Manning's Home Debut Won't Matter When Real Season Starts

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 22, 1998) -- Peyton Manning's RCA Dome debut was comparable to President Clinton's confession to the nation last Monday night. We didn't quite see the leader we wanted.

But while Manning's two-interception, no-touchdown performance in a 33-3 loss to San Diego left some grumbles among the RCA Dome crowd, it shouldn't be compared to Slick Willie's scramble.

Because Peyton's performance didn't leave any damaging stains.

Sure, the Colts' rookie quarterback would have liked to put up a "W" in his initial dress rehearsal at home. He damn sure knows Saturday night's effort wasn't why Indianapolis made him the top pick in last April's draft.

And it didn't help that Ryan Leaf triumphed in the first meeting of Dueling Franchises.

But that's the beautiful thing about exhibition football. Win or lose, nobody really cares or remembers.

"It's preseason and hopefully you learn from your mistakes," said Manning, who made a crucial one just before halftime when he served up an interception with Indy sitting on San Diego's 31.

Of course, there will be plenty of national news about the first of what promises to be endless seasons of comparison.

Leaf left in the third quarter with a stat line that read 15 of 24 for 172 yards, three sacks, one pick, one score and a 17-3 lead.

Manning managed 11 of 21 completions for 123 yards, but had two interceptions and generated only a field goal in almost three periods of work.

San Diego's quarterback will get the check by his name, but the battle of No. 1 and No. 1A wasn't so much a showcase of the future as it was a reminder of how much they've got to learn playing the toughest position in football.

"We're going to have comparisons the rest of our life, but tonight it looked like two rookies, both out there struggling," said Leaf, who left Washington State a year early to take over San Diego's football fortunes.

"I couldn't worry about what Peyton was doing because I had my own problems."

That's an accurate assessement. Both kids played like you'd expect from 22-year-olds making their third professional appearance.

Some good, some bad, some indecision, some nice adjustments, a few mental mistakes and a few throws they'd like to have back.

Manning, who looked sharp in Indy's victory over Cincinnati the week before, didn't look nervous or lost. He just couldn't do much with marvelous field position.

The Colts began their first three possessions on their own 32, San Diego's 46 and their own 47. But all they had to show at halftime was Cary Blanchard's 41-yard field goal.

"We definitely had some opportunities and I may have rushed some throws," said Manning, whose first pass of the third quarter went to the same guy who caught his final throw of the first half -- San Diego free safety Michael Dumas.

On the flip side, Leaf faced terrible field position in his first three touches. San Diego was stuck at its own 1, 9 and 13 as its lanky QB recovered his own fumble after being sacked by Kendel Shello on the second possession.

"We started out in a rough position, on the road, all that noise and deep in our own territory, but we weathered the storm," said Leaf, whose lone interception ended the Chargers' drive (and first half) at Indy's 28.

Leaf engineered a 73-yard TD drive to open the third quarter and wound up spiking the ball following his 1-yard sneak for a touchdown.

Asked if he did that for all the boos he received, Leaf replied, "No, that was for my line. I expected to be booed. I'm the one they (the Colts) didn't draft and they showed support for Peyton, which they should. I expect our fans to boo him when he comes to our place."

The next matchup will be here on Oct. 4. These two will be a month into their official NFL careers ... probably a little more seasoned and a lot more tight-jawed, but still under that big microscope.