The Indianapolis Colts clinched the NFC East title with a 31-14 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, ending a six-game losing streak and ending Peyton Manning’s 16-year NFL career.
The Colts (5-5) are tied with the New York Jets for the AFC South lead with a 3-1 record.
Peyton Manning completed 31 of 43 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as the Colts (3-5-1) defeated the Broncos (4-4) in their final regular-season game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Colts rookie running back Jamaal Charles caught two passes for 31 yards, and running back T.Y. Hilton returned an interception for a touchdown for the Broncos.
Indianapolis held off a furious Denver offense for most of the first half, but the Colts’ defense finally broke the scoreless tie when Hilton ran a 20-yard touchdown pass with 6:08 left in the half.
Manning, who is 6-2 in his last eight games against the Broncos, completed 20 of 34 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
Manning’s last four career games against Denver were wins, but Indianapolis’ defense has allowed an average of 3.8 points per game in its last four games.
The Broncos’ defense also forced a fumble on third down.
The two teams combined for just 10 sacks, but it was the Broncos’ 11 turnovers that led to Denver’s first touchdown.
The game started with a field goal, but Denver converted two more field goals and two more first downs.
The next touchdown came when Colts safety T.J. Ward, who has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week four times this season, intercepted Manning and returned it 52 yards for a score.
The score tied it at 21 and forced the Broncos into overtime, which was tied at 20.
Manning completed eight of 10 passes for 126 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
The loss dropped the Colts to 3-3 in their last five games.
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian threw two interceptions in the first quarter, but had two more for touchdowns in the second quarter.
The teams combined to complete just 16 of 34 pass attempts for 204 yards, but two touchdowns on three interceptions by Siemian set up the game-winning score.
Manning had eight touchdown passes in the game, but only three came from his pocket.
The other four came in the fourth quarter.
Siemian completed 17 of 29 passes for 234 yards with three touchdowns, an interception and an 80-yard drive.
The offense also was responsible for six turnovers in the contest, but none came in regulation.
Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe had a sack and three tackles for loss, and linebacker Von Miller had a tackle for loss.
Indianapolis’ offense had nine plays of 10 yards or more.
The first was a 10-yard gain by T.T. Johnson with 6 seconds left in overtime, the next was a 23-yard run by Frank Gore, a 14-yard catch by Andre Johnson and a 28-yard reception by DeSean Jackson.
Manning has been sacked 13 times this year, and he had five sacks, three forced fumbles and four interceptions this season.
