Colts-Broncos Game Report

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SECOND QUARTER UPDATE

Holliday returned the kickoff to the 20, and Denver killed the final seconds.

Luck and Wayne hit for five yards. Luck and Brown hit for six yards and a first down at the Denver 38 with 1:06 left.  Luck and Fleener hit for 21 yards when Luck avoided pressure to keep the play alive.  The pair connected again for two yards, and the Colts took their second timeout on the drive with 32 seconds left.  Luck and Wayne hit to the Denver eight, then he found Fleener for a touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half.  Colts 26, Denver 14.

Moreno rushed for three yards up the middle.  Moreno ran for two yards to the seven.  Moreno was called for offensive pass interference to wipe out a first-down-producing reception.  From the Denver four, Manning and D. Thomas converted with a 16-yard reception at the two-minute warning.  Manning and D. Thomas could not hit a deep route on first down.  Manning and Decker missed on second down.  Manning and D. Thomas missed again deep down the left side.  With 1:44 left, Colquitt punted 39 yards, and Hilton returned the kick to midfield.

Richardson gained eight yards on a sweep to the right.  Luck and DHB missed on a long go route.  On third-and-two, Luck's pass was batted down by Paris Lenon.  McAfee punted to the Denver two with 4:04 left in the half, a 47-yard effort.

Delano Howell is questionable with a shoulder injury.  Satele returned to the game early in the second quarter.

On first down from the 20, Moreno was caught for a two-yard loss, then he had a two-yard reception.  On third-and-10, Manning and Demaryius Thomas could not connect on a long attempt down the left sideline.  Colquitt punted 37 yards to the Colts' 43.

LaVon Brazill returned the free punt to the Colts' 34.  Luck and Brown connected on a 28-yard pass on first down.  Brown was caught for a yard loss on a first-down sweep to the right.  Luck and Wayne missed on a deep slant route on second down.  On third-and-11, Luck scrambled for a first down, stretching the ball on a dive at the end of the run.  Luck was incomplete on first down.  Richard gained eight on second down.  On third-and-two, Luck and Havili combined for a 20-yard TD reception.  Colts 19, Denver 14.

Moreno ran up the middle for three yards.  Manning and Decker could not connect on second down on a short out route.  Manning was strip-sacked by Robert Mathis and the ball went out of bounds for a safety.  Denver 14, Colts 12.

Vaughn returned the kickoff 32 yards to the 26.  Brown had an eight-yard reception to the 34.  Brown was caught for a one-yard gain on second down.  On third-and-one from the 35, Richardson was caught for a two-yard loss.  After an illegal formation penalty wiped out a nice effort, McAfee punted 60 yards and after a penalty on the return, Denver started from its 6.

Manning hit Jacob Tamme for seven yards on third down.  Moreno rushed for short yardage, then Manning hit Decker for 13 yards.  Ronnie Hillman was stopped for a yard gain on the first-down reception.  Angerer stopped Welker on a three-yard reception on second down.  Manning and Julius Thomas converted a touchdown with a 12-yard completion.  Denver 14, Colts 10.

Tickets distributed:  67,196.

FIRST QUARTER UPDATE

Holliday returned the kickoff 56 yards before being tackled by McAfee at the Denver 49.  Indianapolis was flagged for holding on first down.  Moreno ran for seven yards on first down, then gained two yards on second down. 

Samson Satele is questionable to return with a knee injury.  Richardson ran off right tackle for two yards.  Luck was incomplete to Hilton on second down.  Luck hit Coby Fleener for short yardage to bring up a punt.  McAfee booted to the Denver seven and Holliday returned the kick four yards, when Havili stripped the ball and Sergio Brown recovered at the Denver 11.  Luck and DHB converted on the first play for an 11-yard TD.  Colts 10, Denver 7.

Holliday returned the kickoff to his 13.  Moreno run up the middle for nine yards on first down.  In no-huddle, Manning overthrew Moreno in the right flat, with Pat Angerer in coverage.  Moreno did not pick up the first down on a rush.  Colquitt punted 50 yards, and Hilton returned the kick 11 yards to the Colts' 39.

