Football: Super Manning Takes Colts to the Big Game

In nine NFL seasons, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been named to the Pro Bowl seven times, named league MVP twice, and thrown 275 touchdowns. He's also been a play-off underachiever - regularly struggling in the post-season on the way to just two AFC Championship games and no Super Bowls - until now.

Trailing from the start of this year's AFC Championship game, and down 21-3 midway through the second quarter to their arch-rivals the New England Patriots - a team that had lost just one play-off game out of 13 under coach Bill Belichick - the Colts looked dead and buried before the game had barely begun. Thankfully for their passionate home support, Manning had other ideas.

Finally showing the sort of poise that has deserted him all too often in post-season play, Manning led his team to four successive scoring drives. With just under three minutes to go in the third quarter, Manning hit Dan Klecko for a one-yard touchdown to tie the scores. When the Patriots hit back with a touchdown of their own a minute and a half later, Manning just went to work again, driving 67 yards before Jeff Saturday recovered team-mate Dominic Rhodes' goal-line fumble to tie the scores up again.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has made a habit of coming out on top in these situations, previously winning all eight of the play-off games he had been involved in that were decided by seven points or less, but despite his efforts setting up Stephen Gostkowski field goals to twice restore the Patriots' lead, Manning's Colts just kept coming back.

First Adam Vinatieri tied the game at 31-31, then, with just over a minute on the clock, Colts running back Joseph Addai plunged into the endzone from three yards out to give the Colts their first lead of the game at 38-34. When defensive back Marlin Jackson intercepted Brady on the subsequent drive, it was the biggest comeback victory ever in an NFL Championship game.

"That's been the No1 question I've been asked so far," said Manning, when asked if he had finally got a monkey off his back. "I don't get into monkeys and vindication. I just don't play that card. I know how hard I've worked this week to get ready, and it's nice after all that hard work to come away with a win. We haven't really achieved the ultimate goal, but we're certainly giving ourselves an opportunity so it's a very satisfying feeling."

They will face the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl - themselves 39-14 winners over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game. The scoreline was harsh on the Saints, who had trailed 18-14 going into the final quarter, but fell apart in the latter stages as they chased a way back into the game, but it sets up an intriguing battle between two talented African-American head coaches - the Colts' Tony Dungy and the Bears' Lovie Smith. They are the first two African-American head coaches to ever reach the Super Bowl.

"I'll feel even better to be the first black coach to hold up the world championship trophy," said Smith.