Colts Fan Blog

The Jim Caldwell Era Had Officially Begun

2009-09-13T17:47:00.000-04:00

I'm not a fan of change.
I don't do well with change.
When Tony Dungy decided to leave, I was pretty awe-shocked and didn't know how I felt. I knew it was coming, but each off-season I hoped and prayed that he would come back for one more. I have always trusted Jim Caldwell, because Tony Dungy trusted Jim Caldwell. Their years together in Tampa Bay, and then Tony bringing him along with him to Indy has always made me feel like Caldwell was the real deal. If Coach Dungy vouches for him, and Jim Irsay is willing to put his faith in him, then I should too. I should get over my issues, and my emotional distress about Tony Dungy not wearing the Colts polo and hat on the sidelines.

I took the pre-season for what it was. An appetizer of what the Colts season might be. And it felt pretty much like most pre-seasons. There was good, and there was bad. And lots of the good didn't play much and lots of the bad was cut last Saturday. So today, September 13th was the true test. Today was the defining moment in this transition into a new era of Colts history. The post-Dungy, Jim Caldwell Era.

And I liked it from the first time I saw Caldwell on camera, sporting some really nice sunglasses. It really gave me a Samuel L. Jackson in "Shaft" type of vibe from the coach, and I liked that. A little grin came across my face, as I thought about Coach Caldwell hiding his eyes from the camera, and living behind the mirror-reflective lenses of those glasses. The mystery behind the man was what made me grin, he's not the open book of emotions that we could always read on tony Dungy's face. He was like a masked leader, whose mystery lends to his leadership. I was sad to see that Coach decided to remove the glasses in the second half.

Let me start with the good from today.
First, the O-line impressed me. After the pre-season games that included a number of sacks on Peyton, I had worries. But, I think the O-line looked as solid as they have in most years, and even better in some instances. They opened up some nice holes, which it seemed like only Donald Brown knew how to run through - but I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll address that shortly.

Second, the new aggressive defense was fun and interesting. I'd had some conversations with my buddy John Petty during the pre-season games, and told him that I really wasn't impressed with anything on our defense. He made comments that he felt like we were going to see something new and different, and I told him I hoped he was right. Turns out that he was. Blitzing linebackers was a NICE thing to see. We've still got to improve on finishing our tackles. Jones-Drew should have been taken down in the backfield, and instead he spun off and ran for 8 yards. Garrard should have been sacked by TWO of our defenders (the first being Freeney), but he just shock them both off - luckily, that play went for an incomplete pass. Finally, we had two chances to bring down Garrard in the end zone, and should have had a nice safety, and instead, we let him run out 8 yards and almost seal a new first down.

Third, Donald Brown is PIMP. Donald Brown in the new Joseph Addai. And Addai is very quickly becoming the new Dominic Rhodes. If Addai doesn't watch out, Donald Brown is going to be running in TDs against New England this year, on our way through the playoffs and back to Miami. I talked to Troy about this last season, and I'm going to bring it up against this year: Colts runningbacks, who let their hair grow out each season, get worse. It's like a reverse Sampson (biblical) curse. As the Edge let his dreads grow out, he got less productive, same goes for Rhodes. Addai's best season with us was his rookie year, and his productivity has seemed to go down (in my opinion) each and every season. Donald Brown has a nice, short haircut, and seems to be running pretty darn good. At the end of the day, it's not super noticeable on the state sheet. Addai went 17 times for 42 yards - an average of 2.3 - but he did fumble the ball. Which reminds me a lot of his rookie year, when I was yelling at Rhodes for his fumbles. Brown went 11 times for 33 yards, which is still a somewhat pathetic average of 3.0 yards, but Brown just looks more confident when he's running. I'm really worried that last year, putting all of the pressure on Addai to be a singleback, really ruined him for us. Both psychologically and physically. And I believe that led directly to his injury last season, and I'm getting the vibe he's not back to 100%. Addai was shown limping a couple of times today, and I was not happy with his dropping wide-open tosses to him, and fumbling on a routine run.

I'm very much looking forward to what Donald Brown can continue to do this season, and I hope the relief in playing time, and mental pressure of carrying the running game can return Addai to a much more productive and essential player on our squad.

Pat McAfee was AWESOME. Perfect punts. Long hang times, good bounces. Very, very happy with that kid. Again, I was upset to see Hunter go. I liked him, and liked his presence on our squad. But, today, both of McAfee's punts looked amazing, they 43 and 45 yards a piece, and one had a 4.7 second hang time! Also, getting that ball to bounce on the 2/3 yard line to pin the Jags deep was gorgeous! I'm sold on McAfee for this season.

The bad.

Gonzo. Oh baby. Oh please no. As I was driving home and listening to 1070AM The Fan's post-game coverage, I heard an interview with Jim Irsay who said that Anthony was in the middle of an MRI at that time. Oh, that looked bad. No contact, and his knee looked like it just buckled under him. If he tore something there, which is likely, it's going to be a long, long time before we see him again - if ever this season. And that's not good. Not good at all, especially to happen to such a talented and hard-working Buckeye. Obviously, it's not as bad as the Patriots had it last season, but losing our Number #2 WR is pretty detrimental in my personal opinion. I am a little relived in having Garçon and Collie on our roster, and both of them contributed pretty well today. Garçon had 3 for 24, and Collie was 2 for 15. Both decent numbers, considering Wayne and Clark got the majority of the looks.

The turn overs were not good. Granted, it was the first two drives of the season, but they should not have happened. I've already address Addai's fumble, and the fact that it was directly related to the length of his hair. But, the Manning INT was the play that never should have happened. The Colts were basically at the 5 yard line. First down was a WAY overthrown ball to Dallas Clark. The second was a horrible throw to Reggie. Notice the problem? First AND Second Down passing plays in the red zone! COME ON! We've got Addai, who is supposed to be a fairly premiere running back, and his back-up Brown probably could have gotten those 5 needed yards. Run o nfirst down. Get it closer. Run on second down. Get it closer. Then, if you still haven't made it in, run a quick slant route with Dallas, and let him catch it over the middle. That was very poor play selection on Peyton's part. I think he was just a little over-zealous, and mybe trying to get an early passing touchdown to make sure he can try to keep up with Tom Brady this season? It was dumb. It shouldn't have happened. Worst case, it should have been three running plays - all stopped, and then a FG to put some points on the board.

Some of you might find this a bit awkward for me to say, seeing how I have Peyton as my starting QB in my Fantasy Football league, and obviously, I would want the points from Peyton throwing the TD, instead of nothing for him handing off the ball. I respond with this: I care more about the Colts winning and playing correctly, than I do with winning Fantasy Football.

It was a stressful game to watch. Despite all of the good things I saw, we just didn't finish everything as smoothly as I feel like we should have. But, it is a win, and a win is important. It was a divisional win, which makes it even more important. And with the Titans losing to the Steelers, and the Texans losing to the Jets - it leaves the Colts alone at the top of the AFC South, and gives us a one game lead on everyone. Looking at the box score for the Miami/Atlanta game, it makes me feel really good about next Monday night. If Matt Ryan can throw for 280 yards against the Dolphins, I have faith Peyton can come close to 400. And if the Dolphins can only rush for 96 yards against the Falcon, I have hope that our defense can hold them to under 100 also. Granted, Miami did air it out for 260 yards themselves, but I have faith in our corners and safeties that they can get some serious INTs against Chad Pennington. It should be a good time next Monday night!

Most important: The Colts are 1-0.
Second, I saw some good things.
Third, I am holding my breath until I find out what the official word is on Anthony Gonzales.

I'm going to believe that The Colts only like winning Super Bowls that are in Miami.
Which means, no other teams needs to apply this year. Thanks.

GO COLTS.

Why I think Dungy's family moved back to Tampa

2008-01-13T00:17:00.001-05:00

It comes at an inopportune time, but speculation is running sky high that Tony Dungy will be leaving the Colts after this season. The speculation is fueled by his son Eric, transferring from Park Tudor in Indianapolis to Plant High School in Tampa.

Anyone who has read his autobiography "Quiet Strength" from cover to cover understand why Coach Dungy is a short timer and will sympathize with him. The fact that he is still coaching is a surprise, to be honest.

But does the move of his family to Tampa signal his impending departure? Not necessarily.

As a man who puts family first, as it should be, the family's move to Tampa is likely all about putting his kids first. And according to WISH-TV, Colts Owner Jim Irsay is willing to make it easier for Tony Dungy to coach and be close to his family. Apparently Irsay is offering a private jet to go see his son play football on Friday nights, plus off season sabbaticals to spend with the family. Irsay is trying hard to keep Dungy.

But you may be asking, why would Dungy move his son from Park Tudor, a well known private academic power house? It looks like it is because of athletics. Park Tudor Football, who plays in Class 1A, went 3-6 this season and lost in the first round of the sectionals to Clinton Prairie 28-6.

Eric is now attending Plant High School in Tampa, who were the 2006 Florida Class 4A Football Champions and got bounced from the semi-finals this season. It appears that they have a strong football program. The young Dungy was Park Tudor's top wide receiver and is moving to a school whose top two wide receivers are graduating this year. So Dungy goes to a football team with the prospect of success and pushing him into the view of college football scouts, and a school that is in need of wide receivers picked up a good one. I've never seen the sophomore Eric play; I don't know his stats. But on the outside, it looks like a natural fit.

Just so you know, it is not all about football. 97% of Plant's graduates go to college. And Plant has been named one of the top 100 high schools in America by Newsweek magazine for three straight years.

Plus, it is a public school.

So Eric Dungy would be getting the best of both worlds, academic and athletic.

Will Dungy move on after this season? Good possibility. But the move of his family to Tampa is neither a sign of change nor a reason for change. Based on his work schedule, he doesn't see his kids that much during the season. Moving them to Tampa won't change that. Irsay's offer will keep Coach Dungy in Tampa enough to see his family and, specifically, his son.

Obviously, these questions will be answered in due time. Until then, focus on today and just do what we do.

My top 5 favorite RCA Dome moments

2008-01-11T13:51:00.001-05:00

Unless the Jacksonville Kitty Cats pull off the Upset of the Century this Saturday night in Foxboro, this Sunday's playoff game against the San Diego Chargers will be the last Colts football game ever played in the RCA Dome.

I have been a season ticket holder for 14 seasons, so this game will likely be the end of an era for me.

To honor the RCA Dome, I'm going to take a trip down memory lane and recall my top 5 favorite games of all time.

5. September 4, 1994 – Colts 45, Houston Oilers 21
This was my first official game as a season ticket holder. The seats were in section 340, row 4 on the 23-yard line. The seats were transferred to me by a co-worker of my father’s at a local Columbus, Indiana assembly plant. I believe he acquired the seats in 1984 when the Colts moved to Indianapolis. I think the story was that the fellow was tired of losing football – who wasn’t – and he wanted to get rid of the seats. I used about half of his tickets the season before, so I jumped at the chance to acquire the seats in a transfer when he offered. So, for me, this was when my Colts obsession officially began.

This was also Marshall Faulk’s first game with the Colts, which in itself was the beginning of an era. To me it marked a time when the Colts started to take winning seriously, and that the organization would do whatever it took to win.

I remember that the Oilers, a playoff team the year before and two years removed from the Biggest Meltdown in NFL History, came into the game favored over the Colts. The Colts jumped out to a huge first half lead thanks to superb running from Marshall Faulk and a Tony Bennett interception return for a touchdown. It was shock and awe, Colts style. And coming at a time when the Colts were NFL doormats from 1989 to 1993, the outcome of the game was a huge surprise.

Needless to say I was sold for life on season tickets by halftime!

4. October 15, 1995 – Colts 15, San Francisco 49ers 14
There were a lot of defining games in the 1995 season, but this game was the first one were we really thought the Colts had a chance to make the playoffs.

The 49ers came into the RCA Dome as reigning Super Bowl champs, and still had Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders on the roster.

In what would become a game that defined the scrappy 1995 squad, the Colts battled the champs toe-to-toe for the entire game. Two plays that stand out in my mind are Ray Buchanan’s sack of Steve Young in the end zone off a corner blitz for a safety, and a Jason Belser pass deflection at the end of the first half that kept the 49ers from scoring a touchdown. After he made the play Belser took his helmet off and threw it to midfield; that’s the kind of enthusiasm that sparked the Colts to its first ever AFC Championship Game appearance as the Indianapolis Colts.

What I remember most about this game, though, is our post game celebration at the then brand new Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis. Good friends like Kinney (who, if he blogged about his life, would have the most interesting blog ever) and Jason were there as we celebrated the Colts’ first statement win against a top-tier opponent. I can’t even remember what we did in Circle Centre Mall, exactly. I just know we had a grand time.

3. November 16, 1997 – Colts 41, Green Bay Packers 38
The 1997 season was the most dreadful season I experienced as a season ticket holder

The Packers came into this game as defending Super Bowl champs and possessed a perfect 10-0 record. The Packers looked destined to repeat as champs.

The Colts were the polar opposite. Its record was 0-10, and to make matters worse, Our 1995 Savior Jim Harbaugh missed this game due to injury. In his place was none other than Paul Justin, the man who wore a mullet and kept a canister of chewing tobacco in his uniform pants.

Things looked bad. To make matters worse on my end, I had to give away my ticket to my friend AND convince him on why he should go. It was pathetic!

I was also responsible for Packers fans in my section. At the time the Colts allowed season ticket holders to purchase extra tickets before the season started. My cubicle mate at the time was from Waukesha, Wisconsin, and a huge Packers fan, so I thought I would give him the change to order tickets thinking he would only take two. He told me he would think about it.

He came back the next day and said he wanted 36 (!!!), and had the check in-hand. Apparently he had a lot of family in Wisconsin who never had seen the Packers, and this was their only chance to see them. What was I to do?

The game was amazing. The Colts went toe-to-toe with Brett Favre and the champs. It was back and forth, with lots of scoring and tons of yards … it was pretty freaking exciting!

The moment of the game came at the end. The score was 38-38, and the Colts drove the ball down inside the Packers 10 yard line with around 1:30 left on the clock. Colts head coach Lindy Infante made his best decision ever at this point, and ordered three straight kneel downs to run out the clock. Colts kicker Cary Blanchard kicked what amounted to an extra point through the uprights to seal the 41-38 upset over the champs.

This was why I am surprised the Patriots did not lose this season. Occasionally a team can get caught in a shootout with a really crappy team, and the breaks don’t always go the way it wants. That’s what happened to the Packers. In the back-and-forth game, the Colts had the ball last, and the last possession won. Crap happens sometimes.

For what it’s worth, all 36 Packer fans that I acquired tickets for personally thanked me and shook my hand. To them, seeing Brett Favre and the Pack was enough. Classy bunch.

The Colts went on to finish 3-13 that season while the Packers went on to the Super Bowl and lost to John Elway and the Broncos.

I went to Madison, Wisconsin a few years later to see the band Phish at the Kohl Center. Before the concert I went to a bar for a bite to eat, and had a chance to talk shop with a couple Packer fans. I asked them to recall that day in 1997 when the Colts ended their undefeated season, and they both swore that the loss was the beginning of the end of that season and that the Packers were never the same. It was a defining moment for them. Too bad it wasn’t for the Colts.

2. January 4, 2004 – Colts 41, Denver Broncos 10
The Colts went almost 4 years between home playoff appearances. This game was the first since the 1999 loss to Tennessee.

At the time I was starting to wonder if the Colts would ever make anything happen in the playoffs. 1999 ended badly, and the 2000 playoff appearance in Miami was even worse (damn you Vanderjagt). In 2001 the Colts didn’t make the playoffs (which prompted Jim Mora to ask “PLAYOFFS?!?!?”). In 2002 the Colts were embarrassed 41-0 by the Jets.

Would Peyton Manning ever win a big game? The answer proved to be yes, and this was his first “Big Game Win” in the NFL. The Colts came out firing and had the Broncos beat before halftime. The signature play off this game was the famous (at least locally) play where Marvin Harrison caught a pass coming across the field, got down to avoid contact and then got back up to run into the end zone when he realized that Denver LB Al Wilson and friends went to sleep on the play.

The Colts went on to beat the top-seeded Chiefs at Arrowhead in a 38-34 shootout, but then lost to the Patriots in snowy Foxboro by the score of 24-14 in what was the first game of what is now the best rivalry in the NFL.

1. January 21, 2007 – Colts 38, New England Patriots 34
This was my favorite of all time. I won’t get into specifics now because I captured my experience at the game here.

I will say that I have watched this game at least 5 times since January 21, and it is still every bit as moving as when it happened. I get chills just thinking about it!

My most cherished RCA Dome moment

I should also note that this was our most epic tailgate ever. Breakfast and lunch were served, much alcohol was consumed and people we did not even know stopped by to celebrate. It was also our longest -- I think it clocked in at around 8 hours.

Honorable Mention

September 6, 2007 – Colts 41, New Orleans Saints 10
The Colts raised the first and only Super Bowl championship banner the RCA Dome would ever see.

