Indianapolis Colts Win Again, Narrowly Escape Ravens

NFL News - November 22nd, 2009 - Written by John

As far as personal standards go, Peyton Manning would probably prefer to leave Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens stay tucked away somewhere isolated. But as far as team goals go, any kind of a win is reason to savor.

Manning was picked off twice, but the Colts managed to survive another rigorous test, improving to 10-0 with a 17-15 win over Baltimore, and clearing the one-point underdog status. Manning wasn't great, completing 22 passes with only one touchdown, but he was only a yard shy of another 300-yard day and still managed to lead his team on a field goal drive with seven minutes left.

Former Ravens' kicker Matt Stover kicked the field goal that ultimately decided the game. Indianapolis has now won 19-straight games, the second longest streak in the history of the league.

Baltimore had a chance to win the game, but those ambitions were lost when Gary Brackett intercepted a Joe Flacco pass with just over two minutes to go, and Ed Reed fumbled on a punt return with 17 seconds left.

It was simply another moment for the Indianapolis Colts to hold their breath, never winning as pretty as the New Orleans Saints -- the only other unbeaten team -- winning by a combined 10 points in their last four weeks. But it wasn't handed to him like last week. Indianapolis earned this win against a better-than-their-record-indicates Ravens team.

Flacco was able to move the ball, hitting Derrick Mason nine times for 142 yards, and probably would've picked up the win if he had been able to punch it in the end zone. Instead, Baltimore was limited to four field goals by Billy Cundiff and find itself at 5-5 in need of some soul searching.

Indianapolis' Pierre Garcon had a record day, breaking the century mark for the first time this season with 108 yards through the air.

For now, the Colts clear the most-recent hurdle, but there are several more tough games ahead. They face the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars in a row before finally getting a break against the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.

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