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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Three passers were better than one for New
England.
|  | | New England's Tony Simmons catches Michael Bishop's "hail mary" 44-yard touchdown pass during Sunday's victory. |
Drew Bledsoe, scrambler Michael Bishop and punter Lee Johnson
made the big throws for the Patriots in their 24-16 victory over
the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Peyton Manning, who went into the game as the AFC's top-rated
quarterback, wasn't enough for the Colts, despite his career-high
31 completions.
"Let it be known," Johnson said with a laugh. "There's a
full-blown quarterback controversy on the Patriots."
Bledsoe has a lock on the job, especially after throwing six
touchdown passes with no interceptions in the Patriots' two
straight victories after their 0-4 start.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Despite their 2-4 record, the Patriots are a dangerous team because of Drew Bledsoe and because they're
strong defensively (which is coach Bill Belichick's strength).
The Patriots continue to dig themselves out of the early-season hole they
got into. Bledsoe had a strong performance in this game for the Pats --
including two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Earlier this season, New England's problem was not making plays down the
stretch, which contributed to four straight losses. But Bledsoe changed that
in this game.
Early on, the Colts seemed to be in control, but Michael Bishop's Hail Mary toss
at the end of the first half seemed to spark the Patriots. The Colts
dominated the time of possession, but they had trouble running the football
against a stout New England defense.
For the Colts, this has been a tough road stretch that continues next week
at Seattle.
This was a game, statistically, the Colts could have won. But you have to
give credit to the Patriots -- and Bledsoe, for coming up clutch down the
stretch.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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Bishop, meanwhile, hit Tony Simmons with his first pass as a
pro: a desperation 44-yard touchdown throw to tie the game at 10 on
the last play of the first half.
"It was a play we practice all week," said Bishop, a
seventh-round draft pick last year who used his speed to escape
defenders and give receivers time to get downfield. "The key was
putting the ball up in the air as high as I could and hoping it got
to the right guy."
Johnson, on his sixth pass in 16 NFL seasons, hit Eric Bjornson
for an 18-yard gain to the Indianapolis 4 on a fake-field goal play
in the fourth quarter. Bledsoe then threw his second touchdown
pass, a 4-yarder to Terry Glenn for a 24-13 lead with 7:26 left.
"It seemed like I waited a lifetime for the ball to get to
me," said Bjornson, who wasn't spotted by the Colts as he lined up
near the right sideline. "The real key the last two weeks is we
got points on the board on our first drives. That automatically
puts the other team in a defensive mode."
The Patriots (2-4) beat Denver 28-19 last week and scored on
their first possession again Sunday on Adam Vinatieri's 21-yard
field goal.
The Colts (3-2) took the lead on Manning's 17-yard touchdown
pass to Marvin Harrison in the second quarter. But a 14-play drive
on their last series of the first half and a 22-play march on their
first series of the second half ended only in 33-yard field goals
by Mike Vanderjagt.
"Our long drives were good and bad news. We had the two drives
but we didn't score touchdowns," Colts coach Jim Mora said. "We
lost because we hurt ourselves."
Not even Manning -- who completed 31 of 54 passes for 334 yards,
with one touchdown and three interceptions -- could overcome that.
"Missed assignments and penalties cost us on both drives,"
said Manning, who is 0-3 at Foxboro. "I hope this doesn't come
back to haunt us, especially in a division game."
With Indianapolis, Buffalo and the New York Jets all losing
Sunday, New England's prospects are brighter.
Bledsoe left the game for a play after Simmons' 39-yard kickoff
return gave the Patriots the ball at the Indianapolis 44 with three
seconds left.
Bishop, with a stronger arm and faster feet than Bledsoe, rolled
to his right, dropped back to his 40-yard line and flung the ball
into the right corner of the end zone. Simmons outjumped defensive
backs Jeff Burris and Chad Cota.
"I have been playing football since seventh grade and I have
never completed a Hail Mary in my life," said Bledsoe, who
finished 15-of-23 for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
The Patriots played their usual strong second-half defense and
yielded only six points, including Vanderjagt's 34-yard field goal
with 36 seconds left in the game.
Game
notes
Manning's previous career high was 30 completions against
New England as a rookie in 1998. ... The Patriots are 8-1 in their
last nine games against the Colts, 5-0 at home. ... Indianapolis
missed a chance to go 3-0 on the road for the first time since
1977. ... Harrison led all receivers with 13 catches for 159 yards,
his second largest output in his five NFL seasons. It was the
eighth time in his last 10 games he's had more than 100 yards
receiving. ... The Colts' Edgerrin James, averaging 91 yards
rushing entering the game, was held to 75 on 24 carries. The
Patriots duo of Kevin Faulk (12-for-64) and J.R. Redmond
(14-for-45) outrushed him by 34 yards. ... The Colts, with nine
sacks in their last two games, sacked Bledsoe three times in the
first 17 minutes but none in the last 43.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Indianapolis Clubhouse
New England Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Patriots' Lee Johnson says the Colts were not ready for a fake field goal.
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