Chargers beat Colts in wild one
SAN DIEGO - Peyton Manning was poised to atone for those franchise-record six interceptions.
He’d moved Indianapolis well within Adam Vinatieri’s range with 1:31 left on a crazy, rainy night.
Snap, hold and … miss!
Vinatieri, who had won two Super Bowls for New England with last-second field goals, pushed a 29-yard attempt wide right and San Diego (5-4) escaped with a wild 23-21 win.
“I should make that kick every time,” Vinatieri said. “There are no good excuses. I just missed it.”
Watching Vinatieri line up for the kick, “I almost had a heart attack,” said Darren Sproles, who electrified the crowd by returning the opening kickoff and a punt for his first two NFL touchdowns.
After nearly blowing all of a 23-7 fourth-quarter lead, the Chargers could exhale.
“We were just trying to block it and pray that he misses it,” said cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who picked off Manning three times.
“You always try to take care of it yourself,” Manning said. “As an offensive player, you try to get in the end zone. We certainly left plenty of points out there before the last drive.”
The Colts (7-2), who started the season 7-0 before losing 24-20 to New England a week ago, scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in 23 seconds early in the fourth quarter to pull to 23-21.
“Losing two in a row is disappointing,” Manning said.