SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 2, 2011
Adam Vinatieri kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired and Peyton Manning threw two touchdowns as the host Indianapolis Colts defeated the stubborn Tennessee Titans 23-20 on Sunday and won their third straight AFC South title.
The Colts (10-6) have won four straight games and are the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. They will host the New York Jets (11-5) Saturday night in the first round.
Indianapolis actually clinched the title moments before Vinatieri’s kick when Jacksonville lost at Houston 34-17.
Manning finished 27 of 41 for 264 yards and became the third quarterback in NFL history to have consecutive 4,500-yard passing seasons. He joined Dan Fouts (1980-81) and Warren Moon (1990-91).
Manning, who finished with a career-high 4,700 yards this season, threw touchdown passes to Pierre Garcon in the third quarter and Reggie Wayne in the first quarter.
Titans quarterback Kerry Collins was 28 of 39 for 300 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter. Collins passed former Baltimore Colts great and Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas for 11th on the NFL career passing yards list with 40,441 yards.
Collins’ 21-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Britt tied the game 13-13 and his 15-yard TD throw to Chris Johnson made it 20-20.
Johnson rushed for 39 yards and finished fourth in the NFL in with 1,364 yards, but only 97 in his final two games.
Tennessee finished 6-10 after starting the season 5-2.