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Buoyant Colts Crush Sinking Eagles, 37-10

Associated Press

Another big game for kicker Cary Blanchard, another victory over an NFL division leader and another step closer to a playoff spot for the resilient Indianapolis Colts.

Blanchard set a Colts season scoring record and came within one field goal of the NFL season record as Indianapolis routed the Philadelphia Eagles 37-10 Thursday night.

The loss by the Eagles (8-6) dropped them a half-game behind Dallas and Washington in the NFC East and clinched a playoff berth for NFC Central leader Green Bay. It also kept the Colts (8-6), who beat Buffalo in overtime on Sunday, alive in the crowded race for an AFC wild card.

Blanchard, 34 for 38 for the season, made three field goals in the second quarter as the Colts scored on every possession thanks to three straight interceptions off Ty Detmer.

Marshall Faulk broke out of a season-long slump with 101 yards and two touchdowns, and journeyman Kerwin Bell, who was drafted by Miami in 1988, made his first NFL appearance in relief of injured Paul Justin. He threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison.

Blanchard’s first field goal, a 30-yarder, put the Colts ahead 10-3 early in the second quarter. On the following series, the ball popped out of Irving Fryar’s hands on a tackle by Eugene Daniel and Jason Belser caught it in the air and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Minutes later, another Detmer pass was picked off by Trev Alberts, who returned it 19 yards and set up a 42-yard field goal by Blanchard for a 20-3 lead in the closing minutes of the period.

On the following possession, Belser made an interception that set up a 51-yard field goal by Blanchard with 3 seconds left in the half.

The three field goals moved him within one of the NFL record of 35 set by Ali Haji-Sheikh of the New York Giants in 1983 and tied by Jeff Jaeger of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1993. Along with four extra-points, he set a Colts season record of 123 points, breaking the mark of 120 by Lenny Moore in 1964.

Colts 37, Eagles 10

Philadelphia 3 0 0 7 - 10

Indianapolis 7 16 7 7 - 37 First quarter

Ind-Faulk 13 run (Blanchard kick), 5:17.

Phi-FG Anderson 31, 12:45. Second quarter

Ind-FG Blanchard 30, 5:55.

Ind-Belser 44 interception return (Blanchard kick), 8:12.

Ind-FG Blanchard 42, 13:00.

Ind-FG Blanchard 51, 14:57. Third quarter

Ind-Harrison 20 pass from Bell (Blanchard kick), 8:49. Fourth quarter

Ind-Faulk 7 run (Blanchard kick), :46.

Phi-Fryar 8 pass from Rypien (Anderson kick), 14:55.

A-52,689.

Phi Ind First downs 18 19 Rushes-yards 15-76 34-151 Passing 254 210 Punt Returns 3-40 1-0 Kickoff Returns 5-85 2-25 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 3-64 Comp-Att-Int 27-47-3 19-28-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-4 1-9 Punts 6-45.8 4-42.8 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 6-84 4-25 Time of Possession 25:54 34:06

Individual statistics

RUSHINGPhiladelphia, Watters 7-33, Garner 6-32, Detmer 2-11. Indianapolis, Faulk 16-101, Workman 13-38, Justin 1-6, Harrison 1-4, Groce 2-3, Bell 1-(minus 1).

PASSINGPhiladelphia, Detmer 17-34-3-182, Rypien 10-13-0-76. Indianapolis, Justin 14-23-0-144, Bell 5-5-0-75.

RECEIVINGPhiladelphia, Fryar 6-44, C.Jones 5-70, Turner 5-56, Solomon 3-39, Watters 3-22, Garner 3-18, Seay 2-9. Indianapolis, Faulk 7-40, Harrison 6-106, Dawkins 3-45, Bailey 1-13, Stablein 1-10, Workman 1-5.