Vaughn returned the kickoff from the goal line to the 26.  Luck hit Hilton for 19 yards on first down.  Luck hit Darrius Heyward-Bey (DHB) for eight yards on first down.  Luck hit Wayne for 14 yards and a first down at the Denver 34.  Stanley Havili could not hold a quick screen pass.  Luck was incomplete to Hilton on second down.  On third-and-10, Luck and DHB combined to the Denver 7 for 27 yards.  Brown ran off right tackle to the Denver 2.  Luck was incomplete to Jack Doyle on second down.  Luck was sacked on a rollout at the Denver 9.  Adam Vinatieri hit a 27-yard field goal.  Denver 7, Colts 3.

From his 44, Manning hit Eric Decker for 39 yards, with coverage by Greg Toler and Antoine Bethea.  Decker and Manning combined on a 17-yard scoring pass to complete the drive.  Denver 7, Colts 0.

Andrew Luck hit Reggie Wayne for 12 yards on first down, a slant route.  Brown bounced outside on first down for seven yards.  Luck was sacked on second down with pressure coming off the left side.  Denver was offsides on third down.  On third-and-six, Luck was incomplete to T.Y. Hilton.  McAfee punted 45 yards, with a 12-yard return by Trindon Holliday.

Knowshon Moreno gained nine yards on first down.  Darius Butler defended a pass to Wes Welker on second down.  Moreno was stuffed on third down for no gain.  Britton Colquitt punted 51 yards to the Colts' 7, where the ball was downed.

Cassius Vaughn returned the opening kickoff to the 21.  Trent Richardson gained four yards on first down.  Richardson gained four on second down.  On third-and-two, Donald Brown gained one yard.  Pat McAfee punted 32 yards to the Denver 38.

Denver won the coin toss and deferred.  Indianapolis will receive.

COLTS PRE-GAME REPORT

The window and roof are open for tonight's game.

COLTS GAME-DAY DEACTIVATIONS:

TE-Dominique Jones

OG-Khaled Holmes

OT-Xavier Nixon

WR-David Reed

LB-Bjoern Werner

DT-Montori Hughes

DT-Josh Chapman

EXPECTED LINEUP CHANGES FOR COLTS:

None

COLTS PRE-GAME NOTES:

Luck's Early Elway Memories

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INDIANAPOLIS – As an adult, Andrew Luck certainly has formed many memories of John Elway.

The two could cross paths Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium when Luck's Colts and Elway's Broncos battle in what should be one of the NFL's most high-profile regular-season games in years.

Luck's first memories of Elway came when he was eight years old in a game where Denver was playing in a high-profile moment.

"When I was a kid living in Germany, I asked my mom to wake me up to watch the game (Super Bowl XXXII)," said Luck.  "She woke me up in the middle of the night, and I got to watch the one where John Elway do the helicopter (against Green Bay).  It was a special memory."

Luck was living there because his father, Oliver, was the lead official for NFL Europe, a role that allowed him to take a precocious young son to league outposts – journeys that spawned an interest in football and architecture.

Luck that night saw Elway beat favored Green Bay, 31-24.  It was Elway's 15th season, and he came back the next year to lead Denver to a Super Bowl XXXIII title over Atlanta before ending a career.

Elway was part of a wondrous quarterback lineage at Stanford, a football factory that has churned out numerous signal-callers over decades.

That positional heritage and Luck's interest in architecture were among the reasons Luck chose Stanford.

"Obviously, there's a great quarterback history with Jim Plunkett, Elway, Frankie Albert, John Brodie," said Luck, who remembers a brief encounter with Elway in 2011. 

"He came back as an honorary captain during my junior year.  I got to talk to him a couple of minutes, was in awe," said Luck.  "I know Jack Elway (John's father) coached over in Europe.  I remember meeting him and talking.  It's always cool to see him (John) and see Stanford quarterbacks.

"He's one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game.  He's done a heck of a job after his career and with the Broncos."

SUNDAY PROVIDES SPECIAL QUARTERBACKING – Football purists will view Sunday's Colts-Denver game as 'must-see' television.

With Denver's Peyton Manning and the Colts' Andrew Luck leading their teams, the potential for superb play is quite real.

Manning was the first overall pick in the 1998 draft, and Luck followed suit in 2012, and Luck hopes to have the same type of success as Manning. 

Manning was asked by Sports Illustrated in 2000 to meet with Sammy Baugh as the magazine matched what it thought was the best player in different sports from one century with one it thought would be the best in the next century.

Manning traveled to Rotan, Texas for an afternoon with Baugh he remembers to this day.  Whether he will be this century's best quarterback still is to be decided, but what Manning has accomplished in a 12-Pro Bowl, four-MVP career is a body of illustrious work few will approach even meagerly.

