GAME THREAD: NFL: NEW ORLEANS (0-0) at INDIANAPOLIS (0-0)

NFL: NEW ORLEANS (0-0) at INDIANAPOLIS (0-0)

<h3>Super Bowl champ Colts open at home against Saints</h3>



New Orleans (10-6) at Indianapolis (12-4) Thursday 8:30 pm EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - For the first time in his illustriouscareer, Peyton Manning will enter a season as a Super Bowlchampion.


Led by Manning and their explosive offense, the IndianapolisColts begin defense of their Super Bowl title Thursday nightwhen they host the New Orleans Saints in the opening game of theNFL season.


Arguably the NFL's best quarterback who traditionally came upshort in the postseason, Manning silenced all his critics lastseason in leading the Colts to their first championship sincethe franchise relocated to Indianapolis prior to the 1984season.


Manning capped his playoff run by being named the Most ValuablePlayer of Super Bowl XLI as the Colts posted a 29-17 victoryover the Chicago Bears.


It also was another banner regular season for Manning, who ledthe league with 31 touchdown passes and was second with 4,397yards through the air.


With Manning and Pro Bowl wide receivers Marvin Harrison andReggie Wayne leading the way, the Colts were third in the leaguein scoring last season, averaging 26.7 points.


There is one change for the Colts this season with Joseph Addaitaking over as the featured back. As a rookie last season,Addai rushed for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns whilesplitting time with Dominic Rhodes.


The Colts are accustomed to fast starts, going 14-2 in Septemberover the last five seasons. They also are the only team to go9-0 in back-to-back seasons.


Indianapolis has won seven of its last eight season openers.

While the Colts hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, the Saints were theNFL's feel-good story in 2006 after winning the NFC South andcoming within a game of meeting the Colts in the Super Bowl.

The Saints' resurgence was led by NFL Coach of the Year SeanPayton and Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees.


An offensive mastermind, Payton put together an offense that wasactually more explosive than the Colts. New Orleans led theleague in total offense, averaging 391.5 yards while rankingfifth in scoring at 25.8 points.


After signing as a free agent, Brees enjoyed a monster firstseason in New Orleans. He led the league with 4,418 passingyards and was third with 26 scoring strikes.


Brees' favorite target was wide receiver Marques Colston, whohad 70 receptions for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns as arookie.


Brees is looking forward to facing the Colts.


"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees toldthe New Orleans Times-Picayune. "Even if they didn't, itwouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're veryconfident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied wherewe finished the season last year. And we've been lookingforward to this opportunity for a long time."


The Saints also have two capable running backs in DeuceMcAllister and Reggie Bush. McAllister rushed for 1,057 yardsand 10 touchdowns last season while Bush gained 565 yards on theground and caught 88 passes for 742 yards.


With both teams featuring explosive offenses, it figures to be achallenge for both squads defensively.


Indianapolis struggled for much of last season, ranking 23rd inscoring defense by allowing 22.5 points per game. New Orleanswas slightly better, giving up 20.1 points per contest.

"This is like must-see TV," Saints cornerback and former ColtJason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "It's two excitingoffenses with great players. You've got a lot of star power onoffense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was afan, I wouldn't miss a snap."


In the last meeting between the teams in September 2003, Manningthrew for six touchdowns - all in the first three quarters - tolead the Colts to a 55-21 victory.

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

IND BALL ON IND 32 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 0 13:37 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 0 9:05 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL MISSED FG NOR
OLINDO MARE 52 YD ATTEMPT WIDE LEFT

NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 0 6:08 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 0 6:08 LEFT, 1ST QTR

IND BALL ON IND 42 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL TD IND
MARVIN HARRISON 27 YD PASS FROM PEYTON MANNING
(ADAM VINATIERI KICK)

NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 1:36 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 1:31 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 21 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 0:24 LEFT, 1ST QTR

IND BALL ON IND 18 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW ORLEANS 0 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 7 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: IND - TD, MARVIN HARRISON 27 YD PASS FROM
PEYTON MANNING (ADAM VINATIERI
KICK), 13:24. Drive: 8 plays, 58
yards in 4:32. Key plays: Manning
9-yard pass to Clark on 3rd-and-6
to New Orleans 45; Addai 5-yard run
on 3rd-and-1 to New Orleans 31
INDIANAPOLIS 7-0</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL NEW ORLEANS 0
INDIANAPOLIS 7 14:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NOR
JASON DAVID 55 YD FUMBLE RETURN
(OLINDO MARE KICK)

NEW ORLEANS 7
INDIANAPOLIS 7 11:32 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 7
INDIANAPOLIS 7 11:32 LEFT, 2ND QTR

IND BALL ON IND 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 7
INDIANAPOLIS 7 10:21 LEFT, 2ND QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 48 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL FG NOR
OLINDO MARE 34 YD

NEW ORLEANS 10
INDIANAPOLIS 7 6:26 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 10
INDIANAPOLIS 7 6:26 LEFT, 2ND QTR

IND BALL ON IND 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 10
INDIANAPOLIS 7 4:31 LEFT, 2ND QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 40 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL
NEW ORLEANS 10
INDIANAPOLIS 7 2:24 LEFT, 2ND QTR

IND BALL ON IND 15 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: NEW ORLEANS at INDIANAPOLIS

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

NEW ORLEANS 10
INDIANAPOLIS 7

IND BALL ON IND 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

Re: NFL: NEW ORLEANS (0-0) at INDIANAPOLIS (0-0)

Everyone glued to the TV atm?