(Sports Network) - Two of the final four unbeaten teams in the NFL go head-to- head this Sunday at the RCA Dome, when the Indianapolis Colts host the Carolina Panthers.
Indianapolis is coming off an amazing 38-35 comeback overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium. Trailing 35-14 with less than four minutes remaining in the game, the Colts reeled off three quick touchdowns to force overtime. Tampa Bay got the ball first in overtime, but the Colts' defense held strong.
The Colts made full use of their first possession in the extra period, moving the ball 65 yards in 13 plays to set Mike Vanderjagt up for an opportunity to win the game. Vanderjagt actually missed wide right from 39 yards out, but Tampa Bay was flagged 10 yards for leaping, giving him another chance. The kicker then hit from 29 yards out to give the Colts the victory. Indianapolis became the first team in NFL history to win after trailing by 21 or more points with less than four minutes to play in regulation.
"Obviously, I'm proud of my team, the way we were able to come back," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "These guys never gave up -- that’s what I like about us. We have a great chemistry. I had a feeling the Lord was going to do something special Monday, and he certainly did."
The Colts are off to their first 5-0 start since 1977, when they were still in Baltimore. In 1977, the Colts won nine of their first 10 games before finishing 10-4 and losing in the Divisional round of the AFC playoffs. The Colts will be looking to match a franchise best 6-0 start set back in 1958.
Carolina has been a major surprise with four consecutive wins, including last Sunday's 19-13 win over the New Orleans Saints. Offseason addition Stephen Davis made the difference in the win, grinding out 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries (5.3 ypc). Davis, who has set an NFL record for most rushing yards for a player with a new team in his first four games with 565 yards, is enjoying the chance to shine.
"I'm having a lot of fun," said Davis. "Guys up front are doing a great job making holes. We are getting a lot of yards rushing. Guys are making plays. It's just fun. We are having fun with winning. I think the thing we have to do is keep getting better."
The Panthers have posted their best start (4-0) in franchise history thanks to Davis. His teammates are singing his praises.
"Stephen Davis is the best thing that has ever happened to this football team," safety Mike Minter said. "Never before have we had a running back who could just grind the game out for us and it's a pleasure watching him seal it for us from the sidelines."
SERIES HISTORY: Carolina has won both all-time meetings between these teams. The Panthers won their last match-up, 27-19, at the RCA Dome in the 1998 season finale. Carolina running backs Tim Biakabutuka and Fred Lane combined for 183 yards rushing, while wideout Raghib Ismail hauled in seven balls for 109 yards and a score. The Panthers rallied from a 16-6 halftime deficit to come up with the win.
Dungy has tallied a 1-1 record against the Panthers, while Fox has never faced the Colts in his short head coaching career.
PANTHERS OFFENSE VS. COLTS DEFENSE
Davis leads the NFC in rushing (141.3 ypg) and has helped the Panthers to the top-rated rush offense (167.8 ypg) in the conference. The former Washington Redskin has increased his rushing total in each of the first four games (111, 142, 153 and 159 yards).
"He's a bruiser," said Panthers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner. "He eats up the clock. He allows us, defensively, to sit on the sidelines and get our rest back and to sit there and make adjustments. He just wears the other team out and eats up the clock. He makes the game really short for us. He's a blessing in disguise to come here and put up the numbers he has. He's a big reason we're at 4-0."
Thanks to Davis' success, inexperienced quarterback Jake Delhomme has had time to get comfortable in the starting role. Delhomme faced his former team last week, completing 15-of-23 passes for 124 yards. The signal caller didn't throw for any touchdowns, but more importantly wasn't intercepted in the game.
"Jake did not have any interceptions," said Fox. "I think he did a good job managing the game. He made good decisions. There is always room for improvements. Not too many times can a coach sit up here and think it was a perfect game. We still have work to do, but I was proud of his performance.
"Jake's got a lot of leadership skills. He's got great intangibles. He's fun to be around and he brings excitement to the huddle, and I think that's a big part of the quarterback position."
