Indianapolis Colts RB Joseph Addai (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)
As significant as the Indianapolis Colts making history on Sunday afternoon was how they did it.
Rather, how they didn't do it.
Because for the first time in a long time, the unbeaten, record-setting Colts needed no late-game heroics Sunday. They did need some big-time red-zone running by RB Joseph Addai and two goal-line stands, and because they got them, the Colts beat the streaking Tennessee Titans, 27-17 in front of 66,321 at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.
The victory was the Colts' 21st consecutive regular-season victory, tying the NFL record previously held by the New England Patriots.
New England won 21 consecutive regular-season games from 2006-2008.
“We certainly do not take it for granted,” Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said after completing 24 of 37 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions for a 95.6 passer rating.
“It's obviously fun to win. It does build momentum, but we have taken it one week it at a time. We enjoy it when we're allowed to enjoy it, but we have to work next week for the next opponent.”
The Colts (12-0), who remained one of two unbeaten teams in the NFL after New Orleans beat Washington, 33-30, in overtime, also maintained their three-game lead in the AFC over Cincinnati (9-3), a 23-13 winner over Detroit Sunday.
“It was kind of a classic effort, I think,” Colts first-year Head Coach Jim Caldwell said. “It's kind of how games go each week. It may look like the margin is fairly wide, but usually, it narrows and we have to battle all the way through to get this one done.
“I would say this is kind of a typical game this week.”
Actually, considering the Colts' last six weeks, it was rather atypical. The Colts on Sunday took a 21-3 first-half lead and never let the Titans get closer than 10 again -- this after setting an an NFL record in November by rallying to win five consecutive games after trailing in the fourth quarter.
On Sunday, Tennessee never got closer than 10 after Addai scored his second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard run with 11:42 remaining in the second quarter.
“That's something we did talk about: 'Hey, these comebacks are nice, but we don't have to [rely on them],” said Manning, who did not throw an interception Sunday after throwing two in three consecutive games for the first time since 2001.
“I've always felt a comeback win meant you screwed up in the first three quarters to put yourself in that position.”
The Colts' defense, despite allowing 375 yards, three times held the Titans without touchdowns in the red zone, holding Tennessee to a field goal after a 1st-and-goal from the 2 in the first half and forcing Tennessee to give up possession on downs after a 1st-and-goal from the 1 late in the third quarter.
The Colts also forced an incomplete pass by Titans quarterback Vince Young on 4th-and-5 from the Colts 14 with 10:37 remaining. Indianapolis also forced two Tennessee turnovers, and held Titans running back Chris Johnson to a 4.2-yards-per carry average, 2.2 yards below his season average.
Johnson, who had rushed for 800 yards in five November games, rushed for 113 on 27 carries Sunday.
“He's going to get his yards,” Caldwell said of Johnson, whose longest run Sunday was 11 yards. "There's no question about that. He's a talented guy. The good thing about It, we didn't let him loose. He didn't get one of those 85-yard runs against us, which he is certainly capable of.
Added Caldwell, "We got off to a pretty good first half and played well. We did some things that we really set out to do. We started out a little faster than we had in recent weeks. But our second half, we certainly didn't do as well as we'd like.
“We had some very important defensive stops, I think along the way that were key and important. There enough good things to make us feel pretty good about ourselves and certainly enough things to humble us as well. We know we have a lot of work to do before next week."
MORE COLTS COVERAGE
PREGAME WALKTHROUGH: FIVE KEYS TO COLTS VERSUS TENNESSEE. HERE
COLTS WORK OUT J.P. LOSMAN. HERE
PREVIEWING COLTS-TITANS. HERE
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: WHY THE COLTS MUST REST IF THEY CLINCH HOMEFIELD. HERE
FREENEY: No trophies for 16-0. Here.
MATHIS: AFC Defensive Player of the Month. Here.
CALDWELL: 16-0 not that important. Here.
Reviewing Colts President Bill Polian's weekly radio show . . .
* Part One: Late-season rust and momentum "pure fantasy." Here.
* Part Two: QB Peyton Manning at high a level as ever. Here.
* Part Three: No problem with Dungy's Colts analysis on NBC. Here.
* Part Four: Victory over Houston Sunday showed team's professionalism. Here.
DOES PEYTON MANNING GET TOO MUCH RESPECT? HERE
POLIANS' CONTRACTS EXTENDED. HERE
COLTS FANS OWE RB JOSEPH ADDAI AN APOLOGY. HERE
*** CATCH UP WITH ALL THINGS COLTS ON INDY FOOTBALL REPORT. HERE
*** READ JOHN OEHSER'S INDIANA PACERS COVERAGE. HERE.
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