January 9, 2005 – Colts 49, Denver Broncos 24
All blowout playoff wins deserve some sort of mention.

January 16, 2000 – Tennessee Titans 19, Colts 16
This was the first playoff game ever in Indianapolis. It was a special moment for all of us, but it fails to make my top five because the Colts did not win. Methinks that an injury to Cornelius Bennett in week 17 sealed the Colts fate; Eddie George owned the Colts defense on that day.

This game also stands out because I was not able to use my tickets. The Colts ticket office payment processing system rejected all Discover Card transactions, and as a result, my playoff tickets were lost in the mix! I had to stand in line with all the non-season ticket holders to get my tickets.

When I got into the game, I offered the fellow who got my tickets a beer, cash and my seats in a trade. His answer: “I don’t drink”. Boo to him!

Also, this was my tailgate group’s first epic tailgate. We had about 20 people or so show up, and I seem to remember a certain someone (not me!) who got a little carried away with bratwurst and condiments. Somehow said food found its way onto vehicles with Tennessee license plates. He knows who he is!

October 22, 2000 – Colts 30, New England Patriots 23
This game was Peyton’s first win against a Bill Belichick-led Patriots team. He had to stage a 4^th quarter comeback to do it, but I can’t remember the deficit right off hand.

December 14, 1997 – Colts 41, Miami Dolphins 0
This was another win from the dreadful 3-13 season. The Dolphins mailed this one in and the Colts took full advantage. It was a laugher.

So, you might ask "what's missing"? Well, if you look again, you will noticed that the game in which Peyton broke Dan Marino's single-season touchdown record does not appear here. I have missed a grand total of 3 games in 14 years, all due to holiday travel to the in-laws in St. Paul, Minnesota. This game was one of the three.

If you have RCA Dome memories you would like to share, or if you were with me and you'd like to either add to or change what I have, please leave a comment. I think it is appropriate that we all get a little nostalgic over the RCA Dome. It brought NFL football into our lives and made us better for it. The least we can do is remember her for what she has done.

1983 - 2008: Farewell, old friend.

B-O-B Sanders!!! And the Playoffs.

2008-01-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

I'm a couple of days late, sorry. Too many video games, I suppose...

Bob Sanders - representing IOWA - has won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award!!!

Last year, Bob barely played. A pair of games in the regular season (including the defeat over New England) and then the Play Offs, where he proved how valuable he was to us - in another defeat over New England.

This year, he played every game. (Sadly, including the loss to New England...)

Last year, our defense ranked 31st overall in the NFL.
This year, we ranked THIRD during the regular season. Second in Passing, but 15th in Rushing.
96 Tackles.
3.5 Sacks.
2 Interceptions.

Then, there's the 5-Year, $37.5 MILLION dollar contract.
So, we've got one of the highest paid QBs in the league. (There's some speculation, based on the division of his $98 Million Dollar contract, last year Drew Brees earned more ($22m) for the single season than Peyton did...)
The highest paid DE in the league - who happened to get injured this season.
And now the highest paid Secondary Player in the NFL.

Looks like we might be viewed as the Yankees of the NFL...?

Four days to go, until the San Diego Chargers come into our Dome, and give us a run for the AFC Championship. Peyton WILL NOT throw 6 INTs. Vinatieri will NOT miss two FGs. And the NFL's Defensive Player of the YEAR is going to put Philip Rivers in his place.

Three days, until EVERY ONE in Indianapolis becomes a Jacksonville Jaguars fan!!!

How AWESOME would it be for the LAST NFL Game EVER played in the Hoosier Dome to be the AFC Championship Game? And, for it to be a divisional rival. And, for the Colts to STOMP them, and go on to win their second straight Super Bowl? I'd LOVE to see TWO World Championship Banners hung at Lucas Oil in September.

Saturday night: GO JACKSONVILLE!!! Phil and I are having some people over to the apartment to watch the game, if anyone wants to come.

Sunday afternoon: GO COLTS!!!

The NFL Playoffs. What fun...

NFL caves in, loses leverage

2007-12-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

Oh, to be a self-important and whinny Patriots fan. What do you do if you don't get your way? Easy: open your mouth and whine like a 5-year-old that just got his toy taken away. The guilt will be too much for anyone to take (actually, the thought of losing your eyes and subsequent spending power) and they will quickly cave in to meet your demands.

The NFL was so quick to respond to the squealing 5-year-old that it lost all of the leverage it had against cable companies in its mission to make the NFL Network free to all cable subscribers.

The Patriots / Giants game was the biggest chip in the NFL's hand: the two biggest self-important sports markets (New York and Boston) battling over the Patriots' perfect season and two major single-season records (Brady and passing TDs; Moss and receiving TDs).

Mr Godell, you blew it.

For what more could the NFL ask? The negotiating ploy is simple: sit and wait. If game day comes and none of the cable companies fold, fine. Let the customers vote with their feet (actually, their wallets). If the cable companies sue, fine. If the NFL's actions are not anti-competitive, its actions should hold up in court.

And it's not like the NFL won't have company. News Corp with its Big Ten Network will face a similar situation with the Big Ten basketball season. The NFL has strength in numbers.

The NFL thought that it needed to do what was in the best interest of its fans and allow everyone to witness this historic event. Well, what about the NFL Network has been in the best interest of fans thus far? Other teams having great years (Green Bay, Indianapolis, Dallas) and big market teams (Chicago, Washington) have played on the NFL Network in meaningful games and received no such preferential treatment despite the fact that four out of the five teams (sans Indianapolis) have a strong national following.

But now the NFL has acted in the best interest of its fans (which really means Boston and New York). Now we will all get to witness the greatness that is Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and Patriots v. Giants football (I can hardly wait to get started on my household chores). So what happens next?

The cable companies should hold their ground as they now have leverage against the NFL. Each company knows the NFL will give in when push comes to shove. It makes no sense for them to carry the NFL Network for free.

The NFL blew it. If it hopes to get the NFL Network to all cable subscribers free-of-charge, it will need to gain control its playoff broadcast rights from ESPN, NBC, FOX and CBS and show the games exclusively on the NFL Network. Otherwise NFL fans will not be motivated to acquire the NFL Network (alternatives do exist, like sports bars) and the cable companies won't be motivated to take action because both parties know the NFL will cave in to their demands.

Good luck to the NFL. It needs it.

As for the game ... so, what channel is Heidi on?

Disgusting

2007-12-27T09:13:00.001-05:00

Saturday Night's Patriots v. Giants game, which is an NFL Network game, will now also be simulcasted nationally on both NBC and CBS. Maybe I'll go see a movie that night.

Bob Sanders to remain with Colts?

2007-12-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

I came across an interesting tidbit in the "Polian Corner", a weekly Q&A with Colts GM Bill Polian, on Colts.com. Bob Sanders becomes a free agent at the end of this season. Polian responds thusly:

Q: How long does the contract of Bob Sanders run?

A: His contract expires at the end of this season, at the beginning of the new league year in February. He’ll be here next season. Don’t worry about that.

Chuck Norris' hero.

I can't imagine better news.

Week 13 in review: Kitties at Colts

2007-12-06T22:50:00.000-05:00

The Colts beat the Jacksonville Kitty Cats 28-25 in a hard fought game at the RCA Dome last Sunday.

A big, big win
I don't need to spell out for you how important this win was to the Colts' playoff goals. The win gives them a two-game lead over the Kitties, and because the Colts won the season series, the tiebreaker goes to the Colts. The Kitties, in order to win the division, have to gain three games on the Colts with only four games remaining. The Colts have a decided advantage here.

The win also gives the Colts another triumph over a hard-nosed opponent. Jacksonville, as usual, was out for blood; the tenor of the game resembled more of a post-season match up than a regular season one. The more of these games the Colts withstand, the more seasoned they'll be heading into the playoffs.

We also can't discount the damage to the Jacksonville psyche this game caused. For years now Jacksonville has tried to get past the Colts. If you ask them, I'm sure they would tell you they think they're just as good as the Colts and deserve to pass them.

The Colts are running away with the South

This game meant a lot to them. It was their chance to prove themselves to the world, and in all practical reality, themselves. And when Jacksonville finds themselves in this position, they implode. Jack Del Rio rushed onto the field and argued with referees for every single call he disagreed with. Wide receiver Reggie Williams was coaxed into a personal foul penalty in the fourth quarter by Tyjuan Hagler. After the game, Indy native Paul Spicer was so bent out of shape that he was certain Colts GM Bill Polian had paid off the officials.

The Colts beat them physically on the scoreboard, but the damage inflicted emotionally will cause the Kitties far greater harm. They already want the playoff rematch because they're convinced things will be different. Like they play well when they're angry or something. I beg to differ, and think that the Colts could and would win a third game against them.

The Colts occupy the 6 inches between their collective ears, and that's all that matters.

Colts still have room for improvement
For as well as the Colts played this weekend, the team still needs to shore itself up in a couple of areas.

The first area is pass rush. There's a reason David Garrard was able to lead the Kitties to within 3 points of the Colts with 3 minutes left to play, and it's the lack of a consistent pass rush. The Colts have tried two different approaches thus far. The first approach, Simeon Rice, failed miserably. The second, the switch of Robert Mathis to right end, has worked out better thus far, but has not brought consistency.

The Colts had one of the best pass defenses in the league this season for a reason -- they got after the quarterback with ruthless efficiency when Dwight Freeney was in the lineup. Freeney could apply pressure despite double- and triple-teams; the attention allowed Mathis to work one-on-one with the right tackle. Now that Mathis gets to experience the double- and triple- teams, the Colts desperately need to find a way to get pressure on right tackle and guard. If they can't, situations like we saw with Garrard at the end of the game will continue to happen.

We need more of this for the playoffs

The Colts need not solely rely on the pass rush to close out a game, however, and that leads me to my next point. The Colts need to execute offensively with a lead and less than 6 minutes left in the game. If the Colts had been able to keep the chains moving with 5 minutes left to go against the Kitties, Garrard would have never had the chance to bring the Kitties within 3 points and the Colts would've won 28-17. The Colts were fortunate that they had a two-score lead and that they were able to run out the clock at the end.

But think back to New England and San Diego. Let's face facts: if the Colts execute at the end of those games, the Colts are undefeated. Period. This will cost the Colts in the playoffs if they don't improve.

So, what can the Colts do? It's simple ... keep it simple: run the football and throw high completion percentage passes. They don't need to throw the ball down field, and they don't need to run draws and screens. It's not a time to get cute; it's a time to impose your will upon the other team.

A look ahead
The Colts travel to hostile Baltimore to play a team that gave all they had against New England. I must admit that I was a hard core Ravens fan for about three hours Monday night, and the way they lost to the Patriots was a kick in the gut.

I think we saw Baltimore's best effort. The way that game ended -- with the timeout, questionable contact penalty and a generous interpretation of "possession" -- brought out the true colors of the Ravens; they completely melted down physically and emotionally. Given that this team has experienced locker room problems all season long, the final 5 minutes of the Patriots game could have broken their spirit entirely.

I think the Ravens will give the Colts a game, but I can't see them coming close to matching the intensity they brought on Monday. I'd expect Willis McGahee to be a load to bring down, but I don't expect a whole lot from Kyle Boller and the Ravens' receivers. The Colts will do just enough to stop the run and get them one dimensional. The Colts must make Boller beat them, and not McGahee.

Colts 27, Ravens 13

The Colts' situation as of November 26

2007-11-27T15:58:00.001-05:00

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Colts have a 10-day break between games to enjoy. This break gives the Colts its best, and last, chance to regroup and recuperate before the playoffs arrive.

This also gives Colts fans a chance to step back and think about the challenges that lie ahead. Let's take a brief look at what the Colts face in December.

Injuries
Injuries have cost the Colts a great deal this year. With a healthy Marvin Harrison, I can't imagine the Colts stalling out in the 4th quarter against the Patriots. With either Dallas Clark, Marvin Harrison or Anthony Gonzalez in the lineup against San Diego, I also can't imagine the Colts struggling as badly as it did in the first half.

Think about the severity of the injury situation. Of 11 opening day starters on offense, only Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning, Jake Scott, Ryan Lilja and Jeff Saturday have played in all 11 games.

On defense, only Robert Mathis, Ed Johnson, Gary Brackett, Antoine Bethea, Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden have played in all 11 games.

Three opening day starters finished their season on the injured reserve list: Booger MacFarland (who never made it out of training camp), Rob Morris and Dwight Freeney.

Can you believe the Colts have a 9-2 record, and are a holding penalty and one 19-yard field goal away from an 11-0 record?

Can you believe that the Colts defense, once the laughing stock of the league, now ranks 2nd in the NFL in total defense ... despite the injuries?

I can't. And this should tell you something.

All things being what they are, the Colts are fortunate to have a 9-2 record and sole possession of second place in the conference. I think that says something about the type of football team we have here. Say what you will about the New England Patriots and their dominance, but the Colts have pulled off almost a more formidable task than the Patriots and have received far less credit. In fact, after the San Diego loss, most of the national media wrote the Colts off (kind of nice, isn't it?) ... and wrongly so.

Remember me?

The 10 day layoff will hopefully pay huge dividends and allow key players, like Tony Ugoh and Marvin Harrison, to return to the lineup. The return of these guys on offense should bring back continuity to the offense ... the same continuity we witnessed at the beginning of the season.

Concern at right defensive end
Not all players get to come back, however. The loss of Dwight Freeney leaves a huge hole on the defensive line.

Thus far Simeon Rice has not delivered results. Left tackles have handled him with relative ease, and the total lack of effort required to restrain Rice has meant that Robert Mathis has received Freeney-esk attention.

This will cause the downfall of the bid to repeat as champions if the Colts don't correct it soon. Quarterbacks who can routinely enjoy 5- to 7-step drops will eventually find an open receiver in a cover-2 zone defense ... especially if they're named Tom Brady.

What can the Colts do? Get creative. They took a step against the Falcons when Robert Mathis and Simeon Rice swapped end positions in the second half. But the switch won't be enough. The Colts will need to utilize the blitz more than they have in the past. That's not what the Colts like to do, because the cover-2 scheme ideally runs on little to no blitzing. Without Freeney's presence, though, the Colts will have to get to the quarterback by any means necessary. They cannot rely on the 4-man rush to get the job done by itself ... unless Simeon Rice mysteriously regains his old form.

Editor's Note ... Simeon Rice was released on November 27. No surprise there.

He gone!

Big games
If the Colts want to play in Foxboro in late January, the team must take care of business in December first.

December 2 vs. Jacksonville ... For the 9th time in 12 games this year, the Colts will play a team in either first or second place in their division. And make no mistake about it -- Jacksonville will be out for blood because, if it wins this game, the team will find themselves in contention for a division title AND a first round playoff bye. Don't think that's lost on the Jags; not only will it try to beat the Colts, it'll also try to batter the Colts. Expect both teams to play a very physical game and hope that the injuries aren't serious.
December 9 at Baltimore ... Baltimore won't contend for the playoffs, but the Ravens still have a very physical defense that will pose the Colts' offense a significant challenge. Like Jacksonville, the Colts will need to find a way to win while staying healthy in the process. What's different than the Jacksonville game, though, is the anti-Colts sentiment that still hangs over Baltimore. I expect no less than a very hostile environment.
December 23 vs. Houston ... Houston also won't contend for the playoffs, but the Texans will most likely give the Colts all they can handle from a physicality stand point. Again, the Colts need to survive this game with its health in tact.

December 30 vs. Tennessee ... the worst-case scenario here is if the Titans have a shot at a wild card (or worse, division) playoff spot. If they do, expect Jeff Fisher to try anything and everything to beat the Colts. And expect yet another physical match-up. Out of all of the division games thus far, the Titans gave the Colts its toughest challenge, and that will intensify if the Titans have something to play for.

Playoff standings
If the playoffs started today, the AFC scenario would look like this:

Division Winners
Bye ... 1. New England, 11-0
Bye ... 2. Indy, 9-2
3. Pittsburgh, 8-3
4. San Diego, 6-5

Wild Cards
5. Jacksonville, 8-3
6. Cleveland, 7-4

On the outside
7. Tennessee, 6-5
8. Denver, 6-5

Cleveland would play at Pittsburgh and Jacksonville would play at San Diego in the first week. This means the Colts would play Pittsburgh if Pittsburgh won, or the winner of San Diego v. Jacksonville if Pittsburgh lost. None of these options appeal to me, to be honest.

Should the Colts not earn a bye, they would likely host some combination of Cleveland/Tennessee/Jacksonville in round one and fly off to Pittsburgh for round 2. That appeals even less to me.

The Colts' best path to Foxboro is to earn the bye and at least host the Pittsburgh/San Diego/Jacksonville combination at home. The Colts could then use the extra week of rest to mend any injuries sustained in December.

Conclusion
The Colts have a tough road to travel. The injuries, coupled with a tough December schedule and the list of potential playoff opponents mean the Colts' road to Super Bowl 42 will be a tougher one than the road to Super Bowl 41.

If the Colts make it Foxboro, though, I really like its chances.

