Peyton's charge: Colts make short work of Dolphins, 27-23

Peyton Manning spent most of the night on the sideline and just enough time reaching the end zone.

The Indianapolis Colts had the ball for less than 15 minutes, but Manning made the most of his chances, helping his team come from behind four times to beat the Miami Dolphins 27-23 Monday night.

Manning threw touchdown passes of 80 yards to Dallas Clark and 48 yards to Pierre Garcon. The first score came on the first play from scrimmage, the latter with 3:18 left for the game's final points.

"It was about being efficient when it counted, in the fourth quarter," Manning said. "That's really what the game's about."

While the Miami Dolphins' celebrities were making a Hollywood-style grand entrance, Manning slipped in a side door and stole the show.

The Dolphins rolled out an orange carpet for the pregame arrival of new owner Stephen Ross' celebrity partners. The crowd included Serena and Venus Williams, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Buffett and Colts rooter Tiger Woods.

But Manning was the big star. He finished 14 for 23 for 303 yards, and the Colts improved to 2-0. The Dolphins fell to 0-2 even though they had 239 yards rushing, including 107 with the wildcat.

The Colts had the ball for only 14:53, the lowest time of possession for a winning team in the NFL since 1977. They ran 35 plays to 84 for the Dolphins.

"It's really disheartening," Miami coach Tony Sparano said. "That's exactly the formula to beat that team."

Indy trailed 10-7, 13-10 and 20-13, but each time pulled even. Down 23-20 after Miami scored with 3:50 left, the Colts rallied one more time with a big play by Garcon.

"Pierre was patient," Manning said. "He was more talkative than he had been all game, saying, 'I can beat him. I can beat him.' Of course we didn't get many possessions, but he came up big when we really needed him."

After completions of 15 and 17 yards, Manning hit Garcon with a short pass on the right side. Garcon cut to the middle, then broke back toward to the corner of the end zone to score.

Miami reached the Colts 30-yard line with 6 seconds left, but Chad Pennington's desperation pass was intercepted in the end zone by Antoine Bethea .

"Give credit to our defense," Clark said. "They were out there for probably 100 plays, and for that last drive I know they were tired. For them to come up with those plays and keep them from scoring was just tremendous effort."

Bethea's interception was the Dolphins' lone turnover. They were 15 for 21 on third-down conversions, punted once and controlled the ball for a team-record 45 minutes. They had to wonder how they lost.

The answer: Manning. He earned his 119th victory with the Colts, breaking the team record for a quarterback he shared with Johnny Unitas.

"I don't feel comfortable with these comparisons to Unitas," Manning said. "But I'm very proud to wear the same uniform as Johnny Unitas. He was a real winner."

Miami's Ronnie Brown rushed for 136 yards, including 62 in the wildcat, taking a direct snap each time. Teammate Ricky Williams added 69 yards rushing.

Against Manning, it wasn't enough.

"To have as few plays as he did and to do what he did, you just don't see that," Pennington said.

Manning took only three snaps in the third quarter, and the Colts had just three possessions after halftime.

"You just feel like you didn't really letter in the second half," Manning said.

The Dolphins controlled the ball for nearly nine minutes on an 80-yard touchdown drive that put them ahead 20-13 early in the final quarter.

Indy quickly pulled even again. Manning hit Clark for 49 yards to set up a 15-yard scoring run by Donald Brown. Clark had seven catches for a career-high 183 yards.

Miami drove 51 yards and broke a 20-all tie with Dan Carpenter's 45-yard field goal with 3:50 left. He made two other field goals but also missed from 49, which kept the Dolphins from trying a game-winning kick in the final seconds.

"That's one of the strangest losses I've ever been part of," Wilson said. "For us to come up short was very heartbreaking."

Notes: Manning's first pass was his longest completion since 2005. ... The highest previous time of possession in the Dolphins' record book was 43:39 against the Jets on Dec. 7, 1987.

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Not like old times: Jets beat up Pats, seek control of AFC East

After a smooth takeoff last week, the newNew York Jets appear to be settling into an unfamiliar cruising altitude.

