Raids » e opening day of the Rugby Championsh

DENVER - Andrew Luck displaced Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, and now he might have sent his predecessor into retirement, too.Manning was murky about his future following Denvers 24-13 loss to the Colts in the AFC divisional round Sunday, the Broncos first loss at home in 13 months.After saying last month that he planned on coming back for an 18th season, the five-time MVP wasnt so certain after his latest playoff fiasco.I guess I just cant give that simple answer, Manning said. Im processing it. So, I cant say that.Luck, the top pick in the 2012 draft following Mannings tearful divorce from the Colts, has Indy one win away from its first Super Bowl since 2009. And hes not the least bit surprised the team has gone from 2-14 in 2011 to the cusp of a conference championship in three short years.I think there were high expectations, Luck said. I remember the first day I walked in the building. Its a winning franchise and it seems to be in the DNA of the Colts that you win.The Colts (13-5) visit New England (13-4) Sunday.Its good for us to be here now, but theres more work to do, Luck said. To come on the road against a very good team in this round of the playoffs and get a win, thats huge and thats awesome.This was the third time Denvers season ended in ugly fashion since Manning switched teams in 2012.While Manning ponders his future, GM John Elway might also be thinking about coach John Foxs status. Hes won four straight AFC West crowns but keeps coming up short in what he calls the real season.Im the head coach, the buck stops here, Fox said.Manning got off to another terrific start this season but once Julius Thomas sprained an ankle and lost his mojo, the Broncos werent the same, either. Manning, bothered by a thigh injury, had just three TDs and six interceptions in December.Yet, C.J. Andersons emergence gave the Broncos (12-5) confidence they finally had the ingredients to avenge last years wrenching Super Bowl loss to Seattle. That grinding ground game didnt show up Sunday. Neither did their star-studded defence that was unable to pressure Luck all afternoon.Luck threw TD passes to Dwayne Allen and Hakeem Nicks and Daniel Herron ran for a score.Manning, meanwhile, kept overthrowing Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas deep.You never see Peyton overthrow guys, Colts defensive tackle Jean Francois said. He usually puts the ball right on the numbers. And when we he kept overthrowing it, we knew we had him.The seasons over. Its a huge disappointment, said Sanders. Its sad because we definitely had the potential to be a Super Bowl-winning team.Other takeaways from Denvers second home playoff loss in three years coming off a first-round bye:SWEET VINDICATION: This win validated Jim Irsays decision to cut Manning so he could draft Luck.I knew it was the right thing to do for the Colts, Irsay said. I saw Archie (Manning) last night. We had a nice conversation. Happened to be at Elways Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton. It was a decision that it was the right move to make. Peyton and I had talked about it. He said it best in the press conference. I didnt decide. He didnt decide. The football gods laid the cards out. We both knew it as best for him and us.PLAYOFF PRATFALLS: The Broncos were the AFCs only unbeaten team at home and the only team in the NFL with a top-five offence and a top-five defence. But Manning has gone one-and-done in the playoffs a record nine times.Each of his three seasons in Denver has ended in humbling losses, to the Ravens and Colts at home after first-round byes, and to Seattle in last years Super Bowl.This was one of his worst playoff performances ever. He never found a rhythm, constantly overthrew his receivers and finished 26 of 46 for 111 yards, one TD and no interceptions.Its just disappointing, Manning said. Everyone would like to win their last game of the season.LUCK vs. MANNING: Its now Luck 2, Manning 1.Manning lost his emotional homecoming in 2013 but beat his former team 31-24 in the opener this season.Luck completed 27 of 43 passes for 265 yards with two TDs and two interceptions or sacks in the rubber match.We needed to win the game for us. It wasnt about Peyton or Andrew or anything like that, Irsay said.BRING ON BRADY: The Colts can relish beating Manning but come Monday, its time to start thinking about how to knock off Tom Brady.Everybody we play is big time, safety Mike Adams said.It wasnt so much Brady who led the Patriots to a 42-20 win over Indy on Nov. 16. It was Jonas Gray, who ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns. He ran for just 80 yards the rest of the season and was inactive for New Englands 35-31 win over Baltimore Saturday.DEFUSED Defence: Elway doled out $60 million in guarantees last off-season to sign Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware, and none came up big against the Colts.The first round of the playoffs turned into the last game of the season, Talib said. Thats as bad as it gets.Notes: There were no significant injuries. ... Luck improved to 5-1 in temperatures 40 or below. ... Manning fell to 2-4 following a divisional bye.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Josh Harrison Jersey .C. -- Authorities say the brother of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has been shot and killed outside a South Carolina nightclub. Gregory Polanco Jersey . -- The NFL cancelled its Hall of Fame game between St. http://www.cheappiratesjerseys.com/?tag=...-ho-kang-jersey. DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Francisco Cervelli Jersey . The Miami Heat star tops the leagues global list of top-selling jerseys for the 2012-13 season, edging Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and James Heat teammate Dwyane Wade for the No. Barry Bonds Jersey . Next up is another showdown with Michigan. Payne scored 18 points, Branden Dawson had 14 and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 12 Wisconsin 83-75 on Saturday to reach the Big Ten tournament championship.PRETORIA, South Africa -- South Africa laboured to a 13-6 win over Argentina on the opening day of the Rugby Championship on Saturday in a game spoiled by driving rain and a water-soaked field. The Springboks scored a second-minute try through scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar before the rain poured down at Loftus Versfeld to make it a match full of errors. Both teams preferred to kick rather than attack with ball in hhand.dddddddddddd South Africa flyhalf Handre Pollard landed a conversion and a penalty and Morne Steyn added a second-half penalty to keep the home team ahead throughout, but not without a fight. Argentina is yet to win in 13 games in the championship, but scrummed better than South Africa and continually disrupted its lineout. The Pumas points came from two penalties by Nicolas Sanchez. ' ' '