Sunday Night Football Colts @ Chargers Live Blog 1st Half

Well, it looks like I will be in place of AA today who has not showed himself at all. He must be drunk with happiness as his Redskins barely beat those dominating Seahawks that are always impossible to stop. We will be getting underway at 8:15. See you then!

John Madden just looks so strange in brown jackets. I don't know, he just looks different. And ironically enough, Qualcomm Stadium was playing Faith Hill's "I've Been Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" behind Al and John as they were talking. Either that or we had a technical problem, in which case, this will be a long night. Kickoff coming up next!

Colts have won the toss and elected to receive. The smoke from the fireworks dissipates and we are underway. Kickoff is taken by Simpson to the 28 and on first down Manning passes to Gonzalez to the Indy 43 for a first down. 1st and 10 and Addai picks up a couple. 2nd and 8 and Manning fires to Marvin Harrison who makes the catch inbounds for another Colts first down, this time in Charger territory at the 45. But wait, did Harrison only have one foot down?

The Chargers challenged it but the ruling on the field stands much to the chagrin of the San Diego fans. Let me tell you what, if that's ruled out of bounds, I don't know if it gets overturned.

Norv "The Master of Challenging Bad Plays" Turner (Via 49er16)

He does have some competition though, no doubt about that. 1st and 10 for the Colts and Manning fires to Harrison for 4. 2nd and 6 and the Colts hand off to Addai and he is stoned at the SD 40. No gain and it's 3rd and 6.

Manning fires and it's incomplete as he was trying to hit Dallas Clark. On comes Hunter Smith to punt it away and Darren Sproles to return it. Fair catch called for and made at the 9.

LT takes the carry on 1st down and picks up 6. 2nd and 4 and Rivers hands it off to Tomlinson for a yard and it's 3rd down and 3. Rivers from the gun fires deep and Malcolm Floyd reaches out to catch it but it's not enough. Incomplete and the Chargers will punt it away. Here's Scifres to punt it away and Ratliff fair catches the very high punt.

1st and 10 from the 43 and Manning from the gun is under pressure and misses his target. Is it just me or is Al talking at a 100 words a second? 2nd down and Addai gets stuffed. 3rd down and Manning completes it but it's way short of the marker so Hunter Smith will come on to punt after the three and out.

"He comes from Johnson." - John Madden

Don't we all? Rivers fires to Chambers for a gain of 5 on 1st down. 2nd and 5 and LT takes it up the middle and it appears he is just short of the marker. Tomlinson gets the carry on 3rd down and he's tripped up in the back field. Here comes Scifres to punt and he gets off a good one that Ratliff returns to the Indy 33.

1st and 10 for Manning and the Colts and he hands to Addai who gets 5. 2nd down and Manning fires one that's caught by Addai and he picks up 4. 3rd and a yard and Manning takes a timeout as the play clock was winding down. Here we go, 3rd and 1 and Mannig fakes it to Addai, fires deep, and it's CAUGHT BY REGGIE WAYNE AT THE SD 32! First down Colts.

Manning gives it to Addai who gets 6 and it's 2nd and 4. Manning throws it to Addai and he picks up a first down at the 21. Hand-off to Addai and he picks up another 6. 2nd and 4 from the SD 15. Manning fires a quickey over the middle for Gonzales and it's incomplete. 3rd and 4. Manning out of the gun fires to Dallas Clark who makes the catch and dives for the marker....1st down Colts!

1st and goal from the 10 and Manning fires incomplete. Manning hands it off on 2nd and goal and that loses yards. 3rd goal from the 13. Manning fires to Wayne who catches it at the 7 and advances to the 5 and "the worst pass defense in the NFL" gets the stop.

And here comes Vinatieri from 23 yards out. It's up.....AND IT'S GOOD! 3-0 Colts.

Does he drink the whole milk after the oreo lick race with his brother. (Via 49er16)

Of course he does. And come on people, Manning drink? He's too whole-some to do that. Get it? Whole-some? Milk joke? Sigh.....

1st and 10 and LT picks up 8 on the carry. 2nd down goes nowhere. 3rd and short and Rivers finds FLOYD TO THE LEFT FOR A GAIN OF 31 INTO COLT TERRITORY! And that big play will end the first quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, Colts lead the Bolts 3-0.

1st down and Rivers connects with Manumaleuna who gets turned into a helicopter but he picks up a first. Rivers dumps it off to Gate and he has a first down at the Indy 20. So far not many highlights from Al and John this evening. If you catch something, feel free to add it to the comment section.

