Manning looks for another place in history

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning has always been there when his teammates needed him. Whether it's on game days, in the locker room or inside the film room, the Indianapolis Colts have counted on the NFL's two-time MVP to be on the field. Anything less is unimaginable.\nIn seven-plus seasons, Manning has never missed a game. On Sunday at Tennessee, Manning is expected to make his 116th consecutive start, setting a franchise record and tying Ron Jaworski for the second-longest streak by an NFL quarterback.\n"I like to play, I like being in there," Manning said Wednesday. "It's more fun being in there than being on the sidelines."\nFor Manning, the records have become almost as routine as the starts.\nHe and Marvin Harrison hooked up six times last Sunday to break the NFL record for most yards passing between a quarterback and receiver. Manning also became the second-fastest player to top 30,000 yards, taking 115 games -- one more than Miami's Dan Marino.\nThis week, Manning is ready to break the franchise mark for consecutive starts, set by former Colts center Ken Mendenhall (115). Next week, Manning should pass Jaworski, leaving only Brett Favre's record 208-game streak between Manning and another milestone.\nLike Favre, Manning has become the identity of his franchise because of his reliability. He helped turn Indianapolis from an NFL also-ran into a perennial Super Bowl contender, and without Manning, nobody knows where the Colts would be.\nFortunately, they've never had to ponder the thought.\n"Next question," tight end Dallas Clark said when asked about the Colts' offense without Manning. "One-hundred sixteen? That's a lot of games. It shows you his consistency, his dependability. He's always there, always ready to play."\nManning's track record supports that contention.\nHe earned the starting job at the University of Tennessee three games into the 1994 season and never gave it up. When his college stats are added to those with the Colts, Manning's consecutive start streak hits 161.\nTwice it looked like Manning's streak might end, but he toughed it out.\nIn August 2001, Manning was twisted awkwardly in a preseason game at Minnesota. A right knee sprain did the unthinkable, keeping Manning out of the Colts' meaningless preseason finale, the first pro game he'd ever missed.\nIt also kept him out of several practices; Manning said then it was the only time, save for a five-day holdout his rookie season, he'd missed practice since high school.\n"That's the thing about him," wide receiver Brandon Stokley said. "He's the ultimate competitor. He practices as hard as anyone I've ever been around, and he lifts weights the same way. That's the reason this offense is so good."\nThree months after the Minnesota scare, Manning's streak appeared in jeopardy again. This time, Miami's Lorenzo Bromell hit Manning underneath his chin strap and fractured his jaw, forcing Manning to miss one play before he demanded to finish the game.\nThe next week, playing with a wired jaw, Manning threw for 262 yards and one touchdown.\nManning has missed only one other game, this year's preseason finale because coach Tony Dungy held him out.\n"He's done a good job battling through things when he has to," center Jeff Saturday said. "He's there each and every week."\nOn the field, Manning's success can be traced with statistics and wins.\nHis durability, though, has proved valuable to the Colts in other ways. Dungy went with Jim Sorgi as the only backup to Manning this year, the third time in four years Dungy has kept only two quarterbacks on the roster.\nThe Colts have used that extra spot to carry a kickoff specialist, an extra receiver or back or to avoid placing a key player on injured reserve.\n"We think it's a good percentage play for us because you know when you're designing the game plan that's something you can take for granted, that Peyton will be out there," Dungy said.\nManning insists that he's not consumed by the streak. Sure he'd rather play, but Manning figures it's his responsibility as the Colts' leader to continue playing each week, nicked or not.\n"I take pride in being there every Sunday," he said. "You know your teammates will be there for you, and you want to be there for them as well"