Peyton in Prime Time: Manning Throws Four TDs, Colts Dominate Cards 31-10

Adam Vinatieri booted a 26-yard field goal with 11 minutes left in the 4th quarter to pretty-much ice this one and make it 31-10. Kurt Warner will now go into launch mode, though it’s probably too little too late.

Larry Fitzgerald will be happy to know that Kurt Warner is finding his wide receivers in the endzone. Unfortunately for Fitz, it’s Anquan Boldin who was on the receiving end of a 10-yard TD pass to cut the score to 21-10 early in the 3rd quarter.Of course, the Colts answered right back. Peyton found Joseph Addai for a 3-yard score with 2:26 remaining in the 3rd to make it 28-10 and re-establish Indy’s cushion.

Just as I was ready to pronounce this game over, Arizona had made their way down the field and looked poised to make this a ballgame again. When Steve Breaston scored a touchdown was ruled down at the one-foot line (bad call, by the way), a Tim Hightower touchdown run seemed like a mere formality, and a hard fought second half would ensue from there.

Ah… But did you forget that the Cardinals lost the Super Bowl last year? There are larger forces at work here, and they are bigger than Tim Hightower’s short yardage ability and Kurt Warner’s divine inspiration. The Cardinals, having been so blissfully charmed during last year’s dramatic playoff run, are now in the the throes of a full-fledged curse. That’s the only explanation for what just transpired.

Well, we mentioned the possibility of this “getting real ugly, real fast” and that may have just happened. Pierre Garcon, everyone’s favorite fantasy sleeper, just wiggled his way past the Arizona defense for a 52-yard touchdown catch from Peyton Manning, and the Colts are now firmly in control of this contest.

On the bright side, Mad Men starts on AMC in a few minutes. Let’s see if they can top last week’s lawnmower accident.

Whatever rust they may shaking off, I think we can safely say it’s gone now. The Colts just rolled to another touchdown. And after hooking up with option 1a on the first drive (Reggie Wayne), Manning connected with 1b this time around, hitting Dallas Clark for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

About twenty minutes ago, this looked like Arizona’s football game. Then, Tim Hightower fumbled inside the 10-yard line, Manning took over and led Indy 95 yards, and now, after Indy’s latest score, Arizona’s fighting to keep this from spinning out of control. And if Peyton’s latest exploits are any indication, they better act fast, or this could get real ugly, real quick.

Just as Arizona was poised to take control of the game and take a 10-point lead, Cardinals RB Tim Hightower was walloped on a run inside the Indianoplis 10-yard line, and fumbled away any hopes of an Arizona touchdown.

Then, to make matters worse, Peyton Manning just marched the Colts 95 yards in the other direction, capitalizing on the turnover to take a 7-3 lead. After ten plays slowly chipped away at the Arizona defense, Manning hooked up with Reggie Wayne for 20-yard touchdown catch.

We’ve played nine minutes so far, and the teams have combined for five punts. Wasn’t this supposed to be some sort of shootout?

Check back here for live updates and analysis throughout the game. Because what’s the only thing better than 8 hours of football? Well, 12 hours of football, of course. Get excited.