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Colts Top Jags, Are 4th Ever to Be 13-0


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Colts Top Jags, Are 4th Ever to Be 13-0

By MARK LONG, AP Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Maybe now the Indianapolis Colts will turn their attention to history. Peyton Manning threw two touchdown passes to Marvin Harrison, Mike Vanderjagt kicked four field goals and the Colts remained unbeaten with a 26-18 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Indy became the fourth team in NFL history to start 13-0, locked up a third consecutive division title and secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Colts have accomplished every goal established by coach Tony Dungy _ aside from winning the Super Bowl _ and they have little left to play for over the final three games.

Well, except for that one elusive record.

Now, Dungy will have to decide whether to rest players and reduce the risk of injury or try to run the table and become only the second team in NFL history to finish the regular season unbeaten. The Miami Dolphins went 14-0 in 1972, then added three postseason wins to end up 17-0.

Indy's pursuit of perfection continues next week against the San Diego Chargers.

Manning picked apart Jacksonville's secondary all game _ something he didn't do in the teams' first meeting. He had 122 yards passing in a 10-3 win against the Jaguars (9-4) in the second week of the season. He nearly doubled that at halftime Sunday, and finished 24-of-36 for 324 yards. He was sacked a season-high three times.

Harrison caught six passes for a season-high 137 yards.

Manning directed an 89-yard drive on Indy's opening possession and capped it with a 9-yard pass to Harrison. The duo hooked up for another score early in the second quarter, a perfectly thrown 65-yard pass.

The Jaguars, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, scored twice in the final 4:08.

David Garrard, starting his second game in place of Byron Leftwich, scored on a 5-yard run that made it 26-10. The Jaguars recovered the onside kick, then Garrard capped a 71-yard drive with a 1-yard TD pass to Jimmy Smith. Garrard ran for the 2-point conversion.

But Manning completed a 12-yard pass to Dallas Clark on the ensuing drive for a first down, and the Colts ran out the clock.

The Jaguars added to their woes with turnovers, penalties and conservative play-calling.

Garrard fumbled near the goal line, and teammate Kyle Brady fumbled three times, losing two of them. The Jaguars also were flagged seven times for 65 yards _ including three on an Indy drive late in the second quarter.

Reggie Hayward sacked Manning to set up a third-and-17 play from the Indy 5-yard line. Manning dropped a pass to Harrison along the sideline and in-between three defenders. Harrison appeared to drag a second foot before he went out of bounds.

But Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio angrily disputed the call and threw the red challenge flag toward an official. The official then flagged Del Rio for unsportsmanlike conduct. Del Rio also lost the challenge, resulting in a total gain of 39 yards.

Two plays later, Manning floated a ball to Reggie Wayne, who caught it in front of Kenny Wright for a 38-yard gain. Former Colts linebacker Mike Peterson hit Wayne several seconds after he was down, prompting a late hit penalty that gave the Colts a first-and-goal at the 7.

John Henderson shoved Edgerrin James' helmet into the turf on the ensuing play, drawing another 15-yard penalty.

The Colts were forced to attempt a field goal, but they gambled on fourth down from the 5. Lined up in a "swinging gate" formation, holder Hunter Smith faked a throw right, then rolled left and threw a pass to Justin Snow. But Snow dropped the ball in the end zone.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.

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