Shiancoe adds to list of dropped TD passes

Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe insisted things would be different for him this season after he dropped three potential touchdown passes in a disappointing debut with the team in 2007.

But he dropped a pass in the opener last week at Green Bay and dropped a would-be touchdown pass in the first quarter of an 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at the Metrodome.

On third-and-2 from the Colts' 9, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson faked a handoff and rolled left. He spotted an open Shiancoe running across the end zone in the same direction. Jackson's pass was on target, but Shiancoe dropped the ball as he hit the ground.

"Same old [stuff]," Shiancoe said. "I looked up and the ball was in my hands so ... "

He didn't finish his sentence.

"I did have possession of it, but you cannot make it indecisive like that," he said later. "I put that on me."

The Vikings had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell and a 6-0 lead.

"You make a play and maybe it starts to get you rolling," offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. "Guys got to make plays when they get a chance."

Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield's first career interception came against Peyton Manning, and the Vikings cornerback notched another on the opening possession of the game.

Lined up in man-to-man coverage with Marvin Harrison, Winfield read the play perfectly and jumped in front of Harrison on the curl route to grab his fourth career interception against Manning.

Charles Gordon also had an interception for the Vikings.

With 160 yards rushing on 29 carries, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson set a team record for 100-yard rushing performances in the first two seasons with eight.

Peterson also set a team record for rushing yards in the first quarter (72) and posted the fifth-best rushing total for a half (118) in team history.

Peterson's 263 rushing yards through two games is the second-best start in team history, behind Robert Smith's 269 in 1998.

After Sunday's afternoon games were completed, Peterson led the NFL in rushing yards by 1 over Atlanta's Michael Turner.

The Vikings were leading the Colts 15-7 in the fourth quarter when Longwell attempted his sixth field goal of the game. He had connected from 45, 27, 53, 46 and 28 yards and was set to try a 48-yarder that would put him within one of the Vikings team record for field goals in a game.

Only this time his kick went wide left, giving the Colts the ball at their own 39-yard line. Three plays later, Indianapolis scored a touchdown.

"It was a good snap, a good hold," Longwell said of the miss. "It started inside and hooked. From the way the ball was flying earlier, we didn't expect it to hook."

The Vikings record for field goals in a game is held by Rich Karlis, who made seven on Nov. 5, 1989, against the Los Angeles Rams.

Longwell tied his career best with five field goals and made the 15th 50-yarder in his career.

Manning was happy about the victory, but he realizes there won't be many more if the Colts don't locate their running game.

Indianapolis ran for only 25 yards on 19 carries (1.3-yard average). The Colts have rushed for 78 yards on 34 carries (2.3) through two games.

"Right now, we're pretty one-dimensional," Manning said. "I wouldn't think defenses would be biting too hard on our run fakes right now. Even if I hand it off, it's not going anywhere."

Although it worked out, Manning didn't approve of receiver Anthony Gonzalez's lateral to Reggie Wayne inside the Vikings' 20-yard line late in the third quarter.

The Colts were trailing 15-0, had punted on six consecutive possessions and were facing third-and-6 from their 24-yard line when Manning completed a deep ball to Gonzalez. Rather than go down with the ball, Gonzalez pitched it to Wayne, who took the ball down to the 1-yard line. The Colts scored three plays later.

"I am not sure what [Gonzalez] was doing," Manning said. "I don't think he really knew either as he probably regrets it, and I really don't want to see much of that again."

Said Gonzalez: "That was probably one of the dumber things I've ever done in my life. It worked. I don't know. I'm not really sure where I was going with that in my head."

• Vikings left tackle Artis Hicks played with a brace on his right elbow after being limited in practice last week because of an injury suffered in the season-opener at Green Bay. Hicks spent much of the afternoon going against Colts right end Dwight Freeney, whose biggest play came in the third quarter when he caused a turnover by stripping Jackson of the ball.

• Jackson continued to wear a brace on the right knee he injured in the second preseason game against Baltimore.

• The Vikings continued to use different players in the return game. Gordon and Aundrae Allison shared punt return duties, while Allison and Chester Taylor split kickoff returns.

• Taylor had only four carries for 18 yards rushing, but he gave the team good field position on kickoffs by averaging 31.0 yards on three kickoffs. He also had one catch for minus-2 yards.

• Fullback Thomas Tapeh, who had one reception for 7 yards at Green Bay, did not touch the ball Sunday. Backup fullback Naufahu Tahi had two catches for minus-2 yards.

• The Colts entered Sunday having lost in five consecutive visits to Minnesota but they hadn't played a regular-season game at the Metrodome since 1997, the year before Manning entered the NFL.

• Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson had another strong performance, with a 10-yard sack of Manning, two other tackles for loss and five unassisted tackles.

• The Vikings inactives were injured safety Madieu Williams, cornerback Marcus McCauley, injured kick returner Maurice Hicks, offensive tackle Drew Radovich, linebacker Erin Henderson, fullback Jeff Dugan and defensive tackle Letroy Guion. John David Booty was the No. 3 quarterback.

CHIP SCOGGINS, JUDD ZULGAD AND MARK CRAIG