Indianapolis, IN (My Sportsbook) - Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes, with three going to Marvin Harrison, and the Indianapolis Colts downed the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-16, at the RCA Dome.

Manning finished 29-of-36 for 282 yards for the Colts (11-3), who ended a two- game slide and won for only the second time in five contests. Harrison had 86 yards on eight catches for Indianapolis, which came into the game as the AFC South champions courtesy of Jacksonville's loss on Sunday to Tennessee.

Dwight Freeney more than doubled his sack output for the season, recording three sacks and three forced fumbles, as the Colts defense rebounded from a poor effort against the Jaguars last weekend to hold the high-powered Bengals offense in check. Indianapolis, which allowed 44 points and 447 total yards a week ago, yielded only 278 yards to Cincinnati.

Rudi Johnson ran for 79 yards and a score to lead the anemic offense for the Bengals (8-6), who had a four-game win streak halted. Carson Palmer threw for only 176 yards on 14-of-28 passing, as the Bengals' loss handed the AFC North title to the Baltimore Ravens and hampered Cincinnati's playoff hopes. The Bengals are tied with the New York Jets, Jacksonville and Denver with 8-6 records.

"We came into this game feeling we had an opportunity to win, feeling like we had a chance to extend out season," said Palmer. "Looking back, we didn't play well enough and I didn't play well enough. Offensively we didn't do a good enough job."

With the game tied at 10-10 more than midway through the second quarter, the Colts embarked on their go-ahead touchdown drive. Manning marched his troops 61 yards on 13 plays, with the final play being a three-yard TD pass to Harrison with just 13 seconds remaining until the break. Indianapolis took 6:36 off the clock during the drive, converting both third downs.

"We weren't able to get [Manning] off rhythm," said Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis. "They were able to stay in rhythm and convert the third downs."

The Bengals cut the deficit to 17-13 early in the third quarter when Shayne Graham nailed a 30-yard field goal with 5:46 gone in the half. But like the entire game, the Colts had an answer.

Manning needed just over 2 1/2 minutes to cover 75 yards on the Colts next possession to go ahead 24-13. This time, Manning hit Harrison with a one-yard TD pass to end the six-play drive, which started with a 17-yard completion to Harrison and continued with a 41-yard run by Joseph Addai.

Addai sprained his right ankle on the play and did not return.

Then, after holding the Bengals to a three-and-out, Manning was at it again. He marched his team 57 yards on six plays, hitting Reggie Wayne with an 18- yard touchdown pass for a 31-13 lead with 2:18 left in the third quarter.

To that point, Manning had only three incompletions (26-of-29) and four touchdown passes.

In the fourth, Graham hit a 28-yard field goal to draw within 31-16, but Adam Vinatieri converted a 44-yarder with 5:33 left to cap the scoring.

Wayne ended with 84 yards on seven catches for the Colts, who have won five straight versus the Bengals.

The Colts opened the scoring just five minutes into the contest when Vinatieri connected on a 30-yard field goal. The drive was started when Freeney forced a Palmer fumble that was recovered by the Colts' Anthony McFarland at the Bengals' 46.

Cincinnati responded to tie the game on its next possession as Graham hit a 27-yard field goal to end a 13-play, 66-yard drive.

The scoring continued on the Colts' next drive when Manning hit Harrison for the first of their touchdowns. The four-yard TD pass ended an 11-play, 70-yard drive that bridged the first two quarters and came with just 4:35 gone in the second stanza.

The Bengals, though, had another answer, capitalizing on a Colts turnover. After the Colts' defense held the Bengals to what should have been a three- and- out, Terrence Wilkins muffed the punt return and the Bengals recovered. Five plays later, Johnson ran in from 12 yards out to cap the 25-yard drive and tie the game at 10-10 with 6:49 left.

"Our defense held them out of the end zone, except for the one turnover," said Colts head coach Tony Dungy. "All in all, it's a good win to get at home."

Game Notes

Freeney has 5 1/2 sacks on the season...Chad Johnson was held to three catches for 37 yards...Rudi Johnson had 17 yards on two catches...Kenny Watson led the Bengals with three catches for 56 yards...Addai had 50 yards on eight carries...Dominic Rhodes had 52 yards on 19 rushes for Indianapolis...The Bengals finish their season with games at Denver next Sunday and at home against Pittsburgh. The Colts play at Houston and host Miami.