14. 2009 AFC CHAMPION INDIANAPOLIS COLTS at 3. 1997 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION BRONCOS
3. 1997 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DENVER BRONCOS
Record: 12-4
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 6th
2nd AFC West
d. Jags WC 42-17
d. Chiefs Div Rnd 14-10
d. Steelers AFC Title 24-21
d. Packers 31-24 Super Bowl
HC: Mike Shanahan, OC: Gary Kubiak, DC: Greg Robinson
Mile High Stadium 45 degrees
Dave Logan
Offense:
QB John Elway (37 Stanford)
RB Terrell Davis (25 UGA) All Pro
FB Howard Griffith (30 Illinois)
WR Ed McCaffrey (29 Stanford)
WR Rod Smith (27 Mo Southern)
TE Shannon Sharpe (29 Sav St)
LT Gary Zimmerman (36 Oregon)
LG Mark Schlereth (31 Idaho)
C Tom Nalen (26 B College)
RG Brian Habib (33 Wash)
RT Tony Jones (31 W Carolina)
Defense
LDE Neil Smith (31 Nebraska)
LDT Keith Traylor (28 C Okla)
RDT Michael Dean Perry (32 Clemson)
RDE Alfred Williams (29 Colorado)
LLB Bill Romanowsi (31 B College)
MLB Allen Aldridge (25 Houston)
RLB John Mobley (24 Kutztown) All Pro
LCB Ray Crockett (30 Baylor)
RCB Darrien Gordon (27 Stanford)
SS Tyrone Braxton (33 N Dakota St)
FS Steve Atwater (31 Arkansas)
K Jason Elam (27 Hawaii)
P Tom Rouen (29 Colorado)
KR Vaughn Hebron (27 Va Tech)
PR Darrien Gordon (27 Stanford)
The third SB Champion to compete is the '97 Broncos; they look to keep the train rolling, as both the '02 Bucs and '85 Bears safely advanced. Mike Shanahan's Broncos bring the best offense from 1997 into the field. John Elway is 37 - 27 scores, 11 picks. He'll be handing the ball off to the All Pro, 25 year old Terrell Davis, who ran for 1700+ yards with 15 scores. Shannon Sharpe is 29 and he's an All Pro, with 72 receptions. The defense is fine, 6th best in '97, 24 year old LB John Mobley is an All Pro; 31 year old Neil Smith/29 year old Alfred Williams combined for 17 sacks.
14. 2009 AFC CHAMPION INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 7th
Def: 8th
1st AFC South
d. Ravens Div Rnd 20-3
d. Jets AFC Title 30-17
Lost Super Bowl 31-17 Saints
HC: Jim Caldwell, OC: Tom Moore, DC: Larry Coyer
Offense
QB Peyton Manning (33 Tenn) All Pro
RB Joseph Addai (26 LSU)
WR Pierrce Garcon (23 Mt Union)
WR Reggie Wayne (31 Miami)
TE Dallas Clark (30 Iowa) All Pro
TE Gijon Robinson (25 Mo West St)
LT Charlie Johnson (25 Ok St)
LG Ryan Lilja (28 Kan St)
C Jeff Saturday (34 UNC)
RG Kyle DeVan (24-R Ore St)
RT Ryan Diem (30 No Ill)
Defense
LDE Robert Mathis (28 Ala A&M)
LDT Daniel Muir (26 Kent)
RDT Antonio Johnson (25 Miss St)
RDE Dwight Freeney (25 Syracuse) All Pro
LLB Tyjuan Hagler (28 Cincinnati)
MLB Gary Brackett (29 Rutgers)
RLB Clint Session (25 Pitt)
LCB Kelvin Hayden (26 Illinois)
RCB Jerraud Powers (22-R Auburn)
SS Melvin Bullitt (25 Tex A&M)
RS Antoine Bethea (25 Howard)
K Matt Stover (41 La Tech)
P Pat McAfee (22 W Va-R)
KR Chad Simpson (24 Morg St)
PR TJ Rushing (26 Stanford)
Pretty heavy disparity between the Colts record, 14-2 and the record they deserved to have, 11-4; those 7th and 8th place ranks in offense/defense would have meant they didn't qualify for the tournament at all if not for the AFC Championship. It's our first look at Peyton Manning, and he's headed to his future town, Denver, to face his future boss, Elway. Manning's 33, All Pro, 33 scores and 16 picks. 31 year old Reggie Wayne and 30 year old Dallas Clark each caught a hundred balls for 10 scores. 29 year old All Pro Dwight Freeney and 28 year old Robert Mathis combined for 23 sacks.
