NEWS » e car.Five years removed from when he ended u

INDIANAPOLIS -- T.Y. Hilton blamed himself for not doing enough in the Indianapolis Colts first two games this season.He made amends for it Sunday.The smallest receiver on the Colts roster came up big twice, making an acrobatic 8-yard catch on fourth-and-7 to keep the Colts drive alive following the 2-minute warning, then spinning away from safety Dexter McCoil for a 63-yard TD pass that gave Indy its first win of the season.I caught one (like that) earlier in the game, I caught it and just kind of started going down and I said, `Im not going to go down anymore. If theyre going to tackle me, its going to take two or three of them, Hilton said after the 26-22 victory over San Diego . Once I caught it, I saw a safety and he didnt I think saw him so he tried to hit me and I just spun off and did the rest.Right on cue.On Wednesday, Hilton referred to his four-catch, 41-yard game at Denver as unacceptable. And at the same time he was promising his injured friend, Donte Moncrief, that he had his back, Hilton was still trying to shake off the frustration of catching 10 passes for 120 yards in Indys two losses.At the same time, his body was sore, too.So coach Chuck Pagano gave Hilton an extra day off Friday and it appeared to work.Hilton was his old self against the Chargers (1-2), catching balls, turning short throws into long plays and zig-zagging around the field to make defenders miss.He finished with eight catches, 174 yards and the winning TD. It was his highest catch total since a 10-reception game against Cleveland on Dec. 7, 2014, and his highest yardage total since a 223-yard day against Houston on Oct. 9, 2014.It wasnt frustrating, I just wasnt giving my team a chance to win, Hilton said when asked about his slow start to this season. They look for me to make big plays and I wasnt doing that the first two games and I told them, `Im going to be the difference-maker today. I said earlier in the week, `I want to put it on me, put the game on me and thats what I did today.On a day Andrew Luck went 24 of 37 with 331 yards and one interception, he looked Hiltons way on almost a third of his pass attempts.Hilton wound up catching all but three of the throws, including the one that prevented Indy (1-2) from starting 0-3 for the first time in five years.It isnt doomsday, you know, but it is, coach Chuck Pagano said, explaining how important Sundays victory was.Luck, who missed practiced Wednesday and was limited Thursday because of a sore throwing shoulder, struggled at times and for the second straight week watched a defensive player scoop up one of his fumbles and return it for a score.So with Luck a little off on his accuracy, including the fourth-down throw, it was Hilton who delivered the two most important plays in Indys young season.If anyones going to keep good on his promise, its going to be T.Y, left tackle Anthony Castonozo said. Im just baffled on how fast he is. On that last one, obviously I saw it, the ball was out and I could see where he was at. Just seeing him run away from guys, stop and starting, its real impressive stuff.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Max Black Friday China . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Wholesale Air Max Black Friday . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. http://www.blackfridayairmax.com/ . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Cheap Air Max Black Friday .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Air Max Black Friday Deals . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Joe Gibbs Racing fielded two of the four entries competing for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship crown Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and the JGR Toyotas driven by Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch appeared to have the speed necessary to win the Ford EcoBoost 400.Then the stock car team owned by the Hall of Fame football coach fumbled late in the contest.Edwards was running second in the race and leading the four championship contenders as the field lined up for a restart with 10 laps remaining, with Busch not far behind.But Edwards attempt to block a fast-charging Joey Logano triggered a nine-car wreck and instantly took him out of the championship equation. Busch was then called in for a questionable stop for tires that left him too far behind for the green-white-checkered overtime finish to challenge race (and championship) winner Jimmie Johnson.For much of the 267-lap contest, Edwards looked like the driver to beat in terms of the championship, usually holding the upper hand over final four challengers Busch, Logano and Johnson. He led eight times for a total of 47 laps.Edwards and Busch were disputing second place (and the lead of