FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A little guy who came out of nowhere overshadowed the NFL’s biggest stars.
Sure, Tom Brady outdueled Peyton Manning in a 31-28 New England victory over Indianapolis on Sunday. Yet it was Danny Woodhead, a 5-8 running back from Division II Chadron State, who got most of the attention - if you could find him. The Colts couldn’t.
Woodhead, picked up when the Jets cut him in September, scored on a weaving 36-yard burst, showing power, speed and agility. Seconds after his third-quarter run, Woodhead made a sensational tackle on the ensuing kick return, drawing as many cheers as he did while scooting into the end zone.
“I do everything to make the play, whether I’m a runner, a receiver or on a kickoff,” said Woodhead, who kiddingly asked if he could have a step-stool the next time he was required to speak at a podium. “Maybe (I carry) a little chip, but I’m not too worried what everybody thinks about my size, weight or height. My worry is about doing my job, whatever that might be.”
His job is being versatile, something his teammates appreciate.
“He can kind of hide behind the guys, but on the special teams that just shows you what type of football player he is,” said Deion Branch, who caught seven passes for 70 yards. “He scores a touchdown, comes back in and makes a play on special teams and we needed it at the time.”
New England also needed Brady’s pinpoint passing. He was steady for the second consecutive week, coming off a 350-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh. Brady had only 6 incompletions in 25 passes and threw for two touchdowns as the Patriots built a 17-point lead and held on.
The victory kept the Patriots (8-2) tied with the Jets atop the AFC East; they play in two weeks.
Brady not only beat the four-time MVP Manning, the only other quarterback of the last decade in his class, but tied another quarterback icon for an NFL mark. Brady has won 25 consecutive regular season home starts, equaling Brett Favre’s record when he was with Green Bay.
Perfectionist that he is, Brady felt the Patriots let it get too close before James Sanders’ interception at the New England 6 with 31 seconds left clinched the victory.
“Any time you play these guys, you’ve got to play to the end,” Brady said. “Certainly in the fourth quarter we had some opportunities to go up three touchdowns on them, a couple of other third downs which we could’ve converted.”
When they didn’t, Manning pounced.
“We were in an uptempo mode the last seven minutes,” Manning said. “We almost scored three touchdowns. But you’re playing against the clock.”
Manning blamed himself for the throw that didn’t come close to reaching Pierre Garcon before Sanders grabbed it.
“I feel sick about it,” he said. “About not extending the game, not executing to give [placekicker Adam] Vinatieri a chance for a field goal. It was a bad throw.”
Indianapolis (6-4) had beaten the Patriots in five of the last six matchups. The Colts, who won their first 14 games a year ago en route to the AFC title, are so bangedup - they were without five key players Sunday - that considering them a Super Bowl contender right now might be a reach, even with Manning’s magic.
Manning completed 38 of 52 passes for 396 yards with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
He got the Colts within 31-28 with 4:46 left on an 18-yard pass to Blair White, who earlier in the fourth period caught a 5-yard touchdown toss.
Sports, Pages 16 on 11/22/2010