Manning vs Elway. The '09 Colts head to Denver to face the Super Bowl Champion Broncos. Let's go to Mile High for the kick.
First Quarter
Denver starts at the 31.
1/10 - John Elway opens with a dump off to his fullback Howard Griffith for 7.
2/3 - Terrell Davis busts for 10
1/10 - Elway is picked off by Antione Bethea! 3rd play of the game - Antoine Bethea intercepts Elway and the Colts take over at the Bronco 34.
1/10 - Joseph Addai goes for 7.
2/3 - Payton Manning's first pass is a 6 yard first down for Pierrce Garcon.
1/10 - 4 for Adai
2/6 - Incomplete and then an offsides call makes it 3rd and 1.
3/1 - Manning finds his third TE, Tom Santi, for 11 yards, all the way to the 1 yard line.
1/goal - Play action - Dallas Clark wide open in the back of the end zone TOUCHDOWN COLTS - Elway pick quickly leads to a Manning score; Denver gets the ball back at the 31, 10:14.
1/10 - 2 yard loss for Terrell Davis.
2/12 - Davis is stacked up and it's a 3rd and long.
3/12 - Elway hits Rod Smith for 17 yards. A holding call then backs Denver 10.
3 plays net 4 yards and the Broncos punt. Colts at their own 36. 6:44
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Manning short to Addai for 3.
3/7 - Manning hits the big strike - Reggie Wayne over the middle for 57 yards! Wayne's in his 9th season out of Miami, made the Pro Bowl this year and he catches the big deep shot from Manning down to the 2.
1/goal - Manning hits Dallas Clark again -- TOUCHDOWN COLTS - less than 7 minutes into the game and Peyton Manning has 2 scores to Dallas Clark and man, oh man, the '97 Champs are going to be fighting uphill today.
Broncos at the 27. 4:54. 3 and out.
Colts at the 23. 2:46. 3 and out.
Broncos get a big return, Darrien Gordon returns to punt to the Colts 36 with 1:47 left in the quarter.
1/10 - Davis is stopped at the line.
2/10 - Elway hits Shannon Sharpe for 8.
3/2 - Davis goes for 10 - there'a a first down, and Denver is at the Colts 18 as the qtr ends.
Second Qtr
Manning v. Elway is all Manning so far; Denver now driving, first down at the Colts 18, 14-0 Indy.
1/10 - Vaughn Hebron goes for 8 and an incidental facemask gives Denver the first and goal at the 5.
1/goal - 3 for Davis
2/goal - QB draw for Elway - he is stopped dead at the goal line.
3/goal - Howard Griffith powers his way home TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - Denver takes advantage of the field postion off the Gordon punt return and slices the deficit in half.
Colts to start at the 30. 12:45.
1/10 - Donald Brown gets a carry and goes for 14.
1/10 - Manning to Addai for 14 - Colts really moving at will against this Bronco defense.
1/10 - A dozen for Brown - look at the Colts, at the Bronco 30.
1/10 - Joseph Addai breaks one - daylight - Joseph Addai is going to go all the way - TOUCHDOWN COLTS - Indy takes 4 plays to go 70 yards; they've hung 21 on the Super Bowl Champion Broncos in Denver and we still have 10 minutes left in the half.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Terrell Davis for 11.
1/10 - Elway rolls out - and he throws deep over the middle to Sharpe - Shannon Sharpe with the big 40 yard pass reception - we got one today - Elway is down two scores and he connects with the 40 yard bomb.
1/10- Elway to Rod Smith for 11 and the Broncos have 1st and goal at the 7.
1/goal - Elway rifles the ball into tight coverage in the endzone - snagged by Sharpe -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - the Broncos come right back - 5 plays, 69 yards, it's 21-14 Colts and we have a wild round one game here at Mile High.
Colts at the 18. 8 minutes left in the half.
1/10 - Brown gains 1
2/9 - Addai gains 1
3/8 - Manning hits Reggie Wayne for 13.
1/10 - Pitch to Addai - he is Rocked- by John Mobley -- Fumble -- Denver recovers at the Colt 34 with 5:58 left - this huge crowd is in it now - they saw their team go down by 14 in the first 5 minutes but now trail by just 7 with the ball in Indy territory.
1/10 - David gets 4 and an offsides will add 5
2/1- 4 for David. First down at the 21. 4:39.