Manning's style would project into any of the NFL's previous decades, and his ability to conduct an offense is revolutionizing the sport in a throwback manner, according to Tony Dungy.

"I think what Peyton has done is take the quarterback position back in time," said Dungy, who coached Manning from 2002-08.  "I think because of growing up around his dad (he) felt like that (as) the quarterback you're in charge out there, and the big thing he never wanted to do was run bad plays.  If we had a play call that he knew wasn't going to work, he didn't want to run it.

"The more time he could have at the line of scrimmage, the more time he had to figure out whether the play was going to be good or bad.  That was really the genesis of the whole no-huddle offense and all the audible-ing.  Not every quarterback coming up through the college ranks is trained that way, thought that way, but that's what he wanted to do, and I think he has inspired a generation of quarterbacks who want to study and want to know and want to put their team in the right play.  That has kind of spawned this whole no-huddle thing that's gone all the way down to college football now."

Manning and his family – father, Archie, brothers, Cooper and Eli – have conducted a summer passing academy in Louisiana annually for years, and many young prospects have had talents flourish under their instruction.

Luck was one such participant.

"I had an opportunity to go to his camp when I was in eighth grade, then as a college counselor for a couple of years in school," said Luck.  "That was very fun and a great way to meet Peyton and Eli and talk to Archie.  There was that link between our fathers.  He's (Peyton) always been very helpful and kind.   They're such a classy family.  It's fun to know them."

FUN WITH NUMBERS – Sunday's Colts-Denver game has been anticipated for weeks and dissected verbally and numerically to no end.  Here is a numerical breakdown of Manning and Luck through their first 22 regular-season games with the Colts:

Says NBC's Cris Collinsworth, "Andrew Luck, if you watched him play at all, you know what a fantastic player he is – his mobility, his brainpower, his ability to do so many other things that Peyton did early in his career and arguably even at a better level.  He took a 2-14 team to the playoffs last year and put up some tremendous numbers."

COLTS PLAYERS LEFT FROM THE MANNING ERA – Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis, Antoine Bethea, Adam Vinatieri, Donald Brown, Fili Moala, Pat McAfee, Pat Angerer, Ricardo Mathews, Kavell Conner, Jeff Linkenbach, Joe Reitz, Anthony Castonzo.

COLTS PRE-GAME NOTES:

From 1984-present, the Colts have earned a 246-223 (.525) record, with 17 winning seasons, 15 playoff appearances and 12 10-win seasons.

The Colts opened the season with 19 new players on roster, with 10 of those players arriving through veteran free agency.  The total of new players now on the active roster totals 22.

The Colts were 9-1 in games decided by seven points or less last year, the most number of such games by a team in 2012.  Indianapolis has won 10 of its last 11 games decided by seven points or less, 2-1 in 2013.

The Colts did not lose consecutive games all last season, marking the ninth such season in franchise history (1964, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1999, 2003, 2012).

The Colts are 6-0 under Chuck Pagano in games following losses, with a 137-93 scoring margin in those wins.

The Colts are 44-3 since 1998 in games without a turnover.  Since 2000, the team is 41-2 in such outings.

The Colts have only five turnovers in 2013, tied for first in the NFL, and the club's plus-five ratio (10:5) ranks tied for third in the AFC, tied for sixth in the NFL.  Five turnovers are tied for the fourth-least through six games in franchise history.

The Colts have been penalized 22 times in 2013, tied for the second-fewest infractions in the NFL.

The Colts' 22 punts in 2013 tie for sixth-fewest in the NFL.

The Colts have only 26 negative-yardage plays, second in the AFC, tied for third in the NFL.

The Colts have 15 10-play drives, first in the NFL and 10 five-minute drives, tied for fifth in the NFL.

The Colts have allowed only 13 points in the fourth quarter of games this year, first in the NFL.

Indianapolis topped 100 rushing yards in the first five games this year, tying the best starts to seasons achieved in 1984 and 1988.

Since 2012, the Colts are 9-0 in games with 30-plus rushes.  The Colts are one of three teams during that span with an undefeated record (9-0, Colts; 9-0, Denver; 8-0, Cincinnati).

The Colts are 24-1 since 1984 in games with three or more rushing touchdowns, including a streak of 23 straight wins.

