DENVER (AP) -- Indianapolis kicker Mike Vanderjagt had already
kicked a 54-yard field goal through a heavy snowfall at the end of
regulation, but Colts coach Tony Dungy wasn't sure he wanted him to
try a second 50-yarder in overtime.
So who did the coach turn to for advice? Justin Snow, of course.
The Colts' holder talked Dungy into the kick, and Vanderjagt
rewarded him with a 51-yard field goal 5:38 into overtime to help
the Colts beat the Denver Broncos 23-20 Sunday night.
Dungy wanted to punt, but Snow said Vanderjagt could make it.
Several other players chimed in to help change Dungy's mind.
''I was determined to punt the ball, because I thought we could
back them up and stop them, and get good field position,'' Dungy said.
''They all, to a man, said, 'No, let's win right here.'''
Despite the flurries, players slipping and balls squirting loose
all over the field, Vanderjagt felt right at home.
A Canadian who played three seasons in the CFL, Vanderjagt was
3-for-3 after missing five of his previous eight attempts.
The Colts (7-4) started the final drive in regulation at their
own 20 with 1:40 left, then moved 44 yards in 11 plays to set up
Vanderjagt's 54-yarder with three seconds left. The kick sailed through
the uprights with plenty of room to spare. It was the third-longest
kick to send a game into overtime in league history.
Indianapolis got the ball first in overtime and moved 35 yards
for Vanderjagt's winning kick, which again had plenty of distance.
''It's Grey Cup Sunday today, and I'm Canadian, so it was a
typical Sunday game for me,'' Vanderjagt said. ''It's safe to say I
thoroughly enjoyed this.''
The Broncos (7-4) weren't too excited about losing on a dramatic
kick for the second consecutive Sunday night game.
Denver lost 24-22 to Miami on Oct. 13 when Olindo Mare kicked a
53-yarder with six seconds left, right after Jason Elam had kicked a
55-yarder.
Denver has won all of its games during the day but is 0-4 at
night. The Broncos have lost three in a row at home, their longest
streak since 1994, and failed to take advantage of San Diego's defeat earlier in the day. Denver is tied with the Chargers and Oakland
atop the AFC West.
''Anytime that you put yourself in a situation like we did and
you don't come away with a victory, it is pretty tough for a
football team,'' Denver coach Mike Shanahan said. ''I am
disappointed we didn't get it done.''
The Colts, 1-2 in night games this season, won their third
in a row to move a game ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South.
They needed another huge game from Marvin Harrison to do it.
Harrison had 11 catches for 107 yards -- six consecutive on
third-down conversions at one point -- giving him 100 receptions for
the year. He became the first player in NFL history to reach the
mark four consecutive seasons, eclipsing the record he shared with
Jerry Rice and Herman Moore.
Harrison, who had his 11th catch in overtime, has 426 receptions
for 5,817 yards and 49 touchdowns over the past four years.
''I'm running out of things to say about him,'' said Colts
quarterback Peyton Manning, who was 29-for-44 for 229 yards.
Temperatures dipped into the teens, and a snowstorm that started
just before the game grew progressively worse. Snow blanketed the
field by halftime, and cold temperatures made the heating coils
under the field useless.
The conditions had predictable effects on the players, too, as
the ball squirted around like a half-melted ice cube.
Denver's first drive ended at the Colts' 17 when David Gibson
intercepted a pass that slipped out of Steve Beuerlein's hand.
Manning, one of the best play-action quarterbacks in the league,
had the ball slip from his hand on a fake handoff to James in the
second quarter. Denver recovered, leading to a 12-yard touchdown
pass from Beuerlein to Rod Smith. Jason Elam missed the extra
point, ending his NFL-record streak at 371.
Manning also lost the handle on an attempted screen in the first
half, and punt returner Tony Walters fumbled late in the second
quarter when a bouncing kick slipped through his arms.
''I don't know how that was for artistry, but for drama it was
one of the biggest ones I've been in,'' Dungy said.
Game notes
Denver wore its bright orange third jerseys, a throwback to
the Broncos' Orange Crush days of the 1970s. ... Indianapolis won
for the first time in six games at Denver. ... Colts defensive tackle James
Cannida didn't play due to a sprained left knee. ... Smith's touchdown reception was his 48th, breaking a tie with Shannon Sharpe for the
team record. ... Broncos rookie running back Clinton Portis had two
touchdowns. ... Colts running back Edgerrin James didn't play in overtime after
aggravating a right ankle injury.