The next 3 plays gain 5 yards and Jason Elam kicks a 35 yard FG to make it a 21-17 game. Colts start at the 31, 2:23 left.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Manning to Wayne for 9 at the 2 min warning.
3/1 - Addai picks up the yard. Timeout.
1/10 - Manning finds Austin Collie, a rookie from BYU - for a 22 yard gain to the Denver 37, the Colts are moving again. 1:48.
1/10 - Brown stopped at the line.
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Manning is picked by Ray Crockett! Crockett returns to the Denver 46 - Denver forces their second turnover of the day - this time a Manning interception. Denver trails by 4 but are near midfield with 1:18 left.
1/10 - Dwight Freeney levels Elway with the sack and a loss of 4. Timeout.
2/14 - Elway to Davis for 6, he's out of bounds, 3rd and 8 for Denver at their own 48.
3/8 - And Elway is picked off again by Bethea! Antoine Bethea's second interception of the day - Colts neare midfield with 44 seconds left, the teams trading interceptions.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Manning hits Wayne for 23, Colts at the 29 and they stop the clock. 23 seconds
1/10 - Manning hits Garcon for 9. 10 seconds and a timeout.
2/10 - Incomplete. Just seconds left. Jim Caldwell calls for the kick - it's good. Halftime. 24-17 Colts
Third Qtr
Turnovers and big plays - a wild game here in Denver and the 14th seeded Colts lead by a score.
Colts at the 23.
1/10 - Brown for 7.
2/3 - Manning to Clark, who has 2 TD catches on the day, for 9.
1/10 - Manning to Addai for 7.
2/3 - Incommplete
3/3 - Addai gets 4, it's a first down to midfield.
3 incomplete passes later the Colts are punting - it's a good one, Denver will be starting at their own 9.
1/10 - Elway strikes - a 51 yard bomb to Rod Smith - it jolts this crowd alive - Smith all way to the Colt 40 yard line!
3 plays later, including a big Dwight Freeney sack, his second sack, the Broncos are punting - and oit's a great return - TJ Rushing out to the 49 where the Colts take over with 10:26 left in the third. Up 7.
1/10 - Addai gets 1
2/9 - Addai gets 3
3/6 - Manning to Collie for 6- just does get enough after the measurement for the first down.
The next 3 plays net 6 yards - Matt Stover hits a 52 yard FG and the Colt lead is again double digits, they have led this one the whole way.
Denver starts at the 30. 7:28 left.
1/10 - Davis for 4.
2/6 - Davis for 7.
The next 3 plays net 5 yards. The crowd getting anxious now, the Super Bowl Champs down 10 and we're nearing the end of the quarter. Colts start at the 24, 3:47.
3 and out. Great return on the punt again by Darrien Gordon into Colt territory, Denver ball at the Indy 45, 2:48.
1/10 - Elway finds the second TE, Dwayne Carswell, for 4 and an offsides call gets 5 more.
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1 - Davis picks it up, 8 yards. Denver's at the 28.
1/10 - Elway to Davis - 8 yards.
2/2 - Howard Griffith up the middle, one cut -- and Griffith's going to go! Griffith stomps 20 yards into the end zone for his second TD of the game TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS Howard Griffith did not score a TD in the 1997 regular season, he has 2 today in the first round of the tournament and the Broncos have cut the deficit to 27-24.
Colts start at the 28, Addai picks up a yard and that ends the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Possible great finish ahead, Colts have led the whole way, Denver's as close as they've gotten, down a FG. Indy ball at their own 29, second and 1. Can they pull off the 14/3 upset?
2/9 - Addai for one.
3/8 - Manning hits Austin Collie for a dozen - Indy converts and are out at the 42.
1/10 - Brown gets 3
2/7 - Addai gets 1
3/6 - Brown gets 7 - that's another big 3rd down conversion for the Colts, they cross midfield with 11:46 to go.
1/10 -Addai for 1.
2/9 - Chad Simpson, the second year back from Morgan St, is the 4th Colt to get a carry today, he gets 3.
3/6 - Draw play to Simpson - Simpson's going to pick up the first down - AND MORE -- CHAD SIMPSON IS GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY! Chad Simpson with a 43 yard touchdown run - Chad Simpson goes 43 yards and the Colts are going to take a 10 point lead with just 10 minutes to go! The 14th seeded Colts are 10 minutes from knocking off the 1997 Super Bowl Champion Broncos TOUCHDOWN COLTS
Broncos at the 20. 10:10 left. 34-24 Colts
1/10 - Elway forced to run. Gets 3.
