Mike Vanderjagt

HOUSTON -- Peyton Manning broke one of Dan Marino's touchdown records, just not the one everybody has been talking about. But Manning got the only things that really matter to him -- an Indianapolis win and a playoff berth. The Colts beat the Houston Texans, 23-14, yesterday to clinch their second straight AFC South title with their sixth consecutive win. Manning threw touchdown passes on the first two Colts drives to get within two of Marino's 20-year-old record of 48 TDs in a season.

INDIANAPOLIS -- This is what everyone in both cities has been either hoping or fearing would happen for 10 months. That the Colts and Patriots would meet Sunday with a Super Bowl trip on the line and that Adam Vinatieri might decide their fates with his gilded instep. The man himself concedes the probability occurred to him. "You never know what to expect, but I assumed the Patriots were going to be a good team this year, same as I assumed that the Colts were going to be a good team," Vinatieri said this week, as he prepared to do battle with his star-spangled former teammates in Sunday's AFC Championship...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning couldn't get a record-setting touchdown pass against Baltimore's rugged defense. But he got the Indianapolis Colts a victory. Manning led two second-half touchdown drives, pulling within one of Dan Marino's record for touchdown passes in a season, and the Colts defeated Baltimore, 20-10, last night for their seventh straight victory. Manning has 47 TD passes; Marino had 48 in 1984. The fans even booed when Manning knelt down twice in the final minute at the Baltimore 4, running out the clock with a chance to tie the record.

The Dallas Cowboys released Mike Vanderjagt yesterday, apparently tired of his inability to live up to his reputation as the most accurate kicker in league history. Martin Gramatica was signed as his replacement. The Cowboys gave Vanderjagt a $2.5 million bonus as part of a three-year, $5.4 million contract to shore up a position coach Bill Parcells felt cost the team three wins last season. However, he was injured and inconsistent in training camp, plus reluctant to handle kickoffs.

The Dallas Cowboys released Mike Vanderjagt yesterday, apparently tired of his inability to live up to his reputation as the most accurate kicker in league history. Martin Gramatica was signed as his replacement. The Cowboys gave Vanderjagt a $2.5 million bonus as part of a three-year, $5.4 million contract to shore up a position coach Bill Parcells felt cost the team three wins last season. However, he was injured and inconsistent in training camp, plus reluctant to handle kickoffs.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Even with Peyton Manning's usual heroics and an unusually decent effort from their defense, the Colts still needed Mike Vanderjagt's leg. Manning threw four touchdown passes, and Vanderjagt kicked a 35-yard field goal with two seconds left, giving the Colts a 31-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings last night. The kick capped a late duel between Manning and Daunte Culpepper -- the teams combined to score on five consecutive possessions after an unexpectedly low-scoring start between two offense-minded but relatively defenseless teams.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning wanted the win more than the record. He got both. Manning rallied his Indianapolis Colts from a 15-point deficit in the final quarter, throwing his record-breaking 49th touchdown of the season to help tie the game in the last minute of regulation, and then led the winning drive in overtime as the Colts defeated San Diego, 34-31, yesterday. "The way it happened on that drive, I think Johnny Unitas would have been proud," said Manning. The victory was the eighth straight for the Colts (12-3)

FOXBOROUGH -- This is why the NFL doesn't need Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Jessica Simpson, or even the Boston Pops. There is no better show than the game, and though Patriots defensive players were criticizing themselves for a poorly played game, it was two magnificent plays in the fourth quarter -- by Eugene Wilson and Willie McGinest -- that enabled New England to claim a 27-24 victory in the season opener on a night when they raised their Super...

INDIANAPOLIS -- This is what everyone in both cities has been either hoping or fearing would happen for 10 months. That the Colts and Patriots would meet Sunday with a Super Bowl trip on the line and that Adam Vinatieri might decide their fates with his gilded instep. The man himself concedes the probability occurred to him. "You never know what to expect, but I assumed the Patriots were going to be a good team this year, same as I assumed that the Colts were going to be a good team," Vinatieri said this week, as he prepared to do battle with his star-spangled former teammates in Sunday's AFC...

Retired coaches Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells and Marty Schottenheimer are among the modern-era candidates for the 2012 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cowher is eligible for the first time, as are players Keyshawn Johnson, Tiki Barber, Drew Bledsoe, Stephen Davis, Rod Smith, Will Shields, Troy Vincent and Mike Vanderjagt. Parcells and Schottenheimer previously were eligible under different requirements. In 2008, the Hall of Fame made it mandatory for coaches, like players, to be retired five consecutive seasons.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning wanted the win more than the record. He got both. Manning rallied his Indianapolis Colts from a 15-point deficit in the final quarter, throwing his record-breaking 49th touchdown of the season to help tie the game in the last minute of regulation, and then led the winning drive in overtime as the Colts defeated San Diego, 34-31, yesterday. "The way it happened on that drive, I think Johnny Unitas would have been proud," said Manning. The victory was the eighth straight for the Colts (12-3)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning couldn't get a record-setting touchdown pass against Baltimore's rugged defense. But he got the Indianapolis Colts a victory. Manning led two second-half touchdown drives, pulling within one of Dan Marino's record for touchdown passes in a season, and the Colts defeated Baltimore, 20-10, last night for their seventh straight victory. Manning has 47 TD passes; Marino had 48 in 1984. The fans even booed when Manning knelt down twice in the final minute at the Baltimore 4, running out the clock with a chance to tie the record.

HOUSTON -- Peyton Manning broke one of Dan Marino's touchdown records, just not the one everybody has been talking about. But Manning got the only things that really matter to him -- an Indianapolis win and a playoff berth. The Colts beat the Houston Texans, 23-14, yesterday to clinch their second straight AFC South title with their sixth consecutive win. Manning threw touchdown passes on the first two Colts drives to get within two of Marino's 20-year-old record of 48 TDs in a season.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Even with Peyton Manning's usual heroics and an unusually decent effort from their defense, the Colts still needed Mike Vanderjagt's leg. Manning threw four touchdown passes, and Vanderjagt kicked a 35-yard field goal with two seconds left, giving the Colts a 31-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings last night. The kick capped a late duel between Manning and Daunte Culpepper -- the teams combined to score on five consecutive possessions after an unexpectedly low-scoring start between two offense-minded but relatively defenseless teams.

FOXBOROUGH -- This is why the NFL doesn't need Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Jessica Simpson, or even the Boston Pops. There is no better show than the game, and though Patriots defensive players were criticizing themselves for a poorly played game, it was two magnificent plays in the fourth quarter -- by Eugene Wilson and Willie McGinest -- that enabled New England to claim a 27-24 victory in the season opener on a night when they raised their Super...

HONOLULU -- There was nothing relaxing about yesterday afternoon in Hawaii: The highest-scoring Pro Bowl in history also might have been the most exciting edition of the NFL's all-star game. MVP Marc Bulger threw a Pro Bowl-record four TD passes, and Detroit's Dre' Bly returned an interception 32 yards for the go-ahead score with 4:50 to play during the NFC's rally from an 18-point deficit in the final 13 minutes of a 55-52 victory over the AFC. "It's going to be tough to match, if I make it back in the future," Bulger said.

Adam Vinatieri isn't talking about his injured nonkicking leg, but the Indianapolis Colts still hope he'll be kicking in next week's season opener against the New York Giants. The Colts announced yesterday that Vinatieri was being treated for a sprained ligament and a bone chip, but it's the ligament that is of the greatest concern. "We've targeted Adam for the season opener and we plan on him being ready," coach Tony Dungy said after the former Patriot sat out last night's 20-3 loss to Cincinnati.