The Colts had a four-game streak with at least 25 rushes per game and a 4.5 average to open the season, the first time the team has accomplished it in the Indianapolis era.

* *

* *

By allowing 98 points through six games, this ranks as the 14th-best seasonal start in franchise history.

In 2012, Andrew Luck (339-of-627 passing for 4,374 and 23 TDs) had six 300 games, the NFL rookie record and also set league rookie marks in attempts and yards. 

Luck (23) was one of a handful of rookie quarterbacks to throw 20 or more touchdown passes (26, Peyton Manning, 1998; 26, Russell Wilson, 2012; 22, Charlie Conerly, 1948; 21, Cam Newton, 2011; 20, Dan Marino, 1983; 20, Andy Dalton, 2011, 20, Robert Griffin III, 2012).

Luck took every snap in 2012 (1,109) and took the first 1,364 of his career before sitting down at Jacksonville on 9/29/13 with a 34-3 lead.  His 1,364 consecutive snaps rank among the best accomplished by Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks (1,631, Peyton Manning; 1,590, Manning (a career-opening total); 1,459, Manning; 1,400, Manning; 1,205, Manning; 1,088 Manning).

Last year, Luck produced seven wins in fourth-quarter or overtime fashion, tying the NFL seasonal record done six other times, including in 1999 and 2009 by Manning.  His seven in a single season tied for the most by a veteran or rookie QB since at least 1970.  With his sixth comeback win, he snapped the record he shared with Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Vince Young (2006).  The comeback performances came against Minnesota, Green Bay, at Tennessee, Miami, at Detroit, vs. Tennessee and at Kansas City. 

The NFL post-merger record for rookie starting wins is 13 by Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.  Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had 11 in 2008.  Luck and Russell Wilson had 11 in 2012, while Kyle Orton had 10 in 2005. 

Luck had his eighth fourth-quarter comeback win vs. Oakland 9/8/13, the most ever accomplished by an NFL QB in the first 17 games of a career.  He posted his ninth against Seattle 10/6/13, the most through the first 21 games by any QB drafted first overall that began a career since 1970.

With nine game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in the first two seasons of a career since 1970, Luck is tied with Jake Plummer, while Peyton Manning had eight.

With a record of 15-7 in his first 22 games, Luck reached 15 wins faster than any QB drafted first overall since 1970.  Through 20 games, he had been tied with John Elway (1983) with a 14-6 mark.  The most wins among QBs in their first two career seasons since 1970 are 22 by Ben Roethlisberger, 21 by Dan Marino and 20 by Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.

Luck has 5,720 passing yards and the most accomplished through the first two seasons of a career in history are 7,920 by Cam Newton, 7,874 by Peyton Manning, 7,294 by Dan Marino, 7,067 by Andy Dalton and 7,049 by Drew Bledsoe.

Luck had a career-best streak of 164 straight passes without an interception end vs. Miami 9/15/13.

Luck's 19t run vs. Oakland tied the 7th-longest ever done by a Colts QB (43t, George Taliaferro vs. Rams 11/22/53; 33t, Peyton Manning at Buffalo, 11/4/01; 32t, Bert Jones at NYJ 10/20/74; 29t, Chris Chandler vs. NYJ 11/6/88; 21t, George Shaw vs. SF 11/27/55; 20t, Marty Domres vs. NYJ 11/16/75; 19t, Jones at Buffalo 11/9/75).

Under Luck, the Colts have opened games three times with two TD drives – 10/21/12 vs. Cleveland; 11/18/12 at New England; 9/8/13 vs. Oakland.

With a TD pass vs. Miami 9/15/13, Luck had nine straight games with a scoring pass, but the streak ended at San Francisco.

Reggie Wayne has scored at least one TD in six of the last seven season openers.

Reggie Wayne has receptions in 118 straight games.  He leads active NFL receivers with 188 career games played.  Wayne (145) is one of six Colts ever to start more than 100 consecutive games (208, Peyton Manning; 115, C-Ken Mendenhall; 104, DE-Fred Cook; 102, DB-Jason Belser; 101, OT-Tarik Glenn). 

Wayne (1,001, 13,516) is 8th in NFL career receptions.  The player ahead of Wayne is Isaac Bruce (1,024, 7th).  He is 11th in NFL reception yards.  Next on the yardage list is Henry Ellard (13,777, 10th). 