Thoughts on the San Diego debacle

2007-11-12T16:21:00.001-05:00

I didn't think the 2007 Colts would disappoint me as much as they did against the Patriots.

Boy, was I wrong.

The Sunday night game against the Chargers was an absolute disgrace. Oh sure, it was nice they made a comeback and all, but to me that wasn't enough.

First, they should never have been in that spot. The special teams play was absolutely horrendous, and if the Colts don't take action soon -- most preferably a fire and hire -- it will cost them another game and perhaps the division.

Manning's decision making process was equally bad. Did Peyton play poorly because the Colts gave Peyton the junior varisity offense, or did he just blow it? It was probably a combination of both. Just when I thought he had learned about trying to force the issue, he shows me that maybe he's not the mature quarterback we think he is.

And then comes the matter of missed kicks. I have a very low tolerance for missed kicks to begin with; kickers get paid millions of dollars to sit on their ass and occasionally kick a ball. This irritates me by default.

If only my life was as easy.

So, when a guy who has a reputation of being The Best Clutch Kicker Ever and continually misses kick after kick, including a chip shot game-winning field goal, it just makes me absolutely crazy.

Adam Vinatieri can pack his freaking bags for all I care. We need to stop living in Vinatieri Past and get into Vinatieri Present -- he is not the kicker he was with New England. In Indianapolis, Vinatieri is an average kicker who has a range of about 40 yards and cannot be counted on in clutch situations. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, Adam.

The injury situation is a disgrace. I don't know what's going on here, but something has got to change. Maybe the Colts have "bad luck" with injuries. I don't know. But when I hear Tony Dungy say 'so and so could've played if ...', I get extremely frustrated. If the Colts continue to take their precautions, they might precaution themselves out of the playoff picture. As it stands now, they're in a dog fight for first in the AFC South with the Titans and Jaguars. And, frankly, the Colts have no business being in that fight ... they should be 9-0 right now. Eventually precautionary measures will have to give way to urgency; otherwise, the "injured" Colts will have all of January to heal themselves.

And along the injury lines, I'm really starting to question the quality of the Colts training staff. I don't know a lot about this kind of thing, but it seems like the Colts always have more injuries than the average football team. I'm not saying they're bad, I'm just saying that we should question it.

Now New England will run off and hide with home field advantage. The Colts now have to battle with Pittsburgh for the bye; and Tennessee and Jacksonville for the division. This is not the position they want to be in.

That's about all I have to say about this. They better turn it around ... and do it now.

Lots of Blame to Go Around

2007-11-12T10:10:00.001-05:00

"You can't have six turnovers, and deserve to win a game"
That's a quote I said to Justin after the Monday Night Football game, where the Dallas Cowboys turned over the ball six times and still won the game.

The same goes for the Colts last night. Don't get me wrong, I WANTED the win. I wanted it BAD. And I would have taken it without thinking twice.

Here's where all of the blame lies for last night's loss:

BLAME #1: The majority of the blame for the loss goes to our special teams. I've been complaining about them ALL YEAR, and when they allowed 14 points, that's ridiculous. You have to learn to stop those run backs, and prevent them from getting easy points. You take away those 14 points, and we win the game.

BLAME #2: Adam Vinatieri. We brought him here for ONE REASON: So we NEVER had to worry about a Vandershank moment again. Adam screwed us over TWICE. "The Most Clutch Kicker in the NFL" can kick a ball 48 yards to win the Super Bowl, but can't hit 49 yards OR 29 yards to win a game?!?!? Adam failed us. He was brought in for one specific reason, to MAKE THOSE KICKS. The second most blame goes to the man who failed to put 6 points on the scoreboard. If he made either one of those kicks, we win the game. There was nothing wrong, it was all Adam's fault. The snaps were good, the balls were held good - one kick went left, one kick went right. The flags on the uprights had NO WIND. Adam just flat out failed us.

BLAME #3: The Officials. Just like the Patriots fans last week were complaining about the calls (which I'm not claiming were perfect...), the same goes for this week. The Referee REALLY have TO MUCH POWER. And when they make mistakes, OUR TEAM is punished. There was NO REASON for that whistle to blow in the end zone, and we should have had the ball on their 7 yard yard line, not our own 20. That was HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE. HOW does that guy have a job in the NFL? And the term "incidental" - what a great way to say "We TOTALLY screwed up, but instead of making it right, we are going to SCREW OVER THE COLTS". STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. That was horrible, and it is the WORST call in the NFL this season. There was no reason to blow that whistle, and it potentially cost us the game. At the seven yard line, you would HOPE that the Colts could some points on the board, but after Vinatieri's performance yesterday, not even a FG from that close is guaranteed. I'd hate to have seen him go 0/3 - I'd be even more upset.

BLAME #4: Most incompetent people (which apparently includes Peyton himself after what he said in the post-game interview) will try to put Peyton as #1, but that's ridiculous. None of Peyton's turnovers were run back for points. And most of the INTs were just turned back over to us, or they had to punt back to us. Most of the INTs Peyton threw were pointless for the Chargers - they didn't do anything with it. The INTs didn't help our cause, but they didn't hurt us in any way, aside from giving us less time of possession. Even with 6 INTs, he still threw for over 300 yards. Peyton is allowed to have a bad game, he's only human. And if he can throw 6 INTs (only five of them really mattered anyways, the sixth was nothing) and we can still almost win the game, then you can't put that blame on Peyton. People (mostly those who can't admit how good Peyton is) are just looking for any reason to blame Peyton.

Things that didn't help:
-Joseph Addai slipping twice on the last drive, gaining us no yardage. That hurt. It was basically a free down for the Charger defense, they didn't even have to try.

-Injuries. WOW. WHO is left on our team? When we have everyone healthy, I never have to worry about anything, but with SO MANY injuries, I have to start to wonder if we are going to be able to put together a comeback run for the rest of the season. Seriously, with Harrison, Clark, and Gonzales out of the game, THAT HURTS. Looking at the line up and seeing Utecht, Moorehead, and Thorpe on the line - that scares me. Granted, they played pretty well, but how much better would we have been with our STARTERS playing the game. Charlie Johnson, who was doing "okay" on the blindside, gets hurt. Although, this might be a bonus until we Tony Ugoh back - because I thought Toudouze did a GREAT job when he replaced him.

It hurts. The loss hurts. I didn't even get nervous when Vinatieri walked out for a 29 yard FG. I was confident, the only worry I had was the time left on the clock. My heart dropped out of my body and onto the floor when he missed that kicked. It was like someone kicked me in the chest.

We rallied back from being 23 - 0. We scored 21 unanswered points, and it should have been 24. Our defense played GREAT. Only allowing 9 points. The shut down LT for the most part, and got some great INTs. Including the one that the Refs SCREWED us on.

Painful. That's how it feels right now, thinking back to last night's game. But, it's over. It's time to move on. We've probably lost any and all hope of the #1 Seed in the AFC. All we can hope for, is winning out and holding onto #2. It's going to require some guys to get healthy, and for Vinatieri to actually do what he's paid for.

The hope: Our record last season was 12-4. We were the #3 Seed, and we won the Super Bowl. So, anything is possible. We're not out of this race yet.

Thoughts on week 9: Colts at Chargers

2007-11-11T13:23:00.001-05:00

The Colts (7-1) travel to sunny San Diego to face the Chargers (4-4) at Qualcomm Stadium.

I'm still aggravated by the outcome of the Colts / Patriots game. More specifically, I'm aggravated by how the Colts let the game slip out of their hand. I'm aggravated because I'm convinced that the Colts are a better team than the Patriots, but yet the Patriots managed to slither their way out of the RCA Dome with a victory.

The Colts need to come up with a cure for my Patriots hangover this week. They need to go out and dominate the Chargers. They need to force their will upon the Chargers. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson set the NFL single game rushing record against the Chargers last week. Joseph Addai won't do the same this week, but I expect him to have a stellar game against a defense that is clearly reeling.

Manning needs to get the Colts back on track.

I also expect the Colts defense to treat Phillip Rivers like the second-year starter that he is. I expect them to get a lot of pressure on Rivers that will force him to make wild, interceptable throws.

Will they do this? I don't know. But they better, because I need a cure for my hangover. Better yet, all of Colts Nation needs a cure.

Injuries are the story
The Colts, other than the general Patriots malaise that's hanging over Indy, have a problem.

Injuries.

Marvin Harrison won't play for the second straight week; this game will be third he has missed in four games.

Anthony Gonzalez did not make the trip. Apparently he is out for a month.

Tyjaun Hagler and Freddie Keiaho are game time decisions. If they don't play, your starting linebackers are Rocky Boiman and Clint Sessions.

Did I mention the Colts face LaDanian Tomlinson today?

Injuries are a major problem here. I am fed up with all of it, but none more so than the Harrison injury. My intuition tells me we don't know the entire story. Either the Colts are not being honest by withholding the truth from us, or a combination of Harrison and his doctors aren't being forthcoming about his status to the team.

We need this guy back ... now.

What is with this cycle of practicing here, practicing there, and not dressing for the game? When players practice here and there, I draw the conclusion that the injury is a nagging one and nothing serious. But when a guy misses three out of four games, I draw the conclusion that the injury is a serious one.

Perhaps the Colts are taking the extra precaution so that Harrison can play in the postseason. Fine. But damn it, I wish they would come out and say that. Instead we get a lot of beating around the bush from them, and frankly, that pisses me off. This sort of dishonestly via non disclosure is something that Scumbag Bill Belichick and the sleazy Patriots organization would do, not the Colts.

I consider myself a shareholder of the Colts by way of my continuous season ticket purchases since 1994. I demand to know the truth in this. There is no amount of gamesmanship that the Colts can gain. Opponents know Harrison is hurt; they will have a Plan A and a Plan B depending on his status. There is no surprise at this point. Tell us the truth.

The same, but to a lesser extent, goes for the linebacker injuries. They practice here, sit out of practice there, but we never really know until Sunday. It's getting ridiculous.

Either get these guys out on the field, or rest them and get the other guys involved in practice all week.

Prediction
Colts 38, Chargers 17

Peyton Manning is money in the bank for prime time games. I can't remember the last time he disappointed in the late night spotlight.

The Chargers are a good team, and have a great running back, but they're not 4-4 by accident. They've blown out the Broncos and Texans, but have lost to lesser teams like the Chiefs, Packers and Vikings. This tells me the Chargers are inconsistent at best, so the question becomes which team will show up.

Frankly, it won't matter which Chargers team shows up. The Colts minus 4 key starters had the Patriots on the ropes and didn't finish the job. The Colts lost that one themselves. The Patriots did not win it. In all of their other games, the missing starters have not been a problem as the Colts have won handily. I expect that Tomlinson will get his 100 yards, but unless the Chargers can shutdown Dallas Clark like Rodney Harrison did last week (BTW, did you notice that Rodney Harrison mugged Dallas Clark at the end of plays? I can't believe the referees and the Colts players let him get away with that nonsense. It would've been worth a 15-yard cheap shot penalty just to get him to knock it off. Harrison has got to be the dirtiest player in the league. Makes sense since he plays for the sleaziest, most despicable organization in football), I expect the Colts offense to get back to "doing what they do". The 3-4 scheme is no longer a problem for Manning.

As long as Tomlinson doesn't go crazy against the defense, I expect a nice win.

I'm still recovering

2007-11-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

THAT game was so disheartening, I haven't thought much about the game on Sunday night. Maybe I'll write again next week.

Thoughts on The Biggest Regular Season Game Ever

2007-11-04T00:30:00.001-04:00

The time has arrived. The New England Patriots (8-0) travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts (7-0) at the RCA Dome.

What can I say on a Saturday night that fans or media have not said already?

The fanfare is well documented. Not once over the course of NFL history have two undefeated teams met so late in the season. As if that weren't enough, destiny was kind enough to make this once-in-a-lifetime event include the modern NFL's version of the Lakers and Celtics. The Colts and Patriots have inexplicably linked destinies, and tomorrow's game is merely another chapter in what will likely be one of the best books ever written about an intra-conference NFL rivalry in the salary cap era.

Patriots have skewed our thinking
The numbers say the Patriots are the best team in the league. And until we know the results of the game tomorrow, we can't really argue otherwise. The Patriots are absolutely thrashing teams this year; no team in the salary cap era has sustained this level of dominance for this long of a stretch.

I think, however, that what we have seen thus far has skewed our thinking. The Patriots have hugely lopsided wins and gaudy statistics, but what do they really mean?

To me, the stats mean the Patriots run up the score. When other teams make a conscious decision to run the football pull starters from the lineup after a game gets out of reach, the Patriots leave their best out on the field and play like the result of the game is still in doubt. I think that's wrong and most of the nation thinks that's right. Whatever.

But the question I pose to you is this: how much stock do we put into the Patriots accumulation of stats when other comparable teams made contrary decisions that affected theirs? In other words, the Patriots are accumulating apples, and the rest are accumulating oranges. The circumstances are totally different because the variables are different. Belichick plays through, most other coaches don't. It's not an accurate comparison.

The Colts will need to do a lot of this on Sunday

The Patriots might be the better team, but I don't think we can really know this until they play each other. Picks from pundits, experts and fancy computer simulations were made with the discrepancy in stats; we should take them for what they are.

What to watch for
On the football side of things, watch for the Colts to feature the running game and look for tight ends in the middle of the field.

The recipe for a Colts victory will be to dominate the line of scrimmage and control the clock. With two pretty good corners in Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs, Manning will find it difficult to get Harrison and Wayne both heavily involved in the game. Just like the AFC Championship Game.

Because of this, the Colts will need to work the middle of the field and attack favorable match-ups between Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai and the Patriots' aging linebackers.

But it all starts with run blocking and pass protection. If the offensive line does its job tomorrow, the Colts will be able to dictate the pace and play keep away from Tom Brady.

Defensively, the Colts will give up a lot of points tomorrow. I look for the Patriots to score into the 30s. We should accept that notion now and move forward.

That being said, all hope isn't lost. The Colts will have to pressure Brady and force him into 3-step drops and quick releases. If Brady can take a comfortable 5-step drop, he'll hit Randy Moss down field just about every time. To get the pressure, I would expect to see the Colts blitz more than usual.

To counter against exposure to the deep ball, though, I expect to see Bob Sanders play more as a traditional safety and less as a fourth line backer. But again, that will be dictated by the amount of pressure the front four gets on Brady. If they can consistently harass Brady, Sanders will be able to play linebacker more frequently because Brady won't have time to throw the home run ball.

Prediction
Colts 37, Patriots 34

Mike Chappell from the Indianapolis Star wrote an article at the beginning of the season that said the Colts have a home field advantage that's worth 7 points per game. In other words, the Colts essentially have a 7-0 lead before the opening kickoff. As I said earlier, the Patriots might in fact be a better team -- clearly they're better than last year's team -- but I don't think they're 7 points better than the Colts.

For all we've heard about how much the Patriots improved, let's not forget one minor detail: the Colts improved over 2006 as well.

And that seems to have been lost in the mix.

Some sort of weird cross between Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and Elton John

2007-10-30T12:56:00.000-04:00

When I heard last week that World Champions Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was going to make a special announcement at Monument Circle today, I was really hoping to see something like this...
...this being the logo used by the Super Bowl planning committee last year in their attempts to capture the 2011 game, modified to indicate my desire for Indy to go after the 2012 game. But instead, I saw this...
...Jim Irsay dressed in Willy Wonka fashion to announce the start of a raffle promotion for Super Bowl rings for five lucky winners. Which is sorta fun, and all the money raised go to local charities.

But Jim Irsay's willingness to dress in a goofy fashion on the eve of "The Big Game I: the 2007 Season Version" just goes to show what a great guy this NFL team owner is and that Indy is lucky to have a good natured guy like this. Does anybody remember the picture from a couple years ago when the Colts were going to wear throwback uniforms (the one with the two horseshoes on the back of the helmet) and Irsay modeling it for the press release? How many owners do that? Seriously.

After the announcement, Irsay said he felt like he had raided Elton John's wardrobe and that he hoped he looked more like Johnny Depp's Wonka than Gene Wilder's. Though really, it doesn't matter. With stunts like this, it just goes to show that our NFL owner is way cooler and better than most NFL owners.

Especially Bob Kraft.

Before I start talking about Nov. 4, a quick word about the Panthers game

2007-10-29T14:32:00.000-04:00

Going in, I was a little bit worried. No Harrison. No Ugoh. Not good.

And it showed in the beginning. The offense had a few hitches in their getalong, with dropped passes and missed routes.

Obviously, they figured it out in the end. In a mad way. If you hadn't watched the game, you would have never guessed from the final score that the Colts struggled a bit in the first half. No matter. A win is a win.

The defensive struggles in the first drive don't concern me. I have a standing rule that I don't worry about first drives and first quarters. Not with a team like ours that rules the second half consistently.

I can't even complain about kick off coverage this week.

Seven weeks down, seven victories had. Now to the next game. Who are we playing? Let me check my calendar...

Oh, yes, well...aren't we in for a good week!

More to come...

