2009 Indianapolis colts AFC championship ring

CHAMPIONSHIP RING

THE STORY OF 2009 AFC TITLE GAME

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

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The 2009 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 57th season in the National

Football League and the 26th in Indianapolis. It was the first season since 2002 that the

Colts did not have Tony Dungy on their coaching staff, due to his retirement from

coaching. The 2009 Indianapolis Colts improved upon their 12–4 record from 2008 as

well as winning their sixth AFC South division championship in seven years. The Colts

also clinched the #1 playoff seed in the AFC. The Colts became the sole undefeated

team after week 15. The following week, the Colts lost to the New York Jets. During the

playoffs, the Colts defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round and the New

York Jets in the AFC Championship game, but lost to the New Orleans Saints in Super

Bowl XLIV, 31–17.

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This game was the first time in NFL history that two first-year head coaches met in any

conference championship game.[1] The Colts defeated the Jets for the first time in the

postseason and advanced to their second Super Bowl in the last four seasons. Colts

quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns as his team

recovered from an 11-point deficit by scoring 24 unanswered points.After forcing

Indianapolis to punt on their opening drive, New York drove from their own 29 to the

Colts 22-yard line. But the Colts defense tightened up, tackling running back Shonn

Greene twice behind the line of scrimmage and Brad Smith for a 1-yard gain, and then

Jay Feely was wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt.


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In the second quarter, the Colts put together the first scoring drive of the game, with

Manning completing two passes to Pierre Garçon for gains of 27 and 36 yards on the

way to a 25-yard Matt Stover field goal. New York answered on the first play of their

next drive with the longest play in the Jets' postseason history, as Mark Sanchez

threw a pass to Braylon Edwards, who took off past Jacob Lacey and caught the ball

without breaking stride for an 80-yard touchdown completion.


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Manning led the Colts back on their next drive, completing a 25-yard pass to Reggie Wayne and a

22-yarder to Austin Collie at the Jets 4-yard line. But Indianapolis could not get into the end zone.

Following an incomplete pass, Collie was tackled at the 1-yard line and then Manning was stuffed

for no gain on a QB sneak, forcing them to settle for a second field goal from Stover to cut the

score to 7–6. But New York struck back again. After three carries by Greene for 17 yards, Brad

Smith's 45-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery from the Wildcat formation moved the ball to the

Colts 12-yard line, setting up Sanchez's 9-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller with 4:53 left in

the half. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Jets lineman Calvin Pace stormed through the line

and tackled Joseph Addai as soon as he took a handoff, resulting in a fumble that safety Jim

Leonhard recovered and returned to the Indianapolis 29-yard line. New York was unable to gain a

first down with their drive, but Feely kicked a 48-yard field goal to increase their lead to 17–6.


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However, the Colts stormed back with 24 unanswered points. Manning responded

to the field goal with three completions to Collie for 80 yards, the last one a 16-yard

touchdown pass to cut the score to 17–13 at the end of the half. Then after a

missed 52-yard field goal on New York's opening drive of the third quarter, Manning

completed 6 of 7 passes for 57 yards on the way to his second touchdown pass,

this one a 4-yarder to Garçon. Manning added his third touchdown pass, a 15-yard

strike to Dallas Clark, six minutes into the fourth quarter. Then after a punt, a 16-

yard run by Addai and a 23-yard catch from Garçon set up Stover's third field goal

to make the score 30–17. Finally, Indianapolis sealed the game when Kelvin

Hayden picked off a pass from Sanchez with just over two minutes remaining.


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2009 Indianapolis colts AFC championship ring

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