker because of the season sweep.
Bengals 41, Lions 17
In Detroit, Michigan, the Cincinnati Bengals clinched their first division title since 1990, as Carson Palmer threw three touchdown passes.
Cincinnati (11-3) won its fourth straight game, adding to a sensational season after 14 straight years without a winning record.
Browns 9, Raiders 7
In Oakland, California, Phil Dawson kicked a 37-yard field goal two plays after Reuben Droughns' apparent fumble was overturned by replay, giving rookie QB Charlie Frye his first NFL win.
Frye calmly engineered the last-minute drive that helped Cleveland (5-9) snap a three-game skid.
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