More than 40 years after their only championship season, the Jets staked an early claim to first place in the AFC East with a 2-0 start after Sunday's 16-9 win against the New England Patriots.

The victory came under a new coach, revamped defense and rookie quarterback in his second start. And it came against the division's powerhouse for nearly a decade, a bitter rival that has usually left a bad taste in the Jets' mouth since Bill Belichick left New York for the New England coaching job in 2000.

"We're a football team that should be respected," first-year Jets coach Rex Ryan said.

Ryan's retooled defense proved last week's debut win vs. the Houston Texans was no fluke and has the look of a unit that could keep the Jets - who have won six playoff games since Joe Namath's famous guaranteed win against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969 - flying high for some time.

"The past is the past," said linebacker Bart Scott, who followed Ryan to the Jets from the Baltimore Ravens. "It's a new day. It's a new team. It's not the same old Jets people are used to."

New York's defense, which allowed 183 yards and no touchdowns vs. Houston (which was third in offense in 2008 and scored 34 points Sunday), kept New England out of the end zone for the first time since 2006. The last time the New York defense did not permit touchdowns in consecutive weeks was in 1993.

"That's a statement not just to us but to the league that every week we're going to come out and try and get a shutout," said Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, who picked off Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the first half.

In his second start since last year's season-ending knee injury, Brady completed 23 of 47 passes for 216 yards and the interception. It was the second time since December 2006 that he failed to complete at least half his passes. The other time came in 2007 against the Ravens defense then coached by Ryan.

Ryan's defenses never ranked lower than sixth in his four years as coordinator with the Ravens (2005-08). The Jets have had a defense ranked as high as sixth once (1995) since 1982.

"Our defense is just filled with studs," Sanchez said. "I felt for Tom."

The 2007 MVP, who was coming off an uneven performance against the Buffalo Bills in a Monday night win, seemed to struggle with timing and execution on short and long routes. Wideout Randy Moss was limited to four catches and 24 yards largely because of Revis' blanket coverage.

"You could just see the timing disrupted a little bit," Sanchez said. "You could see a pass here or there, an important comeback route ... the ball's not thrown yet, or it's thrown too early."

Brady, who missed several open receivers, was critical of his performance but gave the Jets credit. "It's a very talented team," said Brady, who was without injured wide receiver Wes Welker (knee).

"We're not really firing on all cylinders right now," Brady added. "To not get the ball in the end zone is unacceptable."

New England took four delay-of-game penalties and went 0-for-3 in the red zone (failing to score a TD) for the first time in nearly six years.

"I've got to do a better job," Brady said. "They (delay-of-game penalties) don't come up very often, but when they do, they hurt. And they hurt us today."

Sanchez steps up in second half

Sanchez came out on the winning end of his first matchup with Brady. Limited in the first half (3-for-5, 15 yards), the rookie came out slinging in the third quarter.

With New York trailing 9-3, Jets kick returner Leon Washington set the stage for a comeback with a 43-yard return to open the second half.

Sanchez took over, hooking up with Jerricho Cotchery for a 45-yard gain to the New England 11. Two plays later Sanchez lofted a 9-yard touchdown strike between two defenders to tight end Dustin Keller.

"He has been the leader that we need. That is going to take us a long way," Cotchery said of Sanchez.

Sanchez's final stats line was efficient - 14-for-22 for 163 yards - and devoid of turnovers. Sanchez, who led the Jets to two field goals after his touchdown strike, became the first Jets rookie quarterback to win his first two starts.

"This guy's not a rookie," Washington, who led the Jets with 58 rushing yards, said of Sanchez.

Said offensive tackle Damien Woody: "I'm glad (Sanchez is) on our team. And he's only going to get better."

The Meadowlands' infamous swirling winds weren't a factor, but the Jets did back up a lot of bluster, much of it from Ryan.

"I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings," Ryan said about New England's three-time Super Bowl champion coach in an offseason radio interview. He also questioned the toughness of the Patriots defense and touted his team's newly instilled smash-mouth ethos, all before encouraging season ticketholders last week - via voice mail - to make themselves heard on game day.

