defence overshadowed its higher-profile offensive

INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis has a message for the NFL: Its defence is pretty darned good.And it can win games, too. Including the 500th in franchise history.On a day Andrew Luck threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns Sunday and Indy ran for 171 yards, the Colts usually overlooked defence overshadowed its higher-profile offensive counterparts with a 27-0 shutout of Cincinnati.Weve always had confidence, but at the same time we want to humble ourselves and be on to the next game and try to do it again and again, and again, and again, safety Mike Adams said after getting his first shutout in 11 NFL seasons.This was no fluke.Over the previous four games, all wins, the Colts (5-2) had forced eight turnovers, got 16 sacks and limited opponents to 18.8 points. With a chance to crack into the top 10, Indianapolis numbers were every bit as good:—Andy Dalton was sacked three times Sunday compared with a league-low two in the previous five games.—The Bengals, ranked No. 5 in total offence, managed 135 total yards, 32 on the ground.—Kevin Huber punted a franchise-record tying 11 times, 10 of which followed three-and-outs.—And when the Colts needed a fourth-quarter red-zone stop to preserve the shutout, they got that, too.The Colts are 500-444-7 in their history; they moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.The Bengals (3-2-1) ran just eight plays in Colts territory, had only eight first downs and never had a chance after Dwayne Allens brilliant 32-yard catch-and-run made it 17-0.Indy did all that with Robert Mathis, the 2013 NFL sacks champ, relegated to waving a towel; starting defensive tackle Arthur Jones inactive; and starting linebacker Erik Walden ejected late in the first half for making contact with umpire Bruce Stritesky.Luck, who finished 27 of 42 and posted his sixth 300-yard game of the season, enjoyed every minute.Im just like a fan watching the game, I might as well just be a fan when our defence is out there, he said.Luck wasnt the only one applauding Indys breakout performance.With his six-game suspension over, Jim Irsay returned to the owners suite for the first time since the preseason. After three years of preaching about the need to have a balanced offence and stingy defence, Irsay and each defensive player received a game ball.It was Indys first shutout since beating Tennessee in the final game of the 2008 season.The reeling Bengals, winless since starting 3-0, were abysmal.Andy Dalton finished 18 of 36 for 126 yards. Giovanni Bernard carried seven times for 17 yards. Jermaine Gresham accounted for more than one-third of the Bengals total yards with 10 catches for 48 yards.In the first half, Cincinnati had only two first downs, the first courtesy of Waldens penalty with 48 seconds left in the second quarter. The worst part was enduring a shutout, the Bengals first since the final game of the 2009 season.Things were disappointing, coach Marvin Lewis said. Not having execution on third down offensively, to not make first downs and not make opportunities to keep the drives alive, and then have a couple plays on defence where we didnt play very well.But Luck and the Colts certainly did.T.Y. Hilton finished with seven catches for 107 yards, his second straight 100-yard game. Reggie Wayne caught four passes for 15 yards to give him 14,000 yards. Hes the ninth NFL player in that club. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw scored twice, including his first TD rushing of the season. In all, the Colts had 506 total yards.Luck didnt have to do much. He led Indy on two 68-yard drives in the first half, capping one with Adam Vinatieris 23-yard field goal and the other with Bradshaws 1-yard TD run to make it 10-0.In the second half, Luck closed the first 85-yard drive with a late throw to Allen, who barely caught the ball on his fingertips, then turned upfield and tight-roped the sideline for the score. Luck sealed it with a 10-yard pass to Bradshaw that the officials originally ruled down just outside the goal line before reversing the call to give Indy a 24-0 lead.The defence took care of the rest.NOTES: The teams were a combined 0 for 14 on third-down conversions in the first half, marking the first time thats happened in the same game since Cincinnati and Jacksonville did it Sept. 30, 2012, according to STATS. ... Bengals receiver A.J. Green was inactive for the second straight week. ... Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict (cervical sprain) and cornerback Leon Hall (strained lower back) both left the game early. ... Colts running back Trent Richardson was pulled early with a hamstring injury.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Greedy Williams Browns Jersey . -- Theres nothing like winning to bring hope for a struggling team. Myles Garrett Youth Jersey . 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Hernandez pitched four-hit ball over 7 1-3 innings, outdueling Gio Gonzalez and leading the Philadelphia Phillies past the Washington Nationals 1-0 Sunday. Chase Utley hit an RBI single in the first inning for the only run. Hernandez (2-1) struck out three and walked three. His start was moved up two days because Cole Hamels had the flu, and he retired 14 of 15 batters in the middle innings. "Not a big deal, whatever I had to do," Hernandez said. "I kept the ball down and tried not to overthrow. Im happy. It was a great game for my team and for me, too." Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg likes what Hernandez has added to the Phillies rotation as the fifth starter. "We like his stuff," Sandberg said. "Hes a ground ball pitcher. He has a durable arm. He likes the ball. Hes reliable and he can throw a lot of pitches in the game. "I like the way hes throwing. He solidifies our rotation and is a good complement. Hes funky out there, hes different and I like what hes doing right now." Mike Adams and Antonio Bastardo each got an out in the eighth. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances. Gonzalez (3-2) allowed four hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two. "It was just a good pitchers duel," Gonzalez said. "I just tried to keep us in the game as long as possible." Philadelphia scored when Jimmy Rollins hit a one-out triple and Utley followed with a single. "That set the tone for our game," Sandberg said. Ben Revere tripled with one out in the Philadelphia third, and Gonzalez didnt give up another hit until Jayson Nixs leadoff single in the eighth. "Gio pitched well and their guy did too," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "It was a good, old-fashioned pitching duel." GGonzalez got some help from his defence during that stretch, as Nate McLouth robbed Rollins of a hit with a diving catch in left field to open the sixth.dddddddddddd The slumping McLouth didnt have success with the bat, though, going 0 for 3. He has just four hits in his last 44 at-bats, and has been filling in for the injured Bryce Harper. Denard Span opened the eighth with a single off Hernandez and the Philadelphia starter departed after Kevin Frandsens sacrifice bunt. Adams, who gave up the lead and took the loss in Friday nights series-opening loss to the Nationals, got Jayson Werth to ground out. Bastardo then relieved and walked Adam LaRoche before striking out Anthony Rendon. "Weve had some really key hits over the course of the season," Williams said. "It just wasnt our day." Said Gonzalez, "Were still good and the guys are working hard. Im not worried about this team." The Phillies unsuccessfully challenged a safe call by first-base umpire Fieldin Culbreth in the second. Culbreth ruled that Ian Desmond beat Rollins throw from shortstop to first baseman Ryan Howard. The delay lasted 2 minutes, 42 seconds. NOTES: A former Phillies minor leaguer, Gonzalez dropped to 4-2 in seven career starts against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. Gonzalez has a 2.00 ERA in the hitter-friendly ballpark. ... Howard went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against Gonzalez, dropping him to 0 for 11 with six strikeouts lifetime against the Washington lefty. ... The Phillies host the Blue Jays for a short, two-game series beginning on Monday night when Toronto LHP J.A. Happ (0-0, 4.15) is scheduled to face Philadelphia RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-2, 3.52). Hamels is set to start Tuesday. ... The Nationals begin a three-game home series against the Dodgers on Monday night when RHP Jordan Zimmerman (2-1, 3.27) is scheduled to face Los Angeles RHP Zach Greinke (5-0, 2.04). ' ' '