Delhomme hasn't thrown an interception in two consecutive games, but his quarterback rating remains at just 68.8. Over the first four tilts, Delhomme has hit on 53-of-93 passes for 510 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions. The numbers don't tell the story, though, as he has helped the Panthers outscore foes, 78-31, since coming into the opener with a 17-0 deficit.
"I'm having a great time," said Delhomme. "I'm going to say it every week. It's fun when you win and it's hard to win in this League. We are playing well right now. We believe in each other. It's offense. It's defense. It's special teams. There is something about this team. It's fun to be a part of."
The Colts will need their Dungy-led defense to step up its play this week if it hopes to keep Delhomme and Davis under wraps. Indy struggled to stop the Bucs' mediocre offense, allowing it to rack up 457 total yards. The Colts surrendered 318 yards through the air and 139 more on the ground.
Rookie safety Mike Doss posted the Colts' only interception of the game in the first quarter, but he cost the team when he fumbled the ball on the return. Tampa Bay wideout Keenan McCardell picked it up and raced 57 yards for a score. Doss finished the contest with 11 tackles.
Indianapolis corners Walt Harris and Nick Harper couldn't seem to get a handle on McCardell and Keyshawn Johnson in the win. The Colts secondary will need to find a way to keep top Carolina wideouts Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith under control this week.
Muhammad hauled in five balls for 42 yards against the Saints in the win. For the season, Muhammad has 12 catches for 143 yards and a score, while Smith has reeled in 13 balls for 131 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers rank last in the NFC and 31st in pass offense (132.3 ypg).
The Colts may need to stack the box with eight defenders to slow Davis down in this contest. If Indy can contain Davis, it will force Delhomme to open up the pass offense. Young linebacker David Thornton, who registered 15 tackles for the second straight game on Monday, will be crucial to the Colts' run defense in this contest. Defensive tackles Larry Tripplett and Montae Reagor must hold up blockers to free up the linebackers to make stops.
Carolina's offensive line has been excellent this season, opening huge holes for Davis. Veteran tackle Todd Steussie, center Jeff Mitchell and offseason addition Kevin Donnalley have been terrific.
"We're definitely playing better, but I think the biggest difference is in the backfield," said Mitchell. "There's really no way around it. When you have a running back who uses your blocks, it makes it easier to block for him. He makes people pay when they try to tackle him. There aren't any arm tackles."
The Panthers have surrendered just three sacks since Delhomme has joined the lineup. Indianapolis has registered nine sacks this year, but only one in the last two contests. The Colts will need to get young defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Raheem Brock off the edge this week.
COLTS OFFENSE VS. PANTHERS DEFENSE
Peyton Manning, who was named Fed Ex Air Player of the Week, took his play to another level in the second half and overtime against the Bucs, completing 23- of-32 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The University of Tennessee product came up with huge third down completions of 8 yards to Marvin Harrison, 16 yards to Reggie Wayne and 9 yards to Troy Walters on the game-winning drive.
"A lot of those plays, I tip my hat to Manning," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "He made some miraculous throws, and they made some incredible catches."
Harrison was on the other end of 11 Manning passes for 176 yards and two scores in the win. Manning hit Harrison with an impressive 52-yard pass on the final drive of regulation, which set up the game-tying score.
The Colts are second in the AFC in pass offense this year (262.6 ypc), while Manning leads the league with a 103.2 quarterback rating. Fox knows what his defense will be up against this week.
"He's an outstanding quarterback and has been for some time now. I think Tom Moore, their offensive coordinator, does an outstanding job," Fox said. "He gives them a lot of flexibility in that offense with audibles. He comes from a football family and knows the game very well.
"The reason why he's such a high draft pick is because of all that. He has a lot of intangibles, plus all the physical tools it takes to be very successful. It's a big, big challenge for us."
Carolina's veteran secondary has a huge task ahead of it with Harrison and Wayne on the other side of the field. The Panthers' corners will need safeties Minter and Deon Grant to help out in pass coverage. Look for the Panthers to bracket Harrison with double coverage on nearly every play.
A critical component of the Panthers' defense is its pass rush led by second- year defensive end Mike Rucker, who is tied for the league lead with five sacks. Rucker has benefited from teams focusing their blocking schemes on second-year defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers, the 2002 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year, hasn't had a sack since week one while tallying only nine total tackles.