Week 7 in review: Colts at Jags

2007-10-25T20:29:00.001-04:00

Work and school have taken all of my time and energy this week; therefore, I give you an abbreviated look at the Colts' 29-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville.

The Good
What is the best part of Peyton Manning's game?

It's not a trick question. He does something better than about any QB I have ever seen: he converts third downs.

Tell me, do you ever get nervous when the Colts have to convert a 3rd and 5? What about a 3rd and 7? I'll admit that I get nervous on anything longer than 3rd and 10, but anything below that seems automatic for the Colts offense these days.

I think third down conversion is one of the most important stats in football. For one, it keeps a drive alive, which increases the odds of scoring. Two, it keeps the opposing offense off the field. That has two effects in that it keeps the defense fresh for the fourth quarter and it limits the opportunities for the opposing offense to score.

Good luck getting him off the field

Against Jacksonville, the Colts converted on third down 7 of 14 times and converted once on fourth down. That translated into about a 10 minute advantage in time-of-possession for the Colts (I think the Jags closed the gap on TOP in the 4th quarter garbage time).

The Jags didn't have a chance. The Colts controlled the game because the Jags couldn't get them off the field.

What we're seeing now -- well, really what we started to see in the playoffs last year -- is a paradigm shift for the Colts. They were once one of the most explosive teams in football, but now they are they could be the best grinder team in football. Explosive scoring is fun to watch, but grinding out games is beating the toughest and most smash mouthiest teams in the NFL.

I'll take the latter.

The Bad
Charlie Johnson.

He was brutal. He couldn't keep the quick Jags defensive linemen out of the pocket to save his life.

I cannot tell you how frustrated I was that ESPN could not (or would not) give an update on Tony Ugoh. The sight of Ugoh standing around with a smile on his face while Johnson was doing his best rusty gate impression made me crazy.

Tony Ugoh looks more and more like another genius pick by Bill Polian. God help us if he gets hurt for any extended period of time.

A Look Ahead
The Colts (6-0) travel to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers (4-2) on Sunday in another match up against a team with a record better than .500.

It looks like Vinny Testaverde will get the start for the Panthers at quarterback. It won't matter. Without Jake Delhomme at the helm, the Panters stand little chance against the Colts.

The Colts will need to take away the run from the Panters early; they want Testaverde to beat them with his arm, which is something he won't do against the league's top-rated pass defense.

The Colts won't overlook this game -- they don't overlook anyone -- in anticipation of The Game of the Century next week against the Patriots. In fact, this game should serve as an excellent primer before the big contest.

But, but..the Jags always play the Colts so tough!

2007-10-22T23:25:00.000-04:00

Yeah, there have been some close games, but presuming 29-7 holds up, that will be 8 wins for the Colts to 3 for the Jags since the formation of the AFC South.

Thoughts on week 7: Colts at Jaguars

2007-10-19T22:08:00.000-04:00

The Colts (5-0) travel to Jacksonville to play their third and final divisional road game against the Jaguars (4-1) on Monday Night Football.

This one is about revenge
Unless you conveniently forgot, or hid under a rock or in a cave, you can't help but remember the debacle in Jacksonville last December. The team rushing stat line says it all:

42 carries, 375 rushing yards

It was the worst whipping the Colts have received since the 41-0 loss to the Jets in the 2002 playoffs, the first under Dungy.

It felt a lot worse than that. It caused me to react with this blog post, which to date is the second most visited blog post I have ever made (the first being one on the United States Grand Prix ... thanks to my UK readers!). I'm sure people wonder what the hell I was thinking, and sometimes I do too. But 375 rushing yards on 42 carries will do that to someone.

If I felt that way, I can't imagine what the players felt. And that leads me to what the players said this week.

We know that Tony Dungy teams typically conduct themselves in a professional manner. They address their opponent with respect, they act cordially with the media and they say the "right things" when asked about the week ahead.

Remember this?

So when the Colts talk about revenge, you know they mean it.

"Last year they embarrassed us, so we go down there, we really want to take care of business defensively," said Raheem Brock, defensive tackle.

And more from Brock:

"We already know they're gonna try to run the ball after what they did to us last year. This is a big game for us so defensively we wanna show we're a better defense than we were last year so we wanna go out there and make them one-dimensional," said Brock.

Alright, so they didn't say "revenge" and it doesn't look exactly bulletin board material, but for the Colts to make comments like this, you know what transpired on the field the last time they visited Jacksonville affected them immensely.

And that makes this game intriguing. Forget the rhetoric about the battle for first place in the AFC South. We get to see how this team, a team that might beat the Patriots and repeat as champs, deals with business it needs to settle.

The Colts have their pride on the line, as well as reputation and respect. This is like Michael Corleone making the call for the hit that makes things "right" for the family. The Colts took the hit in December, and now the Colts get to return the favor. The Super Bowl victory means nothing in this matter; only a whipping on Monday Night Football will do the job.

They need to flip that shit around on them. The Colts can beat the Jags on the road without motivation; the revenge factor might give them enough of an edge to inspire a blowout that will make everyone wonder if the Jags belong on the same field.

And I'm not sure that I've actually seen a Peyton Manning-led Colts team play a revenge game. I reckon one could argue that the Colts play for revenge every time they play the Patriots, but when I think back it seems the Colts were intimidated just enough by the Patriots to not harbor any real thought of revenge.

The Jags don't intimidate the Colts. As much as those boneheads think they live inside the heads of the Colts players, the fact is they haven't beaten the Colts enough to achieve that. They had that one blip in December, another blip in '04, and that was it. The Colts are to the Jags like the Pats were for the Colts -- the one team that stands between the team and its goal. The Jags haven't scaled that mountain yet.

What to watch for this week
Watch for two guys this week: Peyton Manning and Bob Sanders.

Sanders didn't play in the game last December. He'll play in this one, and now we get to see how this defense responds with Sanders' energy back in the lineup. I expect that he will fly all over the field and hit anyone and anything that has a cat logo on it. When he does this, the other ten players do it also. That energy will be crucial when trying to stop the Human Bowling Ball that is Maurice Jones-Drew.

That energy will also be crucial as the Colts try to match the intensity the Jags will bring. They might be boneheads, but they're tough boneheads. They will push, shove, lead with the helmet and play through the whistle. The Colts need to match that, if not instigate it themselves. The Colts have played physical games with the Titans and Texans already, but this one figures to have near playoff intensity. It's essentially the Jags' Super Bowl, and all of the Colts defenders will need Bob Sanders type energy to match.

I say to watch Peyton Manning because I think he wants to make this right. Now that we have a monkey-less Manning, to see him play with a chip on his shoulder should be something to behold. He has played masterfully so far, and I think what we see on Monday will be that mastery taken to the next level. It could very well be a preview of what we'll see from him on November 4th.

Also, if you show me a game that Peyton gets two weeks to prepare for, I'll show you a Colts victory.

Prediction
Colts 31, Jags 23

The Colts will win this one, and the Jags will keep it close. It will be one of those games where the dynamics of the AFC South, and in particular between the Colts and Jags, will be lost on the rest of the nation because most of the nation doesn't understand the talent of the AFC South and the intense rivalry between the Colts and Jags.

This game will not put the Colts on par with the Pats in the eyes of the media, but it will provide the Colts the best prep they could get for the Pats.

Week 5 in review: Bucs at Colts

2007-10-08T20:46:00.001-04:00

My impressions of the Colts' 33-14 victory over the Bucs at the RCA Dome.

The Good
The offensive line.

The bottom line is this: the Colts needed flawless execution and a back-to-basics approach without the talents of Marvin Harrison and Joseph Addai. And the offensive line answered.

Three stats tell the story:

Sacks: 0
Rushing yards: 147
Time of possession: 38:15

It was total domination by the Colts, and it all started up front with pass and run blocking.

There to lend a helping hand

The Colts ran the ball. Peyton Manning had time to pick apart a very stout defense. And trust me, no team wants to face Peyton Manning when he has time to find an open receiver … not even the Almighty Patriots.

Because the offensive line played so well, we get to talk about our new and improved version of Dominic Rhodes in Kenton Keith. We also get to talk about how valuable the playing time was for players like Keith, Anthony Gonzalez and Brian Fletcher. We got to see the Colts gain 400 total yards against a top-5 defense.

Because the offensive line played so well, the defense got to play on fresh legs in the second half. We got to see a secondary which features a less-than-intimidating Matt Giordano at safety allow 17 total rushing yards. We got to see a defensive line totally manhandle the Bucs offensive line, who allowed a sack and let enough defenders get through to keep Jeff Garcia uneasy all day.

A football team lives and dies with its offensive line. In the Colts’ case, they dominate with their offensive line, no matter who plays at the skill positions.

The Bad
I found it difficult to find something bad about the Colts performance this week. I reckon that I could look at the special teams play, which continues to make me nervous, or I could examine why the Colts actually let the Bucs into the endzone in the first place.

Naw. The Colts played so well this week that the only fault I could find with my game day experience, other than the ridiculous heat, was the RCA Dome game day production.

I know, it’s lame. Sorry. But I do have a couple complaints.

Jason summed up my thoughts the Cato June tribute. I don’t feel quite as strongly as he does, but I can’t say it any better myself. Let me just add this, though: I pay for my ticket, and if I want to boo, I will boo. In fact, I do boo. It’s fun, and damn it, I demand accountability. I boo everyone, from the players on the field to the guys who can’t throw a football into a golf cart from 5 feet out during the 3rd quarter Ray’s Trash giveaway.

Boo!

I pay for that right, it’s not against stadium policy, and society is not the boss of me. I will boo former Colts when and where I want to. So there.

My other complaint has to do with the mighty 25 Marching Sycamores.

I have nothing against the Marching Sycamores, per se, but this weekend Indianapolis held and event called the Circle City Classic. I have never attended the event, but basically it’s all-weekend cultural event which culminates in a football game held at the RCA Dome between small, black southern colleges. And with those colleges come really rocking marching bands. If you’ve never seen a marching band from a black college, you’ve got to see it. They move, they shake and they dance. They play much better music. They don’t march … they march. They make regular marching bands look like a bunch of stiffs … even more than they already do.

So, the question is this? Why doesn’t the RCA Dome production unit invite one – or several – of these fantastic marching bands to come play during halftime?

A Look Ahead
The Colts (5-0) get a much needed bye during week 6. Early word is to expect Harrison, Addai, Keiaho and Sanders back in the lineup.

When they come off the bye, they will face a tough and equally stupid Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) squad on Monday Night Football. If the season continues to proceed as it has up until now, the Jags will take a 4-1 record into the game and will surely want to repeat the monumental thrashing they gave the Colts at the end of last year. Because for them, it will mean a share of the top spot in the division plus the tie-break advantage over the Colts.

Hopefully the Colts will have revenge on their minds, because I already do.

Still Undefeated

2007-10-08T18:30:00.000-04:00

The Indianapolis Colts proved one thing yesterday:

We are SCARY, even without our starters.

You couldn't even tell a difference in our system. Kenton Keith looked like Joseph Addai out there. He ran, he scored, he didn't fumble. He did everything as good as Addai would have. On top of that, Keith's 121 rushing yards landed him in SECOND PLACE in the entire NFL! SECOND PLACE for a guy who backs up Joseph Addai. And the funny thing is that his 121 were second to Michael Turner's 147 yards for San Diego. Turner, the back up for LT. Interesting, two back ups had the most rushing yards in the NFL. (So far, who knows what Marion Barber is going to do tonight against the Bills)

Was that Anthony Gonzales or Marvin Harrison out there? Gonzo put up numbers very similar to Harrison, and stepped up into a place he needed to be (7 recs. for 71 yards), and was our leading receiver.

Neither one of those guys started the game in Week Four, and they became our leaders. We didn't have to put everything on the backs of Reggie Wayne or Dallas Clark - and WE WON. We won with our "scrubs" on the field. I don't think any other team in the NFL could win the same way that we did. We proved yesterday, that we have the most depth in the NFL. And when our starters go down, the next guy steps up.

The Colts have now set another record.
We are only the 4th Team in the History of the NFL to start three consecutive seasons with a record of 5-0, it also the third time we've made it to our Bye Week without a defeat. We've done it in 2007, 2006, and 2005. We also did it in 2003. So what happened in 2004?

We met the New England Patriots in the FIRST GAME of the NFL Season. We lost by THREE POINTS (24-27) in Foxboro, to open the season. We then went on to win 4 straight games that year, before our Week Six Bye. So, aside from one mishap in 2004, we've had a pretty good record in the first five weeks of the season: 24-1 since 2003. I believe that's a pretty good record.

Also, SIX PLAYERS who started Week Four, did not play one snap on Sunday's Week Five Victory. Marvin Harrison, Joseph Addai, Bob Sanders, Freddy Keiaho, and T.J. Rushing all missed this game and Rob Morris is going to miss the entire rest of the season. We also missed Aaron Moorehead and Ben Utecht this week.

And, with all of these injuries, we still mounted a win. And not just any win, a SOLID WIN, without any questions who was in charge of the game. We didn't play the Browns and brag about a win with ALL of our starters. No, we played a team in the middle of the field, and we WON with our second-stringers on the field.

We are 3rd in the NFL in Yards per Game, behind the Patriots by 25.
We are 2nd in the NFL in Total Points, behind the Patriots by 18, if Dallas scored more than 13 points tonight, then we will fall to 3rd.
We are currently tied for 2nd in TDs this season at 19, 4 behind New England's 23. We are tied with Dallas, so if they put up any TDs tonight, then we will be in third in this category also.

We do lead the NFL in 3rd Down Conversions with 56%. Dallas is at 43% and New England is at 45%.

We are also at the bottom of the list in Fumbles/Lost with a 3/1 ratio, Dallas has this same ratio. Only the Jets are better with a 3/0 ratio. The Patriots are at 5/2.

Tom Brady is second this season in Passing Yards with 1383, Manning is in fourth with 1319, only 64 yards behind him. Brady's Passing Percentage is 74%, with Peyton at 69%.

Did the #1 Offense win the Super Bowl last year?
Did the #1 Defense win the Super Bowl last year?
Patriots and Cowboys fans can cheer for their teams putting up good numbers, when when all is said and done, the Colts offense and defense are going to show this league what's up. If we can win the Super Bowl with the #30 ranked Defense last year, everyone should be scared of what we can do with the defense we have this year. Because we are a MUCH BETTER team than last year, and we're proving it on the field, by the teams we are beating (aside from stomping the Saints, who really don't even count as an NFL team this year...)

Peyton Manning is now sitting at 285 Career TD Passes, after two more he will tie Johnny Unitas for the Colts Record. I have a feeling that he is going to beat that record in the next few weeks, and then begin creating his own dynasty that will last for a long time after he is gone.

Sports radio shake up in Indy

2007-10-08T12:46:00.000-04:00

Starting January 7th, WIBC-AM 1070 will become the local ESPN Radio affiliate and broadcast all sports. The talk format that used to be on 1070 will move to 93.1 FM and will be known as WIBC-FM. So less music and more talk on the radio.

I haven't heard what will happen with ESPN 950.

90 degrees in October, I didn't get sick on tequila yesterday, and the Colts beat the Bucs: the world is coming to an end!

2007-10-08T12:32:00.000-04:00

I want to briefly echo Bryan's sentiments below. The fact that so many chalked this game up as a Colts loss before the game was even begun is silly. That Kravitz jumped on the Patriots band wagon so hard is disgusting.

I want to point out that it was frickin' hot while tailgating yesterday. This is crazy weather. And if we were in the Luke for yesterday's game, I wouldn't be surprised if they left the roof on and the windows closed and cranked up the A/C for that game.

I'd like to say that it has been years since I have had any large, substantial consumption of tequila. Yesterday, I was drinking it like it was going out of style and didn't, I repeat, DIDN'T get sick. Which is a sign of the Apocalypse, I think.

I want to give a shout to the offensive line, who receives the game ball in my book. The opportunities they gave to the banged up running and passing games were just incredible. Put Peyton behind a stable line and watch him go.

I have to give props to the defense, who held the Bucs O to less than 200 yards, only two meaningful drives, only 12 first downs, and less than 22 minutes of possession. That is made game.

I want to scream at the top of my lungs how ridiculous it is that, after 58 minutes of great football, you show a video praising an opposing player. Yes, Cato June did some stuff for us in the past. But he is an opponent now! Knock that shit off! It's ridiculous. It's embarrassing. It shows a lack of focus on the now and instead providing a continuous look into the past. When these players retire from the NFL, if you want to bring them back, throw them in the Ring of Honor, have a parade, I don't care, whatever, that's fine. But during a game, while he is playing for another team, it is just ridiculous. I hate it. Please, if anybody in the Colts organization is reading this, make it stop!

But that is my only complaint from yesterday's game. 60 minutes of great football. Couldn't be more pleased.

Time to get something straight about the Colts

2007-10-08T00:15:00.001-04:00

What I heard in the media today before the Colts / Bucs game made me sick.

On Sirius NFL Radio, Adam Schein and friends all thought that picking the Buccaneers to beat the Colts was the right thing to do. Oh sure, that sounds like a great pick. No Sanders? No Addai? No Harrison? Take the Bucs.

