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The Colts Influence
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Colts get 1st win at Lucas Oil Stadium Team shows dominant form that used to be so common October 13, 2008
By Phil Richards Good thing Lucas Oil Stadium's retractable roof was open Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts might have blown it off. After a week of talking about passion, the Indianapolis Colts enveloped the Baltimore Ravens in a swirling storm of it. They pinned the Ravens with ruthless special teams coverage, smothered them with attacking defense and exploited them with big-play offense, winning 31-3. "We had fun out there," Colts defensive tackle Raheem Brock said. "That's the first time I've seen everybody flying around, having fun, knowing what they're supposed to do. We looked like we usually look today." With warm sunshine pouring in and the sellout crowd of 66,153 in a lather, the Colts (3-2) won for the first time in three games at their new stadium to inch within two games of AFC South leader Tennessee (5-0). They shed the lethargy that characterized their play through most of their first four games. They dominated. Baltimore's top-ranked defense hadn't permitted a first-quarter touchdown all season. The Ravens trailed 17-0 after 15 minutes Sunday. Midway through the third quarter, it was 31-0. The Colts had outgained the Ravens 302 yards to 49. Baltimore had wandered into Colts territory once, a venture that reached the 43-yard line. It was quickly turned away. Le'Ron McClain pounded toward right tackle. Colts linebacker Clint Session hit him for a 2-yard loss. The Ravens gave the football to their 260-pound fullback again. Middle linebacker Gary Brackett met him at the line. No gain. On third down, Colts end Robert Mathis sacked quarterback Joe Flacco for a 9-yard loss. Baltimore was back at its own 46. "That's exactly what Colts football is all about, from the first to the last whistle, everybody, offense, defense and special teams," said Mathis, who had three of the Colts' four sacks. "We're just happy to get it going." The challenge for the offense was to read the Baltimore defense's many fronts, stunts and blitzes and deal with them. "They do a lot of different things and try to cause confusion. That gives a lot of teams trouble," Colts left tackle Charlie Johnson said. "We gave up a sack here and a pressure there, but for the most part, we kept Peyton up." And quarterback Peyton Manning put it up. He went deep, and with wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, exploited Baltimore's gambles and one-on-one coverages. Manning completed 19-of-28 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Harrison with 67- and 5-yard touchdown passes. He pitched a 22-yarder to Wayne, who also caught a 63-yarder that was nullified by a penalty. Wayne had eight receptions for 118 yards, Harrison three for 83. Injuries knocked out Joseph Addai and Mike Hart and reduced the Colts to a single running back, whose second-quarter run typified their effort. Dominic Rhodes bounced off of and spun away from five tacklers on a 38-yard run. "I was just running, trying to make yards, trying to be a spark out there," Rhodes said. The Colts played their game. They played fast, grabbed the lead, built on it and forced Baltimore to throw. Then they flustered and hurried Flacco, a rookie who went 28-for-38 for 241 yards. They intercepted him three times. They had five takeaways and no turnovers. Offense and defense built on their play of last week at Houston, where the Colts scored 21 points and had three takeaways over the final four minutes. Special teams took the lead Sunday. Of Baltimore's 12 possessions, one began outside the Ravens 20. Six began inside the 17. "We were just flying down there," Melvin Bullitt said. "We always talk about running down there full-speed, first man to the ball make the tackle." Bullitt was that man on Baltimore's first two kickoff returns. The Ravens' Yamon Figurs went down at the 16, then the 14. The Ravens spent the afternoon going nowhere, slowly.
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