Carolina, which is tied for fifth in the NFC with 11 sacks, must find a way to get to Manning this week. It won't be easy though, as the Colts have surrendered just four sacks this season. Keep an eye on the matchup between Rucker and Colts left tackle Tarik Glenn this week. Glenn, who sustained an injury to his medial collateral knee ligament in the win over Tampa Bay, plans to play.
"I'll be ready," Glenn said. "I'm a little injured, but I should be ready to start. I've just to get some rest and I'll be good to go."
With starting running back Edgerrin James (back) out for the second straight game and a huge deficit at halftime, the Colts were unable to make much use of the running game against the Bucs. Ricky Williams was successful when given a chance to run, tallying 56 yards (4.3 ypc) and two touchdowns on 13 attempts. James will be a game time decision this week.
"I always told them, ‘Whatever’s going to be best,’ " James said. "We’re going to go through and every practice that I can practice, I'm going to be out there. I'm going to try to play, because I hate missing games.
"Last week, I was close to playing and I'm a whole lot closer to playing this week than I was last week."
The Panthers have had a tendency to been victimized on the ground, as foes are averaging 108.5 rushing yards per contest (11th-NFC). Despite the presence of stud defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, the Panthers surrendered 5.3 yards per carry to Deuce McAllister and the Saints last week. Fox, a former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, knows his defense expects more from itself.
"From my standpoint and just how your team reacts in the pride they build in their unit, I think that is a good thing. I think they feel like they are capable of better," said Fox. "We were able to get a win, which in this league is hard to do any time. But I kind of like that attitude, personally. There is still room to improve and moving in that direction. That didn't bother me."
Linebackers Will Witherspoon and Dan Morgan must step up and make big plays in run defense this week. Witherspoon is second behind Grant on the team with 24 stops.
Indianapolis is riding high after its win over Tampa Bay on Monday, but it used a lot of energy to get the victory. With a short week to prepare and exhaustion setting in, the Colts will sleep walk through the first half this week. Expect the Panthers to gain an early lead and hold off the comeback Colts down the stretch.
10/09 13:43:56 ET
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Indianapolis is coming off an amazing 38-35 comeback overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium. Trailing 35-14 with less than four minutes remaining in the game, the Colts reeled off three quick touchdowns to force overtime. Tampa Bay got the ball first in overtime, but the Colts' defense held strong.
The Colts made full use of their first possession in the extra period, moving the ball 65 yards in 13 plays to set Mike Vanderjagt up for an opportunity to win the game. Vanderjagt actually missed wide right from 39 yards out, but Tampa Bay was flagged 10 yards for leaping, giving him another chance. The kicker then hit from 29 yards out to give the Colts the victory. Indianapolis became the first team in NFL history to win after trailing by 21 or more points with less than four minutes to play in regulation.
"Obviously, I'm proud of my team, the way we were able to come back," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "These guys never gave up -- that’s what I like about us. We have a great chemistry. I had a feeling the Lord was going to do something special Monday, and he certainly did."
The Colts are off to their first 5-0 start since 1977, when they were still in Baltimore. In 1977, the Colts won nine of their first 10 games before finishing 10-4 and losing in the Divisional round of the AFC playoffs. The Colts will be looking to match a franchise best 6-0 start set back in 1958.
Carolina has been a major surprise with four consecutive wins, including last Sunday's 19-13 win over the New Orleans Saints. Offseason addition Stephen Davis made the difference in the win, grinding out 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries (5.3 ypc). Davis, who has set an NFL record for most rushing yards for a player with a new team in his first four games with 565 yards, is enjoying the chance to shine.
"I'm having a lot of fun," said Davis. "Guys up front are doing a great job making holes. We are getting a lot of yards rushing. Guys are making plays. It's just fun. We are having fun with winning. I think the thing we have to do is keep getting better."
The Panthers have posted their best start (4-0) in franchise history thanks to Davis. His teammates are singing his praises.
"Stephen Davis is the best thing that has ever happened to this football team," safety Mike Minter said. "Never before have we had a running back who could just grind the game out for us and it's a pleasure watching him seal it for us from the sidelines."
