NFL Playoff Capsules: Manning, Colts ready for another shot at Jets

INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Manning is on a simple mission this week: Strike fast, stay on the field and take the Colts back to Miami.

The four-time MVP and his Colts teammates can’t wait for the journey to begin.

Nearly a month after then-undefeated Indianapolis set off a national firestorm by yanking its starters early against the New York Jets, Manning & Co. will get another at them in this weekend’s AFC championship game — even if nobody lets them forget what happened the first time.

"Do you expect to play all four quarters this week?" Manning was asked jokingly before he could even settle in at the podium Wednesday.

"I do, yeah," Manning deadpanned, drawing laughter.

But in Indianapolis, this is no laughing matter.

Furious fans deluged local radio talk shows following Indy’s 29-15 loss in Week 16, and fans weren’t the only ones upset.

After the game, four-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday said he understood why Indy’s home fans booed, other players seemed surprised by coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to pull players early and Manning insisted nothing should be read into his body language even though he uncharacteristically kept his helmet on for most of the final 20 minutes that day.

Since then, players and coaches have reached a consensus that they may not be playing in their third AFC title game since 2003 had they not done it this way.

"Really, we’ve tried to focus in on the things that we thought were in the best interest of our team to get us into the position we are right now," Caldwell said. "That was the ultimate goal."

It’s taken the Colts (15-2) a little longer to convince the fans.

Three weeks ago, Manning jump-started the reconciliation process after another loss at Buffalo by explaining nothing could be changed. He said it was time to move forward and that he hoped fans would forgive the Colts and provide a united front in the playoffs.

The message resonated.

While other players and team president Bill Polian continued making their pitches, fans responded Saturday night by hitting the highest decibel-level in the two years Lucas Oil Stadium has been the Colts’ home. The result: Indy 20, Baltimore 3 — the Colts’ first postseason victory since Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in February 2007.

A win Sunday, and a ticket to Miami, would finally fix everything.

"I think everybody realizes the opportunity and what’s at stake," Manning said. "That’s why I think everybody wants to have a good week of preparation, to put ourselves in the best position on Sunday."

Clearly, that means Manning and others will have to perform up to their usually high standards, and the quarterback has had his share of success against Rex Ryan’s defenses.

Since 2005, Manning has gone head-to-head with Ryan five times, completing 82 of 132 pass attempts for 1,136 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. Manning is 4-1 in those games — the only loss coming in December after Manning left with a 15-10 lead.

Would things have been different had Manning stayed in?

"The thing is nobody will know," said Rex Ryan, whose Jets were playing to stay alive in the playoff hunt at the time.

Many outsiders believe Indy would have won the game.

Their starters had allowed just one touchdown, a 106-yard kickoff return to start the second half, and Manning was 14 of 21 for 192 yards, barely missing two potentially big plays in the first half before departing.

New York finished the game by rallying for 19 straight points.

But the Colts were short-handed well before they pulled the starters.

Indy played without Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Mathis, linebacker Clint Session, left tackle Charlie Johnson, safety Melvin Bullitt, cornerback Jerraud Powers and receiver Pierre Garcon, who all sat out with injuries.

All, with the possible exception of Powers, should play Sunday.

Powers (foot) was the only Colts player to sit out practice Wednesday, though safety Antoine Bethea (back) and tight end Dallas Clark (illness) were limited participants.

The bigger concern is just playing Colts football — and completing their year-long quest to return to Miami.

"Against these guys, the more familiar you are with them, the better chance it gives you," Manning said. "It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does give you a better chance. That’s the focus right now: trying to get prepared mentally and physically to play a good game."

Sharper wanted showdown with team that let him go

METAIRIE, La. — Darren Sharper loves a good story, even more so when it involves him.

The NFL’s active interception leader is on the cusp of the second Super Bowl appearance of his 13-year career. To get there, his Saints must beat Minnesota, the team that let him go after last season, and Brett Favre, who was once Sharper’s teammate, then a rival, and still a friend.

He wouldn’t want it any other way.