the championship) behind race leader Kyle Larson in the closing stages when Dylan Lupton grazed the Turn 2 wall to bring out the caution on Lap 253.Larson maintained the lead in the pits and Edwards lined up on the inside of the front row for the restart. Meanwhile, a slow pit stop dropped Busch to sixth place.When the green flew to start the 258th lap, Logano immediately shot to Edwards inside. Edwards steered hard left, forcing both cars off the racetrack toward the inner wall on the approach to Turn 1.Logano caught his fishtailing car and continued into the corner. Edwards wasnt so lucky. After pounding the inside wall, the orange Camry shot up the track and was collected at near full speed by Kasey Kahnes Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, shoving it slightly airborne and into hard contact with the outer wall.Six other cars were swept in, including the Furniture Row Racing Toyota of Martin Truex Jr., which briefly caught fire. None of the drivers was injured, but Edwards championship hopes were as badly damaged as his mangled race car.Five years removed from when he ended up second to Tony Stewart in the most memorable championship finish in Chase history, Edwards once again came away from Homestead empty-handed.They put it in my hands and thats all you can ask for, Edwards said. [Crew chief] Dave Rogers, my guys, everybody, they did a good job. It didnt work out. This is life. We performed well. We did our best. I just risked too much.Dave told me before this race that its a pretty big reward [the championship] and remember risk gets reward, he continued. I just had to push it. I couldnt go to bed tonight and think that I gave him that lane.Edwards stopped at Loganos pit to share a few words with Logano crew chief Todd Gordon. Despite the accident, there was no animosity from Logano or his team.Its cool that Carl came up and said that because I ddont blame him, Logano remarked.dddddddddddd?It was great racing. I understand why he had to throw the block and he understands why I had to make the move because that was for the win. That was the only shot that I had. That was for the race and with 10 [laps] to go, what do you expect?? Its for a championship.Thats just racing, he added. It hurt both of us, ultimately Carl a little bit more, but its unfortunate.While Edwards was out of the race, classified 34th, Logano and Busch were still in the thick of the championship battle -- and Logano indirectly influenced Buschs race.Logano pitted for minor repairs and fresh tires after a 31-minute red flag to clean up Edwards wreck. On the subsequent restart, he shot through the field from eighth place to third, flying past Busch in the process.The yellow flew again, and crew chief Adam Stevens called Busch in for tires. But he was mired deeper in the pack than Logano was, and while Logano finished fourth in the race, second among championship contenders, Busch could work his way back up only to sixth.We had one straightaway on our tires, and they [Logano] came in and put tires on and they just blitzed right up through the middle and got to us before we even got to Turn 1, Busch said. That just kind of killed it and ruined our race.All in all, we fought hard tonight, he added. We gave it everything we had. We didnt have the greatest race car today, but we had enough of one that we could run with those guys. All things considered, we had a really good run tonight -- just not good enough.It was a disappointing end to the 2016 campaign for the Gibbs organization, which at times during the season looked like it might put all four of its drivers into the Chase final.JGR cars led the most laps in 12 of the years 36 races, with the satellite Furniture Row Racing entry driven by Truex Jr. adding four more.But the Toyota attack fell short at Homestead. After Edwards and Busch led the race for the championship through 90 percent of the race, Johnson and Chevrolet snuck away with the title.They [Johnsons team] were nowhere all day, and just kind of ran around in sixth but never really showed their hand at all, Busch said. They didnt really show any speed, never led any laps until the last one -- and thats the only one that really matters.Busch at least has the satisfaction of knowing that he has a Cup Series title on his résumé. For Edwards, who has finished second in the standings twice (2008 and 2011), the wait -- and the weight -- continues.He vows to return stronger than ever.I was so proud of my guys and so happy with the performance, Edwards said. That run to catch Kyle and pass him, that was everything I had. That was the drive of my life and it didnt yield a championship, but I have a lot of pride in how we performed.I am telling you, this team is going to be on fire next year, he added. You watch out -- this is going to be awesome. ' ' '