Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts: Tomorrow's Results, Today!

I got tired of waiting for Sunday afternoon.

Why would I wait anymore? I already know what's going to happen in tomorrow's game. I'm throwing caution to the wind and writing tomorrow's game story right now.

The team I have followed and loved my entire football-watching life is winless in 13 attempts, the organization is in shambles, they can't score, they can't stop anybody, they have had five sub-par quarterbacks take snaps for them this season, and they're on the road playing one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now.

If there are more factual inaccuracies in this article then the Lions give up points tomorrow, I will issue a formal apology.

Now, however, is an opportune time for pessimism.

Now, then, without further ado...

Colts 45, Lions 10

Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts one step closer to a wild-card playoff berth Sunday, sending the hapless Detroit Lions to 0-14.

The Lions tie the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' worst regular-season record mark, and will have a chance to surpass it next week against New Orleans.

The Buccaneers went winless in their 1976 season, back when the NFL season was only 14 games long. In today's 16-game season, the Lions have a chance to re-write history.

The Colts scored 17 unanswered points in the opening quarter, then added 21 after the Lions scored in the second before coasting through the second half to an easy victory.

Manning went 20-for-24 for 379 yards and four touchdowns, including a 62-yard strike to Reggie Wayne, who finished with seven receptions for 134 yards.

TE Dallas Clark finished the game with five catches, two of which were touchdown catches inside the Lions' 5-yard-line.

Colts RB Joseph Addai did not play in order to rest his injured shoulder, but backup Dominic Rhodes had a career day in his place, carrying the ball 26 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

"We're just happy to be one step closer to the playoffs," Manning said in his post-game interview, "and that team out there fought hard."

"They're better than their record shows," Head Coach Tony Dungy said of the Lions, "and they played a great game out there today, but we were able to execute our game plan and make the plays when it counted."

The Lions were led by QB Dan Orlovsky, who finished the game 17-for-35 for 201 yards and an interception.

Orlovsky was consistently under pressure and was rarely able to remain in the pocket, but was only sacked three times by a tenacious Colts' defense.

Calvin Johnson continued to put up Pro Bowl caliber numbers on an otherwise inept offense, leading the team with five receptions for 90 yards.

Daunte Culpepper, who has started the last five games for Detroit, was held out of the game with a right shoulder strain.

RB Kevin Smith had the Lions' only touchdown, a 12-yard run in the second quarter, but the Lions had built a 24-point deficit by that point, and the Colts answered with two more touchdowns before the end of the quarter.

The Colts improve to 10-4, keeping them in position for a playoff berth, and will move on to play the Jacksonville Jaguars next week before closing out their season at home against the Tennessee Titans.