So I clicked over to ESPN Radio and heard the same story there. The Colts were too banged up, first of all. Second, Tampa Bay was good enough on defense to keep Manning off the field without his "weapons" (by the way, am I the only one appalled by the fact that, given the war in Iraq, we call football players weapons?) and the Colts cannot stop the run; therefore, cannot stop Tampa Bay.

Sidebar: the Colts have one lousy half against the run and every lazy ass analyst in Bristol and Boston thinks it's a God-given fact that the Colts cannot stop the run. FYI.

At the tailgate my friends and I listened to the Colts pre-game show on Q95, a local classic rock station that literally has played the same music since 1984.

On this radio show was Bob Kravitz, the local columnist for the Indy Star. Granted that I did not hear everything Bob had to say on this day, but what I heard made me crazy.

First, Bob has to gush over the Patriots. The Patriots have so many weapons (again with the weapons reference ... jeez!), they have Tom Brady, they have Adalias Thomas ... blah blah blah. It's the same Patriot drivel anyone can hear on WEEI in Boston or ESPN everywhere.

Then Bob follows Patriots drivel up with how he thinks the game against the Bucs will go. He starts by reading the inactive list. Oh ... there's no Addai ... oh, there's no Sanders ... oh, there's no Harrison ... oh, there's no Keiaho. After he finishes reading the inactive list, he goes back and does it again. Like we missed his point.

Well, I'll tell you what his point was ... he's got a loser attitude. Everything he said was loser talk.

Loser. Talk.

He starts with Patriots drivel, and ends with wondering how the Colts will ever manage to win another game. We get it, Bob. You don't think the Colts can do it.

Well, I have a message to Bob Kravitz and all others who question the Colts and praise the Patriots.

The Colts are good. No, better yet ... the Colts are better than the Patriots.

That's right. Better. Than. The. Patriots.

As I type this, I find it amazing the Lord Himself has not struck me down.

Mark it down. Don't listen to all of this loser talk if you are a Colts fan. They want to talk about who's not playing, or what the Colts can't do.

What they don't talk about, though, are who is playing and what the Colts can do.

When it comes to inactive lists, you start with six numbers: 18, 67, 73, 63, 65, 71. If those players are active -- the numbers of Manning and his offensive line -- the Colts have a chance to win the game. Not a chance like Appalachian St has a chance to win at Michigan once in a lifetime, but a real doggone good chance they can win. Like 50/50, at minimum. Then you look at the skill positions. Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne? Check. Future Pro Bowler Dallas Clark? Check. Dwight Freeney? Check.

You see, the Colts are just as stacked as the Patriots. They go two Pro Bowlers deep at WR, have one Pro Bowler on the line (Saturday), have guys who will make the Pro Bowl at TE and RB (Clark, Addai), and have anywhere from 2 to 4 guys who either have or will make the Pro Bowl on defense. The Colts are stacked just like the Patriots! Even better, though, the Colts didn't play fantasy football to get these guys ... they're all homegrown talent.

And then there's the bench strength. When the Colts miss a few guys, it's no problem. This team is deep enough to keep things rolling without a Marvin Harrison or Joseph Addai. Enter Anthony Gonzalez, Kenton Keith, Rocky Boiman and Tyjuan Hagler.

As for what the Colts can do ... well, I think all I have to say is that Kenton F-ing Keith ran for a buck twenty eight on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's right ... 128 yards. Yes ... that Kenton Keith. And that's without Marvin Harrison and Joseph Addai in the lineup.

This is Kenton Keith, by the way

The game against the Bucs today was huge, and it should be very uplifting for Colts fans everywhere who are suffering from Patriots overload. The fact is the Colts played a team that's pretty darned good -- especially on defense -- and absolutely dominated them from the opening kickoff. The Bucs never had a chance. Never. Cripes, the Bucs barely had the ball ... so what could they do?

The magnitude of this win won't be felt in Bristol or Boston. They're too busy falling all over themselves comparing the Patriots to the great Steeler teams of the '70s, or planning the parade route for the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox.

It should be felt, though, because what the Colts did today was prove to the world that they are good enough to blow out a team without a lot of key contributors. This was easily the most convincing win they've had all year, and I would gladly put this piece of work up against anything the Patriots have done this year to see how it compares. I think you'd be hard pressed to find something from a Patriots stand point, though, because I'm not sure they've played anyone better than the Bucs. Heck, I'm not even sure they've played a team better than the Titans (who, by the way, are a playoff caliber team). Even if they have, I'm sure they didn't do it without Randy Moss, Lawrence Maroney, Adalias Thomas, Mike Vrabel and Rodney Harrison.

And, to us as Colts fans, they proved we shouldn't listen to all of this loser talk ... all of the nay-sayers who think the Patriots are God's gift to football and the Colts are playing for second place.

The Colts are for real. They can and will dominate.

Bring on November 4th. We need to settle this.

Week 4 in review: Broncos at Colts

2007-10-01T23:31:00.000-04:00

My impressions on the 38-20 Colts victory over the Denver Broncos Sunday at the RCA Dome.

The Good

Offensive game management and execution.

Last week I talked about how the lack of execution in red zone made the difference between giving the Texans hope and blowing the Texans out. This game against the Broncos was a perfect example of what happens when the Colts execute in a game where Peyton Manning flawlessly manages the game.

The Colts had 7 possessions overall. The first one ended in a punt. The last six possessions ended in scores; five of them as touchdowns.

The stat sheet shows ideal balance: 193 passing yards and 226 rushing yards. Manning also completed 20 of his 27 passes for a very efficient 74% completion percentage.

Manning took what the Broncos gave him.

What's more interesting is the evidence from the Broncos' locker room after the game. ESPN.com's John Clayton wrote a very telling piece on what happen from the Bronco side of it.

The Broncos still haven't figured this out

It all came down to Manning and his game management. If it weren't for a few nice catches from Dallas Clark, and a nice run here and there from Joseph Addai, I would be inclined to call the Colts' performance vanilla.

And they scored 38 points.

Let's make no mistake about this game: the Broncos dominated the first half. Dominated it. And they went into the locker room trailing!

The beating was efficient and painless, and for all intents and purposes, the game was over 6 minutes into the third when the Colts turned Jay Cutler's interception into a touchdown. All after the Broncos had their way with the Colts for 30 minutes.

That's my point about execution. This teams is ruthlessly efficient when it gets the details right. No other team can move as methodically and precise as the Colts can when the execution is there.

The Colts didn't make spectacular plays like the Patriots did on Monday Night Football. Rather, Manning and Company played on Sunday like it was a February rainstorm in Miami: they took what they got and made very efficient use of it. It was game over before the Broncos could figure out what happened.

Honorable mention: Aaron Moorehead, Dallas Clark, Kenton Keith and Rocky Boiman answering the call when guys got hurt. I wish I could have as much confidence in Matt Giordano.

The Bad

The injuries.

Rob Morris looks like he is done. Marvin Harrison might miss some time. Bob Sanders is being Bob Sanders. Joseph Addai is even questionable for this week. Ditto for Ben Utecht.

The victory over Denver was costly, to say the least.

I can't say much at this time without knowing the severity of the injuries. They might be minor and not force guys to miss much time. But, if the Colts have to go any period of time without Marvin Harrison, Rob Morris and Bob Sanders, the season will start to look a lot like last year where it was really important to get wins early and to get those winnable games so a few loses don't hurt.

This is gonna hurt

I reckon the only positives I draw from this are that our subs will get trial-by-fire and that the team should now have enough adversity from which to grow from for later in the season.

If these injuries turn out to be serious, we as Colts fans will have to revise the expectations for this team.

Dishonorable mention: the first half run defense. Holy crap, the defense can't go an entire half like that again. They won't hold everyone runs for over 100 yards in the first half to 13 points.

The Bottom Line

The Colts are 4-0 again, have a home game this week and follow it up with a bye. And, given the state of the injury list, the bye could have only be timed better had it fallen this week.

No matter what flaws we find with the Colts on either side of the ball, they have the stat that really matters: 0 losses. The lack of stat hoarding on either side of the ball doesn't always play well for ESPN Power Rankings and undefeated talks, but it can help prepare a team for the postseason.

A Look Ahead
The Colts (4-0) play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) this Sunday at the RCA Dome. Tampa Bay appears to be the class of the NFC South, and for sure looks like a tougher opponent now than when the schedule came out.

The Colts did catch a couple of breaks with this game, though, as left tackle Luke Pettigout and running back Cadillac Williams both suffered season-ending injuries in the Bucs victory over the Panthers last week.

Depending on how the injury list looks, the Colts will likely be poised to move to 5-0 for the third year in a row.

Grrrrr...

2007-10-01T14:24:00.000-04:00

For a while, I had thought that everybody in the Dome had read my post on how Stokely is a Bronco now and should be treated as such. He caught the ball a couple of times and the crowd booed him. How wonderful!

Then, at the 2:00 warning of the second half, they played it. A Stokely tribute video. "Thanks for the memories..."

AAAGH!

Right after the video, the Dome cameras were on Stokely, who was obviously embarrassed by the video (especially in front of his new team mates) and made a half-assed attempt to acknowledge the cheering crowd.

Wait, you were booing him all through the game, but now you cheer him??? Very frustrating, at least for me. But apparently, I'm in the minority on this one.

Oh well, let's talk about the game.

38-20. Not bad. Offense played pretty well. 5 TD's. Much improved over the FG fest that we had experienced recently.

Marvin going out is obviously worrisome. But Dallas Clark seemed to fill his rolls and ran his routes and had a great game.

Addai going out was obviously worrisome, but apparently he would have gone back in if the coaches thought the game wasn't tied up (which it was) and if he hadn't already rushed for over a 100 yards in three quarters (which he had).

Ugoh is a blocking mad man. And fast.

Diem looked sloppy at times. He needs to pull his game together.

The defense looked like they were over matched in the first half. Henry ran all over the place. Though, to be fair, the Broncos do line up with 27 people on line blocking. Okay, that's an exaggeration. But they did run with two TE's on the line for blocking pretty frequently.

On the plus side, they did force the Broncos to settle for field goals twice. And the second half, they looked better. They still need tighten things up.

Pass coverage was pretty good. Cutler had his work cut out for him.

Rob Morris going out...ouch. Bob Sanders going out...double ouch. I'm very anxious to hear more about all the injuries.

It's a good thing we have a kicker with a leg. Two touchbacks, I believe? I'm still frustrated with coverage. They had a couple of good moments, but also a couple of scary moments. They weren't always staying in their lanes. And as with every other game, the returner has far to many opportunities to bust it outside for big yards. It is the sort of thing that can really influence the moment of a team. This is still the Achilles heel of the Colts, in my opinion.

I don't have much more to complain about...except the refs. And I hate to do it. But they were inconsistent. Freeney and others were being held all day by the Broncos but no flags were thrown. But they were quick to bust the Colts collective asses.

Or maybe I'm just biased.

But as (I think) I've said before: a win is a win, no matter the stats. And the Colts are 4-0, one of only four undefeated teams left (hopefully by this time tomorrow, it will be one of only 3 teams, but I'm not holding my breath...oh well, go Bengals anyway!). One more game before a much needed recovery week.

Next up: Tampa Bay. They are three and 1, though all three of their wins came against less than impressive teams (two teams haven't won a game yet...collectively the three teams are 2-9). And their loss came against Seattle, who looks okay. But don't let that fool you. You know what they say about any given Sunday...

And Then There Were Five

2007-09-26T17:13:00.001-04:00

Week Three in the NFL is over.
And it's time to take a look at the undefeated teams.
Especially since the Colts are still in that group.
Along with The Cowboys, The Packers, The Patriots, and The Steelers.

The Cowboys have put up the most points in the NFL this season, with 116. That's a pretty nice number, although the Patriots are standing right behind them with 114. So, that earns both of them some serious high standing. I will give +1 to each of them for scoring over 100 points.

Cowboys (1), Patriots (1)

The New England Patriots have outscored their opponents by a margin of 79. The Steelers have outscored their opponents by 71. Those are both significant numbers, and shows that their defense can hold teams low, while their offense put points on the board. Since they average more than 23 points per game wins, I'll give +1 to each of these teams.

Patriots (2), Cowboys (1), Steelers (1)

The Colts and the Cowboys are both 2-0 on the ROAD. The other three teams are both 2-0 at HOME. The ability to go into someone else's stadium and pull out a win, that earn each team a +1.

Patriots (2), Cowboys (2), Steelers (1), Colts (1)

Both the Colts and the Patriots are 2-0 in the DIVISION. Since you play each of your division opponents twice a year, they know you well. So, winning against them is often tougher than other teams. Each of these teams will get a +1 for this accomplishment.

Patriots (3), Cowboys (2), Colts (2), Steelers (1)

Every team has scored over 10 TDs, so there will be NO POINTS awarded for that. The Patriots have the most with 15, but that's not a large enough margin to assign any points.

Patriots (3), Cowboys (2), Colts (2), Steelers (1)

Next Category is the records of the teams that have been played.

Colts (4-5): Saints (0-3), Titans (2-1), Texans (2-1)
Steelers (3-6): Browns (1-2), Bills (0-3), 49ers (2-1)
Packers (3-6): Eagles (1-2), Giants (1-2), Chargers (1-2)
Patriots (2-7): Jets (1-2), Chargers (1-2), Bills (0-3)
Cowboys (2-7): Giants (1-2), Dolphins (0-3), Bears (1-2)

The Colts are awarded a point for having the toughest schedule thus far.

Patriots (3), Colts (3), Cowboys (2), Steelers (1)

Finally, the divisional record. Which division is going to be toughest to win, thus making it more difficult to get into the playoffs.

AFC South (Colts): 9-3
AFC North (Steelers): 7-5
NFC East (Cowboys): 7-5
NFC North (Packers): 7-5
AFC West: 5-7
NFC West: 5-7
AFC East (Patriots): 4-8
NFC South: 4-8

The Colts get another points for being in the most difficult division, and it is almost certain that at lease one (if not both) of the AFC Wildcard Teams are going to be coming from our division.

Colts (4), Patriots (3), Cowboys (2), Steelers (1), Packers (0).

I also have a feeling this is also going to be the order of who gets kicked out of the Undefeated Club.

The Packers: The Vikings have lost their last two games by only 3 points each. Their defense doesn't give up a lot of points. But, their offense is kinda shaken up right now, and GB's defense might be able to exploit that for a Return TD. If they do win that game, I don't think they will beat the Bears. I think switching to Brian Griese is going to change this team, and I think they have a good shot of beating the Packers.

The Steelers: Week Five they play the Seahawks. Who aren't looking their best right now, but winning. And only lost to Arizona by 3. The Steelers play the Cardinals this week, but that's not going to be too difficult for them. I think Branch and Engram are going to expose the backfield of Pittsburgh, and bye-bye to their undefeated season.

The Cowboys: St. Louis without Steven Jackson. No problem. Dallas at the Giants...? I think the Giants are looking better and improving after two horrible games, but I think T.O. can tear them apart. So, then it comes to Week Six. Yep. The Pats. They will both be undefeated. The Cowboys will go home with the loss. It'll be a fairly good game, but I see the point spread around 10.5 for this game. The Cowboys won't be able to get close enough to score the amount of times they need to, in order to win.

The Patriots: Plain and simple: Week Nine. In the Dome. After last year's comeback, I don't think anyone can argue that the Colts don't have a darn good chance. Let's look at this: The Colts are on a three game winning streak against The Patriots. The last TWO regular season games IN NEW ENGLAND - the Colts have won. Last season, AFC Championships IN THE DOME - the Colts won. The Patriots could go 9-0, but their run ends in the Dome.

The Colts: Week Nine we beat the Patriots. We are the last undefeated team in the NFL. When do we lose? How long do we take the streak this year? 13-0 in 2005. 9-0 in 2006. What does 2007 bring to us? I'm assuming 12-0. We're not going to go undefeated. I originally claimed we would go 14-2, winning all 8 at home, and dropping two games on the road. Those two: San Diego and Baltimore. I'm not longer worried about the Chargers, who have PROVEN that firing Marty was the BIGGEST mistake they have ever made. Their entire team looks pathetic. Unless the make huge improvements, I think we can still beat them.

Now, we beat the Ravens last year. It was tough, and we never got a TD, but we won. We might drop our first game Week 14, when we go back to Baltimore. 15-1...? I wouldn't be upset about that.

But, let's be honest. FLUKE things happen.
Last season, IN Tennessee and IN Houston: LONG Field Goal with time expiring won the games for those home teams. Luckily, we've secured two road division wins.

But, this year in the NFL has been VERY FREAKY! Lots of odd things have been going on. Starting with Michael Vick to Byron Leftwich to many other QBs changes and issues. LOTS of injuries and concussions. LOTS of former recent Colts (within the last two seasons) playing against us each week (Jason David, Gilbert Gardner, Nick Harper, David Thorton).