Tomlinson takes it to the right for a couple and it's 2nd and 8 and Rivers hands to Sproles who gets stuffed at the line of scrimmage. 3rd and 8 for the Chargers and Rivers from the gun finds Sproles for a couple.

"He starts up, gets in to him." - John Madden

Here comes Kaeding for a 35-yard field goal. From 35 yards out, it's up and....BANG! IT'S GOOD! 3-3.

Kickoff is taken from the 4 by Simpson who makes a few man miss and he takes it all the way to 33. 1st and 10 and Manning fakes to Rhoads then throws it to him for a couple. 2nd and 8 and there's a flag for a false start. 2nd and 13. Manning throws it to Harrison who makes the catch for 8. 3rd and 5 for the Colts. Manning fires to Gonzalez who backs himself past the marker and picks up an Indy first down! Great effort there.

1st and 10 and Manning fires deep and IT'S INTERCEPTED BY QUENTIN JAMMER! Chargers ball at their own 11 as we got a look at Manning face.....DRINK!

LT up the middle on 1st down and he picks up 3.

"That ball was poorly thrown or underthrown." - John Madden

There's a difference? 2nd and 7 and Rivers' pass falls incomplete. 3rd and 7 and Rivers from the gun fires for a wide open Malcolm Floyd who takes it to the SD 37 yard line. Damn, even Jarrett Lee could have made that catch. LT on 1st down gets 6. 2nd and 4 and Rivers will scramble past the 1st down marker before sliding down to avoid the hit. 1st and 10 Tomlinson loses a yard. 2nd and 11 and Rivers finds Chambers for 10 yards and he's just short of the marker. 3rd and inches and they hand off to Tomlinson who takes it past the Colt 40 for the first down. 1st and 10 and Rivers fires it deep and it's CAUGHT BY JACKSON AT THE 3, TURNS AROUND, AND FALLS INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS! The PAT is up and good and it's 10-3 Chargers.

Double coverage, triple coverage, all kindsa coverage...Madden's on a roll tonight. (Via JamesCraven)

Madden is to coverage as Jaws is to penetration. Dawson on the kickoff return and the big defensive linemen takes it to the Indy 29. 1st and 10 and Manning fires incomplete.

"It's important for everyone to have hand signals." - John Madden

2nd and 10 and the Colts will gain 5 free yards courtesy of Marcus Harris' neutral zone infraction. 2nd and 5 and Manning fires for Dallas Clark who picks up 4 thus setting up a 3rd and 1. Manning hands it off to Addai WHO GETS A FIRST DOWN AND THEN SOME AND HE TAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE sd 39! Pick up of 23 and on 1st down Manning throws it to Rhoads who gets 5 on the completion. On 2nd down it's Rhoads getting stopped at the line of scrimmage. 3rd down coming up for the Colts.

Manning from the shotgun throws it to Rhoads who gets a first down and takes it all the way to the SD 21. 2-minute warning.

Is that really Rosie or was it Calliendo in drag? (Via Mal)

Most likely Rosie, because not even Caliendo would do that. But then again, you never know. You can never tell with Rosie and/or Frank. 1st down for the Colts from the 21 but they'll be moved back 5 because of the false start. Rhoads on the carry bounces it to the outside and takes it all the way to the SD 12 for a pick up of 13! 2nd and short and Rhoads is stood up for no gain. 3rd and short coming up.

Manning from the gun and he takes a timeout.

"reverting back to my days playin', 'oops' was a good word". (Via Mal)

Nowadays it's "My bad". 3rd and and short and Manning fires to a wide open Gonzalez who MAKES THE CATCH AND WALKS INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN COLTS! Vinatieri's extra point is good and we are tied at 10.

"If Gonzalez starts singing the old Faith Hill song, 'I've Been Waiting All Day for Sunday Night', the ol' Joan Jett tune, you can understand it." - Al Michaels

Kickoff taken past the 22 and Al and John are playing of a game of you can say the word "pick" more often. The Chargers hand off to Tomlinson who gets 7 and Norv Turner is really going conservative here. Rivers fires the most awkward pass I've ever seen into the turf monster.

"Wehn you're 4-6, your head coach is about as popular as a bank CEO." - Al Michaels

3rd down and Tomlinson gets a big gain of 12 to the SD 46 and it might be hail mary time. Instead Rivers throws a quick strike to Chambers for 7.

"I don't know if there is enough time for another play and a field goal try." - John Madden who thinks you can get a play off in 3 seconds.

The hail mary try goes ary as Rivers is hit as he throws it. The ball falls harmlessly into the grass at Qualcomm Stadium and that's the end of the 2nd quarter.

At halftime, the Chargers and the Colts are tied at 10.

See you guys in the 2nd half thread.