Big Three Becomes Quartet for Colts

INDIANAPOLIS —  Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison played brilliantly as usual Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts routed the Buffalo Bills, 42-26. They also added a fourth co-star, wide receiver Jerome Pathon, to their cast. The Colts (2-0) amassed 555 yards, and topped the 40-point mark for the second consecutive game.

Manning completed 23 of 29 passes for 421 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, and doubled his touchdown rushing total with a one-yard run in the third quarter.

Harrison, who had seven catches for 146 yards, tied his career high with three touchdown receptions and Pathon added another dimension to the offense by setting career-highs in receptions (nine) and yards receiving (168) for the second consecutive game. He also had a touchdown reception.

James set a team record with his fifth consecutive 100-yard game and tied Jim Brown as the second-fastest in NFL history to 3,500 yards rushing--in 34 games.

“Peyton and Edgerrin and Marvin are the proven big three, so it’s going to be a pretty hard lineup to break,” said Pathon. “It’s still premature to say because it’s a long season. If I can maintain my focus and keep this going throughout the year, I think I will do that.”

It was only the second time in team history, and the first since 1975--when the team was in Baltimore--that the Colts produced a 300-yard passer, two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher in one game.

Bert Jones was the quarterback in that game, Lydell Mitchell the running back and Roger Carr and Glenn Doughty the receivers.

“Jerome had another good game, he’s really playing well,” Colt Coach Jim Mora said. “He is a very good receiver and he made some big plays today.”

While Indianapolis scored on six consecutive possessions and never punted, little went right for the Bills (0-2).

Buffalo tied a team record with 19 penalties--even with the NFL’s regular referees working for the first time this season--and the Bills’ leading rusher was quarterback Rob Johnson with 63 yards.