So, something is bound to happen. Seriously, WHO thought the Cowboys would beat us last year? I honestly believe that game against us, and their win on that day - THAT is what sparked the Cowboys into what they are today. I think that game opened their eyes to their abilities and made them realize: The NFC SUCKS! And they have a good chance of dominating it all. But, remember this Cowboys and Patriots fans: Something FLUKE can happen to you to! The Jets game in New England last year? Who saw that ending coming? Anything is possible. Anything can happen. And that's why we watch each and every week.

Old friends turned new enemies

2007-09-26T15:37:00.000-04:00

When the Indianapolis Colts set up at the line of scrimmage, often it is like they have been facing themselves. Lining up against Jason David in week 1. Nick Harper, Corey Simon, and others in week 2. So far, I've felt the need to show no mercy to these expatriates. They had to do right by them, and I understand that, no hard feelings. Doesn't mean you get any love.

Last season, I was so pissed when lovey-dovey footage of former team mates were played on the Dome jumbotrons and ended with the phrase "Thanks for the Memories". Always during the middle of a game during a TV timeout. Often with the game still undecided. This is football, not 3 hours of warm fuzzy feelings! Knock that crap off!

Honestly, I didn't understand it. Even if the Cardinals would have played in the Dome last season (or in any future seasons for that matter), I would not want a video of Edge highlights with Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen" being played over the PA. It is not right, period.

My hard nose stance will be put to the test, though, this weekend. The Broncos feature wide receiver Brandon Stokely on their team. On the field, his teammates liked him and he performed consistently. Off the field, the city liked him. He had a son who was very ill and the city's heart went out to him. He caught the record breaking touchdown pass in 2004. Just an all around great guy. As far as players to loose, for both professional and personal reasons, I hated to see him go.

When he left, he knew it was business and accepted it. In today's Denver Post:

"I don't blame the Colts at all. It was business," Stokley said. "I was hurt, and there was no idea when I'd be back.

"I am very lucky to be part of this team and what the Broncos are doing. I enjoyed my time in Indianapolis, but I am also enjoying my time here."

Very appreciative after the fact. I just wish he could have been a bigger part of last season's success.

So if there is anybody from the Colts office reading this, please hear me out. If you want to honor Stokely's return, do it before the game, not during. During the game, it is all about the game and nothing else. Before hand, you can honor anybody you want to. It's pregame.

Fans, if you want to show your appreciation at the game, cheer him before the game. Either when he walks onto the field for warm ups or if his name is called during introductions. That is perfectly appropriate.

But not during the game. During those 60 minutes, he is our opponent. Not that I want to see him injured (or any other player on any other team, for that matter), but I'd be perfectly happy if he dropped a dozen passes, ran his routes wrong all day, and if he ate artificial sod a couple of times.

Because this is the past...

...and at present, he is a Bronco.

Coming home and 3-0

2007-09-24T11:08:00.000-04:00

Heading into the game against Denver, the Colts are exactly where I expected them to be: 3-0 after battling with the toughest team in the NFC and zipping through two AFC South foes without breaking a sweat.

Okay, so the Aint's aren't doing so hot and both Tennessee and Houston gave us a run for our money. But the final results are exactly what I wanted.

Sunday's game was similar to the previous week's game. The last two weeks, the Colts have had problems finishing drives. Too many FG's once we are in the red zone. Also, our coverage teams still need a lot of work.

On the other hand, we have a lot to be excited about. Gonzo, though still green, is doing a formidable job as the slot receiver. Addai is a spectacular running back whose young legs are handling the workload as the lone back...so far. The offensive line, minus Tarik, is still holding up well. And the defense has been holding its own.

The last two games weren't exactly pretty, but this isn't a beauty contest. The final results are all that matter. And in spite of all the hot air coming out of Bristol and others "sports authoritative" locations, the Colts are still the team to beat.

Eight game winning streak stretching back to 2006.

Defending Super Bowl champs.

This isn't the results of a fluke. Nor is it the result of a team that is smearing all others. This is the result of hard work. And the Colts are providing plenty of that.

Week 3 in review: Colts at Texans

2007-09-23T23:14:00.000-04:00

Here are my impressions of the 30-24 Colts victory over the Texans at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

The Good
The defense.

I'm sold on this defense, and here's how I know. Last year, I got to the point where I had massive anxiety when the defense was on the field. You know, the type where you start to get a nervous twitch, you try to twist and contort yourself with each play in an attempt to help the defense and you feel your stomach flip before each play.

It got to the point where it was a Pavlov's Dog response: I saw the defense, I felt panic.

Those feelings are long gone. In fact, there was a point in the third quarter where I actually found myself nodding off. That's how confident I am in this defense now.

The 'D' came to play this time

They play with toughness. They play with aggression. It's like they're out there looking for contact ... they play like they want to dictate how things will go when they're on the field, and not the other way around ... like last year.

Not only do they play with aggression, but they also get themselves into position. I'm no defensive guru, but this team looks like they're in position way more than not, and that's a huge improvement over last season.

Actually, you know what it really is with this defense? Confidence.

I think the defense this year has just a bit more talent than the one last year, but not enough to really put it over the top.

But, because they play with so much more confidence than last year, they look like a completely different unit out there.

Other "goods" in the game ...

Joseph Addai with some tough running
Rocky Boiman's effort in place of Rob Morris ... he had one pick, one almost pass deflection and was in on several tackles

The Bad
The inability of the offense to close the deal in the third quarter.

The Colts pushed the ball into the red zone three times in the third quarter. They scored one touchdown on an Addai run and settled for two field goals, which left eight points on the field. Let's look at all the third quarter drivers individually:

First possession: FG. Score, 17-10. Could have been 21-10.
Second possession: TD. Score, 24-10. Could have been 28-10.
Third possession: FG. Score, 27-10. Could have been 35-10.

The difference between 27-10 and 35-10 is the difference between a Texans team facing hope and a Texans team facing game over.

The 'O' needs work on the details

It came down to the details of execution in each failed red zone attempt. Better execution here, or a better thrown pass there nets a different result. The Colts need to shore up these details before they get into the meat of the schedule after the bye week.

The Bottom Line
The Colts scored a second straight victory over an AFC South opponent on the road.

That's nothing to shake a stick at.

The game broadcasters referenced a Saturday conversation with Tony Dungy where Dungy said the Colts play in a tough division, but that few actually believe him.

It's nice to get over the top in Houston

Well, I think the time has come to believe him. Both the Texans and Titans came into their game with the Colts undefeated, and both played the game like it was their Super Bowl.

Heck, the Texans even admitted as much.

Both teams looked like improved squads to me. They both have up-and-coming quarterbacks, tough running backs, good offensive lines and a chippy defense. I don't think any team will want to underestimate these two teams this year. If they do, they will find themselves black and blue in no time.

And, the aggressiveness of the first two games has made me wonder: has the AFC South become the new Black and Blue division of the NFL.

Next Up

The Colts face the Broncos (2-1) at the RCA Dome. The Broncos are coming off a loss to the Jaguars. This will be an interesting test for the Colts, but it's one they should handle easily.

Thoughts on week 3: Colts at Texans

2007-09-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

The Colts (2-0) find themselves in another early battle for first place in the AFC South, this time with the Texans (2-0) at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Not the same as last week
I don't think the game this week is as much of a statement game as last week despite the fact that it's for sole possession of first place. I thought the game last week against the Titans was more important to the Colts because the Titans are much improved, very physical and have a great head coach. With Vince Young at quarterback, they look like the biggest threat to the Colts' crown.

This was no way to spend X-mas Eve

Are the Texans a threat? Not so much. Teams that make a worst-to-first jump usually need to add a few high impact players to help get them over the hump. The Texans haven't had enough of those key acquisitions to make the jump. The selection of Mario Williams was a step in the right directions for the Texans, but they will need more than just Williams to get them where they want to go.

The Texans upgraded the quarterback spot with Matt Schaub. Thus far he has been a very efficient passer: he has a completion percentage of 72% and a quarterback rating of 111. But we don't have enough evidence on him yet to determine if he can play well enough over the long hual to help them win a division.

The most noticeable difference in the Texans' stat sheet from a year ago is the sack total. Matt Schaub has only been sacked twice this season. Had it been David Carr at the helm, it may have been as high as 6 or 7.

I just don't think the Texans don't have the talent or experience to make it happen right now. The Texans have improved, but are they really ready to win 8, 9 or 10 games this year? I don't think so. It's not their time.

What to watch for this week
The Colts caught a break this week with the knee injury to Andre Johnson. Johnson has been Matt Schaub's go-to receiver thus far: he caught 14 passes from Schaub in the first two weeks. The next closest, Owen Daniels, only has 6 receptions. The Texans also lose their lone deep ball threat with Johnson; he averaged 18.7 yards per catch in the first two weeks. Behind him is Daniels with a 12.0 average.

Addai deserves a big game in his hometown

Without the deep threat, look for Schaub to stay slightly more conservative and attack the spaces between the zone assignments in front of the safeties. His high accuracy rate tells me he has patience and will not force the issue, so it's important for the Colts defenders to keep the play in front of them and swarm the ball carrier quickly.

Also look for a balanced rushing attack. Ron Dayne and Ahman Green have split the work load this year at 31 carries a piece. I don't think I need to remind you, the loyal Colts fan reader, how the balanced attack hurt the Colts last year. This is an area where the new and improved Colts defense will have to continue their effort. With Freddy Keiaho back in action this week, I would anticipate that the Colts would play the Texans running attack a little better than the Titans' attack.

For the Colts offensively, they need to do what they do. No analysis is needed here (although it would be nice to see better protection this week).

Prediction: Colts 27, Texans 17

The Welker/Moss effect in context

2007-09-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

Since I've heard so much national media talk about how infallible Randy Moss and Wes Welker have made the Patriots, I decided to take a closer look at their impact on the Patriots offense.

Comparing Welker/Moss vs. Harrison/Wayne

The chart above compares Welker and Moss with Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, another great wide receiver duo.

As the data shows, Welker/Moss have gained 90 more yards than Harrison/Wayne and thus have made a greater impact on their team.

The percent contribution differs, though, because the Colts have gained only 5 less yards total than the Patriots. The Colts appear to be slightly more diversified on offense than the Patriots since they have relied less on their tandem than the Patriots.

The differences aren't that big, however. Both tandems bring a lot to their teams and have played at a similar level thus far.

There's no questioning how much Welker and Moss have brought to the table. National media pundits, however, need to realize that they aren't the only show in town.

A look at things to come

2007-09-18T22:33:00.000-04:00

Over at Circle and Squares (an Indianapolis architecture blog), there is a photo tour of the Lucas Oil Stadium. Fifteen photos in total. All of the future home of the World Champions Indianapolis Colts.

Tell me that this photo doesn't get you excited for games at the Luke?

Week 2 in review: Colts at Titans

2007-09-18T15:22:00.001-04:00

Here are my impressions of the Colts 22-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

The Good
The Colts held Tennessee to a very respectable 141 yards (compared to the 250 yards they gained against Jacksonville last week) with two-thirds of the starting linebackers missing in action. With Freddy Keiaho (the new and improved Cato June) and Rob Morris out nursing injury, I figured the Titans would come close to matching their week 1 rushing output of 250+ yards against Jacksonville. Super Subs Rocky Boiman and Tyjuan Hagler had other notions. Both played just well enough to make the starter's absence not so noticeable, and that's what we expect from second stringers on a Polian-designed ball club.

Good thing the defense can play through injury

More importantly, though, I thought the performance of the defense demonstrated just how important Bob Sanders is to the team. When Sanders is in the lineup, things happen. Guys run faster. Hit harder. Make plays. It doesn't matter who's in front, as was the case on Sunday with two green linebackers. As long as #21 is in the defensive backfield, the Colts will be okay.

The Bad
The Colts ability to close out the game. Not to take away credit from the Titans; they're a formidable opponent, but Super Bowl Champions close out games when given the chance. The most frustrating part of this was that it was all came down to the finer details of execution. Two blocked kicks, one missed field goal, poor first half clock management, dropped passes, too many red zone trips that did not end in touchdowns and questionable play calling at the end of the game. Those are things the Colts typically do well. We have no need for concern at this point; the coaching staff knows this (judging by Monday morning comments) and will correct it.

Hopefully this will be the last time we see this

Good sign moving forward
The Colts toughness. I'm not sure I've seen more of a smash mouth game between the Colts and Titans. Jarring hits, head first tackles, cracking shoulder pads and playing through the whistle were the norm this weekend. It looked more like a game against Jacksonville. That the Colts handled it well, and in fact delivered a lot of their own punishment, sent a message to the Titans, the rest of the division and the league that the defense will not lay down and play dead. If you plan to beat the Colts, you'll take a beating along the way. They're young, fast and very aggressive. They'll make plenty of mistakes because of this, but I'm okay with it. What they bring to the table is exactly what we want. If this unit stays healthy most of the year, they'll be a force in December.

Stat of the Week (as seen on TV)
The Colts average age: 29.4, second youngest in the league.

Addai is handling the number one spot well

Other observations ...

The two-minute attack at the end of the first half seemed real dynamic with Anthony Gonzalez in the slot. I'd like to see more of this in situations other than two-minute drills.
Peyton Manning is dealing with pressure better now than ever. Sure, he threw the pick deep in the Colts own territory, but that looked more like a function of Reggie Wayne getting knocked off of his route and not a bad decision. Other than that particular play, Manning was nearly flawless despite having the Titans defensive line in his face most of the day. The last time I remember that much pressure was the 2005 playoff game against Pittsburgh. We all know how that one turned out.
That being said, the offensive line can play a lot better than they did on Sunday.
Joseph Addai handled a very rough defense well, and is playing well enough for the Colts to abandon the two-back platoon system.

Next up
A battle for first against the 2-0 Houston Texan Juggernaut at Reliant Stadium. I can't believe this game is a battle for first.

2 and oh what an ugly game

2007-09-17T09:22:00.000-04:00

I didn't Tivo this week's game, so I don't have the opportunity to review and see where things could be improved. And thank goodness for that, because I have never been so frustrated during a victory as I was yesterday.

Heading into the season, I figured that the Jags would continue to be the team we'd have trouble with. Guess what, I was wrong. The Titans have shown that they are the 2nd best team in the AFC South.

They started by getting in the head of Adam V. I don't know if that missed PAT was a bad snap, a bad placement, a penetrating rush, or a combination, but that set the mood for Adam the rest of the game, as evidence by the tipped (but made) FG and the missed FG. That is four points that we should have had. I'm not ready to send him down the road, but he is our salvation for those games when our offense is kept out of the end zone.

Which happened yesterday. There were some slick hands out there. Balls went flying through the paws of our receivers. Sometimes pass routes were run all wrong. Sometimes Peyton just wasn't looking. Needless to say, our pass offense wasn't running on all cylinders. Which is funny to say when your QB goes 28/42 for 312 yards. But only one TD and an interception (which shouldn't have been; the defender should have been flagged on that one).

On the plus side, there were only 2 sacks (yes, I said only 2). The Titans were coming in hard and strong and were determined to get to Peyton. I think the offensive line did a pretty good job. And Ugoh is proving to be an incredible draft pick.

And congrats to Alex Gonzalez on his first receptions.

As for the running game, the only let down was that we didn't go to Addai more often. 20 carries, 81 yards, averaging 4.1 a carry. I don't think the Titans were closing our running game down the way they wanted to. The Colts kept chipping away and I think if we would have handed it off a bit more, the passing game would have opened up more, especially in the red zone.

The defense, absent two starting linebackers who would have made a great difference, did a fine job against Vince Young and company. Like last week, they were fast, they were flying, they were hard hitting. No complaints, honestly. They held the Titans to 141 rushing (53 of which were from Young scrambling) and 172 yards passing. The Titans only scored 20. And that's good enough.

Punt and kick off coverage still needs improvement. And the Colts need to work on pinning the punt at the one better. Two punt touchbacks is two too many.

So the Colts are 2-0. And heading into Houston to face the 2-0 Texans.

Are you kidding me?

Just another game where the AFC South will get a chance to put a ding in the Colts armor.

Thoughts on week 2: Colts at Titans

2007-09-14T23:54:00.000-04:00

It's hard to look at the schedule and say that a game on September 16 means something. I think for the game this week in Nashville, however, we have to make an exception.

Statement game
This game is important for two reasons. The first is that the Colts have to make a statement. The Titans want to bully the Colts around like they did last December; they want to show the Colts that they're a team to be reckoned with. This game has more at stake than the one last December, however, because a Titans victory gives them sole possession of first place. And they'd have it all to themselves if Houston lost also. Is this a big deal? Maybe not, considering it's week 2. But when I consider that the Colts haven't been out of first place since week 1 in 2004, and the Titans dearly want to make a statement about their position in the division, it is important that the Colts take control early and make it clear that 2007 isn't Tennessee's time. The Colts can't afford to give Tennessee any early season momentum if they want to win the division easily.

