Colts defense steals Sunday night spotlight

Here's a twist: The Indianapolis Colts won a game on the strength of their defense.\nThe Colts barely missed their first shutout since 1997, Peyton Manning threw two touchdown passes, and Indianapolis cruised past the Baltimore Ravens 24-7 Sunday night.\nThe Ravens lost quarterback Kyle Boller, who hyperextended a right toe while being sacked by Larry Triplett in the third quarter with Baltimore trailing 17-0. Boller finished 15-for-23 for 141 yards and an interception.\nHis replacement, Anthony Wright, completed 19 of 31 passes for 214 yards and two interceptions in his first game since 2003. His 17-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Wilcox with 13 seconds left ruined the Colts' bid for their first shutout since a 41-0 rout of Miami on Dec. 14, 1997.\nManning went 21-for-36 for 254 yards and no interceptions, and Marvin Harrison had six catches for 69 yards. But the real story was the marvelous play of the Indianapolis defense, which received few headlines last year while Manning threw an NFL-record 49 touchdown passes for an offense that amassed a league-leading 522 points.\nCato June returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown with 2:39 left. And the Colts limited Jamal Lewis to 48 yards rushing, making the 2003 NFL rushing leader a non-factor in a game that was close until Indianapolis scored two third-quarter touchdowns.\nBy the middle of the fourth quarter, many of the 70,501 in attendance -- the largest crowd ever to watch a football game in Baltimore -- headed for the exits.

Redskins 9, Bears 7

49ers 28, Rams 25

\nBrandon Lloyd and Arnaz Battle caught second-quarter touchdown passes from Tim Rattay, and Michael Adams intercepted Marc Bulger's pass in San Francisco territory with 52 seconds left.\nRookie Otis Amey returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball for the 49ers, who erupted for 21 points in the second quarter -- more than last season's 2-14 team scored in any quarter of its wretched season.\nThe 49ers' defense was on the field for nearly 40 minutes, but San Francisco held on for its first regular-season victory in regulation since Dec. 7, 2003. Both of the Niners' wins last season came in overtime against Arizona.

Saints 23, Panthers 20