All season, he waited. On Sunday, the wait ended and Colts rookie wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez couldn’t have been happier.

Gonzalez had been effective during several games this season, but he didn’t have a touchdown. Last week, he jokingly wondered if perhaps there was a conspiracy.

Put the theories away. Gonzalez scored a touchdown on Sunday.

And then he scored another.

Gonzalez, the Colts’ first-round selection in this past April’s NFL Draft, started a third consecutive game at wide receiver in place of Marvin Harrison on Sunday, catching six passes for a game-high 134 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts’ 44-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.

“It was a giant relief,” said Gonzalez, the 32nd player selected in the draft. “It felt like I’d been so close so many times. To finally have it happen was pretty nice.”

Gonzalez, who entered the game with 22 receptions for 334 yards, had his second career 100-yard game. A week ago against Jacksonville, he caught an apparent touchdown only to have it taken away when officials called him for offensive pass interference.

“The phantom push off,” Colts tight end Dallas Clark called it.

But with the Colts leading, 30-7, Gonzalez broke through with the play for which he has waited his entire rookie season.

On 2nd-and-10 from Colts 43, Gonzalez got behind the Ravens defense and caught a long pass from Colts quarterback Peyton Manning around the Ravens 25. He then outran the defense to the end zone for his first career touchdown.

“Really, I would have taken anything,” Gonzalez said with a smile. “I would have taken a 1-yard shovel pass like (fullback) Luke (Lawton) got last week. Just getting it was the good part for me.”

Early in the second half, Gonzalez again got behind the Ravens defense, catching a 40-yard pass from Manning on 2nd-and-8 from the Ravens 40.

“It was good to see him get on the board and make a couple of big catches for us, go over 100 yards,” Dungy said. “He’s playing well, so it’s going to be good for us. I was very happy for him.”

Said Clark, “It’s awesome. He’s been so close, especially last week when he got the phantom push off. He kind of got robbed, but it was great to see him get in twice. They’re paying a lot of attention to (veteran wide receiver) Reggie (Wayne).

“When things like that happen, guys have to step up. He definitely did.”

AN EYE ON THE CORNERS: It didn’t take long for Manning to realize what the offense needed to do Sunday.

With Ravens cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle each out of Sunday’s game against the Colts, Manning said the approach was fairly obvious.

“Once we found out McAlister and Rolle weren’t playing, we felt like we had to take some shots,” Manning said. “They’re excellent cover corners and they’ve been hurt some this year, but they’re sort of constants over there.”

Manning threw four touchdown passes for a second consecutive week, with three going to wide receivers – two to Gonzalez and one to Pro Bowl wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

“We didn’t find out (that Rolle and McAlister were out) until we were stretching,” Manning said. “They had McAlister out and we didn’t see Rolle out there. He wasn’t on the list. The game plan’s in and they still play their style of defense – multiple looks and constant movement, but anytime a team has two starting corners out, it’s football. You have to go after the guys who are in there.”

A CONSISTENCY THING: Wayne has been in the NFL seven seasons.

The Colts wide receiver has been in the playoffs in six of those seasons, and when the Colts qualified for the postseason for a sixth consecutive season Sunday, he said “it’s a plus.”

“It’s taking on the characteristics of our leader, Coach Dungy,” he said. “He puts us in good position and the rest is up to us, to go out there and take care of business.”

SEVEN-YEAR ITCH: When Colts defensive back Michael Coe blocked a punt out of the end zone with 2:01 remaining in the first quarter, it did more than continue the team’s early momentum.

It also snapped a long streak for the Colts.

The last time the Colts had blocked a punt was against the Buffalo Bills in 2000.

The safety capped a 23-point first quarter for the Colts and enabled Indianapolis to lead Baltimore, 23-0, entering the second quarter.

BROCK, DIEM OUT: The Colts were without two of their top linemen Sunday.

Defensive lineman Raheem Brock, a starting tackle who has played at end this season, too, and offensive tackle Ryan Diem each were declared inactive shortly before kickoff.

Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison was ruled out of the game Saturday.

The Colts’ inactives for Baltimore were:

Wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe, cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, safety Brannon Condren, linebacker Brandon Archer, Diem, offensive tackle Corey Hilliard, Brock and Harrison.

Charlie Johnson started at right tackle in place of Diem and rookie wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez started in place of Harrison.

HOW THEY SCORED

COLTS 23 14 07 00 – 44

RAVENS 00 07 00 13 – 20

COLTS 07, RAVENS 00

Reggie Wayne 34 pass from Peyton Manning (Adam Vinatieri kick), 11:19 remaining first quarter. Drive: Nine plays, 65 yards, 3:41. Key play: Anthony Gonzalez 15 pass from Manning on 3rd-and-8 from 50.

COLTS 14, RAVENS 00

Joseph Addai 1 run (Vinatieri kick), 9:09 remaining first quarter. Drive: Two plays, 12 yards, :35. Key play: Marlin Jackson 21 fumble return gives Colts 1st-and-10 at Ravens 12.

COLTS 21, RAVENS 00

Addai 19 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 4:05 remaining first quarter. Drive: One play, 19 yards, :06. Key play: Gary Brackett 49 interception return gives Colts 1st-and-10

COLTS 23, RAVENS 00

Safety, Michael Coe blocks punt out of end zone, 2:04 remaining first quarter.

COLTS 30, RAVENS 00

Addai 11 run (Vinatieri kick), 11:57 remaining second quarter. Drive: Eight plays, 65 yards, 5:00. Key play: Addai 17 pass from Manning on 1st-and-15 from Colts 42.

COLTS 30, RAVENS 7

Yamon Figurs 94 kickoff return (Matt Stover kick), 11:44 remaining second quarter.

COLTS 37, RAVENS 7

Anthony Gonzalez 57 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 6:20 remaining second quarter. Drive: Five plays, 68 yards, 2:16. Key play: Addai 13 pass from Manning on 3rd-and-12 from Colts 30.

COLTS 44, RAVENS 7

Gonzalez 40 pass from Manning (Vinatieri kick), 12:37 remaining third quarter. Drive: Two plays, 42 yards, :52. Key play: Keyunta Dawson fumble recovery gives Colts 1st-and-10 at Ravens 42.

COLTS 44, RAVENS 13

Devard Darling 4 pass from Kyle Boller (pass failed), 14:10 remaining fourth quarter. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 7:20. Key play: Willis McGahee 5 run on 3rd-and-2 from Colts 33.

COLTS 44, RAVENS 20

Troy Smith 6 run (Stover kick), :59 remaining fourth quarter. Drive: Seven plays, 41 yards, 1:22. Key play: Mark Clayton 17 pass from Troy Smith on 3rd-and-8 froSm Colts 39.