Colts agree to terms with QB Collins while Manning rehabs

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts are bringing one veteran quarterback out of retirement.

No, not Brett Favre.

The team agreed to terms Wednesday with Kerry Collins, making him the likely starter in case Peyton Manning hasn't completely recovered from offseason neck surgery when the season opens Sept. 11.

Collins said he has been given no indication that Manning won't play at Houston.

Wyche: Collins more than insurance

"Hopefully, Peyton will be back, but if he's not, maybe I can be one of the guys that can help this ballclub," Collins said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday night. "The biggest draw for me coming here was just being with a team that I have a lot of respect for and a lot of history with, and really to be with a great team and play with one of greatest quarterbacks of all time."

Collins agreed to a one-year contract and acknowledged he could be talked into staying longer than 2011.

But not everyone in the Colts' locker room was enamored with the move.

"We don't even know him, we ain't vanilla, man, we ain't no simple offense," wide receiver Reggie Wayne said. "So for him to come in here and be the starter, I don't see it. I think that's a step back."

Collins acknowledged that learning the Colts' offense in such a short time is his biggest challenge in joining the team.

"It's going to be like a foreign language," Collins said. "The concepts may be the same, but they call it something completely different. So that's going to be a challenge, and that's why I need bust my tail, get in the classroom and hopefully I can get to the point where I can get out there and operate the offense efficiently."

Colts coach Jim Caldwell wasn't available to talk with reporters about Collins, but he struck a calm tone in a statement released by the team.

"He is a veteran quarterback who has started many games and he brings dimension and depth to the quarterback position, which will be helpful," Caldwell said. "He is familiar with our division and will make a great addition to our roster."

Yet the move is another indication that Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoff games, is in serious jeopardy.

Manning had surgery May 23 to repair a nerve in his neck, and the recovery has gone slower than expected partially, Manning said, because he couldn't work out with team trainers during the 4½-month lockout.

Colts owner Jim Irsay wrote Saturday morning on Twitter that the Colts had to be prepared to play without Manning in the opener against the AFC South rival Texans. Later that day, Manning acknowledged he didn't expect to play in the final two preseason games and that he would need the next two weeks just to get healthy.

Caldwell hasn't said when he expects Manning to return to the field after the quarterback signed a five-year, $90 million contract to stay in Indianapolis last month.

"I think he laid out pretty well where he is, and that he is working extremely hard to try and get back as quickly as he possibly can," Caldwell said Monday. "He's going to work hard at trying to get back and get ready, and he's doing everything he can to do so."

And if he's not ready? Well, there's Collins, who has played in 195 career games with the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Carolina Panthers before retiring in July.

Collins has a career 55.8 completion percentage and has thrown for 40,441 yards, 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions. As the starter, Collins has led his team to the playoffs four times, including a Super Bowl appearance with the Giants in the 2000 season.

Wayne, a five-time Pro Bowl pick and one of Manning's favorite targets, has supported backup Curtis Painter. And while he called Collins "a great guy," he said he was worried about the Colts improving.

"Who says Kerry's going to be the starter?" Wayne said. "Just because we bring him in doesn't mean he's the starter. He's got to learn too, right? Unless they gave him a playbook months ago, he's got to learn, too.

"I don't care who you are, I mean I'm not going to let anyone just come in here and just push someone (like Painter) aside like you're that dog now, you know what I mean?" Wayne added.

Painter has started both preseason games this year, completing 8 of 16 passes for 95 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. In Friday night's 16-3 loss to the Washington Redskins, Painter managed only one first down and couldn't get the offense past its 29-yard line despite playing the entire first half.

Painter hasn't played in a regular-season game since 2009. Another backup, Dan Orlovsky, has played in 13 games in six NFL seasons, and the other quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Mike Hartline.

Michael Conroy / Associated PressKerry Collins started slow in his previous two stops.Collins' first three starts with last two teams

For his part, Painter doesn't expect it to take Collins long to get up to speed.

"He's a veteran guy, been around a while. I'm sure the terminology across the league isn't too different," Painter said. "I expect he'll come in and pick it up quite well."

The good news is that Collins already has some familiarity with the Colts' brain trust.

Colts vice chairman Bill Polian took Collins in the first round of the 1995 draft, No. 5 overall, when he was in charge of the Panthers. And Caldwell was Penn State's passing game coordinator from 1988 to 1992, during part of Collins' college career.