Against Green Bay on 10/7/12, Wayne (13-212, 1 TD) produced his highest yardage day (200 vs. Dallas 12/5/10) and became the first Colts receiver with two career 200 regular-season games.  His yardage ranked only behind Raymond Berry (224 at Washington 11/10/57) and it was the fifth 200 game in club regular-season history (224, Berry; 212, Wayne; 210, Roger Carr at NY Jets 10/24/76; 203, Reggie Langhorne at Washington 11/7/93; 200, Wayne).  Wayne became only the seventh player since 1990 to have a 200 game in a 10th career season or later (James Lofton, Irving Fryar, Jerry Rice, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith, Terrell Owens (2), Wayne (2)).

He earned the AFC Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors for the first time in his career.

The Colts are 30-12 when Wayne tops 100 reception yards, 22-12 when he has at least eight receptions, 58-13 when he scores a touchdown, 25-9 when holds 15.0 reception average.

Wayne (80) ranks third in Colts history in career touchdowns (128, Marvin Harrison; 113, Lenny Moore).  His 80 touchdown receptions are second-most to Harrison (128).

Wayne has become the 11th NFL player with 13,000 career reception yards and 80 career TD receptions:

Players with 13,000 yards and not 80 TDs:  James Lofton* (14,004), Henry Ellard (13,777), Torry Holt (13,382)

Players with 80 TDs and not 13,000 yards:  Don Hutson (99), Don Maynard (88), Lance Alworth(85), Hines Ward (85), Paul Warfield (85), Andre Rison (84), Tommy McDonald* (84), Irving Fryar (84), Mark Clayton (84), Antonio Gates (83), Art Powell (81).

*Pro Football Hall of Famer

Wayne has 13,516 career scrimmage yards, second in Colts history (14,608, Marvin Harrison; 12,065, Edgerrin James).

Wayne has three or more receptions in a league-record 70 straight games, snapping the previous best of Cris Carter (58, 1993-97).  Wayne has receptions in 189 of 195 career games.  He has multiple receptions in 184 outings and three or more receptions in 165 contests.

Wayne had an 84.7 yardage average in 2012.  His career-best was 94.4 in 2007.  The only two times in franchise history when a player held a 100.0-yard average were 1999 (Marvin Harrison, 103.9) and 2002 (Harrison, 107.6).

Wayne (1,355) produced his eighth 1,000-yard season in 2012.  Reaching that plateau tied him with Marvin Harrison (8, 1999-2006) for the club record.  Wayne had seven consecutive from 2004-10, the second-longest consecutive streak in franchise history.

Last year, Wayne produced his sixth 1,200-yardage season (1,510, 2007; 1,355, 2010; 1,355, 2012; 1,310, 2006; 1,264, 2009; 1,210, 2004).  It tied him with Harrison for the club record and tied him with Harrison and Torry Holt for third-most in NFL history behind Jerry Rice (11) and Randy Moss (8).

Wayne (13,516) is one of 14 players (two active) to reach the 13,000-yard plateau (22,895, Jerry Rice; 15,934, Terrell Owens; 15,292, Randy Moss; 15,208, Isaac Bruce; 14,934, Tim Brown; 14,607, Tony Gonzalez; 14,580, Marvin Harrison; 14,004, James Lofton; 13,899, Cris Carter; 13,777, Henry Ellard; 13,382, Torry Holt; 13,198, Andre Reed; 13,089, Steve Largent).

Last year, Wayne (106) produced his fourth 100 -catch season.  He had 104 in 2007, 100 in 2009 and 111 in 2010.  Wayne tied Marvin Harrison (115, 1999; 102, 2000; 109, 2001; 143, 2002) for the club record.  Jerry Rice, Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall have four 100 -reception seasons, while Wes Welker has a league-record five.

Wayne has led the team in receptions seven times, ranking behind Marvin Harrison (9) and Raymond Berry (8) in club history.  Wayne has done it the last six seasons, tying Harrison's (6, 1999-04) club mark for the most consecutive seasons leading the team.

The Green Bay game on 10/7/12 was Wayne's 15th with 10 receptions, one behind Marvin Harrison's club record.  At 19, Andre Johnson is the NFL leader, while Wes Welker has 18.  Jerry Rice did it 17 times.  Harrison (16) and Brandon Marshall (16) are tied for fourth-most.  Wayne is tied for sixth with Tony Gonzalez.  Wayne (2007-08) is tied with Johnson (2008) and Brett Perriman (1995) for the NFL lead with three straight games with 10 catches. 

