Unfamiliar names spark Colts rally in AFC title game

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Defensive tackle Dan Klecko savored his touchdown, and Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday considered his a gift. <br/><br/>Either way, they _ and an unusual cast _ helped Peyton Manning

Monday, January 22nd 2007, 6:50 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Defensive tackle Dan Klecko savored his touchdown, and Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday considered his a gift.

Either way, they _ and an unusual cast _ helped Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts finally end their elusive struggle to reach the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Klecko, Saturday and rookie Joseph Addai all scored touchdowns as the Colts pulled off the biggest comeback in championship game history, and defensive back Marlin Jackson picked off Tom Brady's final pass to seal a 38-34 victory over New England in the AFC championship game.

``I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but yeah, it's obviously sweet for the obvious reasons,'' said Klecko, who the Patriots released in the final September cutdown.

And it certainly didn't go according to offensive coordinator Tom Moore's usual script.

With Pro Bowl receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne prevented from making long plays, Manning had to improvise.

He called a rare quarterback sneak for Indy's first touchdown, then threw a 1-yard TD pass to Klecko. Saturday fell on a fumble in the end zone for what his first score since peewee league and Addai capped it with a 3-yard run to give Indy its only lead of the day _ with one minute left in the game.

That was good enough for a ticket and a date against Chicago in two weeks.

Certainly, getting here wasn't all by design, but it sure was effective _ and forced many people to take a second look at the roster.

``It just shows that this ship didn't sink or sail with one guy,'' Saturday said. ``Every guy has to show up and do their job.''

Klecko and Saturday did theirs when it mattered most, keeping the Colts close.

Then Addai, a running back who got lost amid a strong rookie class, broke through to finally give Indy the lead.

Translation: The Colts won their biggest home game of the Indianapolis era by using everything at their disposal, including good fortune.

Saturday's TD tied the score at 28, setting up an exciting finish. The teams combined for three field goals and one touchdown in the final 13:24, a pace that played to the Colts' strengths.

``Things are sometimes unexplainable,'' Saturday said. ``I was blocking my guy to the left, and he (Dominic Rhodes) spins back and the ball is loose. It hit me in the foot and I just laid down and got it.''

The play was typical of a game that had as many twists and turns as a street race.

New England also scored two unconventional touchdowns. Left guard Logan Mankins produced the first score much the way Saturday did, recovering Laurence Maroney's fumble in the end zone, and cornerback Asante Samuel returned an interception 39 yards for a score that made it 21-3 with 9:25 left in the half.

No team had come back from a greater deficit in championship game history, but then those games didn't involve the Colts' makeshift stars.

Trailing 21-6 at the start of the second half, Manning did what he could by design. Then he adjusted.

Manning called his own number on third-and-goal from the 1 and barely shoved his way across the goal-line for his third rushing TD in 12 career playoff games.

On a goal-line play the next series, Manning went to Klecko, a backup defensive tackle who lined up at fullback. He caught a swing pass and lumbered into the end zone before any New England defender could get a hand on him.

Klecko has now caught two passes this season _ both for touchdowns _ and this one led to the more conventional Manning-to-Harrison 2-point conversion that tied it at 21.

``I heard someone comment that he's some sort of fat guy,'' said Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, also a former Patriot. ``But he just catches touchdowns, so that's great.''

Still trailing, 28-21, early in fourth quarter, Saturday, a Pro Bowl center, saw the ball near his and fell on it to tie the score again before the Colts last two first-round picks _ Addai and Jackson _ wrapped up the Super Bowl appearance.

``You just go out and do what you're told,'' Klecko said before getting a hug from team owner Jim Irsay. ``They came to my side and I was ready.''