Still, two huge questions remain.

How quickly can the 16-year veteran get up to speed in the offense, which has traditionally relied on calls at the line of scrimmage? And did Collins rediscover his passion for the game in the past seven weeks?

"I have decided that while my desire to compete on Sundays is still and always will be there, my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position," Collins said in announcing his retirement July 7.

Two weeks later, Collins said he had even considered retiring at the end of last season.

Irsay had tweeted to ask for suggestions about signing a veteran free agent and on Sunday said he was in Hattiesburg, Miss., stirring speculation that he might be trying to lure Favre out of retirement (again). Instead, it was Collins.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Colts pay their man: Manning agrees to five-year, $90M pact

Peyton Manning has a new long-term deal in time to report to training camp, but he hasn't been cleared to practice.

Nonetheless, Colts owner Jim Irsay said Saturday that he was "thrilled" to give the only four-time MVP in league history a deal that likely will keep him in Indianapolis for the rest of his career.

Brooks: Manning puts his team first

Manning agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal that, according to Irsay, will pay his quarterback $69 million during the first three years.

Irsay described the contract as "cap friendly" on his Twitter page, and sources told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi that the owner assured Manning that the Colts would be aggressive in free agency.

"Signing Peyton was a top priority for this organization and we are thrilled that the deal is complete," Irsay said in a statement released by the team Saturday. "We feel that it is a salary-cap friendly deal and it allows us more flexibility."

Irsay and Colts president Bill Polian are scheduled to discuss Manning's contract at a Sunday afternoon news conference.

The deal comes nearly five months after the team used the exclusive franchise tag to prevent Manning from negotiating with any other teams. Had Manning signed the one-year offer, he would have made $23.1 million this season.

By having the long-term deal done, Manning's salary-cap number will be reduced, allowing the team to sign more of its own free agents. The Colts already have re-signed two key veterans -- safety Melvin Bullitt and kicker Adam Vinatieri -- this week. They also lost linebacker Clint Session to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.

Other key players the Colts are trying to work out deals with include running back Joseph Addai and left tackle Charlie Johnson. They still haven't signed first-round pick Anthony Castonzo.

The Colts report to training camp Sunday at Anderson University, about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Colts coach Jim Caldwell said Friday he expected Manning to be at camp if he was signed.

However, Manning will not practice because he's continuing to rehabilitate from neck surgery he had in May. It was the second time since March 2010 that he had neck surgery.

The Colts announced Saturday that it will put the quarterback on the physically unable to perform list, preventing him from practicing until he is removed from it. Because it is the preseason, he could be removed from the list at any time and return to practice.

"There is every medical indication that he is progressing steadily," team neurosurgeon Dr. Hank Feuer said in a statement. "While he looks fine, he still has some rehabilitation to go. Recovery from disc surgery is unpredictable and it is not a medical concern that he is not ready at this time."

Manning has started all 227 regular-season and playoff games in his 14-year career, and the Colts repeatedly have said they expect the quarterback to be ready to start in the season opener against the Houston Texans.

Manning has completed 64.9 percent of his passes in his career, throwing for nearly 55,000 yards and 399 touchdowns. He has led the Colts to the playoffs 12 times, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one.

But as the contract negotiations dragged, Manning became more irritated with the pace.

On Friday night, Manning told The Indianapolis Star that he had instructed agent Tom Condon to complete the deal by Sunday at the latest.

And after months of Irsay promising to make Manning the highest-paid player in league history, surpassing the annual average salary of $18 million that Tom Brady agreed to in September, the quarterback said he didn't have to own that title.

On Saturday, the two sides finally came to terms on a deal that will continue to make Manning the highest-paid player in franchise with a caveat -- that the team can hopefully keep some of his teammates under contract, too.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Manning 'willing to take less' money to do deal, assist Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have made it known that they want to make Peyton Manning the NFL's highest-paid player when they complete a new contract with him. However, the quarterback is more concerned about winning than being atop the NFL's salary food chain.

"While I appreciate (Colts owner) Jim Irsay offering to make me the highest-paid player," Manning told The Indianapolis Star on Friday. "I told him I'd rather he save that money and keep whoever it is ... (running back) Joe Addai, (left tackle) Charlie Johnson, whoever that may be.