SERIES HISTORY: Carolina has won both all-time meetings between these teams. The Panthers won their last match-up, 27-19, at the RCA Dome in the 1998 season finale. Carolina running backs Tim Biakabutuka and Fred Lane combined for 183 yards rushing, while wideout Raghib Ismail hauled in seven balls for 109 yards and a score. The Panthers rallied from a 16-6 halftime deficit to come up with the win.
Dungy has tallied a 1-1 record against the Panthers, while Fox has never faced the Colts in his short head coaching career.
PANTHERS OFFENSE VS. COLTS DEFENSE
Davis leads the NFC in rushing (141.3 ypg) and has helped the Panthers to the top-rated rush offense (167.8 ypg) in the conference. The former Washington Redskin has increased his rushing total in each of the first four games (111, 142, 153 and 159 yards).
"He's a bruiser," said Panthers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner. "He eats up the clock. He allows us, defensively, to sit on the sidelines and get our rest back and to sit there and make adjustments. He just wears the other team out and eats up the clock. He makes the game really short for us. He's a blessing in disguise to come here and put up the numbers he has. He's a big reason we're at 4-0."
Thanks to Davis' success, inexperienced quarterback Jake Delhomme has had time to get comfortable in the starting role. Delhomme faced his former team last week, completing 15-of-23 passes for 124 yards. The signal caller didn't throw for any touchdowns, but more importantly wasn't intercepted in the game.
"Jake did not have any interceptions," said Fox. "I think he did a good job managing the game. He made good decisions. There is always room for improvements. Not too many times can a coach sit up here and think it was a perfect game. We still have work to do, but I was proud of his performance.
"Jake's got a lot of leadership skills. He's got great intangibles. He's fun to be around and he brings excitement to the huddle, and I think that's a big part of the quarterback position."
Delhomme hasn't thrown an interception in two consecutive games, but his quarterback rating remains at just 68.8. Over the first four tilts, Delhomme has hit on 53-of-93 passes for 510 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions. The numbers don't tell the story, though, as he has helped the Panthers outscore foes, 78-31, since coming into the opener with a 17-0 deficit.
"I'm having a great time," said Delhomme. "I'm going to say it every week. It's fun when you win and it's hard to win in this League. We are playing well right now. We believe in each other. It's offense. It's defense. It's special teams. There is something about this team. It's fun to be a part of."
The Colts will need their Dungy-led defense to step up its play this week if it hopes to keep Delhomme and Davis under wraps. Indy struggled to stop the Bucs' mediocre offense, allowing it to rack up 457 total yards. The Colts surrendered 318 yards through the air and 139 more on the ground.
Rookie safety Mike Doss posted the Colts' only interception of the game in the first quarter, but he cost the team when he fumbled the ball on the return. Tampa Bay wideout Keenan McCardell picked it up and raced 57 yards for a score. Doss finished the contest with 11 tackles.
Indianapolis corners Walt Harris and Nick Harper couldn't seem to get a handle on McCardell and Keyshawn Johnson in the win. The Colts secondary will need to find a way to keep top Carolina wideouts Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith under control this week.
Muhammad hauled in five balls for 42 yards against the Saints in the win. For the season, Muhammad has 12 catches for 143 yards and a score, while Smith has reeled in 13 balls for 131 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers rank last in the NFC and 31st in pass offense (132.3 ypg).
The Colts may need to stack the box with eight defenders to slow Davis down in this contest. If Indy can contain Davis, it will force Delhomme to open up the pass offense. Young linebacker David Thornton, who registered 15 tackles for the second straight game on Monday, will be crucial to the Colts' run defense in this contest. Defensive tackles Larry Tripplett and Montae Reagor must hold up blockers to free up the linebackers to make stops.
Carolina's offensive line has been excellent this season, opening huge holes for Davis. Veteran tackle Todd Steussie, center Jeff Mitchell and offseason addition Kevin Donnalley have been terrific.
"We're definitely playing better, but I think the biggest difference is in the backfield," said Mitchell. "There's really no way around it. When you have a running back who uses your blocks, it makes it easier to block for him. He makes people pay when they try to tackle him. There aren't any arm tackles."
