FLASH RECAP:
Peyton Manning throws for three touchdowns to lead visiting Indianapolis to a victory over Oakland before an announced crowd of 52,567 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Dec. 26, 2010.
Before the game starts, the Raiders are eliminated from playoff contention because of Kansas City’s victory over Tennessee.
The Colts (9-6) have 191 rushing yards, their most since 2007, and hold the Raiders (7-8) to 80 rushing yards.
Manning throws touchdown passes to tight end Jacob Tamme (18 yards) and wide receivers Blair White (4 yards) and Pierre Garcon (7 yards) as the Colts win their third straight game and close in on their eighth consecutive AFC South title.
Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski kicks four field goals, including a 59-yarder.
The Raiders have 10 penalties for 116 yards, including pass interference penalties on two of the Colts’ touchdown drives.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Peyton Manning — Not spectacular passing stats (10 of 30 for 179 yards with two interceptions) but throws for three touchdowns and makes clutch completions when the Colts need to sustain drives. Manning’s 27-yard run on a naked bootleg on third-and-2 from the Oakland 31 with 1:39 left seals victory.
RB Dominic Rhodes — Former Raider has 98 of the Colts’ 191 rushing yards on 17 carries.
WR Pierre Garcon — His 7-yard TD catch on third-and-2 increases the Colts’ lead to 31-19 with 7:38 remaining. Garcon finishes with three catches for 35 yards.
TE Zach Miller — Has nine catches for 66 yards. His 8-yard TD catch with 1:51 remaining narrows the Raiders’ deficit to 31-26.
K Sebastian Janikowski — Is 4-for-5 on field goal attempts. His 59-yarder early in the second quarter is the second longest in franchise history (also second longest in his NFL career).
QB Jason Campbell — Completes 29 of 42 passes for 231 yards with no interceptions but generates only one touchdown on six possessions inside the Indianapolis 42-yard line.
KEY STATS:
The Colts gouge the Raiders for a season-high 191 rushing yards on 39 attempts. Indianapolis enters the game ranked 32nd in rush offense, averaging 85.1 yards per game.
The Raiders have 80 rushing yards on 20 attempts against the Colts’ 28th-ranked run defense. Oakland enters the game ranked second in rush offense, averaging 157.5 yards per game.
Raiders rookie Jacoby Fords returns the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, his third such return the past seven games. His kick return for a TD against the Colts breaks Justin Miller’s franchise record for most in a season (2008) and career.
With four field goals and two PATs, Sebastian Janikowski sets a Raiders’ single-season record of 135 points. The Polish Cannon surpassed kicker Jeff Jaeger’s previous record of 132 points set in 1993. Janikowski’s previous best was 128 points in 2002.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders S Michael Huff
“There are three or four games that we know we should have won, and we had them. We look back now and say, ‘If we would have had those games, this would have been kind of easy.’ We would have been in control of our own destiny. So, for that to happen, especially the way the season’s finishing, it’s just tough.”
"There’s a ton of improvement, but we’re disappointed because we really wanted a chance to see if we could be a playoff team this year."
Raiders coach Tom Cable
“Dom (Rhodes) was awesome today. The offensive line was awesome. Some big holes, some good cuts by all the backs. … Really, some huge runs at some critical times.”
Colts QB Peyton Manning
“We went out and out-physicaled a physical team. For the last few weeks, we’ve done that. We’re gearing up for playoff football. And this is what you have to do in the playoffs.”
Colts RB Dominic Rhodes
BY THE NUMBERS:
0: Raiders sacks on Peyton Manning. Oakland enters the game with 40 sacks, tied for third highest in the NFL through Week 15.
2-8: Raiders record against non-AFC West opposition this season.
5-3: Raiders’ win-loss record in 2010 home games, Oakland’s first winning home record since 2002 when it had a 6-2 mark.
116: Oakland penalty yards on 10 penalties. Two of the Colts’ touchdown drives are aided by Oakland pass interference penalties on Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt.
DID YOU KNOW?:
With the victory, the Colts improve to 52-20 in road games since 2002 — the best record in the league in away games over that juncture.
The Colts' Blair White (15)
catches a 4-yard TD pass as
the Raiders' Stanford Routt defends late.
By Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