"I'm willing to take less than they've offered if they are going to take that money to keep players we need to keep and go get other players. All I want is for them to have the cap and the cash to keep the players they want to keep and to sign other players."

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady currently is the highest-paid player after agreeing to a record annual average salary of $18 million ($72 million over four years) in September.

At this point, Manning wants to end the speculation about any demands he might have and get a deal done.

"Today, tomorrow, definitely by Sunday," Manning said of when he wants to complete the contract.

Irsay has promised to make Manning the highest-paid player in league history, but even he acknowledges that's a very high price with a salary cap slated at $120.3 million. The Colts hope that by lowering Manning's salary-cap number, they will be able to sign more of their free agents.

"We've been in a lockout, and when you think about that, it's very difficult to get that (Manning's deal) done in two, three days," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. "It's going to take a couple days, and it will be done at some point in time. When it is, we'll be ready to go."

In February, the Colts tagged Manning as their exclusive franchise player, meaning he would make about $23 million this season if he signed the one-year offer.

Contract aside, the pain in Manning's neck will keep him off the practice field early next week.

The Colts still aren't sure how long it will take to get the four-time league MVP back.

Caldwell said Friday that the Colts will be cautious with Manning, who had neck surgery in May, and will not push him too hard. Camp opens Monday at Anderson University.

"Obviously, he's not ready right now, but nobody works harder and is more dedicated than him," Caldwell said. "When he's ready, we'll turn him loose."

Caldwell didn't provide a timetable for Manning's return.

It's the second time in four years the Colts will open camp without Manning.

In 2008, Manning missed all of camp with an infected bursa sac in his left knee, which required two surgeries. He struggled during the first half of the season, but he led the Colts to nine consecutive wins to make it back into the playoffs.

Manning also had neck surgery in March 2010 but recovered and didn't miss any practices at camp.

The only other time Manning has missed even a portion of training camp was in 1998, when he was one week late before signing his first contract.

Teammates said they aren't concerned that Manning won't be throwing right away.

"I've told him to be as cautious as he needs to be because the last time I checked, we don't count preseason games," Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday said. "I can tell you this, there's not a player that works harder than he does."

The questions about Manning's health have been increasing ever since he had the surgery.

In June, Archie Manning, Peyton's father, said his son's rehab wasn't going as quickly as expected. A month later, at the family's annual passing academy, Peyton Manning barely threw and said he was being cautious with his rehab because lockout rules prevented him from working out with Colts team trainers.

Last week, Irsay acknowledged Manning might not be ready when practices begin Monday, a position he reiterated just hours after the lockout ended.

"You don't want him doing too much too soon and you don't know on recoveries," Irsay said. "A lot of times eight weeks is enough. But to get a full recovery, it's going to be a little longer in this case."

Caldwell said the coaches haven't had a chance to see where Manning is yet, and he's not sure when they will.

Manning isn't the only player the Colts have been getting medical checks on.

The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.

Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark has been cleared for full participation and will wear a splint on the wrist he injured last fall, the team said. Other key players cleared to practice are wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (knee), tight end Brody Eldridge (knee), cornerback Kelvin Hayden (neck) and cornerbacks Jerraud Powers (foot, arm) and Kevin Thomas (knee).

The team also said that wide receiver Austin Collie hasn't shown any lingering symptoms of the two concussions that forced him to finish last season on injured reserve. He is expected to be a full participant in practice next week.

"I feel good, I'm excited to get back into it," Collie said. "At this point, everything is great."

Except, of course, the status of Manning.

"Whenever he's ready, he'll come back," Caldwell said. "He gets himself ready faster than most people."

The team confirmed Friday that it had agreed to new deals with kicker Adam Vinatieri and safety Melvin Bullitt. On Thursday, the Colts also lost linebacker Clint Session to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who signed him to a five-year deal worth more than $29 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Peyton Manning: Lockout slowing rehab from neck surgery

THIBODAUX, La. -- The power and accuracy with which Peyton Manning's passes bowl over bad guys in a recent "Football Cops" TV spoof was nowhere to be seen at the Manning family's annual football camp.

After not making any throws during Friday morning's instructional sessions, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback stressed that he is taking a "very cautious" approach to his comeback from offseason neck surgery because of the NFL lockout.