"You know, you get to Chapter 9 in a 10-chapter book, to make that ending a little bit more of an exciting end, you want to have some great story lines and this is a good one because of the relationships," Sharper said on Wednesday at the Saints’ suburban New Orleans training center. "You know, me playing (against) my former team, Brett returning — you could say it’s his last hurrah.

"It just makes you not want to fold that book up in Chapter 5. You want to continue to read it until the end and that ending hopefully will be a good ending for us."

The beginning of Sharper’s story in the NFL dates back to 1997 when he entered the league with Green Bay. He went to his only Super Bowl in his rookie year, when the Packers lost to Denver. Favre was his teammate for eight years, then Sharper left for division rival Minnesota, facing Favre twice a year for three seasons and intercepting him once in 2006.

Sharper, however, was not a part of Minnesota’s plans in 2009. The Vikings had young safeties in Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams, to whom they gave a big contract last year.

"That was an easy transition for them," Sharper said.

Sharper was interested in staying in Minnesota, a team he thought would be a contender, but the Vikings let him go in free agency after he had only one interception in 2008.

The Saints, by contrast, were looking for a savvy veteran to stabilize a defensive backfield that had been prone to giving up big plays. New Orleans already had the league’s top offense, led by Drew Brees, but wound up only 8-8 last season, losing five games by three or fewer points in part because of defensive blunders.

Sharper, who turned 34 in November, made an immediate difference, proving that his paltry interception total a season earlier was not a sign of deteriorating skills. Rather, Sharper has had one of his best seasons in New Orleans, intercepting nine passes and returning three for touchdowns. His career interception total now stands at 63, tied with retired San Francisco safety Ronnie Lott.

Sharper also set an NFL record for most interception return yards in a season with 376.

"Physically, he looks as good as he’s ever looked," Favre said. "But his instincts, those are the things you can’t coach. He makes a lot of plays. The thought is from people when you play a guy like Sharp is you can trick him to get big plays.

"In all honesty, you really don’t see that this year."

Sharper sat out practice on Wednesday in order to get some extra rest — typical of his schedule since midseason, when he began to have minor soreness in his left knee.

He has continued to look sharp in games, however, recovering a fumble in the Saints’ 45-14 win over Arizona last Saturday in the divisional round. He also intercepted Warner once, making a difficult catch on a tipped ball, but the play was wiped out by a roughing-the-quarterback penalty.

Linebacker Jonathan Vilma said Sharper has performed exactly as the Saints hoped. Vilma fondly recalled the club’s effort to recruit him over dinner at one of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s restaurants, a meal attended by Vilma, general manager Mickey Loomis and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

"I told him he would be a perfect fit for us," Vilma said. "He was the guy we needed to help lead our secondary and get us to this spot right now."

The Vikings, of course, thought the exact same thing about Favre, who spoke to Sharper about his decision to return to the NFL with Minnesota.

"In talking to Brett, before he signed with Minnesota, I told him they had a good team and a team that was, if he went there, they were going to be in the running for getting to where they are now," Sharper recalled. "He understood that. I believe that was part of his decision to return.

"Me coming here was the same thing," Sharper continued. "We knew we had a good defense. It just needed a couple pieces, a guy on the back end to kind of solidify things a little bit, make the play when you had a chance to make it. So it is kind of ironic that we’re facing off. I told him he had a Super Bowl-caliber team in Minnesota before he got there. I just hope I can renege on those words and make us the Super Bowl caliber team come Sunday."

NOTES: TE Jeremy Shockey (right knee), WR Robert Meachem (left ankle) and CB Malcom Jenkins (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. Coach Sean Payton said he was optimistic they would be ready to play by Sunday. ... The Saints announced RB Deuce McAllister, who retired on Tuesday, would once again be an honorary captain in the NFC title game.

-- Brett Martel

Injuries

Jets DE Ellis misses practice, LB Scott limited

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis sat out practice because of a broken left hand Wednesday but is expected to play in the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Ellis broke the hand on the Jets’ first defensive play in their 17-14 victory at San Diego on Sunday but later returned with a cast wrapped up like a club.

