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INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 1, 1998) -- It's Peyton vs. Ryan, the sequel. But these guys aren't hawking Round 2 any better than they did Round 1. Peyton Manning, the first overall pick in the draft and the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback, and Ryan Leaf, the second overall pick in the draft and San Diego's starting quarterback, will be the main attractions Sunday in the RCA Dome. But to hear their pre-game banter, it's just another game. Never mind that Sunday will represent only the second time in NFL history quarterbacks selected Nos. 1 and 2 in the draft will meet during the regular season. The first time it happened was in 1993 when New England's Drew Bledsoe (No. 1) was beaten by Seattle's Rick Mirer (No. 2). Manning and Leaf met during the preseason -- San Diego won in a walk 33-3 -- but this is the real deal. To everyone, it seems, except Manning and Leaf. "Those comparisons are always going to be there and it's not really been a problem for either os us. I know it hasn't been for me," said Manning. "Both of us are kind of in the same boat, trying to learn from our experiences and help our teams become better football teams. "We're 0-4 and we are just trying to do what it takes to get a win. Just like last week we were playing New Orleans and everybody's trying to make a big deal out of that being Marshall Faulk and I's hometown and coach Mora having coached there. But when you are 0-3 or 0-4, you're trying to do whatever it takes to get a win. "It doesn't really matter who you are playing against. It's kind of the same situation this week." No argument from Leaf, who said he draws no more motivation going against Manning than he does any other quarterback. "Peyton doesn't go up against me and I don't go up against Peyton," Leaf said, re-issuing a statement he gave prior to his preseason meeting with Manning. "Defenses are the ones that he and I are competing against. There is no relevance on the quarterbacks. It is which one does better against the other's defense." Or which won doesn't play as poorly. Everyone expected Manning and Leaf to struggle during their rookie season and everyone was right. Manning has contributed to the Colts' 0-4 start by throwing a league-high 11 interceptions and losing a fumble. Eleven of his 12 turnovers have led to 60 points by the opposition. The glut of turnovers has cast a shadow over the rest of Manning's statistics -- the AFC-high 992 passing yards and his 55.5 completion percentage. Leaf, meanwhile, has flirted with incompetence after helping the Chargers get off to a 2-0 start. In consecutive losses to Kansas City and the New York Giants, he has completed 16 of 49 passes for 197 yards with six interceptions and no touchdowns. He also has lost three fumbles. His quarterback rating for the year is an NFL-worst 32.1. For the last two games, it's a minuscule 6.50. KEY MATCHUP: Colts' run defense vs. Chargers' RB Natrone Means. It doesn't take an expert on Xs and Os to determine what it's going to take for the Colts to break into the win column Sunday against San Diego. Stop the run. They haven't done it through four games, but they'd best do it in Game 5. Rookie quarterback Ryan Leaf has looked like a first-year pro the last two weeks, completing just 32 percent of his passes while throwing seven interceptions and no touchdowns. But all Leaf will do Sunday is turn and hand off to Natrone Means if the Colts can't slow San Diego's ground game. It won't be easy. In fact, it looks like another mismatch. The Colts will bring the NFL's 30th-ranked run defense into the RCA Dome. They've allowed 181.3 yards per game, yielded 485 yards the last two weeks and seen three backs eclipse the 100-yard mark. The Chargers will bring the NFL's No. 6 run offense indoors. They're averaging 117.0 yards per game and a league-best 4.5 yards per attempt. And the Chargers will bring Means, a punishing 245-pounder. He ranks second in the AFC with 365 yards and is averaging a gaudy 5.1 yards per carry. "He's an excellent back and he's having a terrific year," coach Jim Mora said of Means. "He's a very powerful runner. He breaks tackles and runs with a lot of intensity. It's hard for the first guy to get him down. "Means will be a real challenge for us." COACH JIM MORA ON: • Recently-acquired fullback Craig "Ironhead" Heyward: "He's tougher than nails and he looks like he's in really good shape. He's a very good blocker. He's powerful. He's got some explosion. When he gets into people, he moves them. He does that as a blocker and a runner. I believe he'll help us in a number of areas." • Chargers linebacker Junior Seau: "He's one of the truly great players in this league. He plays with so much intensity. I really believe he is infectious to the rest of the defense. Their whole defense plays with alot of intensity and enthusiasm. Guys really get to the ball. It looks like they're having fun out there and that's how (Seau) plays." • The Colts' 24th-ranked run game: "We're not going to give up on running the football. We believe in it. When we give it to No. 28 (Marshall Faulk), he's a guy that can make something happen. We're going to keep giving him the ball." WHO'S HOT: Running back Marshall Faulk was limited to 61 yards on 27 carries last week against New Orleans, but compensated by catching six passes for a career-high 128 yards. His 189 total yards from scrimmage upped his season total to an NFL-high 579 yards. Faulk also leads the league with 101 carries and has accounted for 44.1 percent of the Colts' offense. WHO'S NOT: The secondary. In last week's overtime loss to New Orleans, cornerbacks Tyrone Poole and Jeff Burris and safeties Robert Blackmon and Jason Belser all had opportunities to make plays that could have led to a different outcome. None came through. Poole was beaten in the closing minutes on a 44-yard reception by Sean Dawkins on fourth-and-17. Burris was unable to prevent Andre Hastings' 15-yard TD reception on the following play. In overtime, Belser stumbled and couldn't recover to prevent tight end Cam Cleeland's game-winning 33-yard TD. Earlier in the fourth quarter, Blackmon had a potential interception go through his hands into those of Cleeland's for a 12-yard gain.
INJURIES Starting right defensive end Dan Footman will miss the San Diego game and could miss at least two more games after needing arthroscopic knee surgery. Starting left defensive end Al Fontenot probably will miss his second straight game after suffering a pulled right calf muscle in practice last week. Starting weak-side linebacker Elijah Alexander has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle, but has returned to practice. He might be available for Sunday's Chargers game. Backup running back Lamont Warren, who has not played since suffering a sprained ankle in the preseason opener, has returned to full workouts and is listed as probable for Sunday's game. |