Posted on 01/09/2005 3:22:04 PM PST by MetalHeadConservative35
Well its official its colts,pats next week...after a disapointing loss in NE last year the colts have to once again go to foxboro hoping to put a end to there losing streak...
so colts fans UNITE its our time!
picking them is understatement you know just as well as i peyton manning is gonna exploit every quarter inch of that field
Did I mention that being a Browns fan is hard?
What are you trying to say - we would have beat you if we didn't lose...?
Ok, I had my fun, this is a Colts thread so I shouldn't have invaded it.
It will be a tough game because Law is out, but word to the wise - never underestimate Bill Belichick.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6805826/
Here is a link to MSNBC sports section which predicts Patriots over Colts 31-28. UUHHHHGGG!
Hey, I'm A Colts Fan. I'm just saying that anyone who thinks New England is going to walk over the Colts is in trouble.
this is also a thread i put up..you dont have to leave,
gotta admit though the new england,colt fans collide and its always a load of fun
i would put up a lions thread but uh...thats kinda pointless..oh well maybe next year lol
Of Manning's record 49 touchdown passes, 32 were indoors -- 26 at home and six more at Detroit's Ford Field.
And in the five losses to New England dating to 2001, Manning has thrown just nine TD passes along with nine interceptions. Once again, he will be facing Tom Brady, who doesn't have Manning's numbers but has the title -- two, actually -- that Manning lacks.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2005/01/09/manning_may_struggle_in_frigid_foxboro/
Just something to ponder... after this I will just hang out to lurk, I promise.
As a Tampa guy, I have to go with my man Dungy. He still lives here, and he's a great coach.
Ah yes, Bills' infamous "Metcalf up the middle" tenure.
On a high note what do you think of our new "Savage" GM?
I dont know yet....
I am a bit tentative still....they are at least 3 draft years away....
A 5-2 is asking for trouble. What's the answer to a quick slant on the weak side, or worse yet, a 2-tight end formation, with Dillon still the I-back?
The Colts had a good game yesterday against a middle of the pack team that featured (!) a rookie corner on a team without a pass rush. I'm 150 years old, and under those circumstances I could have had a good game.
Unless and until Dungy, Manning and the Colts can get over the huge mental block of dealing with Belechik-inspired defenses, I gotta like the Pats. And defense? Well, we'll see if the 29th NFL ranking means anything.
On the other game, I like Pittsburgh by at least 14, in a game where they'll never give up the lead. The Jets shouldn't even be there! (I feel bad for the rookie San Diego kicker. I'm sure he aged considerably there!)
CA....
send five front in to cover the run and put pressure make the LB's pick up zone defense to protect the slant from comin on either side
next week is gonna be a hell of a game
I've always been a Steelers fan, and it was very hard last year, but then this year comes along and I get the last laugh. Colts over Pats 34-27.
Yet look at the number of takeaways the Colts have. The Pats might do well on ofense, but they don't have a chance against Manning. Their secondary will be hopeless against the Colts. What do you do with Harrison, Wayne, Pollard, and Stokely lined up, and James in the backfield?
Great! But what if the formation features 3 wideouts on the weakside?
I'm not saying it can't be covered, but it is risky, especially given the Colts' defensive "abilities" this past season.
And lest you think the performance against the Broncos was indicative of some new-found defensive prowress, know that this team they are facing is NOT the Broncos.
Note, too, that the Colts and the Broncs played the final game of the season where Denver had to win to advance. This forced them to play cards they ordinarily would not have preferred to play, especially defensively.
When the Colts saw their JV being able to score relatively at will, they must have know the following (playoff) game would be a rout from the get-go. They knew Denver would be facing a deficit, possibly a sizeable one, from, say, the middle of the first quarter on.
Given that they also doubtless knew they could keep the Denver defense on the field (and hence, the offense off the field) for big chunks at a time.
When that situation arises, your game plan goes out the window almost immediately.
Denver is a team with a lot of weaknesses. Their special teams don't merely suck, they are virtually non-existent. With Trevor Pryce out, they have no pass rush. When you have no pass rush, there's no way, realy, to exploit the athleticism of players like Champ Bailey.
Now, New England has had a lot of injuries to it's defensive backfield since early in the season. Yet they still won with stunning regularity.
Because it is rather unlikely the Colts will do offensively to the Patriots what they did to the Broncos, it follows the Indy defense, that of "ranked 29th" fame, will be on the field a lot more, against a team that is simply better and more talented than the one they just faced.
This 5-2 concept designed to stop Dillon evokes memories of attempts to stop Jamal Lewis by stacking 8 men at the line. Sometimes it'll work, but if he gets into the backfield, it's "see ya later!".
I mean, Dillon the the New England line must have done something right this year. The guy had over 1600 yards.
And if, somehow, the Colts do begin to cover as you describe in your analysis of a possible 5-2, then I, and a whole lot of other people, would have to wonder just where this new-found defensive ability came from.
It's as Bill Parcells says: "You are what you are", and after a 16-game season, the Colts are ranked 29th for very good reasons.
CA....
The same thing they've done the last 6 times Manning and his playmates have lined up against this team!
CA....
Oh, BTW, you might want to look at the number of takeaways that Patriots team had this season. too!
CA....
The only reason that Hank Poteat ever made the pros was political. His Dad was a master at it.
If a team has to resort to a guy like this, they are in trouble. Pats will go down.
Glad to see someone's putting some sense in this thread!
To add to you excellent points, it should be pointed out that while Ty Law is a loss, he has been out since October 31. This is a team that has been playing without him for weeks, not one that is scrambling to replace him.
I pointed out on another thread that Peyton has his demons in Foxboro as well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.