INDIANAPOLIS - Hank Baskett saw the NFL equivalent of Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel this season. Now Peyton Manning's masterpiece is nearly complete, thanks to the fine artistry the Indianapolis Colts quarterback achieved during Sunday's AFC championship game.
Forced to throw to two young wide receivers who had a combined four catches before this season, Manning led the Colts to their second Super Bowl in four seasons, and he may have never been better Sunday in his team's 30-17 win over the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"Don't let that man get comfortable," said Baskett, who joined the Colts in Week 2 after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles. "Once he figures out what's going on, then he'll go crazy, and that's what he did today."
Manning, who completed 26 of 39 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns, admitted it took some time to figure out what was going on against a New York defense that finished first in the NFL during the regular season and shut down the high-powered San Diego Chargers the week before.
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Late in the first half, the Colts had been held to two field goals on five series and Manning had been sacked twice. The Jets, behind two touchdown passes from rookie Mark Sanchez and a field goal from Jay Feely, held a 17-6 lead and coach Rex Ryan's enormous frame was full of swagger.
But with 2 minutes 11 seconds left before halftime, Manning and his youngest receiver went to work.
After missing on a first-down throw to tight end Dallas Clark, Manning connected on three straight passes to rookie wide receiver Austin Collie. The first was for 18 yards, the second for 38 and the third for 16-yard touchdown.
The drive lasted all of 58 seconds and allowed the Colts to go into halftime feeling good.
"That was huge," Manning said. "It's hard to say that won the game, but it was huge. It wasn't a great start and we were kind of feeling them out, trying to get some rhythm. That play down the field to Collie before the touchdown is the play that really got us going and broke us open. We went back to him with the same play (for the touchdown) and from that point on, we had a good beat on things."
The Colts (16-2) took the lead early in the second half after the Jets lost rookie tailback Shonn Greene to a rib injury and Feely missed a 52-yard field goal try.
Given a short field, Manning dialed up second-year receiver Pierre Garcon, picking on Jets cornerback Dwight Lowery in the process.
Garcon caught four passes on the Colts' 57-yard, go-ahead touchdown drive. His final catch was a 4-yard touchdown.
"We just had great communication on that drive," Garcon said. "I was telling him the coverage and what I could beat (Lowery) on, and he just threw the ball perfect and it came through us."
SUPER BOWL
• What: Colts vs. Saints
• Where: Miami
• When: 4:25 p.m., Feb. 7
• TV: Channel 13