"That's one thing these owners didn't take into account. You've got a guy rehabbing, and you can't use your training room and can't use your trainer," Manning said. "When you find a good trainer and a good rehab guy that you like, it's a pretty special bond. These guys kind of know your body. So the fact that I haven't had access to my guys and I've been somewhat on my own, I've been extra cautious and extra slow and making sure we don't have any setbacks."

Manning's father, former Saints quarterback Archie Manning, mentioned that Peyton has been throwing at some of the offseason workouts he has organized with Colts teammates in recent months. Peyton Manning declined to get into specifics about his condition, stressing only that he has been "very, very limited as to what I've been able to do and what I've allowed myself to do."

Manning said he usually puts himself through three rehabilitation sessions per day and even got one in Friday morning before camp started.

Lockout or not, this has been another busy offseason for the Mannings, who got together on the campus of Nicholls State for the 16th year of the Manning Passing Academy. On March 21, Giants quarterback Eli Manning became a father for the first time when his wife, Abby, had their first child, a daughter named Ava. Only 10 days later, Peyton and his wife, Ashley, had twins -- a daughter, Mosley, and son, Marshall.

Peyton Manning has avoided speaking publicly about his new experience as a father or the twins and reiterated at the camp that he views those matters as private.

When asked if the lockout had a good side in terms of the time he got to spend with his infant children, Peyton said: "The lockout hasn't been good for anybody, I don't think. The only winners in the lockout have been the lawyers."

Archie Manning beamed when he spoke about seeing his and wife Olivia's number of grandchildren grow from the three they had from eldest son, Cooper, to six this year.

"We doubled our grandchildren, so Olivia and I are very excited," Archie Manning said. "Cooper's three we see every day. ... I'm back going to little league games and everything. But for Eli and Peyton both to have their first children -- Peyton had two at a time -- it's always exciting. I love grandchildren. It's underrated."

In May, Peyton and Eli also filmed a TV spot for DirecTV in Brooklyn, a dark comedy about a tandem of police officers who fight criminals with holstered footballs. It was released last month and as of this week had been viewed more than 792,000 times on YouTube.

Both brothers have organized workouts with teammates in an effort to stay as sharp as possible until football resumes.

Peyton has kept sessions with Colts teammates private, but Eli has allowed media to observe some of his sessions with Giants receivers, as well as walkthroughs with larger numbers of teammates.

"The guys I called came and worked out, and we had some good throwing sessions," Eli said. "We had a week of some full-team (work). ... It was really kind of more for the young guys ... so when we hit training camp we don't have to start from square one."

Although negotiations between owners and players appear to be progressing, it remains unclear whether training camps will open as scheduled in late July.

Peyton Manning, who is one of the players on a class-action antitrust lawsuit intended to end the work stoppage, said he has tired of following the daily negotiations.

"I followed it early, and it just got so exhausting because every day was the day it was supposed to end, and that was like three months ago," he said. "I've gotten to the point now where I've just told (Colts center and players' representative) Jeff Saturday to call me when I can go back to the facility. ... I have no information or insight as to when it's going to end.

"I don't think it's going to be this week, but hopefully it will be real, real soon."

When the lockout does end, Peyton Manning and the Colts will likely get back to contract talks. His contract expired after last season, and the Colts put the exclusive franchise tag on him -- a move that prevents him from negotiating with other teams. If he signs the one-year deal, he would make $23 million next season. Both sides appear more interested in reaching an agreement on a longer-term extension, but Manning does not appear interested in discussing the matter much.

"I really haven't had a whole lot of thought on that," he said. "They'll be a time and a place to address that once the lockout ends, among other questions."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Manning sees Burress as better fit for Giants than Barber

Giants quarterback Eli Manning appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday and didn't mince words when asked if wide receiver Plaxico Burress or running back Tiki Barber, both attempting NFL comebacks, would be a better fit in New York.

"Probably Plaxico -- just because, you know, he has, probably, fonder memories of winning a Super Bowl and that catch for the touchdown in Super Bowl XLII," Manning said.

"Tiki, you know, Tiki -- it ended on a bad note, and, you know, it's really a shame. He should be remembered as a great Giants running back and a terrific player, because he was. Just kind of the way he went out and, you know, burned a few bridges with the fans, and kind of went after me a little bit ... it's unfortunate, really, and I'm not happy about it in that sense. So, I think Plaxico would probably be welcomed back a little quicker."

Barber has spent the past four months working out in an attempt to make a comeback, although his chances rest on the league and its players reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.

