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 ...
opps...NLF=NFL
So I suppose it'll be okay if the Colts safety's closeline Tom Brady. Ok, we'll play by those rules. The Pats got lots of help from the officiating crew because Boston is a bigger market than Indy.
Johnny U. died on September 11, 2002. I am a huge fan of Peyton, but Unitas is still and will always be the greatest Colt of all.
Did I say that the Colts don't have a lot of pressure?
I was responding to a post that said all the pressure is on the Colts. I was just saying that, essentially being underdogs, despite the spread, the Pats have a lot going against them and a fair amount of pressure of their own, and more than a team usually has against an opponent they've usually beaten.
Yes, Peyton "faught the Law, and the Law won" last year, but saying that the Colts would've won if the refs would have called more penalties on the NE DB's is pure speculation. The Patriots have owned the Colts, and I don't think you can simply chalk it up to "crappy officiating". Even when Peyton has had good days against NE, the Pats have found a way to win, like in this year's opener. Were the Pats mugging the Colts then? Give Belichik a little credit. His defensive genius is a little more than "mugging WRs". Call me crazy, but I think he'll have a gameplan for his defense in this game that will be within the rules.
"...Manning is the poster-child for big game chokers, and Foxboro is his recurring Waterloo...."
I don't believe that. However, if there is any validity to that, there was one game when he was at Tennessee that might have indicated that trend. It was one that he stated in a Sports Illustrated article he wishes he had back. It was the one against the University of Memphis. That made him the only starting qb in Tennessee history to have lost to the Tigers. the tigers got to him early and rattled him for the rest of the game. Had UT won that and one or two other games, Peyton probably would have won the Heisman that year. By his statement, one could imply that it was that one game that cost him the award.
Early on with the Colts, he did choke. He could be rattled and showed it with nervous feet. That was then. This is now. He's been a lot more comfortable with the cast he's got around him. He's having a career year and looks sharp. I believe that the Colts/Patriots game will be one of the best of the 2004 season.
Whoever makes it to Jacksonville out of the AFC, if Philadelphia is across the line, I'll be an AFC fan for those 3 or 4 hours. Anybody but Phily.
Well, gee, after 2 or 3 calls the Pats would have gone to a different strategy, don't ya think?
You really have a way with words.
I am a Colts fan, but I agree with you on Bob Irsay. Interestingly, I hear the same things about Art Modell from Cleveland fans.
"Tedy “the brain” Bruschi should think about who is winning the close games in the NLF."
I can't say if Bruschi is a brain or not. I can say that he has shown a lot of class concerning our military (Tillman pen pal) and certain other things (negotiated his own contract). He plays well, and he has got to have the single most cool last name in all of the NFL!
The Patriots have been winning close games for three years now. This is one of the reasons that they are regularly underestimated. They play to win and not to dominate.
Well, if Vandy's not "a kicker", what is he? Oh, yeah, he's the cocky guy who MISSED a FGA to tie the game the last time the Colts played at NE. And this guy is chirping? What an idiot.
Ah, I love a great conspiracy theory. Ok, and the reason the NFL is bending over backward for the small market Colts this year, is...why again?
Here we go insurance adjusters, here we go....
Again, you are pointing to reasons why there is more pressure on the Colts not the other way around. As you say, there is a lot going against the Pats, with their injuries and how well the Colts have played. If NE was heavily favored, then there would be lots of pressure. As you correctly point out, the Colts seem to be the "favored" team here, even though the spread shows the Pats as a slight favorite (only due to HFA). Don't be surprised to see the line move to EVEN or Colts by a point by kick-off. The more the media builds up the Colts chances the more pressure it puts on Indy, not the Pats. The absolute worst pressure spot in sports is to be favored or expected to beat an opponent that has dominated you. Look at the Seahawks against the Rams in their playoff game. The Rams had beaten Seattle the last 3 times and was an underdog. Who was the pressure on? Much more on Seattle.
Yes, as said before, of course there's "pressure" on NE, but if they were a team that couldn't handle pressure, then they wouldn't have won 2 of the last 3 SB's, one as a 14-point dog.
shhhhh...rams
That's one of the primary reasons why the Vikings have never made it to the Super Bowl since they moved into the Metrodome.
Of course there is more pressure on the Colts. Again, I agree, and I never said anything that insinuated that the Colts don't have a TON of pressure.
It's the notion that the Pats have no pressure (an opinion I've seen expressed quite a bit) that bothers me. On one hand, they have a recent history of beating the Colts, but on the other hand they have some crucial players who are injured. It's a strange situation.
But yes, the Colts are expected by most to win against a team that's owned them lately, and it's expected to come more easily than it will, if they win at all. That is a lot for a team to live with.
And Vanderjagt isn't helping things by talking down to the Pats.
And this is from the guy who missed a big field goal against the same team earlier in the year.
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