Against Green Bay on 10/7/12, Wayne became the 16th NFL player with 40 career 100 games (76, Jerry Rice; 64, Randy Moss (active); 59, Marvin Harrison, 51, Terrell Owens; 50, Don Maynard; 47, Torry Holt; 47, Michael Irvin; 46, Jimmy Smith; 45, Isaac Bruce; 43, Tim Brown; 43, James Lofton; 42, Cris Carter; 41, Lance Alworth; 40, Steve Largent; 40, Steve Smith (active)).  Rice, Maynard, Irvin, Lofton, Alworth and Largent are Hall-of-Famers.

Wayne has more than 100 receptions against each AFC South foe (138, Jacksonville; 124, Houston; 103, Tennessee).  Wayne is one of nine players with 100 or more receptions against three or more teams.  He joins Tim Brown, Andre Reed and Cris Carter (who did it against four opponents), as well as Art Monk, Jerry Rice, Rod Smith, Hines Ward and Andre Johnson.

Antoine Bethea had 11 tackles vs. Oakland, eight vs. Miami, six at San Francisco, five at Jacksonville, 10 vs. Seattle and eight at San Diego and has 862 for his career.  Bethea is one of six Indianapolis Colts to top 700 career tackles (1,149 Jeff Herrod; 1,052, Duane Bickett; 785, Jason Belser; 754, Gary Brackett, 744, Eugene Daniel).

Bethea ranks first among active NFL safeties with 86 consecutive starts.

Kicker Adam Vinatieri has scored in the last 152 consecutive games. 

His 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left against Minnesota on 9/16/12 was the 24th game-winning kick of his career.

Vinatieri has 514 career field goal attempts, 10th in NFL history (Jason Elam is ninth at 540).  Vinatieri (759) is in fourth-place in Colts career scoring (995, Mike Vanderjagt; 783, Dean Biasucci; 778, Marvin Harrison).

Vinatieri has 1,158 points with New England and with 759 with the Colts, he is one of only three players with 700-plus points with two different teams (Morten Andersen – 1,318 with New Orleans and 806 with Atlanta; John Carney – 1,076 with San Diego and 768 with New Orleans).

Vinatieri (1,917) is 9th in NFL career scoring (2,544, Morten Andersen; 2,434, Gary Anderson; 2,150, Jason Hanson; 2,062, John Carney; 2,004, Matt Stover; 2,002, George Blanda; 1,983, Jason Elam; 1,970, John Kasay).

Vinatieri has 10 field goals from the 50 -range, third-most in club history (18, Dean Biasucci; 14, Mike Vanderjagt).

With 50- and 51-yard field goals at San Diego 10/14/13, Vinatieri joined Biasucci (9/25/88 vs. Miami) and Vanderjagt (11/24/02 at Denver) as Colts kickers with two 50-plus field goals in a game.

Vinatieri has 15 career 100-plus point seasons.  He has five with the Colts, second to Mike Vanderjagt (8).  Vinatieri has passed Morten Andersen (14) and Gary Anderson (14) for the second-most 100-point seasons.  The NFL leader is Jason Elam (16).

Last year, linebacker Jerrell Freeman topped the club in tackles in each of the first seven games before the streak ended.  Freeman topped the team in tackles in 13 games.  Freeman (203) became the second Colts player in the Indianapolis era to have a 200-tackle season, and his total is the all-time best (200, Jeff Herrod, 1994; 192, Cliff Odom, 1985).

Freeman had his first career multiple-sack game with 2.0 vs. Miami, the fourth undrafted free agent in the Indianapolis era to have a multiple-sack outing (2.0, Scott Virkus vs. Detroit 9/22/85; Tony Siragusa at Seattle 9/4/94; Eric Foster at Jacksonville 12/17/09).

Freeman had a strip-sack vs. Miami and at San Francisco.  With sacks in consecutive games, he became the first Colts LB other than Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to do so since Rob Morris in 2004.

Last year, T.Y. Hilton had five 100-yard games in 2012 to set the club rookie record.   With 50-861, 7 TDs, Hilton was the 9th Colts rookie with 50 receptions (65, Bill Brooks, 1986; 64, Marvin Harrison, 1996; 62, Edgerrin James, 1999; 60, Austin Collie, 2009; 52, Andre Rison, 1989; 52, Marshall Faulk, 1994; 50, Randy McMillan, 1981; 50, Jerome Pathon, 1998).  His yardage total ranked 2nd for Colts rookies (1,131, Brooks; 836, Harrison), and his touchdowns tied for third-most (8, Brooks and Harrison; 7, John Mackey and Collie).