He said he’ll have surgery to have screws inserted after the game against the Colts. If the Jets make it to the Super Bowl, Ellis will have two weeks to have the skin heal properly.

"We’re telling him it’s going to be just fine," coach Rex Ryan said.

Ellis left the locker room without speaking with reporters to have his hand treated. It’s expected he will wear a cast that gives him more flexibility to wrap up on tackles.

Linebackers Bart Scott (left ankle) and David Harris (right ankle) were both limited at practice. Scott had a noticeable limp during the half-hour the media were allowed to watch, and had the ankle wrapped afterward.

"Bart’s is probably a little worse than David’s," Ryan said, "but he’ll be just fine."

Running back Thomas Jones and fullback Tony Richardson were held out of the first practice of the week to give them some rest, as has been the case for the last month. Ryan said Richardson has a rib injury, but that won’t affect his availability against the Colts.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez (knee) and wide receiver Danny Woodhead (knee) were full participants.

-- Dennis Waszak Jr.

Colts practice without 3 starters with injuries

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers sat out Wednesday’s practice with a foot injury, the only Colts player to miss the entire workout.

Coach Jim Caldwell has not said which foot Powers injured. Powers, a rookie, played Saturday night against Baltimore after missing Indy’s last three regular-season games because of a hamstring injury. He started 12 of the Colts’ first 13 games this season.

Two other Colts, Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark and starting safety Antoine Bethea, were limited in workouts. Bethea bruised his back after landing hard while making an interception against the Ravens. Clark was listed on the practice report with an illness.

None of the other 15 players on Indy’s injury list missed time.

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Jets WR Edwards wants to finish career in New York

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Braylon Edwards hopes to finish his career with the New York Jets amid a published report Wednesday that the team will tender an offer to him after the season.

Newsday, citing an anonymous source, reported that the Jets plan to place a contract tender on Edwards, a restricted free agent in March, that would require a team to give New York first- and third-round picks if it signs him.

"I hadn’t heard anything about it, but if that’s something they’re definitely doing, I’m excited," Edwards said. "I love playing here and I love the atmosphere around here. It’s a family atmosphere that’s centered around winning. If that’s what’s going on, I would be extremely happy and proud to be a Jet for years to come."

Edwards, a former first-round pick out of Michigan in 2005, was traded from Cleveland to New York in October after four-plus seasons with the Browns.

"I’ve seen one side and this is another side, and I don’t want to see another side," he said. "I think this is my side right here."

Edwards has four catches for 56 yards in two postseason games with the Jets, who play at Indianapolis on Sunday for the AFC championship. He finished the regular season with 35 receptions for 541 yards and four scores with New York.

"It’s crazy," he said. "I never would’ve thought I would be in this situation. So, to be here is just a blessing and I’m excited. I’m trying to keep my cool, but we’re one win from playing in the big dance."

It’s been a hectic year for Edwards, who has been highly criticized for dropping too many passes during his career. He was accused of punching a friend of NBA star LeBron James on Oct. 5, was traded to the Jets two days later and then pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault in November.

Edwards was placed on probation last Tuesday after pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct, and could face discipline from the NFL after the season.

He said he is focused only on football now, and is excited about the prospect of playing several years with Mark Sanchez after going through various quarterbacks in Cleveland.

"That’s definitely another thing for me, just stability, period," Edwards said. "One, having a guy like Mark who’s progressing well and has been taking some tremendous strides over the last four weeks. Also, just having the team we have in place, our team is consistent. ... There’s a lot of consistency and a lot of stability and that’s how you win at this level."

-- Dennis Waszak Jr.

Erin Henderson returns to Vikings after suspension

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Backup linebacker Erin Henderson has returned to the Vikings after completing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Henderson was at practice on Wednesday. He has played in only two games for Minnesota this season, primarily on special teams.

Henderson declined to specify the substance he was punished for, but says he "didn’t do anything wrong" and blames the positive test on a prescription product he took in training camp to remedy allergic reactions.

Henderson appealed his punishment with the league in September, but it was denied.

He understands the zero-tolerance policy, but believes the NFL should reconsider some of the rules.