The Panthers have surrendered just three sacks since Delhomme has joined the lineup. Indianapolis has registered nine sacks this year, but only one in the last two contests. The Colts will need to get young defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Raheem Brock off the edge this week.
COLTS OFFENSE VS. PANTHERS DEFENSE
Peyton Manning, who was named Fed Ex Air Player of the Week, took his play to another level in the second half and overtime against the Bucs, completing 23- of-32 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The University of Tennessee product came up with huge third down completions of 8 yards to Marvin Harrison, 16 yards to Reggie Wayne and 9 yards to Troy Walters on the game-winning drive.
"A lot of those plays, I tip my hat to Manning," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "He made some miraculous throws, and they made some incredible catches."
Harrison was on the other end of 11 Manning passes for 176 yards and two scores in the win. Manning hit Harrison with an impressive 52-yard pass on the final drive of regulation, which set up the game-tying score.
The Colts are second in the AFC in pass offense this year (262.6 ypc), while Manning leads the league with a 103.2 quarterback rating. Fox knows what his defense will be up against this week.
"He's an outstanding quarterback and has been for some time now. I think Tom Moore, their offensive coordinator, does an outstanding job," Fox said. "He gives them a lot of flexibility in that offense with audibles. He comes from a football family and knows the game very well.
"The reason why he's such a high draft pick is because of all that. He has a lot of intangibles, plus all the physical tools it takes to be very successful. It's a big, big challenge for us."
Carolina's veteran secondary has a huge task ahead of it with Harrison and Wayne on the other side of the field. The Panthers' corners will need safeties Minter and Deon Grant to help out in pass coverage. Look for the Panthers to bracket Harrison with double coverage on nearly every play.
A critical component of the Panthers' defense is its pass rush led by second- year defensive end Mike Rucker, who is tied for the league lead with five sacks. Rucker has benefited from teams focusing their blocking schemes on second-year defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers, the 2002 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year, hasn't had a sack since week one while tallying only nine total tackles.
Carolina, which is tied for fifth in the NFC with 11 sacks, must find a way to get to Manning this week. It won't be easy though, as the Colts have surrendered just four sacks this season. Keep an eye on the matchup between Rucker and Colts left tackle Tarik Glenn this week. Glenn, who sustained an injury to his medial collateral knee ligament in the win over Tampa Bay, plans to play.
"I'll be ready," Glenn said. "I'm a little injured, but I should be ready to start. I've just to get some rest and I'll be good to go."
With starting running back Edgerrin James (back) out for the second straight game and a huge deficit at halftime, the Colts were unable to make much use of the running game against the Bucs. Ricky Williams was successful when given a chance to run, tallying 56 yards (4.3 ypc) and two touchdowns on 13 attempts. James will be a game time decision this week.
"I always told them, ‘Whatever’s going to be best,’ " James said. "We’re going to go through and every practice that I can practice, I'm going to be out there. I'm going to try to play, because I hate missing games.
"Last week, I was close to playing and I'm a whole lot closer to playing this week than I was last week."
The Panthers have had a tendency to been victimized on the ground, as foes are averaging 108.5 rushing yards per contest (11th-NFC). Despite the presence of stud defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, the Panthers surrendered 5.3 yards per carry to Deuce McAllister and the Saints last week. Fox, a former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, knows his defense expects more from itself.
"From my standpoint and just how your team reacts in the pride they build in their unit, I think that is a good thing. I think they feel like they are capable of better," said Fox. "We were able to get a win, which in this league is hard to do any time. But I kind of like that attitude, personally. There is still room to improve and moving in that direction. That didn't bother me."
Linebackers Will Witherspoon and Dan Morgan must step up and make big plays in run defense this week. Witherspoon is second behind Grant on the team with 24 stops.
Indianapolis is riding high after its win over Tampa Bay on Monday, but it used a lot of energy to get the victory. With a short week to prepare and exhaustion setting in, the Colts will sleep walk through the first half this week. Expect the Panthers to gain an early lead and hold off the comeback Colts down the stretch.
10/09 13:43:56 ET
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