Taking a Look at the AFC Championship Game: Colts vs. Patriots

The AFC championship game between the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots certainly lived up to the hype as one of the greatest playoff games ever. The game featured Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning against coach Billichek and the tough Patriots team that has won three championships in the past couple of years. In the playoffs the Patriots have repeatedly blocked Peyton Manning's path and have prevented him from reaching the Super Bowl. But not anymore. The Patriots won a stunning thriller at the RCA dome in Indianapolis where a sold out crowd roared as the Colts came back at home from a 21-3 deficit.

While sports fans that were loyal to neither team turned the game off, Colts fans had faith in their team to come back and make a game out of it. And that is exactly what Peyton Manning did tonight. He threw for over 300 yards passing and directed his team to victory. With just under ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, the game was tied 28-28. Then the teams traded field goals as the Patriots went up 31-28 and then the Colts tied the game behind former Patriots kicker Adam Vinetari who is notorious for his playoff game winning kicks. The Patriots then went ahead 34-31 after another field goal, giving Peyton Manning the ball with about three minutes left in the game. The Patriots defense was supposed to stop Payton Manning once again. But not this time. This time Peyton Manning rose to the occasion and drove his team downfield for the game winning drive. Peyton Manning had some amazing throws including a deep throw to Reggie Wayne off of his back foot. With a little more than one minute remaining, Peyton Manning handed the ball off to running back Joseph Addai and he ran the ball into the end zone, giving the Colts the lead in the game for the first time. Still, as a football fan and Jet fan, I have seen my fair share of Tom Brady heroics and I knew that Tom Brady would not go quietly. Tom Brady has had six playoff game wining drives and I felt that with one minute remaining, Tom Brady would rise to the occasion as he has done countless times and drive his team down the field for the game winning touchdown. However, on this night and on this historic game, it was the Colts defense that has played so well in the playoffs that rose to the occasion. As Tom Brady drove his team downfield from their own twenty yard line, the Patriots reached the fifty yard line, poised for a game winning touchdown drive. However, with pressure in his face, the Colts defense picked off the pass and won the game.

The win for the Colts marks the first time that Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning have been at the Super Bowl and they are looking to win.