Let's not have a repeat from last year

Establish defensive credibility
This game is also important for the Colts in terms of establishing defensive credibility. Week 1 against the Saints showed us the defense can still play at the level it reached in the playoffs. It was encouraging; it was enough for me to be completely sold on the off-season changes (which now look like improvements). But, I think at some point, it was easy for the defense to show up for week 1 because of the national focus, the home crowd and the challenge of the Saints offense. This weekend will be different. The defense has to face both of its glaring weak points from 2006: cutback runners and a mobile quarterback. It also has to do it without crowd noise, and without the added pressure of a nationally televised audience. (By the way, has there been a team better in regular season prime time situations than the Colts since 2005?) The defense will face a significant challenge this weekend, no question about it. I think the players need to come out and prove to us ... no, wait, prove to themselves ... that they can play at a high level in situations where the going is tough and the juice may not be flowing. Much like this game is a confidence builder and statement game for the Titans, the same holds true for the Colts defense.

All of this isn't to say that the Colts must win this game. They can lose this game, fall to third place and still secure home field advantage in the playoffs. They will still have time to recover.

But I'd sure hate to face that reality come Monday, however.

Pats punishment not enough (but yet a Colts fan's dream)

2007-09-14T17:20:00.001-04:00

Is PatriotGate great, or what?

Bill Belichick and ESPN's most coveted NFL franchise finally got caught cheating. Surprised? I'm not. Coming from a team who cheated injury reports so much that the NFL now reports on who practices and who doesn't, and a team whose players alway seemed to overstep the bounds of fair play to gain an advantage, the revelation that the Patriots video taped the Jets sidelines to steal signals didn't surprise me a bit. Well, maybe that's not entirely true. I am surprised Belichick decided to commit the crime against the Jets, who are coached by longtime assistant turned arch nemesis Eric Mangini. If you're going to cheat, at least try it on those who don't know about it. Or better yet, cheat against opponents you might actually struggle with.

Now he's a cheater, not a champion

Penalty not enough
The NFL's penalty of $750K and the loss of draft picks in 2008 seems like a harsh penalty at first glance. Afterall, $750K is a lot of money to common folk like myself, and I would hate it if the Colts did something stupid enough to lose a high draft pick.

But it's really not enough. This penalty takes away real currency in terms of dollars, but doesn't really take away a football team's currency. By currency, I mean that which a person or collection of people really covet and place value upon.

What currency should the NFL have taken away? Wins. Better yet, the privilege to play for playoff wins. Belichick's main motivation to cheat has been to get an upper hand on the opponent in order to win the game. His motivation to cheat wasn't driven by real money, because as a successful NFL coach, he will always have more money than he needs. Belichick, no matter how light his pocket book has become, can still chase the prize that he's after. The prize that he values so much that he decided to take the risk to cheat in the first place. Now that he knows the price in terms of real dollars, he can make a calculated risk. Does he video tape playoff games to get an edge? Perhaps, especially if the dollar amount he could earn would pay the fine. He actually can consider, if he wishes, the decision to cheat again. Fining him real dollars just makes him sorry he got caught, not sorry that he cheated.

I would have structured the penalty differently. First, I would have forced the Patriots to forfeit the win against the Jets. The Jets deserve as much for one, and two, the Patriots should not reap the benefits of the unlawful actions. It would also have sent a clear message to Belichick and the rest of the league: if we, the NFL, catch you cheating, you will lose. And losing -- more specifically, the avoidance of losing -- is the whole reason Belichick cheated in the first place.

I would not have stopped there. This isn't the first time the Patriots or Belichick himself have been either caught doing something against NFL rules or suspected of breaking the rules. I can remember all the Colts playoff games in Foxboro where the Patriots secondary held the Colts receivers so much that they could barely get 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Sure, the referees didn't call the penalties at the time (wrongly so), but the actions did ultimately cause the NFL to revisit and enforce a more strict interpretation of defensive holding for the entire league (it's also ironic that the Pats haven't beat the Colts since). If you need more recent data than the 2003 and 2004 Playoffs, Rodney Harrison recently admitted to knowingly taking the banned substance HGH to help recover from injury. Those are just two of many. In fact, the allegations of video taping have also shed light on other potential taping violations. Not only did Belichick and the Patriots cheat, it turns out they were quite good at it.

I am reveling in it
Penalties aside, I am loving this. As a long time Colts fan who has often thought the Patriots received way more press and favoritism than they deserved, I love seeing their mystique, image and status as a top NFL franchise take a hit. (Editor's Note: it's not just that I'm a long time Colts fan. I fundamentally hate the Patriots and Red Sox; and all they stand for.) It's likely that the Patriots didn't use video tape footage or other aids to help win their Super Bowls, but now the seed of doubt has been planted. We just don't know how legit the Patriots are with any certainty. Belichick's legacy is tarnished. So is Tom Brady's, although he probably doesn't deserve it. In fact, the once model franchise for operation and execution now has the potential to be the NFL's version of Enron. Who knows how deep the unethical behavior has penetrated into the organization? We may never know, but it could all come down on Boston like a house of cards, and Bill Simmons would have to take months to feel sorry for himself and the Patriots on ESPN.com.

It would be the best reading ever.

The New England Cheaters

2007-09-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

So I'm trolling the boards at the Boston Globe to find out what excuses Patsies fans are making for their desperate, overrated cheater they call Coach Belichick. There are none. They don't deny it whatsoever. Their argument? Everybody does it, and (of course) Manning & Polian suck (which, you know, makes total sense as an excuse for cheating).

They're talking about taking away a future draft pick if it's proven they were cheating (and honestly, who really doubts it?). What round? A 7th round pick means jack. So why doesn't Goddell do the right thing: make the Patriots forfeit their "win" over the Jets, and suspend Belichick for four games for cheating like Shawn Merriman was suspended four games for cheating last season?

God, I can't wait for that game!

Pictures of Indianapolis 9/6/07

2007-09-09T11:02:00.000-04:00

I shot some pictures during the day on Thursday, while I wandered downtown and waited for the game. I took a couple at the game also. I narrowed it down to 12, and you can view them HERE.

Colts in review: week 1

2007-09-07T19:04:00.000-04:00

Aside from the 2006 AFC Championship Game, the 2007 season opener for the Indianapolis Colts was probably the most anticipated home game ever. The NFL put on a show for the entire nation, but it was if the free concert on Monument Circle with Kelly Clarkson and Faith Hill; and the on-field concert with Clarkson and Hoosier favorite John Cougar Mellencamp; were for the Colts, Indianapolis and its fans. Never before have any of the three been the center of so much positive attention at one time. And let me tell you, it's been a long time coming.

Perfection
The day could not have gone better if I had written the script myself. We had good weather (which has been a scarcity in Indiana recently), free concerts, a whole day to tailgate, a banner ceremony and a big-time Colts victory (more on the game further down).

The tailgate was great as usual. Friends Jason, Chris and Kord really know how to entertain, Colts style. Read the Colts Fan Blog and Four Square 266 for more on Colts tailgating. I'll leave the details to them.

Downtown Indy from the tailgate.

Championship cornhole.

Beer Geek goes cheap.

Jambalaya!

I'm not a fan of Kelly Clarkson, and only a fan of John Mellencamp in the way that most Minnesotans are fans of Prince in that he's a local boy who's done well. The concert, though, was a welcome festivity to the pre-game celebration. It gave the game a sense of meaning that all other games in the RCA Dome (except the AFC Championship game) haven't had. Stars don't usually come through Indianapolis unless there's a 500 mile race or it's a scheduled stop on a multi-city tour. The fact they were here to entertain us (and the nation) was pretty special, regardless of how popular (or not) they are.

Kelly Clarkson on stage. Somewhere.

Lights out for Cougar.

The banner is a sight to behold for championship-starved Colts fans. The moment the banner unfolded was a special one. I'd say it ranks up there with RCA Dome moments like the record breaking 49th touchdown pass, the Marlin Jackson Interception and the culmination of the Super Bowl victory parade. The banner was also designed well. It's bigger than the other banners that hang in the Dome, it's a different color and it says very simply, yet powerfully, what we have been waiting a lifetime to see.

No need for a witty caption.

Lastly, with regards to the banner, it's great the RCA Dome gets to wear this most coveted piece of laundry in its final season of existence. The Dome has housed some bad football over the years. Really bad football. During the 1-15 and 3-13 years, barely 40,000 fans would attend games. Super Bowl victories were unthinkable. Victories over teams like the 1997 Green Bay Packers was its NFL crowning glory. It was a sad state of affairs before Peyton Manning came to town, and the Dome housed all of it. The Dome has also seen a lot of championships won over the years, ranging from high school sports to Men's NCAA College Basketball. But none of those championships belonged to the lone permanent tenant of the Dome. When Manning came to town, the Dome's fortune began to change. It hosted playoff games, record breaking performances and sellout crowds. But, in a cruel twist of fate, the prosperity it housed also led to its demise, and ground was broken to its south for Lucas Oil Stadium. I, for one, am not very sad to see it go (frankly, it's a dump), but it's poetic that, for all the crap the Dome has put up with over the years, it gets one year to show off newest prized possession.

In the old, looking out at the new.

Statement made
Let's get one thing straight: the 2007 Indianapolis Colts are the Super Bowl favorite.

Mark it down.

Many in the media, including our longtime nemesis Bill Simmons, seems to think that the Colts are supposed to use 2007 to sleep off their Super Bowl hangover and either fail to get back to the Super Bowl, or worse, not even win the division.

Editor's note: I cannot express how much the Bill Simmons / ESPN.com / ESPN Magazine situation pisses me off. It makes me absolutely crazy. It's bullshit. A self-admitted homer should not be allowed to write for a national and presumably non-biased publication and still maintain that homer bias. It's completely unethical; ESPN would never let someone with a bias against the Great Epicenter of the Sporting Universe -- a point halfway between Boston and New York -- have a viewpoint against anything that occurs on the East Coast and publish it on the front page of a website and inside a regular publication. And yes, I get the economic reality of the situation; pandering to Boston and New York brings in revenue. But dammit, it's really frustrating that Bill Simmons can write what he does about his damn Patriots and have virtually no accountability.

Bull. Shit.

And maybe there's something to that notion. The Colts did have a lot of roster turnover at key positions, have a tough schedule and have to compete with supposedly improved teams in New England and San Diego.

But you can put all of those notions to rest. The Colts served notice to the rest of the NFL: they will not go down easily. And we should not be surprised at the week 1 outcome. First, the Colts have traditionally dealt with roster turnover. In 2005, the Colts lost starters at linebacker, defensive tackle and running back. Those loses were thought to have put the Colts out of Super Bowl contention. Even I thought that. But Bill Polian is the best at what he does, and he proved it last year with the Super Bowl win. The fact that Freddy Keiaho (an upgrade over Cato June), Ed Johnson, Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes and Tony Ugoh (a faster Tarik Glenn) all played well should not surprise us; Polian knows what he is doing.

Second, the Colts coaching staff isn't one to let the Colts lay down and play dead. After the Jacksonville debacle last year, it would have been easy to throw in the towel on the season and look forward to next. Especially when things didn't improve in road games at Tennessee and Houston. Tony Dungy and his staff kept the team focused on improvement that ultimately came to fruition just in time to make a Super Bowl run.

Lastly, Peyton Manning has got It ... that Michael Jordan It. He is the ultimate competitor and is not one who can be satisfied with one championship. If there was any doubt about what killer instinct was left in Manning, he answered it with his long touchdown throw to Reggie Wayne to put the Colts up 34-10 in 4th quarter garbage time ... even though the situation called for running down the clock. If the Colts don't return to the Super Bowl this year, it won't be because of something Manning had control of.

Get used to it.

Colts 41, Saints 10. This kind of convincing victory over the best the NFC has to offer wasn't a fluke. It's a sign that the 2007 Fantasy Football Champion and media darling New England Patriots; as well as the team with the supposed Best Player in Football (Tomlinson and the Chargers); will have to travel through Indianapolis on their way to Super Bowl XLII.

Buzzing

2007-09-07T12:56:00.000-04:00

I am drunk this morning. Not from the excessive amount of booze consumed during tailgating yesterday. But from the performance put on by the World Champions Indianapolis Colts.

Heading into the game, too many talking heads spoke of the Colts and the number of players they lost. The defense turned over too many players. And Booger's injury. There's no way the defense can do anything worthwhile. Peyton and the offense will have to go into a shoot-out with every team they play. And it won't work well, not with Addai going at it alone. Plus, with a new left tackle, Peyton will be dusting artificial turf off his ass all season long.

It's only week 1, but I believe the Colts made a statement last night. A statement against the would be top NFC team and their would be top tiered offense and defense. And that statement went something like this:

Um, hello, defending Super Bowl champs here. Don't count us out yet.

Last night was a pleasure. While the offense was a little rusty coming out of the gate, it wasn't long before Peyton was hitting Reggie, Marvin, and Dallas while in stride. Addai was running all over the field. The offensive line, well known for their pass protection skills, were providing mad run blocks. And Ugoh, are we sure it really isn't Tarik reincarnated? Not only because of the two false starts, but he blocked really, really well. There was only one play that I can recall where he totally missed his blocking assignment. But he was on it.

But the really big story of course was the defense. Two words: three points. Very incredible. Brees wasn't eating artificial dirt quite as much as you would like to see, but the D was fast. Incredibly fast. Rob Morris was a mad man. Bob Sanders was hard hitting. Matt Giordano was speeding down the sideline. Even Ed Johnson, who at 296 is the largest defensive starter, was burning rubber to chase down Saints rushers. Despite all the personnel lost, I saw a defense that was not only as good as the playoff defense of last season, but better and faster.

And the fun carried over to the special teams, as Adam Vinatieri's leg seemed to improve as the game went on.

If I were to make one complaint about the Colts, and I will, it is that our coverage teams need to swarm the returners better. But at 41-10, what the hell do I know?!?

Again, it is only week 1, but oh my goodness how high are you on the Colts right now? Primetime. Party time. The Colts showed everyone why the NFL was celebrating Indianapolis last night. And they have put their two cents in on who they think will win it all this season.

Good night.

2007-09-07T09:18:00.000-04:00

Even setting aside the win, this one was fun: it was opening night, the last home opener at the RCA Dome, and the NFL Kickoff festivities were held in Indianapolis for the first time. At times yesterday, the game seemed like nearly an afterthought. Once it began, however, the Colts made clear that we may be doing the same thing next year at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The box score tells us that the Colts dominated nearly every aspect of the game. While it was disappointing to be tied with the Saints at halftime, in large part because of Reggie Wayne's fumble, which ended a promising drive and handed the Saints their only touchdown, statistically the Colts were far superior to New Orleans even in the first half. The Colts outgained the Saints 193 to 106; although the Colts had one more possession, they led the Saints with 32 yards per possession to 21; and the Colts managed 5.6 yards per offensive play to the Saints' 3.4. The Colts' dominance increased in the second half. New Orleans crossed the 50 only twice in the second half and turned the ball over each time. After a shaky start, beginning with a field goal at the end of the half, the Colts scored on five consecutive offensive possessions.

For the game, here are some numbers we can track for the season, which somewhat control for the effect of turnovers and special teams points:

Offensive points per "real" possession: 3.09

Defensive points per "real" possession: 0.27

Offensive yards per "real" possession: 41.1

Defensive yards per "real possession: 25.6

Yards per "real" offensive play: 7.7

Yards per "real" defensive play: 4.3

What I mean by "real" possession is that I exclude possessions at the end of a half or the end of a game where the offense is not trying to score. That's not to say that I exclude garbage time, but I exclude possessions where the offense is merely taking a knee or plainly attempting to end the half. In this game, while it's borderline, I am excluding the final Saints' possession of the first half but counting the last possession of the second half, a possession on which NO clearly and inexplicably really wanted to score (my theory is that Drew Brees is in Drew Brees's fantasy football lineup this week). That means for this game I come up with 11 Saints possessions and 11 Colts possessions. Clearly, the stats from last night's game tell the same story as the scoreboard, but since that isn't always the case, it's worth keeping an eye on these numbers.

Gumbo

2007-09-07T00:24:00.001-04:00

I started writing this at halftime, and pretty much kept going throughout the second half; and I was concerned at the end of the first half, because there were problems, which I will discuss below. But by the end of the second half, I was more than a little impressed. The Colts used tonight’s national spotlight to serve notice that the team that decimated its four playoff opponents last season is the exact same team that is starting the new regular season.

At the end of the first half, a few things are apparent. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is that Manning and his passing offense are not sharp; his pass velocity might even be a bit too fast for this early in the season - but this is likely to change in the second half. I expect the second half to be classic Colts second half football - a takeaway that leads to points and a quick march down the field, to take the fight out of the opponent.

The New Orleans secondary was enormously disrupting in the first half - the New Orleans defense overall was much better than I had thought it would be - but Manning was not quick to make adjustments to busted routes and blown plays. I can’t recall another Colts game I have ever watched where Manning had so many of his passes tipped or knocked away. I counted at least three there in just the first half of tonight’s game.

On the other hand, Freddy Keiaho has introduced a revolutionary new form of rush defense, whereby he will use a tailback’s own offensive lineman (John Stinchcomb) to make the tackle; and then, just for good measure, he’ll reach up and grab Reggie Bush’s shoestrings, just to make sure the play is good and over.

