AP News, January 13th, 2007
Adam Vinatieri, hero of three Super Bowls for the New England Patriots, put the Indianapolis Colts ahead of the Baltimore Ravens 3-0 in the first quarter of Saturday's second-round AFC playoff game.
After the Ravens went three-and-out in their first series, the Colts' drive stalled at the Baltimore 5. Vinatieri then put it right down the middle from 23 yards out.
Cal Ripken, the Baltimore Orioles legend recently elected to the Hall of Fame, participated in the opening coin toss.
The game held added significance for Baltimore fans because it was nearly 23 years ago when owner Robert Irsay packed the team's equipment into a convoy of Mayflower vans and whisked 'dem Colts out of town to Indianapolis.
Baltimore went 12 years without an NFL team until the Ravens were born from the transplanted Cleveland Browns. Even though the city has its own team now, the sense of betrayal felt by the departure of the Colts has not waned.
Just like every other team that faces the Colts, the Ravens' top priority Saturday was containing Peyton Manning. To reach that goal, the Ravens were depending as much on their offense as their top-ranked defense.
The Ravens (13-3) are well equipped to play keep-away from the NFL's top-ranked quarterback. With Jamal Lewis getting around 20-25 carries a game and Steve McNair employing a precision passing game designed to move the first-down chains 10 yards at a time, Baltimore led the NFL this season in time of possession.
The Colts (13-4) allowed only one touchdown and survived three Manning interceptions last week in a 23-8 win over Kansas City. More often than not, however, Indianapolis relies on its prolific quarterback to win.
