Published: November 16, 2009 11:51 pm         

Colts keep finding ways to stay undefeated

In the wake of Sunday night’s nationally televised 35-34 come-from-behind National Football League win over the New England Patriots, the Indianapolis Colts know that they’ll have their work cut out for them again this week.

Indianapolis will be taking to the road to face the Baltimore Ravens. That’s not an easy task in any circumstance. But coming off such an emotional win over New England could make things that much tougher.

Coach Jim Caldwell, though, has done a pretty good job this season of keeping his team’s focus directly on the matter at hand. And Caldwell has seen the Colts find ways to win despite not playing at their very best.

“That’s a great thing about [the Colts], they’re resourceful. Sometimes things might not be going very well in one area and they find a way to strengthen us in another. Maybe it’s our kicking game that holds up and really comes on and keeps a team at bay, or maybe it’s our defense that slows a team down enough for our offense [to get] on track, or maybe it’s the offense getting out in front early so that we can turn our pass rushers loose,” he explained.

“I think the ability to win a number of different ways is good, because this league will force you to do so. Oftentimes, you will find what you may consider to be a strength one week, well, the opposition is going to look at that and say, ‘OK, well how can we take this particular phase away from them?’ [They] try to make you play left-handed. Therefore, you have to find other ways to win, and I think our team has been good at that so far.”

That was certainly the case in the New England game. Indianapolis struggled to get the offense untracked and the defense had problems trying to slow down the Patriots’ passing game. Still, the Colts managed to win their ninth straight game this season and their 18th consecutive game dating back to last year.

• Just keep winning — A win is a win is a win.

That’s the way the Colts are looking at the victory over the Patriots. Even on a night when the Colts weren’t playing their best on either side of the ball, Indianapolis was still able to do just enough when it counted the most.

In fact, over the last three weeks and wins over San Francisco, Houston and New England, Caldwell’s crew has found varying ways to win games.

“Close games in this league are close games. I think your earn them. They may not always fall the way you want them all nice and pretty and neat with a runaway victory or a clean victory,” the Colts’ first-year coach explained.

“I don’t think that ever happens when you talk about two very talented teams. So things like this happen. [The Colts] fought. They hung in there and they executed when it was time.”

The run goes farther back in the season than the last three weeks. The Colts’ win at Miami, despite not having the football for most of the night, is yet another example of digging out victories when all seemed lost at the time.

“Certainly [it was] a great team comeback win [over the Patriots]. Everyone had to do their part. Defense had to hold them at the right times. It certainly is as much adversity as we have seen all year. Certainly Miami was a tough scenario,” Peyton Manning said.

“We just sort of weathered the storm and knew it would be a 60-minute game. It sure feels good to come out on top.”

• Injury list — Running back Joseph Addai suffered an injured right hand in the first quarter of the New England game. He scored a touchdown on the play and was sidelined for most of the first half. Addai, who later returned to the game at the start of the third quarter, was expected to have the finger looked at by team doctors on Monday.

Running back Chad Simpson incurred a head injury in the game but was able to return. Wide receiver Pierre Garcon and strong safety Melvin Bullitt were both dinged up but returned to play in the game.

• Record book — Manning tied Dan Marino for the fastest to 350 career touchdown passes. They both accomplished the feat in 185 games. Manning had his 19th career game with four or more touchdowns, third in NFL history behind Brett Favre and Marino, both with 21.

Manning also passed Fran Tarkenton for the fourth-most starting wins in league history with 126. He registered his 40th career fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning drive and his third in as many weeks.

The Colts’ signal caller tied Favre for the most consecutive seasons with 20 or more touchdown passes at 12. Manning had four TD throws against New England.

Wide receiver Reggie Wayne and Manning passed Favre and Antonio Freeman for the sixth-most touchdown connections by a duo in NFL history. They combined on their 58th and 59th in the win over the Patriots. Manning and former Colts receiver Marvin Harrison have the record with 112 total touchdowns between them.

Wayne recorded his 30th career 100-yard receiving game and his 11th career 10-plus reception game. It was his eighth multiple touchdown reception game. Tight end Dallas Clark tied the franchise record for career receptions by a tight end, 320, originally set by Baltimore Colts Hall of Famer John Mackey.

Defensive end Robert Mathis recorded his 15th career multiple-sack game. Mathis — who had eight total tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss, three quarterback hurries, one pass deflected and one forced fumble against the Patriots — also registered his 34th career forced fumble, second most since 2002 behind Colts teammate Dwight Freeney (36).

• Streak ends — Freeney saw his quarterback sack streak come to an end in the New England game. Freeney had recorded a sack in nine straight games.

“[New England’s offensive line] did a great job. They quick-counted when they needed to. They slid the protection when they needed to. I was guessing wrong sometimes. I couldn’t get there. Like I’ve always said, if [sacks] come, they come; if they don’t, they don’t,” he said.

“You don’t really know when it’s going to happen. The big thing is about winning the game. I’m just happy that we won this game and I get two days off now so I don’t have to come in.”

• Jackson honored — Injured cornerback Marlin Jackson was named as the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award after a vote of his Colts teammates. The award is an annual recognition for courageous play.

Jackson, who battled back from a season-ending knee injury last year, is one of 32 NFL players cited for the award.