Barber, who was critical of Manning after retiring following the 2006 season, appeared on a radio call-in spot with Mike Francesa on WFAN-AM last week and addressed why he believes some Giants fans dislike him.

"I'm sure it probably has to do with the fact that I criticized (Giants coach) Tom Coughlin, and he goes and wins a Super Bowl," Barber said. "Or the conversations that I had about Eli Manning (that) got blown out of proportion. Things like that (where) people felt like I, as someone with knowledge, was attacking somebody that I just left, when it really wasn't. It was just giving my opinion about things, and I've always been opinionated."

Barber, 36, produced six 1,000-yard seasons in a seven-year span, and he finished among the league's top five rushers in his final three years before retiring. In 2005, he amassed the third-most yards from scrimmage in a single season in league history with 2,390.

Burress, the former Giants wide receiver who turns 34 in August, was released from prison June 6 after spending nearly two years behind bars on a gun charge. He is expected to be pursued by multiple teams once the lockout is resolved.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mason: Colts' Manning is NFL's best player, 'hands down'

There's no question in Baltimore Ravens wideout Derrick Mason's mind who the top player in the NFL is.

Mason recently said on WJZ-FM's "The Norris and Davis Show" that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is "hands down" No. 1 in the league.

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

Mason's answer came in response to a question about NFL Network's "The Top 100 Players of 2011," which culminates at 8 p.m. ET Sunday with Nos. 10 through 1 on the list being revealed.

"I think if I'm ranking right now who's a top player ... I think it's Peyton Manning," Mason said, according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. "Hands down, it is Peyton Manning.

"When you look at the rankings and you look at the importance of a player is this: not the type of season that he had, one seasons or two seasons that he had, it's what player do I kick off a team and it changes that team dramatically? I only know one player, and it's Peyton Manning.

"You take Tom Brady off New England, they showed that they can go 11-5. Now you take Peyton Manning off the Colts, I don't know where that team goes offensively."

Manning wasn't the only game-changer Mason brought up in the discussion.

"Another guy I look at and say it changes the scope of what they do is a guy like Ed Reed," Mason said of his Ravens teammate. "You take Ed Reed off of our defense -- not to say I don't think the defense would be good; we're good, because we have good players -- but if you take him off the back end, it changes us somewhat, and it showed last year.

"Once you insert him (Reed), we're back to quarterbacks are scared to throw the ball deep down the field, so when you looking at ranking guys, you rank them like that. You don't want to just rank them because they had a good season or a 1,000-yard season. You rank them as, if I took this player off this team or away from this side of the ball, what does it do for that team? Do they get better? Do they get worse? The only person I know, two people really, is Peyton Manning and Ed Reed."

Mason also addressed which Ravens player -- Reed or linebacker Ray Lewis -- would rank higher on the "Top 100" list.

"If you look at our team, they (NFL Network) would rank Ray Lewis ahead of Ed Reed just because of the body of work he has put together over the last 15 years," Mason said. "Ed does make a strong case to be ranked a little higher, but if I'm looking at it, I'm looking at the body of work, and I believe they (NFL Network) will rank Ray Lewis ahead of Ed Reed.

"Now if it goes the other way, I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't fight it either way, but I just think if you are looking at guys around the league, that respect factor, not to say they don't need to have that respect factor for Ed, but I think the longevity and the body of work over the course of 15 years that Ray has put together. I think they will rank him higher.”

Mason also revealed that he voted for about 20 players on the list, not all 100 because "I don't even know all 100 guys to sit down and rank them."

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Colts QB Manning should be ready for season, dad Archie says

Archie Manning expects his son, Peyton, to continue being a pain in the neck for NFL defenses next season.

He, like every other football fan, isn't exactly sure when that will be.

The patriarch of football's first family said Monday that his son's recovery from neck surgery isn't going as quickly as the Indianapolis Colts quarterback had hoped, though he should be ready in time for the start of the 2011 season.

"It's just been 10 days," the father said. "He's not where he wants to be. It's just something that came up and had to be done, so hopefully it'll work out."

Manning spoke to reporters during Jim Kelly's charity golf tournament in Batavia, N.Y., about 40 miles east of Buffalo. This year's event, the 25th anniversary of Kelly's first tournament, is expected to raise more than $400,000 for the Hall of Fame quarterback's Kelly For Kids Foundation, which distributes money to numerous children-supported charities across western New York.

