Position Has Changed for Colts

Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison, with some help from Buffalo and the New York Giants, have the Indianapolis Colts in a position few expected after nine games--tied for first place in the AFC East.

Manning connected with Harrison for touchdown pass plays of 19 and 57 yards, Terrence Wilkins scored on a 39-yard punt return and the Colts won their fifth consecutive game with a 27-19 victory over the error-prone Giants Sunday.

The Colts (7-2) forced four turnovers, including a late fumble recovery by former Giant Tito Wooten at the Indianapolis 18, in getting off to their best start since going 9-1 in 1977. The winning streak also ties the team’s longest since moving from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.

With Buffalo’s 23-3 victory over Miami, the Colts and Dolphins are tied for first place, followed by the New England Patriots (6-2) and the Bills (7-3).

“This feels really good, it’s sort of a different feeling for this team,” said Manning, who endured a 3-13 record last season as a rookie. “There have been plenty of teams in first place, the key is you want to be there at the end. But from here on out, everyone is going to be gearing for us. It used to be the other way around.”

While the loss ended a winning streak at three games for the Giants (5-4), they are tied for first place in the NFC East with Washington and Dallas.

Kent Graham (27 for 50 for 253 yards) threw fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 33 yards to Amani Toomer and seven yards to Pete Mitchell to get the Giants within eight points of the Colts with 6:50 to play. However, a last-ditch effort to tie the game ended when Mitchell fumbled after catching a short pass with 1:21 to play.