Chargers Scouting Report: Indianapolis Colts

By: North County Times | Tuesday, January 8, 2008 10:26 PM PST ∞

Kickoff: 10 a.m. Sunday at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis

Series: Chargers lead 14-9. The Chargers beat the Colts 23-21 on Nov. 11 at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers also won the last meeting in Indianapolis, defeating the Colts 26-17 on Dec. 18, 2005. The Colts won the lone playoff meeting between the teams, upsetting the Chargers 35-20 on Dec. 31, 1995 in an AFC wild-card game at Qualcomm.

Player to watch: QB Peyton Manning

The superstar signal-caller had one of the worst games of his career when the Colts visited San Diego earlier this season, and it's safe to say he's eager to atone for that performance. He passed for 328 yards but threw a career-worst six interceptions, with Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie recording three of the picks. In the Colts' other 15 games, Manning was picked off just eight times. Overall, Manning passed for 4,040 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. It was the eighth time in 10 NFL seasons that he exceeded 4,000 yards and the fourth time he threw for more than 30 TDs. Manning has 306 career touchdown passes, trailing only Brett Favre (442), Dan Marino (420) and Fran Tarkenton (342). Manning's 41,626 career passing yards rank ninth in NFL history. The two-time NFL MVP is headed to his eighth Pro Bowl after this season.

Offense

WR Reggie Wayne has supplanted injured Marvin Harrison (knee) as the ranking receiver in the Colts' passing game. Wayne had a superb season, catching 104 passes for an NFL-best 1,510 yards. He also caught 10 touchdown passes while earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl bid. Wayne's reception total has increased in all seven years of his career -- from 27 to 49 to 68 to 77 to 83 to 86 and now 104. TE Dallas Clark caught more TD passes than Wayne -- he had 11 while catching 58 passes for 616 yards. Harrison missed 11 games this season but recently returned to practice. His status for Sunday's game is undetermined. RB Joseph Addai is an all-purpose force. He rushed for 1,072 yards and 12 TDs and also caught 41 passes. Addai had four 100-yard rushing games. C Jeff Saturday anchors the offensive line.

Defense

It's good to be SS Bob Sanders. The Colts' star received a five-year, $37 million contract extension last week and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year earlier this week. Both the contract and the award were deserved, as Sanders is the leader of the NFL's third-rated defense, a unit that allowed just 279.7 yards per game and led the NFL in scoring defense (16.4). The hard-hitting Sanders ranked second on the team in tackles (132) while intercepting two passes and recording 3 1/2 sacks. MLB Gary Brackett and FS Antoine Bethea led the Colts with four interceptions apiece, while CB Kelvin Hayden had three picks. DE Robert Mathis had a team-leading seven sacks as the defense survived the loss of perennial Pro Bowler Dwight Freeney, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in the loss to the Chargers. WLB Freddy Keiaho, formerly of San Diego State, had 101 tackles in his second NFL season.

Noteworthy

The Colts are in the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons. No other team has reached the postseason more times during that span. ... The Colts went 13-3 in the regular season to become the first team in NFL history to win 12 or more games in five consecutive seasons. ... Colts coach Tony Dungy has a 9-8 postseason record with the Colts and Tampa Bay. He won his first Super Bowl ring last season when Indianapolis beat Chicago. ... The Colts were penalized just 67 times this season. Only Seattle (59) and the New York Jets (63) committed fewer penalties.

-- Mike Sullivan