Those attending the event included Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger; former Bills stars Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed; and Colts vice chairman Bill Polian, the architect of Buffalo's four Super Bowl teams.

Between the neck surgery and the ongoing lockout, there were lots of issues to discuss.

At the top of the list was the surgery that Peyton Manning had last month to remove part of a bulging disk. It was the second time in 15 months that the Colts' franchise player had neck surgery.

Carucci: Peyton's silence is golden Peyton Manning hasn't publicly discussed the antitrust lawsuit that bears his name, but a league source told Vic Carucci why. It could hurt the QB
in contract talks. More...

Two weeks ago, Colts owner Jim Irsay said he expected the recovery to take 6 to 8 weeks. Archie Manning didn't provide an updated timetable for his son's return.

There are, of course, other complications in play.

Manning's contract expired after last season. In February, the Colts put the exclusive franchise tag on Manning -- a move that prevents him from negotiating with other teams. If he signs the one-year deal, he would make $23 million next season.

But until the labor situation is settled, the Colts can't even negotiate.

Without providing precise details, Irsay has said he already has offered Manning a deal that will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady currently holds that distinction after signing a four-year contract that pays him $72 million for a record average annual salary of $18 million.

There's also the ongoing lockout.

Peyton Manning was one of the players on a class-action antitrust lawsuit intended to end the work stoppage. Archie Manning said both of his sons, Peyton and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, have been working out with teammates, so they'll be ready for the start of the season -- whenever it happens.

"They're not frustrated. A quarterback's duty now is to try to organize his team and have some workouts, so they've both been doing that throughout the offseason on and off," Archie Manning said. "Unfortunately, Peyton just had a little surgery, so he's down right now. They're like all the other players. They love what they do. They want to get back at it and have a season."

The father can't wait for a resolution, either.

"There's really nothing to create urgency thus far. The closer we get probably to July, hopefully both sides kind of say, 'We need to get this done so there can be some practice time,' " he said. "I just sincerely hope they don't miss any games. I really don't want to miss games. The NFL has done such a great job through the years, it's a great product, a great game, and I understand both sides and what they're trying to do. But I'm just like all the other fans, I hope it can get done."

Until then, the Colts apparently will receive updates on their best-known player any way they can, including talking to Manning's father.

"Well, we had a conversation about general things like the twins and how Peyton's doing," Polian said, referring to the two children whom Peyton and his wife welcomed in March. "It was good to see him."

But the Colts would rather see a resolution to the lockout and get their quarterback back on the field quickly, too.

"If things go right, he'll be there for the season," Archie Manning said.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Vick returns from monthlong layoff to get best of Manning, Colts

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick shared a long embrace with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg after coming back from a month off to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a big win.

When Peyton Manning is on the other side, it's no ordinary game.

Vick threw for 218 yards and one touchdown, and ran for 74 yards and a score in the Eagles' 26-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

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"This game was more emotional because we knew how tough it was going to be to win this game," Vick said. "It took two weeks of hard work, guys working extra hard, watching film and doing whatever it takes. To win this game was very gratifying."

The Eagles (5-3) are 12-0 after a bye since Andy Reid became coach in 1999. They hadn't beaten Manning in three previous tries.

While Philadelphia rested last week, the Colts (5-3) had to make a quick turnaround after beating Houston on Monday night. It certainly seemed the Eagles were the fresher team, especially early.

"They got off to a great start against us," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. "You got to give them credit. They hung in there and really did a nice job."

The depleted Colts lost wide receiver Austin Collie to a concussion after a hard -- and illegal -- hit by Kurt Coleman forced him to leave on a stretcher in the second quarter.

Collie lay on the ground for several minutes as the crowd fell silent. Soon afterward, the announcement came he had movement and was alert.

"I think he'll recover quickly," Caldwell said.

Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson had 109 yards receiving and one touchdown in his first game back after a vicious hit gave him a concussion on Oct. 17.

Playing his first game since injured rib cartilage forced him out on Oct. 3, Vick picked up where he left off when he was NFC offensive player of the month in September. He completed 17 of 29 passes, and scrambled for some key first downs.

"We knew we had to keep Peyton off the field," Vick said.

Manning threw for 294 yards, one TD and two interceptions. The four-time NFL MVP wasn't his usual self, misfiring on several passes.

