DATE: Sunday, August 24, 2008
SITE: Lucas Oil Stadium
KICKOFF: 8:00 p.m. (EDT)
CAPACITY: 63,000
SURFACE: FieldTurf
The Colts on Sunday will open a second home during their Indianapolis era. The club played in the Hoosier/RCA Dome from 1984-2007, posting a 107-85 regular-season record and hosting seven playoff games in the former venue. Among the most memorable Colts moments in the RCA Dome was a 38-34 victory over New England on January 21, 2007 in the AFC Championship Game to earn a berth in Super Bowl XLI. Indianapolis played two preseason games annually in the dome, and one of the first preseason games ever in Indianapolis featured Sunday's opponent. Buffalo met Chicago in the Hoosier Dome during the 1984 preseason, one of the first NFL games played locally. The Colts and Bills now lift the veil on the NFL's newest venue. This will be the fifth preseason meeting between the clubs, and Colts own a 3-1 preseason series edge. The league series stands in Buffalo's favor, 34-30-1.
Indianapolis opened its preseason on August 3 with a 30-16 loss to Washington at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Indianapolis dropped a 23-20 overtime decision at Carolina on August 9. Indianapolis took a 16-9 win last Saturday in Atlanta. Buffalo dropped a 17-14 decision in its opener at Washington on August 9, then hosted Pittsburgh in Toronto last Thursday, winning, 24-21.
Owners of the NFL's best regular-season record (102-42) since the start of the 1999 season, while being the only team to earn eight playoff appearances in the last nine seasons, Indianapolis has won 47 of its last 57 regular-season games. Indianapolis' winning ways include a 28-8 record in AFC South play, while the club has owned or shared the lead in 95 of 102 weeks of the division's existence, including the last 60 consecutive weeks. The Colts have won the past five AFC South championships, the best divisional-title streak in club history. In 2007, Indianapolis produced its sixth consecutive 10 -victory season, tying the third-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81; 6, Dallas, 1968-73; 6, Miami 1970-75; 6, LA Rams, 1973-78; 6, Dallas, 1991-96; 6, Colts, 2002-07). Indianapolis became the only NFL team with five consecutive 12 -victory seasons. The Colts were tied with Dallas (1992-95) as the only teams to do it four consecutive seasons.
2008 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS NOTES
QB-Peyton Manning has started the first 160 regular-season games of his career. Manning (3,468-5,405-41,626, 306 TDs/153 ints., 94.7 rating, career; 337-515-4,040, 31 TDs/14 ints., 98.0 rating, 2007) has produced the longest career-opening starting streak by any QB in NFL history, and the longest streak ever by a Colts QB. Manning is only the fifth Colts player with 100 consecutive starts. In 2007, Manning surpassed the club records of John Unitas (5,110; 287) in attempts and touchdown passes. He became the 11th player to top 40,000 career passing yards, the 5th to reach 300 career touchdown passes and the 10th to earn 100 career starting victories, and Manning extended his NFL records with an 8th career 4,000 season and a 10th consecutive season with 25 scoring tosses. He has thrown touchdown passes in 141 of 160 games, for two or more touchdowns in 92 games and for four or more touchdowns in 17 outings. Manning has 25 touchdown passes in a league-record 10 consecutive seasons, and he has 10 of the 20 20 -touchdown seasons in club history. Manning and Dan Marino are the only players to open a career with 10 consecutive 20 -touchdown seasons, and their streaks of 10 straight trail only Brett Favre (12) for the most consecutive in league history. Manning has 10 consecutive 3,000 seasons and owns 10 of the 16 3,000 seasons in Colts history (3, Unitas; 3, Jones). He is the only NFL QB ever to have 10 3,000 seasons to open a career. Manning's streak of 10 consecutive 3,000 seasons is the 2nd-longest streak in NFL history (16, Favre). He also is the only NFL player to have 4,000 passing yards in six consecutive seasons (1999-04), and his eight 4,000 seasons are the NFL record (6, Marino). Manning has completed more passes and thrown for more yards and touchdowns in a career-opening 10-year span than any NFL player. Manning (2003, 2004) is a two-time MVP by the Associated Press, and he is an eight-time Pro Bowler (1999-00, 02-07). His six consecutive nominations rank among the best in club history (8, John Unitas, 1957-64; 8, OG/T-Jim Parker, 1958-65; 8, WR-Marvin Harrison, 1999-06; 6, DE-Gino Marchetti, 1959-64). Manning has amassed three perfect rating games (10/22/00 vs. New England; 11/10/02 at Philadelphia; 9/28/03 at New Orleans), the most by any NFL player since the rating system was created in 1973 (he added a perfect game in the playoffs 1/4/04 vs. Denver). Manning authored his eighth career double-digit victory season in 2007, and he is the club leader in 10 -victory seasons by a quarterback (3, Unitas; 3, Jones). Manning (105) is one of 10 NFL QB with 100 career starting wins (160, Favre; 148, John Elway; 147, Marino; 125, Fran Tarkenton; 119, Unitas; 117, Joe Montana; 107, Terry Bradshaw; 102, Warren Moon; 101, Jim Kelly). Manning has teamed with 29 different players for touchdowns and has tossed scoring passes in 30 of the 32 arenas he has played in during regular-season action. The only venues where Manning has appeared and did not toss a scoring pass are the TWA Dome (2001) and Qwest Field (2005). Manning (49, 2004) is one of four NFL QBs with a 40 -TD season (50, Tom Brady, New England, 2007; 48, Marino, 1984; 44, Marino, 1986; 41, Kurt Warner, St. Louis, 1999). Manning has seven 400 career games and ranks among the NFL leaders (13, Marino; 7, Joe Montana; 7, Moon). Manning had six 4 -TD games in 2004 to tie Marino (1984) for the NFL's best seasonal total. Manning's six 5 -TD games tie Marino's NFL record for most in a career. Manning had 100 rating outings in 11 of 16 games in 2004. He has had 100 rating games in 61 career outings, and the Colts are 53-8 in those outings. Manning (121.1, 2004; 104.1, 2005; 101.0, 2006) became the first QB since Steve Young to be the NFL's top-rated player in consecutive seasons, and his three-year span is the best since Young's four-year span from 1991-94. In 2004, Manning set the club seasonal record for passing yards (4,557) and completion percentage (67.6). In 2004, he threw more touchdown passes (49) than 26 other NFL teams scored total touchdowns. With a minimum of 20 attempts per game, Manning has 42 career outings with a 70.0 completion percentage (1, 1998; 3, 1999; 2, 2000; 2, 2001; 6, 2002; 5, 2003; 6, 2004; 6, 2005; 7, 2006; 4, 2007). Manning has 43 career 300 games to rank among the NFL leaders (63, Marino; 55, Favre; 51, Dan Fouts; 49, Moon). Manning surpassed Unitas (2,796) for the most completions in club history vs. Houston 9/17/06. He surpassed Unitas (287) for the most touchdown passes in club history at Carolina 10/28/07, and he moved past Unitas (39,768) for the most passing yards in club history at San Diego 11/11/07. Manning (33, 2000; 49, 2004; 31, 2006) has led the NFL in TD passes three times and needs one more title to join Unitas, Favre, Young and Len Dawson for the most seasons as the NFL seasonal touchdown passing leaders. Manning was named the NFL Offensive Player-of-the-Year and NFL All-Pro by the Associated Press for his 2004 regular season performance. Manning was named the Associated Press NFL Most V