2/7 - Elway hits Carswell over the middle, Carswell breaks a tackle, Carswell 28 yards out to the Colt 49 yard line. Big play for Denver.
1/10 - Davis for 5.
2/5 - Davis for 1.
3/4 - Big play here. 7:26 left. Broncos down 10. Elway hits Ed McCaffrey for an 11 yard pickup and the first down to the Colt 32.
1/10 - Hebron for 4.
2/6 - Elway throwing to the endzone -- Shannon Sharpe at the goal line - caught - takes a shot - holds on -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS -- Elway with the 28 yard strike to Sharpe and the Broncos cut the deficit to 34-31.
Here's that man - Chad Simpson - he just had a 43 yard TD run and he takes the kick back all the way to the Colt 48. That might be a backbreaker - Colt ball at their own 48, 5:48 left, Colt lead is 3.
But the Colts go 3 and out including a Neil Smith sack of Manning.
McAfee's punt is a winner - pinning Denver back at their own 6. 4:12 left.
Can Denver drive down and kick a game tying FG to force OT here?
Here comes Elway.
1/10 - Elway is sacked on first down by Robert Mathis all the way back to his goal line, just inches from a safety.
2/15 - Elway in trouble in the end zone, Elway forced to tuck the ball and run and he gets just out of the end zone. Third and 15 from as close to the end zone as you can get. 3:24 left Broncos down 3.
3/15 - Elway finds Terrell Davis - he's near the sticks -- measurement....
Broncos first down. Elway hits Davis for the 15 yard first down. 2:41 left. Denver needs a FG to force OT.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Davis run, he gets 7 at the 2 minute warning. Another 3rd down.
3/3 - Elway finds Ed McCaffrey over the middle - stretches forward for the first down. Denver is at their own 29 yard line. 1:55 left.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Elway finds Shannon Sharpe on the sidelines - turns upfield for 14 yards and a first down at the Broncos own 43. 1:40.
1/10 - Davis. 15 big yards - Broncos call Timeout at 1:33, Denver is at the Colt 42- one more first down would at least give Elam a shot at tying this game.
1/10 Incomplete. And a false start backs Denver 5.
2/15 - Oh, oh, oh - Elway hits McCaffrey on the sideline, gets both feet in - it's a 28 yard pass and the Broncos are in FG range now, Denver's at the Colts 19 yard line - 1:18 left - Elway - Elway - 37 year old John Elway, are we seeing it happen?
1/10 - Elway to Sharpe over the middle - Sharpe is dragged down all the way at the 1 yard line! 18 yards to Shannon Sharpe! The Broncos are down to the Indy 1 yard line! 57 seconds left and a first and goal.
1/goal - Incomplete
2/goal - Elway rolling right - throwing left - ---- Byron Chamberlain in the end zone
--- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS.....TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS.....TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS.....John Elway drives 99 yards in 14 plays -- a 99 yard drive and Denver takes its first lead of the day. The Colts have just 41 seconds left, down 38-34 and they start at their own 31.
1/10 Manning to Reggie Wayne. 12 yards. Out of bounds. 36 seconds.
1/10 - Manning to Dallas Clark. 12 yards - timeout. 28 seconds left and the Colts are at the Bronco 45 yard line - is it Manning? Is Manning driving down to win this football game?
1/10 - Incomplete.
2/10 - Manning is brought down by Alfred Williams - a huge sack, 8 yard loss, the Colts call time out back at their own 47, just 17 seconds left now. Huge play by Alfred Williams
3/16 - Incomplete.
4th down. 9 seconds left. Colts at their own 47. They trail by 4. Peyton Manning's last stand.
Incomplete.
It's done. Elway takes a knee and it's over. The Denver Broncos win the best game of the tournament to date.
Final: Broncos 38 Colts 34
In the signature game of the tournament, 37 year old John Elway takes the '97 Broncos 99 yards in the 4th qtr to beat Peyton Manning and the '09 Broncos and they advance to the 2nd rnd.
Elway: 21 for 32, 326 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Manning: 19 for 38, 225 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Davis: 20 carries, 91 yards, 4 catches 29 yds
Griffith: 2 TDs
Addai: 15 carries, 55 yds, 3 catches, 24 yds
Sharpe: 6 catches, 115 yds, 2TD
Wayne: 5 catches, 116 yds
Clark: 2 TD
Bethea: 2 INT
Freeney: 2 sacks
Player of the Game - JOHN ELWAY
