Posted on 01/12/2005 11:52:50 AM PST by bikepacker67
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Peyton Manning, who rarely speaks ill of anyone, referred to his teammate, kicker Mike Vanderjagt, as "an idiot kicker" before the 2003 Pro Bowl.
Vanderjagt, who handed the Patriots a 27-24 opening night victory when he missed a 48-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime, has been cementing his reputation for running off at the mouth. After the Colts beat the Broncos last Sunday in Indianapolis to set up Sunday's playoff against the Patriots, Vanderjagt said that the Patriots, who beat the Colts in last season's AFC Championship Game, aren't as good as they once were and "I think they're ripe for the picking."
Most Patriots declined to comment on Vanderjagt's statement.
"You're asking me to comment on what a kicker said?" linebacker Tedy Bruschi said.
But safety Rodney Harrison, never scared to make his feelings known on or off the field, couldn't resist a swipe.
"He has to be a jerk, Vanderjerk," Harrison said.
Bill Belichick declined to comment on what Vanderjagt said, but the Patriots coach did admit that he sometimes has used what opposing players say to motivate his team.
"I'm sure he'll be out there a few times in the game to do his one special thing," Belichick said. "I don't think this game is going to be decided by some comments ... in the paper."
(Excerpt) Read more at ctnow.com ...
Go away, Colts. LA will take you. We don't want to waste 500 million dollars on the stadium you are blackmailing us for.
The dog barks and the caravan moves on.
I don't think it's fair to say Peyton is a "choker" after the way he has played other teams in the playoffs the past 2 years. The Patriots just have his number, but that doesn't make him a choker.
The Colts are Payton - the Pats are a team. Watch what a team can do on Sunday. I guess it will take 3 Superbowls to know why its Brady not Manning.
Yeah, I've never seen a defending Super Bowl champion given such little respect, especially one that went 14-2 and has won 2 of the last 3 SBs.
OH YEAH!!! FUC*IN' AY!!!!!!!
The Colts took advantage of the situation against Denver two weeks ago. They had the opportunity to choose who they would face in week one of the playoffs, and they picked Denver, for a very simple reason. In order to get into the playoffs, Denver had to show the best they had against the Colts' 'B' team. Meanwhile, all the Colts had to do was watch. They had video of everything Denver was capable of doing against them. The result was an embarrassing loss for Denver.
However, New England could see what the Colts were doing, too. As a result, Belichick has had nearly three weeks to devise a method for defeating the Colts. I don't give any team that gives him three weeks to prepare much hope.
Pats by 28 - 21.
Well, there's always pressure in a playoff game. Manning and the Colts have had it drilled into their heads that they can't beat the Pats. They know if they lose again, those statements will just get louder and louder. You don't think that creates pressure?
But right now, most people are favoring the Colts
And THAT is why there is more pressure on Indy, than the Pats.
Payback for the bogus penalty in the playoffs against the Raiders back in 1976?
Gimmee a break. The league championship game a few years back against the raiders was lost until the refs gave the Pats the gift of reversing a fumble by Brady with about 2 minutes left in the game.
Rodney Harrison should keep his mouth shut as well. Marvin Harrison (as well as the other Colts receivers) is going to make him look foolish Sunday.
Well, the way that game was officiated last year was a joke. They let the Patriot DBs kill Manning's receivers. It was ridiculous. The Refs would have been justified if they had called defensive interference on every down.
Well, the Pats did get away with murder last year. if the officiating crew wasn't in the tank/intimidated by the crazy fans at Foxboro, the Colts would've won that game. The refs called a crappy game. Ty Law and the gang were mugging Peyton's receivers.
Dome teams have really good records at home and really bad records away in playoff games. Advantage, Pats.
Boo hoo...
“"You're asking me to comment on what a kicker said?" linebacker Tedy Bruschi said”
Mike Vanderjagt is currently the 6th leading score in the post season, so I wouldn’t describe him as just “a kicker”.
Not only that, but the top 5 highest scoring players in the regular season are kickers. Tedy “the brain” Bruschi should think about who is winning the close games in the NLF.
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