He was 6-124 vs. Miami 9/15/13 for sixth career 100-plus game, and it marked a career-high yardage total.  Hilton set a new career high with 140 yards on five receptions vs. Seattle 10/6/13, including a 73-yard scoring reception. 

Hilton's TD receptions have covered eight, 14, 29, 36, 40, 43, 61, 70 and 73 yards for an average of 41.6 per TD reception.  His 75-yard TD punt return brings his career average per touchdown to 44.9 yards.

Since 2012, Hilton (four) ranks only behind Adrian Peterson (six) for most touchdowns 50 yards or longer.

Hilton was the 13th receiver taken in the 2012 draft.  There were four selected in the first round, five in the second and three in the third before he was taken with the 92nd choice. 

Against Buffalo on 11/25/12, Hilton scored on a 75-yard punt return and an eight-yard reception to become the first Colts player to record such scores in the same game in franchise history. 

Cornerback Darius Butler (two interceptions/one fumble recovered) had three takeaways at Jacksonville on 11/8/12, one shy of the Indianapolis era club record for the most by a player in a game (4, Eugene Daniel, 3 interceptions/1 fumble recovered vs. Green Bay 10/27/85; 3, Leonard Coleman, 3 ints. vs. New Orleans 10/12/86; 3, Mike Prior, 3 ints. vs. Phoenix 12/20/92).

Butler had a 41t interception return at Jacksonville 9/29/13 to move among the club leaders in career scoring interception returns (5, Jerry Logan; 4, Bobby Boyd; 3, Milt Davis; 3, Andy Nelson; 3, Ray Buchanan; 3, Eugene Daniel, 3, Jason Belser; 3, Kelvin Hayden).

Last year, tight end Dwayne Allen (45) set the club rookie tight end record for receptions.  He led all NFL rookie tight ends in receptions.

Linebacker Robert Mathis (101.0) had an eight-game sack streak end at New England on 11/18/12.  It tied his personal-best.  In 2005, he set an NFL record with sacks in eight consecutive games to start a season.  He opened 2013 with sacks in the first five games. 

Mathis has 24 career multiple-sack games, including three three-plus sack games.  Mathis has four of the 17 double-digit sack seasons in club history.

Mathis had a four-game streak with multiple sacks 9/15/13 vs. Miami (2.0), 9/22/13 at San Francisco (1.5), 9/29/13 at Jacksonville (3.0) and 10/6/13 vs. Seattle (2.0).

Mathis has become 30th NFL player with 100 career sacks.  Mathis has sacked 51 different quarterbacks.  He has 71.5 against AFC teams and 29.5 against NFC teams.

Mathis has sacks in 78-of-152 career games and in 49-of-88 career starts.  Mathis has sacks against all 31 teams.

With 9.5 sacks in the first six games of 2013, Mathis has set a club record for the fastest start to a season.  The best totals for the most sacks ever through a first six games are 12.0 by Keith Millard (Minnesota, 1989), 11.0 by Kevin Greene (Carolina, 1998) and 10.5 by Michael Strahan (N.Y. Giants, 2001).

In 2012, Pat McAfee (73-47.9, 40.3 net) set the club seasonal marks for gross and net average.  McAfee has set the gross mark in each of the last two seasons (46.6, 2011).  In setting the mark last year, he snapped the previous seasonal record of Rohn Stark (45.9, 1985).  McAfee's net average bested Stark's previous record, and his 2011 had ranked second (39.3, Stark, 1992; 39.2, McAfee, 2011).  McAfee had 26 punts inside the 20, tying Hunter Smith's seasonal record (26, 2002).

There are 14 players in franchise history, nine in the Indianapolis era, to participate in at least 100 regular-season victories:  141 games, QB-Peyton Manning; 132, QB-John Unitas; 132, C-Jeff Saturday; 131, WR-Reggie Wayne; 127, TE-Justin Snow; 118, WR-Marvin Harrison; 114, P-Hunter Smith; 112, LB-Dwight Freeney; 109, P-David Lee; 109, Robert Mathis; 108, OT-Ryan Diem; 107, LB-Don Shinnick; 106, DE-Ordell Braase; 105, C/LB-Dick Szymanski.