JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- What they cannot do is deprive Peyton Manning. For all the debating and pontificating about resting players, prioritizing the playoffs over perfection and shunning history for supposed common-sense thinking, the overriding goal for the Indianapolis Colts should be allowing Manning to set himself apart from every other quarterback who has played the game.The best way? Let him attempt to lead the NFL's first dance with 19-0 perfection. Thursday night, in a dizzying game of nine lead changes and compelling drama that drip-dropped to the final seconds, it was Manning who wouldn't be denied when so much around him was swirling wildly. The Colts almost gambled their way to their first defeat, with coach Jim Caldwell choosing to use his ferocious defensive ends -- Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, they of the combined 21 sacks -- primarily on third down and selected second-and-long plays. As they stood on the sideline in their clean white uniforms, their defensive colleagues let the Jaguars push them around the field. They couldn't stop David Garrard, who threw three touchdown passes and repeatedly led lengthy scoring drives. They couldn't stop Maurice Jones-Drew, who ran for 110 yards. They couldn't stop receivers Torry Holt, Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker -- seems the Jags lead the NFL in hyphenated names -- and tight end Marcedes Lewis. Through three quarters, Jacksonville had 31 points.