"They have good players, good cover guys," Manning said. "Everything was contested. We had a tough time finding a rhythm in the second half."

Indy played without cornerback Jerraud Powers, running backs Joseph Addai and Mike Hart, tight ends Dallas Clark and Brody Eldridge and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez.

The Eagles went ahead 19-17 when David Akers kicked his fourth straight field goal midway through the third quarter.

On their next possession, a holding penalty on Winston Justice negated a 56-yard TD pass from Vick to Brent Celek. While Celek ran down the sideline, Indy's Robert Mathis stood at the spot where he was held and kept waving everyone back.

But Vick kept the drive going with a 22-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin on second-and-26, and a 32-yard run on the next play. A few plays later, Vick sneaked in from the 1 to give Philadelphia a 26-17 lead.

The Colts cut it to 26-24 on Javarris James' 1-yard TD run with 1:50 left. The Eagles appeared to have thwarted Indy's drive when Manning got sacked and fumbled on fourth-and-18, but a penalty on Trent Cole for slapping Manning in the helmet as he reached for the ball gave the Colts a first down.

With three timeouts left, the Colts didn't try an onside kick. Jackson ran for 11 and 6 yards on consecutive end-arounds, but the Eagles punted it away.

Manning got the ball at Indy's 26 with no timeouts left and 40 seconds remaining. But Asante Samuel made his second interception to ice it.

LeSean McCoy ran for 95 yards for the Eagles, who hadn't beaten the Colts since Bubby Brister led them to a win in 1993.

The Eagles scored on their first four possessions, but settled for three field goals after failing to convert inside the 10 three times.

That allowed the Colts to take a 17-16 halftime lead. Down 13-0, Manning led Indianapolis on a long drive, capping it off with a 3-yard TD toss to Jacob Tamme.

Vick made two big plays on third down during the following drive that resulted in Akers' 31-yarder. Vick ran 24 yards on third-and-9, and hit Jason Avant for a 34-yard gain to the Colts 6 on third-and-7.

Vick had said he would play more cautiously, but he didn't shy away from hits on many of his scrambles.

"It's going to be tough to hold him back," Reid said. "He did run out of bounds once. I was fired up about that."

Collie got hurt on the Colts' next drive. Unnecessary roughness was called on Quintin Mikell on the play but should've been on Coleman because he delivered the hit to Collie's helmet.

Manning threw a 33-yard pass to Blair White on the next play and a facemask call on Mikell put the ball at the 6. James ran in from the 6 to cut it to 16-14.

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After Philadelphia went three-and-out the Colts went ahead on Adam Vinatieri's 37-yard field goal before the half.

The Eagles scored a touchdown on their opening possession for the fourth time in eight games. McCoy broke loose for a 62-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. Vick tossed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jackson.

The Eagles quickly got the ball back when Manning badly overthrew his target and Samuel made an easy interception. Samuel returned it 33 yards to the Colts 9, but Philadelphia settled for a 22-yarder to make it 10-0.

Notes: Since 2000, the Eagles are 36-9 when scoring a TD on their opening drive. ... Eagles RG Max Jean-Gilles left with a concussion in the first half. Rookie FS Nate Allen has a neck strain. ... The Colts averaged 42 points per game in Manning's three wins against Philadelphia.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Agent: Manning waiting until after season to negotiate new deal

Peyton Manning will not have a new contract until 2011.

Tom Condon, the agent for the Indianapolis Colts quarterback, told the team that he and his client will wait until the end of the season to negotiate a new deal.

Manning is in the final year of a seven-year, $99.2 million contract.

The decision removes one more distraction for Manning in what is fast becoming a challenging season. Manning's offensive weapons are quickly dropping with injuries.

The most recent hit came Friday, when the Colts announced that tight end Dallas Clark would miss the remainder of the season because of wrist surgery.

Austin Collie, the Colts' leading receiver through six weeks, also is due to miss at least two weeks following thumb surgery, and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez continues to make his way back from a high ankle sprain.

In February, Colts owner Jim Irsay said he expected to make Manning the NFL's highest-paid player. Irsay also suggested that a deal for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady would provide the framework for a new deal with Manning.

Last month, the Patriots gave Brady a four-year, $72 million extension with $48.5 million guaranteed, making him the NFL's highest-paid player.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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