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Colts do enough to beat 49ers and remain unbeaten
CLIFF BRUNT, AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Reggie Wayne thought his strained groin might keep him out against San Francisco. Turns out, it was sturdy enough to help him carry his team.
Wayne had 147 yards receiving, tied a career high with 12 catches and scored the game-winning touchdown as the Colts remained unbeaten with an 18-14 victory over the 49ers on Sunday.
On a day when running back Joseph Addai threw more touchdown passes than Peyton Manning and the offense didn't click as it normally does, Wayne was his usual steady self. His touchdown came on a 22-yard pass from Addai on the first play of the fourth quarter. Not bad for someone who missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday after getting injured the previous Sunday against St. Louis.
"Tuesday, I didn't think I was going to play," he said. "Wednesday, I didn't think I was going to play. We just stayed on the treatment, it seemed like around the clock."
Wayne's effort helped the Colts (7-0) reach several milestones.
Jim Caldwell became the first rookie coach since the 1970 merger to win his first seven NFL games. Indy became the eighth team in league history with 16 straight wins, extending its franchise record. The Colts are now the last undefeated team in the AFC for the fourth time in five years.
The 49ers (3-4) have lost three straight despite getting a solid performance from Alex Smith in his first start in nearly two years. Smith was 19 of 32 for 198 yards with one TD and one interception.
Frank Gore ran for 91 yards on 13 carries, though 64 of those yards came on a touchdown run fewer than four minutes into the game. After that, he had 10 carries for 20 yards. He added five catches for 43 yards.
San Francisco's past two losses are by a combined seven points.
"We're young, we're a little bit immature," San Francisco coach Mike Singletary said. "Our attitude right now is we come back, look at film, go to work and win enough football games to get to the playoffs."
San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley went down on the first play of the game. The 49ers are already without right tackle Tony Pashos for the rest of the season.
"That hurts, especially on the first play of the game, and especially against the Colts," Smith said. "Barry (Sims) came in and competed and played well, but it's tough when you don't take game reps all week."
Wayne's touchdown catch was not as easy as it first appeared it might be. Manning handed off the Addai, who ran left, then launched his left-handed pass toward the back of the end zone. The problem was, even though Wayne was all alone, Addai's throw was a bit deep and forced Wayne to accelerate.
"He made me test that groin out a little bit today," Wayne said, "but it was a good throw."
Addai, a former high school quarterback, got some ribbing from his teammates.
"Joe put it in a very tough place that only Reggie could catch it," said tight end Dallas Clark. "Thank goodness Reggie caught it. It was a great throw, maybe if someone was all over Reggie and covering him, but when he's wide open like that, just throw a little lob ball, just a little easy one. Reggie's thinking it's going to be a layup, and he had to go into the extra gear to get it."
It didn't need to be a perfect pass because cornerback Shawntae Spencer bit on what the Colts made appear to be a stretch play.
"Shawntae was playing well," Singletary said. "They had to do something out of the ordinary. Our DBs were very disciplined, knowing they use play action. He just got beat there."
Spencer took the blame for giving up the touchdown.
"That was totally my fault, totally my fault," he said. "All week, they told me to focus on the pass, to focus on Reggie Wayne. I saw the handoff, and I came up. I studied hours and hours of film, and I never saw that. I talked to Reggie after the game, and he said they hadn't run that play for nine years."
It was Addai's first TD pass as a pro and the first by a Colts non-quarterback since Ken Dilger threw one in 2001. Manning finished 31 of 48 for 347 yards, but the three-time MVP also failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since Nov. 30, 2008.
Associated Press
