NEW YORK, 6 December 2005 — Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes and Edgerrin James rushed for 107 yards and a TD to help the Indianapolis Colts remain undefeated with a 35-3 home win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Indianapolis improved to 12-0 with the victory, becoming just the fifth NFL team to start a season unbeaten in 12 games as the Colts look to become the first team win every game in a season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
Manning wound up 13-for-17 for 187 yards and his three TD passes gave him 25 for the season, extending his NFL record for consecutive season with at least 25 touchdown throws to eight.
Marvin Harrison caught a 10-yard pass from Manning for the game’s first touchdown seven minutes into the first quarter and that was the only offense the dominating Colts would need to win against the young Titans (3-9) to clinch a playoff spot.
Indianapolis added another four majors, with Bryan Fletcher scoring on a 13-yard pass from Manning, Reggie Wayne adding another on a 27-yard pass, James’s two-yard run and a 60-yard fumble return by Larry Tripplett.
“I’m very proud of this team, coming back after Monday night and playing like that, a complete game,” Indy coach Tony Dungy said. “We had that focus, we wanted to get in the playoffs.” James became the second fastest in league history to reach 9,000 career yards rushing, while Harrison became just the 12th player to top 12,000 yards receiving.
Rob Bironas kicked a 24-yard field goal late in the second quarter for the Titans only points. Harrison caught four passes for 61 yards for the Colts, who held the Titans to just 40 yards net rushing. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair was under siege all afternoon and was sacked three times, while having to leave for four plays in the third quarter with a bruised shin before returning.
McNair would up 22-for-33 for 220 yards and lost the ball after a sack that led to the final Colts touchdown by Tripplett.
In East Rutherford, Tiki Barber rushed for 115 yards as the New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-10.
The Giants (8-4) took over solo possession of first place in the NFC East with the win over the Cowboys (7-5), who trailed 17-0 until late in the third quarter.
New York’s defense was the story, with four sacks, two fumbles and two interceptions. Eli Manning was just 12-for-31 for 152 yards and threw two interceptions.
Antonio Pierce’s 12-yard fumble return accounted for the winning points, while Brandon Jacobs scored on a one-yard TD run and Jay Feely added a 27-yard field goal.
In Chicago, Robbie Gould kicked four field goals as the Bears won their eight straight game, defeating the Green Bay Packers 19-7.
Nathan Vasher returned a Brett Favre interception 45 yards for Chicago’s lone touchdown, while Charles Tillman’s 95-yard interception return set up one of Gould’s field goals as the Bears improved to 9-3.
In Pittsburgh, Carson Palmer threw three touchdown passes as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Steelers 38-31. The Bengals (9-3) all but clinched the AFC North Division title over the Steelers (7-5) with the victory.
In Baltimore, Matt Stover kicked a 38-yard field goal with six seconds left, as the Ravens beat the Houston Texans 16-15.
In Charlotte, Jake Delhomme threw two touchdown passes as the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-6.
In Detroit, Brad Johnson passed for 256 yards and two touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Lions 21-16.
In Miami, Sage Rosenfels hit Chris Chambers with a four-yard TD pass with six seconds left as the Dolphins scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to stun the Buffalo Bills 24-23.
Chambers had 15 catches for 238 yards in the game as the Dolphins rallied from a 23-3 deficit with 12 minutes left.
In Baton Rouge, Chris Simms threw for 123 yards and a touchdown as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 10-3.
In Cleveland, David Garrard threw two touchdown passes as the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Browns 20-14.
In St Louis, Clinton Portis rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns as the Washington Redskins knocked off the Rams 24-9.
In Foxboro, Tom Brady passed for 271 yards as the New England Patriots beat the New York Jets 16-3.
In Kansas City, Larry Johnson rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs edged the Denver Broncos 31-27.
In San Francisco, Kurt Warner threw for 354 yards as the Arizona Cardinals edged the 49ers 17-10.
In San Diego, Drew Brees tossed a pair of touchdown passes as the Chargers hammered the Oakland Raiders 34-10.
