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LeGarrette Blount rushed for four touchdowns as the New England Patriots pulled away from the Indianapolis Colts to win 43-22 and advance to the AFC Championship game for the third straight year. 

New England beat Indianapolis by concentrating on their rushing game, benefiting from some big turnovers, and finally running away with the game after leading 29-22 going into the final quarter.

Peyton Manning plans to catch Todd Helton's final home game for the Colorado Rockies next week so he can pay homage to his college buddy who gave him two big assists over the years.

The first came when Manning was a homesick freshman at the University of Tennessee in 1994 and Helton, already a star in both football and baseball, took him under his wing and helped him adjust to college life.

The second came when Manning was plotting his comeback from neck problems two years ago that nearly derailed his NFL career.

Manning was prevented from seeing his team doctors or rehabbing at the Indianapolis Colts' facilities during the lockout that offseason. So, Helton arranged for Manning to use the Rockies' facilities to work out.

After missing that 2011 season, Manning switched teams and rejoined his good friend in Denver, where Helton has played his entire 17-year baseball career.

Helton announced last weekend that he's hanging up his cleats at age 40.

"I'll be there next Wednesday to see his last game," Manning said Thursday.

After listing what he admires about Helton as a pro consistency, toughness, dogged determination Manning spoke about what Helton's friendship has meant to him over the last two decades.

"He was nice to me as an 18-year-old homesick freshman up there in Knoxville," Manning said. "Todd was a big star when I got there already, a Knoxville legend, and so he took time to be nice to me, and I appreciated that."

Although Manning unseated Helton as the Volunteers' QB, they've remained close, attending each other's games when they've had the chance.

"A couple of years ago, during that lockout when I was in a strange and new situation, for him to get on that phone and call me and invite me out here to work out with the Rockies in private and use the Rockies' trainers, I'll always be indebted to him," Manning said. "Because I was in kind of a weird place, unknown, I had nobody to turn to medically because of the lockout."

Helton is in the midst of his final homestand and will make his last appearance at Coors Field when the Rockies play the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

"I'm happy for him," Manning said. "I feel like he's at peace with it. I have communicated with him. I hope he enjoys these last games, but there won't be another one like him here, I can promise you that."

article source: AP NFL

The two wooden lockers Trent Richardson used daily were barren, nothing left behind from his short stay with the Browns.

Face of the franchise one day. Gone the next.

Still somewhat shaken by the new front office's decision to trade Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round draft pick, the few Browns who ventured into the locker room on Thursday expressed shock at the deal, it's timing and they vowed to move forward in a season not yet three weeks old.

"It was a shock to everybody," receiver Josh Gordon said. "Everyone was in disbelief."

With an eye toward the future, the Browns shipped Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in 2012 and one of their few players with star magnitude, to the Colts for a selection in next year's draft. But the alarming move to trade the powerful running back raised a flag for Cleveland's long-suffering fans, who view the hasty transaction as a sign that Browns' management is throwing away this season to better align itself for 2014 and beyond.

"That's not even realistic," linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said. "In this business, there is too much pressure on everyone to win. I can't even fathom that."

To offset the loss of Richardson and add depth at running back, the Browns signed free agent Willis McGahee. He spent last season with Denver, leading the Broncos with 731 yards. The nine-year veteran passed his physical as the Browns were practicing, worked out for Cleveland's coaches and signed his contract.

Like everyone, Jackson was caught off guard by Richardson's trade. Jackson had left the team's facility and was at home getting a massage Wednesday when he heard. Once the initial shock wore off, Jackson chalked it up to life with the Browns.

"I've been around here for a long time and I've seen a lot happen and that's one of those deals where it's out of your hands and out of your control," he said. "I'm not saying that he's not a good player. He's just going to be a good player for another organization, and the powers that be felt like that was the best thing for the team and we've got to move forward."

Jackson said there's no time to dwell on the trade, which came within hours of the Browns naming third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer their starter Sunday in Minnesota, and wide receiver Greg Little losing his starting job. Hoyer got the nod over backup Jason Campbell to fill in for Brandon Weeden, sidelined with a sprained right thumb.

As a captain, Jackson's duty is to keep his teammates focused.

"I think in the locker room, guys will talk about it for today and then we've got work to do," he said. "We've got a lot of studying to do, a lot of film to watch, we're trying to get the first win. So, yeah, it's going to be in the back of our minds. We wish Trent the best of luck. But we've still got a job to do.

"We have to put our hard hats on."

That was the same message delivered by Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, who reminded his players to lock in on the Vikings.

"We still have to go out and do what we do," safety T.J. Ward said. "Nothing changed for us. It's the same road. We've just got to go out there, hold it down for the defensive side of the ball."

Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant, who signed as a free agent in March, doesn't think the trade is a sign of surrender.

"Definitely not," he said. "We're out there and we put in work every day to win. This doesn't change that, so right now we're working to beat Minnesota and we're going to continue to do that. I respect the decision they made."

Jackson appreciates why some Cleveland fans are in an uproar over Richardson's departure. Once considered a building block, he wasn't around long enough to make a major impact.

"Trent was going to be the face of this organization, a high draft pick, much was expected out of him," Jackson said. "Now that he's gone, I can see the frustration of the fans. The die-hard fans thought we had something in Trent.

"That's the ugly side of the business we can't control."

article source: AP NFL

The Indianapolis Colts offense is built around their incredible 2012 draft class. That class took another major hit on Wednesday.

NFL Network's Michelle Beisner passed along word that starting tight end Dwayne Allen will miss the entire 2013 season. Colts coach Chuck Pagano announced Allen will undergo hip surgery, noting that Allen's in-line blocking would especially be tough to replace. Starting running back Vick Ballard was also lost for the season last week.

Allen was one of our favorite breakout candidates this year because he's the rare tight end that is an outstanding receiver and a great blocker. The Colts offense was expected to feature Allen in a Rob Gronkowski-like role and it was easy to imagine Allen as a Pro Bowl contender.

This news will put more pressure on second-year tight end Coby Fleener, but he's not nearly as strong a blocker as Allen. Look for the Colts to play with three wide receivers on the field more often. The Colts have a huge drop-off in talent at tight end after Fleener, with Dominique Jones getting snaps last week.

Allen's absence will also make new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton's life more difficult. Allen's versatility led to mismatches for the Colts. He also made it easier for Hamilton to espouse a more "balanced" offensive philosophy. With Allen and Ballard now gone, that's going to be tougher to accomplish.

Andrew Luck has to carry this flawed team more than ever. 

article source: NFL.com

Speaking of crop circles, since aliens are considered to have a very high intellect, does that mean they have fantasy football leagues too? Maybe the owner of that corn maze should see if any little green men upgrade the Luck design overnight as a good omen for a fabulous Indianapolis season too.