Professor

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...801140372/1100

's a somewhat vague concept, one that might most readily be defined by its absence. It was absent Sunday at the RCA Dome.
While the Indianapolis Colts were making mistakes, the San Diego Chargers were making plays. While the Colts were turning over the ball and committing crippling penalties, the Chargers were converting third-and-longs. While the defending world champions were butchering opportunities, the Chargers were taking advantage.
That's how seasons end, and the Colts' ended 28-24 with their capacity crowd of 56,950 sitting in stunned disbelief, again. Three times over the past nine seasons, the Colts have played well enough to earn a bye and host an AFC divisional playoff game. All three times, they have lost. In 1999. In 2005. Again Sunday.
The Colts are the only team in the NFL that has made the playoffs eight of the past nine seasons. They have gone one-and-out five of those seasons.
This time they did it against a team riddled by injuries to key players: Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson went out with a bruised knee during the second quarter. Quarterback Philip Rivers went down during the third quarter with a knee injury. Tight end Antonio Gates played on a dislocated big toe; he was limping at the end.
"It's going to take a little time to get over it," Colts owner Jim Irsay said. "But like I always say when the year ends and we don't have the trophy, you go back to work and you really look forward to 2008 and that's what I'm looking forward to with the new stadium, and the team's going to be outstanding with all the guys coming back."
The Colts (13-4) will meet today, then disperse. The Chargers (13-5) will play at New England in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. The winner will advance to the Super Bowl.
The game was the 199th and last at the Dome. Lucas Oil Stadium will open next season.
The sharp pang of Sunday's disappointment, of the accumulation of disappointments, was evident in quarterback Peyton Manning's voice and manner.
"I don't rank them," he said. "I think if you don't care about the game and it really doesn't matter to you, then something's wrong with you (for) not feeling disappointed.
"All you can ask for is a chance and we just didn't finish it like we wanted to."
The Colts' last, best chance came on first-and-goal at the San Diego 9 with 2:51 to play. Running back Joseph Addai slammed into the middle for 2 yards. Manning threw incomplete on the next three plays.
It was that kind of day.
Manning was well protected and in a rhythm. He completed 33-of-48 passes for 402 yards, the most completions and second-most yards a Colts quarterback has ever accumulated in a playoff game.
It didn't matter. The Colts couldn't finish.
Playing for the first time in almost two months because of a knee injury, wide receiver Marvin Harrison lost a fumble on the first of his two receptions, at the San Diego 22. The Colts lost tipped-ball interceptions at the Chargers 11 during the second quarter and at the 2 during the third period.
It was the third time this season the Colts have had more than one turnover. It was the third time they lost: to New England, at San Diego on Nov. 11 and Sunday.
While the offense couldn't finish drives, the defense couldn't get off the field.
San Diego converted 6-of-10 third downs. It converted third-and-5 or longer five times. It averaged 16.8 yards on those plays.
"That's the part that hurts," cornerback Kelvin Hayden said. "It's not like it was third-and-2, third-and-3."
Defense was the engine of the Colts' run through Super Bowl XLI last season. It failed Sunday, when the Chargers totaled 411 yards and took what they wanted in the passing game.
The Colts failed to get pass rush pressure. Rivers was 14-for-19 for 264 yards and three touchdowns with a lone interception. When he went out, backup Billy Volek came in to hit 3-of-4, including all three for 48 yards on the 78-yard fourth-quarter drive that won it for the Chargers.
"You had guys go down, starters go down, key players go down and they filled those spots just like we did all year," Colts safety Bob Sanders said. "You've got to keep playing, keep slugging."
The Colts played hard. They just didn't play well. They didn't play Colts football.
San Diego did.

__________________