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Down the stretch, Colts err by going to air

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 28, 2000

[AP photo] Quarterback Peyton Manning could only express disappointment at the thought of another Colts loss.

The decision of Buffalo coach Wade Phillips to go for an onside kick against the Bucs Sunday might have gone down as the worst coaching call of the season, but Colts coach Jim Mora let Phillips off the hook with his own game-altering move hours later.

Phillips, you might recall, had the Bills try an onside kick with 2 minutes, 27 seconds remaining and Buffalo trailing by seven points. At that point, Tampa Bay had gained only 142 yards from scrimmage and the Bills had three timeouts and the two-minute warning to slow the clock.

Phillips could argue that he had lost faith in his kick coverage unit and the Bucs were likely to get good field position anyway. He also could argue that with three key players missing from his defense, his best bet was to get the ball back instead of letting the depleted unit try to make a stand. Given that Warrick Dunn ran for a 39-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage after the failed attempt, that line of thinking has a slight degree of merit.

There is little, if any, degree of merit for the Colts' gaffe against the Dolphins Sunday. Here was the scenario: Indianapolis, clinging to a 14-10 fourth-quarter lead, took over on its 35-yard line and moved the ball to the Dolphins 30 on eight plays despite a holding a penalty. Running back Edgerrin James had accounted for 35 yards on six carries during the drive.

It was a clock-killing work of art with the Colts taking 5:17 off the board.

Facing a third and 7 from the 30 with 3:07 remaining, the Colts could have given James another crack then let kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who had made 18-of-19 field goals coming in, drill a likely three-pointer. In that scenario, the Dolphins probably do no better than tie the score and send the game into overtime.

Instead, Indianapolis let Peyton Manning throw. Brock Marion intercepted and the Dolphins drove 86 yards for a game-winning touchdown.

Don't even bother to argue that Manning had an open receiver and the ball just sailed long and behind the intended receiver.

Don't even mention that Manning is one of the league's most accurate passers.

The ball should never have been in the air.

Now the Colts, who have lost three of their past four, are searching for answers and having serious concerns about making the playoffs after going 13-3 last season.

"We knew this year would be tough, we knew our schedule would be tougher," said Manning, whose team has lost all five games by eight points or fewer. "Last year, we got on a roll and won 11 in a row. There's not a lot of teams that go 13-3. Every game we've lost, we were right there at the end. We just couldn't close the deal."

TIGHT GAMES: The Colts are not the only preseason favorite that has failed to close out key games. The Bucs, Rams and Redskins all find themselves battling for a playoff spot after being labeled the class of the NFC before the season opened.

Four of Tampa Bay's five losses have been by seven points or fewer. All five of Washington's losses have been by six points or fewer. Two of St. Louis' four losses were by seven points or fewer.

In the AFC, the Titans were a good bet to get back to the Super Bowl, but they have lost three games by three points or fewer. In 1999, they were 5-1 in games decided by three or fewer. This season, they are just 3-3.

"You live on the edge, you die on the edge," Titans running back Eddie George said after Jacksonville beat Tennessee 16-13 Sunday. "We don't want to live on the edge, but it's hard to blow people out."

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: All six division winners from 1999 might fail to defend their titles. The Colts are two games behind Miami in the AFC East, and you can already count out Jacksonville (AFC Central) and Seattle (AFC West).

Philadelphia has the inside track over Washington in the NFC East and it would take a minor miracle for the Bucs to catch the Vikings in the NFC Central. The Saints have a tiebreaker advantage over the Rams in the NFC West thanks to their win on Sunday.

If five of the six fail to repeat, it would continue a recent trend. Last year only one division titlist, Jacksonville, was a defending champion. In 1998, all six division champions from the season before failed to repeat.

SO LONG CARTER?: Vikings receiver Cris Carter has determined the future of his career, but he is not revealing his decision to the public.

Carter met with coach Dennis Green on Sunday, his 35th birthday, and discussed what he should do after this season, his 14th. The Vikings' impending salary-cap situation was among the factors in the discussion, but Carter said he would wait to reveal what he has decided.

Carter said his life after football will far exceed what he has accomplished on the field, and that's saying a lot. He has 71 catches this season and needs only five Thursday night against Detroit to become the second receiver in NFL history to produce 1,000 receptions.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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