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Colts On Verge Of 5th Straight AFC South Title

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By DAVE GOLDBERG, The Associated Press

Published: December 3, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning is adjusting to being without Marvin Harrison. Tony Dungy is finally adjusting to instant replay.

So the Indianapolis Colts are on the verge of their fifth straight AFC South title.

Manning, hampered by a lack of receivers for the past six weeks, threw four touchdown passes, two after the Colts won replay challenges, to beat Jacksonville 28-25 Sunday and take a two-game lead with four games to go.

It was the second victory by the Colts (10-2) against Jacksonville (8-4) this season, essentially giving them a three-game lead with four games left in a division they've controlled since Tennessee won it the first year of the current configuration.

"I feel great about where we are right now," said Dungy, who during the early years of the challenge system couldn't win any, let alone two, as he did in a bizarre first quarter Sunday that included three challenges.

"Going into the fourth quarter of the season, we've got a good lead in the division and we're second in the conference. If we'd lost, we'd have felt we'd have to win all four of our last games."

Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio all but conceded the title.

"In all likelihood, they'll win the division," said Del Rio, whose team still leads the AFC wild-card race. "They still have to play it out, but they deserve it. We didn't quite get it done today, but I saw a lot of good things."

Having lost to unbeaten New England, the Colts have almost no chance to get homefield advantage for the AFC playoffs. To get a first-round bye, they have to finish second in the conference and went into Sunday a game ahead of Pittsburgh for that spot.

The Colts' first two TDs came after challenges.

The first one came on the Jaguars' opening possession when Robert Mathis sacked David Garrard and knocked the ball free. Officials first ruled Jacksonville recovered at its 11, but Dungy appealed and referee Terry McAuley ruled the Colts' Raheem Brock recovered.

"I never thought there was a question," Dungy said. "I saw Raheem get the ball. He was down. Then someone knocked into him and knocked it loose."

Two plays later, Manning threw a 5-yard TD pass to Dallas Clark.

On the Colts' next possession, officials ruled Ben Utecht fumbled. Dungy appealed, McAuley ruled it an incomplete pass, and on the next play, Manning threw a 48-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne, who finished with eight catches for 158 yards.

Manning, who was 19 of 28 for 288 yards, also threw a 14-yarder to Clark and a 1-yard shovel pass to running back Luke Lawton for scores. He now has 23 TD passes for the season, tying him with Dan Marino as the only QBs to throw more than 20 in each of their first 10 NFL seasons.

Ind-Clark 5 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 9:30.

Ind-Wayne 48 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 1:31.

Second Quarter

Jac-Jones-Drew 2 run (Scobee kick), 5:21.

Ind-Clark 14 yard pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), :06.

Third Quarter

Jac-Lewis 2 pass from Garrard (Scobee kick), 8:06.

Fourth Quarter

Jac-FG Scobee 47, 11:36.

Ind-Lawton 1 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 8:26.

Jac-Northcutt 17 pass from Garrard (Garrard run), 2:47.

A-57,302.

RUSHING-Jacksonville, Taylor 14-104, Jones-Drew 11-52, Garrard 4-5, Northcutt 1-4, G.Jones 1-3. Indianapolis, Addai 21-67, Manning 3-2, Keith 1-(minus 6).

PASSING-Jacksonville, Garrard 24-29-1-257. Indianapolis, Manning 20-29-1-288.

RECEIVING-Jacksonville, Wilford 5-72, Lewis 5-42, R.Williams 4-69, Northcutt 4-37, M.Jones 2-16, Angulo 2-11, G.Jones 1-5, Jones-Drew 1-5. Indianapolis, Wayne 8-158, Clark 7-60, Utecht 3-47, Gonzalez 1-22, Lawton 1-1.

MISSED FIELD GOALS-Jacksonville, Scobee 46 (WL).

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