Apparently, his message got through. "I think our fans might have been the difference today," said Ryan, who granted his new 12th man a game ball.

Ryan's father, Buddy, was the linebackers coach for the Jets' 1968 title team. He also was the architect of the 1985 Chicago Bears defense that helped win a Super Bowl, and he later built imposing crews as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I said we were going to be the No. 1 defense, and I thank everyone here who laughed at me," Rhodes said. "He got it from his father. We know he's going to give us the stuff we need to get after the quarterback."

Fans make their statement

The fans helped, too.

"It's a hostile environment," said former Jets tight end Chris Baker, who signed with the Patriots in February. "I knew it was going to be part of the game."

The Jets also noticed.

"I actually felt the ground vibrating," said defensive end Shaun Ellis, the only player remaining on the Jets roster since they last beat the Patriots at home in 2000.

The Patriots came into the game with Ryan's quotes on their bulletin board as well as those from Rhodes, who said during the week that he hoped to "embarrass" the Patriots. Rhodes downplayed his comments, but like many of his teammates he has embraced the swagger brought by Ryan and Scott.

"They just outplayed us. They outcoached us, Belichick said."

Last year in Baltimore, Ryan watched his swarming defense and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, who often effectively managed games, advance to the AFC Championship Game. He appears to be putting together a similar formula with the Jets.

"Sometimes we talk a little bit, but only because we have confidence," Ryan said. "We believe we are an outstanding team. We have to go out and show it."

And despite beating the Patriots, more challenges lie ahead. The Titans (NFL-best 13 regular-season wins in 2008) are next, followed by the New Orleans Saints (Drew Brees has a league-best nine TD passes in two weeks) and the Miami Dolphins (reigning AFC East champions).

The Jets know looking ahead to Super Bowl XLIV is premature. "We haven't arrived yet," Sanchez said.

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Big Ben's lawyer says rape allegation fueled in part by job fears

Lawyers for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said in court documents made available on Thursday that the woman who has accused him of raping her concocted the story, in part, to try to shield herself from losing her job.

Andrea McNulty fabricated the rape allegation against the two-time Super Bowl winner to try to prevent Harrah's Lake Tahoe resort from terminating her after she had taken prolonged bereavement leave, Roethlisberger's lawyers said.

McNulty has said she was hospitalized for several months last autumn because of trauma from the alleged July 11, 2008 attack by Roethlisberger.

The quarterback's lawyers have said McNulty's emotional collapse had nothing to do with a rape but resulted from a failed relationship with a married man and then a long-distance relationship that turned out to be a hoax.

The 31-year-old VIP hostess filed a civil suit in July, alleging Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in his penthouse suite while he was at Lake Tahoe the previous summer to compete in a celebrity golf tournament. The suit says she was hospitalized for several months because she was traumatized after the alleged attack.

Roethlisberger denies the allegation.

After McNulty returned to work in November 2008, she received a reprimand after having an emotional public outburst, Roethlisberger's lawyers said in documents filed in Washoe District Court in Reno.

"Plaintiff realized at this point that her emotional condition would not serve as a shield from possible termination. This realization led plaintiff to conclude that she needed more," lawyers said in the documents.

A telephone message The Associated Press left with McNulty's lawyer, Cal Dunlap, wasn't immediately returned.

The filing, made in support of the defense's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, included copies of e-mails from McNulty allegedly to the long-distance beau.

"Lots and lots of people getting laid off and lots of downsizing and consolidating departments," she writes in one, dated Aug. 21, 2008. "My 'Yikes' e-mail is in reference to me heading into a meeting to find out whether or not I get to stay. I was given the opportunity to resign with a good severance package but the timing didn't seem right so I passed on it and took the chance that I would not be picked to be laid off."

McNulty's suit seeks a minimum $440,000 in damages from Roethlisberger, unspecified punitive damages and at least $50,000 in damages from eight Harrah's officials she accuses of orchestrating a cover-up of the incident.

Her lawyers, however, have offered to settle the civil suit if Roethlisberger admits to the alleged rape, apologizes and gives $100,000 to a nonprofit agency that helps victims of domestic violence.