Pack, Colts Back In The High Life Indy Whips Chargers 35-20; Rookie Saves Day

There have been better moments in Jim Harbaugh’s NFL career than the Indianapolis Colts’ 35-20 AFC wildcard victory against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. And if you give him a few days, he actually might think of one.

Discarded by the Chicago Bears in 1994 and relegated to the Colts’ bench at the beginning of 1995, Harbaugh, the Northwestern of the NFL, continued his improbable season by leading the Colts to their first playoff win since 1971. All he did was throw two touchdown passes, run for another and generally make Indianapolis forget about former starter Craig Erickson.

“If I had wished for it or dreamed of it, if a genie tells me I can have three wishes, I don’t think I could have realistically wished for as good as things turned out,” Harbaugh said. “Pretty amazing.”

The last time the Colts ventured this far into the postseason, Johnny Unitas still was wearing high-top cleats and searching for the perfect buzz cut. Now they travel to Kansas City for a divisional playoff meeting against the Chiefs on Sunday.

“I guess we’ve been bad for awhile,” said Harbaugh, who finished 16 of 27 for a modest 155 yards. “I guess we’re not bad anymore.”

Somehow the Colts (10-7) were able to beat a Chargers team that had won its last five games. Better yet, they were able to beat them at Jack Murphy Stadium, overcoming two San Diego leads and do it without Marshall Faulk, who lasted just one series before hurting his knee.

As Faulk spent the remainder of the afternoon on the sideline, little-used and little-known rookie Zack Crockett took his place in the lineup. Crockett, who wasn’t even alive the last time the Colts advanced in the playoff, promptly rushed for 147 yards (a team playoff record) and two touchdowns on 13 carries. This from the same person who entered the game with a grand total of one carry for 0 yards. “I’m shocked myself,” Crockett said.

Imagine how the Chargers feel. Home game … Faulk with an ice pack strapped to his knee … Harbaugh at quarterback - and they lose? Weren’t the Colts supposed to be the ones moping back to the locker room at afternoon’s end?

Instead, the Chargers (9-8) committed four turnovers, blew second- and third-quarter leads and gave up three long scoring plays, 33- and 66-yarders by Crockett and a 42-yard TD pass by Harbaugh to Sean Dawkins. Other than that, it was a delightful day for San Diego.

“I picked a bad day to have a bad day,” said quarterback Stan Humphries, who threw those four interceptions and played as if he still were suffering from a concussion.

Humphries wasn’t the only one to have a forgettable game. Safety Shaun Gayle lucked out when wide receiver Floyd Turner dropped a sure touchdown pass late in the second period. On the next play, he slipped and missed a tackle during Crockett’s 33-yard scoring run.

Despite the mistakes, the Chargers only trailed 21-20 with 11:42 remaining in the game. Then Crockett took the handoff from the Indianapolis 34, slipped through a hole, broke a couple of half-hearted arm tackles and didn’t stop until he reached the end zone. It was the longest run against the Chargers since Oct. 14, 1984.

“Dagger! That was a dagger!” Harbaugh said. “Man, that was so sweet.”

A Colts’ one-point lead became eight. It became a 15-point advantage when Harbaugh, taking advantage of another Humphries interception, scored on a 4-yard draw play with 6:55 remaining.

After disposing of the defending AFC champions, the Colts made sure to remind everyone of assorted pregame predictions. The Colts, so it was said, weren’t physical enough. And with no Faulk, forget it.

Now look at the Colts. Still in the playoffs, thanks to a quarterback the Bears didn’t want and a running back not good enough to start.

“You got some respect for the horseshoe now, baby?” yelled defensive back Jason Belser to the crowd, tapping his helmet insignia.

Notes

The Colts were the only road team to win in the opening weekend of the playoffs. Since Pittsburgh’s 26-23 overtime win at Houston on Dec. 31, 1989, the visiting team had lost 11 straight AFC wild-card games. … The Chargers were trying to become just the fourth wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl. Last year they reached the Super Bowl after winning the AFC West. … Coupled with an 18-17 regular-season win over San Francisco, the Colts have beaten both teams that played in the Super Bowl last season. … Colts running back Marshall Faulk, a three-time All-American at San Diego State, got a big cheer in pregame introductions. He didn’t stick around long, though, as he reaggravated his bruised left knee and left after the first series. He carried once for 16 yards. … Only 12 members of the Colts have been in the playoffs before. The only holdovers from the 1987 team that reached the postseason are defensive back Eugene Daniel and guard Randy Dixon. … Junior Seau had an interception and a game-high 11 tackles.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Colts 35, Chargers 20 Indianapolis 0 14 7 14 - 35 San Diego 3 7 7 3 - 20 First quarter SD-FG Carney 54, 5:32. Second quarter Ind-Dilger 2 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick). :57. SD-Pupunu 6 pass from Humphries (Carney kick), 9:12. Ind-Crockett 33 run (Blanchard kick), 13:33. Third quarter SD-Jefferson 11 pass from Humphries (Carney kick), 4:20. Ind-Dawkins 42 pass from Harbaugh (Blanchard kick), 14:19. Fourth quarter SD-FG Carney 30, 3:07. Ind-Crockett 66 run (Blanchard kick), 3:32. Ind-Harbaugh 3 run (Blanchard kick), 8:05. A-61,182. Ind SD First downs 19 27 Rushes-yards 29-178 32-145 Passing 155 284 Punt Returns 2-52 0-0 Kickoff Returns 5-110 6-133 Interceptions Ret. 4-81 1-0 Comp-Att-Int 16-27-1 23-47-4 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-20 1-8 Punts 5-37 2-55 Fumbles-Lost 2-0 0-0 Penalties-Yards 4-30 4-24 Time of Possession 28:51 31:09 Individual statistics RUSHINGIndianapolis, Crockett 13-147, Faulk 1-16, Harbaugh 5-10, Warren 10-5. San Diego, Hayden 18-80, Humphries 4-32, Fletcher 3-23, Means 6-11, Harmon 1-(minus 1). PASSINGIndianapolis, Harbaugh 16-27-1-175. San Diego, Humphries 23-47-4-292. RECEIVINGIndianapolis, Turner 5-64, Warren 4-45, Dawkins 2-49, Crockett 2-10, Dilger 2-9, Humphrey 1-(minus 2). San Diego, Harmon 10-133, Martin 3-39, Jefferson 3-33, Pupunu 3-26, Fletcher 2-42, Seay 2-19. MISSED FIELD GOALSNone.