The second obvious thing is that it looks like we’re not going to miss retired left tackle Tarik Glenn nearly as much as I thought we would. Tony Ugoh has performed admirably protecting Manning’s blind side - Manning looked perfectly comfortable in the pocket, and even though his poise has developed enormously over the years, a Manning that did not feel good about his left tackle would have looked more harried in the pocket than this Manning did in the first half.

Third, the pass rush - and perhaps Dwight Freeney? - were not in the building at all, at least until right there at the end of the half. Even with losses in personnel, this is still a dominant defensive line capable of generating a lot of sacks. The Saints have a good O-line, but Brees had way too much time in the pocket. The Colts are not a pressure defense, of course, but there are far too many sacks waiting in the persons of Freeney, Mathis, and Brock for Brees to have been that free and clear for the first thirty minutes.

I liked the play that called Kenton Keith’s number on the play after Addai went down - it gives your unproven tailback a chance to shine in a low-impact high-pressure situation, lets him know that this is the NFL and this is the real thing - and when we call your number, you’d better be ready to play. He answered with a strong 7-yard run. That was good play-calling on the part of the Colts, as opposed to the 52-yard field goal attempt the Saints tried early in the first half, on I think their second drive. You miss that and you give the World Champions Of All Football great field position on their second drive, which the Colts used to burn the Saints and put the first points on the board. I like the idea of that play, which shows that Sean Payton isn’t afraid to make gutsy calls in a hostile environment against an elite team; but the problem is that there’s no upside unless it works, and this one didn’t. The Saints weren’t actually broken until the successive Colts touchdowns to start the second half - but seeing the Colts score a touchdown on a long pass to Harrison was a signal of what was to come; they weren’t broken, but when Harrison’s left foot dragged along the ground, they had to know that they were going to be broken.

Something I noticed in the one pre-season game I saw bits of is something that showed up tonight, too - Antoine Bethea is going to be an impact safety this season. His field vision is developing rapidly, as evidenced by his sharp closing speed and precise tackles. He also has clearly picked up some pointers from Bob Sanders in the hitting department, because Bethea is putting monster shots on guys. Marlin Jackson showed some of this in that same pre-season game (it was one of the two in the middle, I don’t remember which one), and now that he’s going to have a full season at his natural position, I’m expecting good things from the secondary this year.

The Colts forced a three-and-out on the first Saints drive of the second half, with an overall sharper look than they had in the first half; and they tightened up nicely for the second Saints drive, as well. On the third Saints drive, they did cause that turnover that I called for - and it was Freddy Keiaho going high into the air to pick off a pass that Drew Brees threw under the kind of pressure he didn’t have to face in the first half. And then another turnover with about eight minutes left to go in the fourth - Robert Mathis got to Brees a split second before his arm came around, and out came the ball. Mathis fell on it for the second Colts takeaway.

The first Colts drive of the second half was that quick march down the field that I was talking about. The second long pass to Harrison was a well-run route, a smoother-looking play than the touchdown pass in the first half, which was just a little bit ahead of Harrison (though definitely very pretty); the second-half pass caught Harrison right in stride. And even though it wasn’t the turnover and a long drive that I predicted, it was two strong touchdown drives in the first nine minutes of the second half. In fact, on the first play of the Saints drive after the second touchdown, they got to Brees, who barely got an incomplete screen pass off before he went down. The second touchdown pass to Wayne was also right in stride.

And the bottom line tonight is - the Colts did what the Colts do. They made adjustments at halftime based on what they saw in the first half, and those adjustments were exactly what was needed to achieve success. The Saints figured to be one of the better teams the Colts had to play this season (along with the Chargers, Broncos, and Patriots - and though I acknowledge that the Colts might lose a game to both Jacksonville and Tennessee, I don’t think those are good teams - I think those are teams that are a year away), but they presented virtually no challenge. Granted, they are not the Chargers or the Patriots - and I’d be so much less worried about the Patriots if we had been lucky enough to get them in the first four weeks, given the defensive personnel they are not going to have during those weeks - but the Saints are a good team, and they got manhandled tonight.

And hopefully Jason David doesn’t feel too bad about getting burned so much. He looked pretty sloppy, but lots of people have been burned that badly. Elvira. Joan of Arc. The tanning bed girls in Final Destination 3. He’ll bounce back - but he won’t have two Super Bowl rings at the end of this season. His former teammates just might.

Mere Hours Away

2007-09-06T13:22:00.000-04:00

By the end of the night, a couple of things will be known.

How do the "real" Colts look this year? Especially against a fairly good team, and probably the team we SHOULD have faced in the Super Bowl. Imagine the cover of Sports Illustrate if that happened? I am sure there is a photo somewhere, one of a young Peyton Manning in his daddy's Saints jersey. I can see that picture gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated.

In three and a half hours, we'll get to see what 50,000-ish Colts Fans look like on Monument Circle. I can only imagine the sea of blue there is going to be downtown.

In six and a half hours, we'll get to hear John Mellencamp and see the Super Bowl Banner drop in the RCA Dome.

And seven hours from now, we'll begin to see our team take shape, as the 2007 Season begins, and we get to watch our guys begin their run at another Super Bowl Title.

I've thought about this long and hard.
Today, I did wear my Super Bowl Championships Shirt, under my Manning jersey. However, after tonight, I will never wear this shirt again - on a game day. After tonight, when we celebrate what we were last season, I am looking only into the future. No more living in the past of last season. I'll still watch the DVDs and enjoy the games and the commentaries, etc... But, as far as this year goes, we are still 0-0 (1-0 after tonight) and we have to start in the same place as everyone else, while on our journey to the same place. I will happily retire all of my t-shirts from last year (Division Champs, AFC Champs, and Super Bowl Champs) to the closet with my shirts of years past. I will break them out and wear them sometimes - but on not again on Game Days. On Game Day, I am going to be thinking about the future. About this season. About what we have to do in order to repeat as Champions and make those DARNED Patriots Fans SHUT THEIR MOUTHS. Back-to-back? We can do that too.

So, I raise my glass and toast to all:
"Here, tonight, begins the 2007 Colts Season. And it's going to be an exciting one. CHEERS! GO COLTS!!!"

Game Face

2007-09-05T10:33:00.000-04:00

The countdown to kick off is ticking down. Thirty four hours at the time of this posting. But the moment has been building up for weeks and weeks. And in hopes of duplicating our success from last season, my superstitious ass is going to do everything the same that we did last year. And that starts with the beard.

For the past 12 years, I have sported the goatee. Occasionally, I’ll feel like being a lumberjack and grow a beard for the winter. Last year, I started my beard in early August and sported it through football season right past the Super Bowl. A month ago, I started my 2007 season beard. And it is in full growth right now.

I have a new World Champions T-shirt that I will be wearing under the Dallas Clark jersey that I sported all last season. If, by chance, the Colts don’t start off well, I’ll ditch the shirt for last season’s T-shirt.

And I forgo the traditional ball cap. Do rag, baby. That’s how I cover my bald noggin.

During the season, our tailgating sessions, out of respect to our opponents, reflected the region that the visiting team came from. Tex Mex for the Houston game. Chicken wings for the Buffalo game. Cheese steaks for the Philadelphia game. Again, respect for the opponents. On Thursday, I’ll be cooking up some jambalaya. My buddy Kord is doing some Cajun spiced chops. And Chris is bringing spicy Popeye’s chicken and red beans and rice. We’ll be getting our voodoo on.

(For the record, the playoffs are different story. We don’t honor our opponents for those games. Also not that we will not be bringing any clam chowder on November 4th. Because we have no respect for THEM!)

Though the tailgate isn’t all about love. We balance it out with whiskey. And lots of it. And before anyone takes a shot, they yell out…well, let’s just say that we let people know what the opponents can do with themselves, if you catch my drift.

When game time approaches, we grab our walking beers and drink them as we travel down South Street towards the Dome.

It is a great ritual. A winning tradition. 10-0 last year. Hoping for the same for this year. So let’s get our game faces on!

Manning on cover of SI

2007-08-28T21:26:00.000-04:00

I like it.

What's more is that Peter King ends the Manning vs. Brady debate.

And that's part of the beauty of the Super Bowl XLI: we no longer wring our hands over trying to determine the best quarterback in the land. The answer is easy.

Best QB ever

DeMulling cut: good or bad sign?

2007-08-28T20:38:00.000-04:00

When the Colts re-signed former Colt Rick DeMulling from Detroit, I thought it made sense. DeMulling had a good career in Indianapolis; fled to Detroit for more money and left Detroit in the end due to poor performance. The Colts acquisition of DeMulling seemed to indicate that DeMulling is like a lot of other NFL players in that he fit really well a specific system. Like the one in Indianapolis.

Today's roster move put that notion to bed; perhaps DeMulling doesn't have it anymore.

Or does he?

He gone.

I think we can view this roster move in a few ways. The first is that DeMulling just can't cut it with the Colts. The talent vs. value decision goes against him because of the younger, cheaper and better players. And that always bodes well for a team like the Colts that always seem to live on "borrowed time" in terms of salary cap doom.

The second is that the Colts need money and roster flexibility to staff other positions. While depth may be a concern at offensive line, depth is more of a concern in other areas and the Colts will take from the line to help elsewhere.

The third is that the offensive line may not be all that great so, in the best interest of player development, it makes sense to play the younger guys in hopes they can get up to speed quickly and provide a longer term benefit (which comes at the detriment of the short term).

I'm no offensive line expert. I base offensive line success on three factors:

1) How much time a QB has to pass (and how frequently a QB gets sacked)
2) How much room RBs have to run
3) If I notice them (the less I notice, the better)

So far the Colts offensive line seems to be passing all the tests; therefore, I am inclined to think that DeMulling just doesn't have it and the Colts are better off with younger talent.

Time will tell.

Can't Wait for Opening Night!

2007-08-27T19:14:00.001-04:00

I bought the tickets last week, but I decided to keep it a secret and not talk about it - until I had the tickets in my hands. They came in the mail today. I am going to the Season Opener Game against the New Orleans Saints.

The Final Home Opener in the RCA Dome.
John Mellencamp.
2006 AFC South Banner.
2006 AFC Champions Banner.
2006 Super Bowl Championship Banner.
Drew Brees and Reggie Bush are going to be in town too.

Also, have you seen the promo for this match-up? It's GREAT!

Anyways, I called Zach last week after I bought the tickets online, and asked him to go with me. So, we should have a REALLY FUN TIME that night. I can only imagine how much the Dome is going to rock that night. I'm really excited about being there.

Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, and Hinder are performing at The Circle earlier in the day, so I will probably hang out there until Zach gets off work, and gets downtown. It should be cool, but getting into the Dome as early as possible: That's the most important thing.

The first step towards a Super Bowl repeat: win the division

2007-08-27T10:32:00.000-04:00

Forget byes. Forget home field advantage. And forget indoor vs. outdoor. The past two seasons have shown that there is only one thing you need to win the Super Bowl: a playoff berth. And the best was to guarantee a playoff spot is to win the division.

For our beloved Indianapolis Colts, that idea is almost ho-hum as they have won the past four division championships. But this season, Jacksonville and Tennessee are revving up to make legitimate runs for the title. And while we have 10 opponents in common with our division foes, it is the two that we don’t have in common that concerns me most.

Because we won our division last year, we have the lucky opportunity to play against the division winners for the AFC East and North, New England and Baltimore, with respective 2006 records of 12-4 and 13-3. Not an easy feat.

Tennessee, who at 8-8 came in second, will face the Jets (10-6) and the Bengals (8-8), which I don’t think will be an easy task for the Titans. But Jacksonville, who was also 8-8 but came in third, faces Buffalo (7-9) and Pittsburgh (8-8). If the Jaguars and Titans are equally strong (and I think they are), then the Jags have a definite leg up with their schedule.

But both teams also have to face some tough competition with games against New Orleans, San Diego, and Kansas City, not to mention each other twice. Oh, and the World Champion Indianapolis Colts twice.

While not a shoo-in by any stretch of the imagination, I am pretty confident that the Colts will win their fifth consecutive division title. And this is how I see that happening:

1.) Winning at home
The Colts were undefeated at home last year. They are tough at home. And winning 8 there makes it easy to forgive mistakes on the road, where they are likely to happen.

2.) Win at least half the road games
Again, I don’t want to be cocky and expect wins anywhere, I do expect them in two places: Atlanta and Oakland. The Falcons are demoralized. Even though the Vick has pleaded out and the media circus is calming down, the Falcons are done. They built their team on Vick and he’s not there. The Colts will carve those birds on Thanksgiving. And Oakland is a joke. The only way we lose to them is if by week 15 we have won the division and Coach Dungy puts the second string in. But even then, I’d take our 2nd string to their starters any day.

That leaves 2 more wins amongst road games with San Diego, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Carolina, and Houston. Our first two road games are Tennessee and Houston. The Colts will hopefully be strong and healthy and able to take these two. Jacksonville and Carolina are back to back in October. I’d be very happy with one win out of two. And then the question becomes can San Diego and Baltimore repeat the magic of last season? If so, we have some tough matches. Baltimore will be looking for revenge in December, so I’d place my chips on beating San Diego who, with a new head coach, is a team in transition.

So I look for the Colts to match last season’s output of 12 wins. I think that 13 is a realistic number, and 14 isn’t too far fetched. But 12 is enough to win the division, and that is what the focus should be for the seventeen weeks following September 6th.

A thought on banners

2007-08-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

I have heard that the Super Bowl Champions banner has already been raised in the Colts practice facility and that it is white, making it stand out amongst all the blue banners. Which is a fine thing indeed.

Seeing the Super Bowl banner hang in the Dome during its sunset year will be a joyous occasion. There are a lot of memories in that building, with more to come. But I’ll get all sentimental later.

Despite my love for the Dome, I’m very excited about moving into the Luke. And with any luck, two Super Bowl banners will be raised in the Luke, not just the XLI.

But when we do raise the Super Bowl banners, I have a request for Irsay and company. Ditch the other banners. Now that we have a Lombardi, why do we need to recognize our Wild Card berths or the years that we fell just short of making the Super Bowl? In my opinion, these are symbols of unfulfilled expectations.

Aside from the Super Bowl banners, the only other banner that I would be okay with is a “Division Champs” banner that indicates the years that this feat occurred.

Otherwise, leave room in the rafters for those Super Bowl banners!

Halftime Thoughts

2007-08-20T21:44:00.001-04:00

The starting defense looked good, and they looked good against the Bears. That's a plus. The strip was nice. A couple of tackles for losses were good. INT on Grossman wasn't uncommon - but was nice to see.

The offense looked pretty good. The first series was a bummer, the second series was kind of disappointing that they couldn't get it into the end zone. But, it was nice to see them go for it on 4th down. I know they normally wouldn't do it in the regular season, but it was nice to see them give it a shot.

The onside kick was awesome. And WOW was it CLOSE. His legs were across, and it looked like he caught it when the ball was exactly on the 40 yard line. WOW, I want to think we had it.

What needs the most work?
Still the Special Teams. We gave up a HUGE kick return, and a significant punt return - if Hester didn't trip over his own player, it would have been a TD. That's poor. I think we've focused a lot on our Defense, and we've done a good job - but those special teams just aren't stopping, blocking, and tackling very well AT ALL. When the team starts their drive on our 20 yard line - WE HAVE PROBLEMS. We can't play that way all season.

Gonzalez' catch and move from Sorgi was nice looking. And I was glad to see Sorgi drive us down for a TD.

Now, as the Second Half starts, I'm very disappointed in our second-string defensive players. Most of our starters now, are the second stringers from last year who stepped up. These back ups who are playing for us now - they are not covering very well at all. Griese is finding ALL KINDS of open players!!!

I'm seriously considering getting some tickets to the Season Opener against New Orleans.

Stub Hub has some pretty well priced tickets, and I want to see them drop that Championship Banner!!! We'll see what happens.

Time to pay more attention to the second half...

It's Been Eleven Days

2007-08-20T15:54:00.001-04:00

August 9th was the last time we took the field against another team.
Eleven Days later, we're hosting the Chicago Bears.

Let's hope our defense has stepped up a little bit.
It's going to be interesting to see how things go.
According to the Poll on this site, Ugoh's potential is still uncertain. A good number of people seem to like him - and he has made national headlines - however, a fair amount of people have voted against him, and seem to think that someone else could do just as good, or better. I know I will be keeping an eye on him again tonight. Personally, I thought he did an amazing job against DeMarcus Ware. But, the Chicago line is going to be a little different.

Training Camp is over.
We've got a Saturday game, making only five days between games.
Followed by a Sunday game, giving us only six days between games.
So, the rest of the pre-season is probably going to go pretty quickly.

To make things go even faster, after our last pre-season game, we'll be suiting up against the New Orleans Saints six days later as we KICK OFF the 2007 Season, in our beautiful Circle City.

LOTS OF EVENTS going on that day, here in town.

Who needs two tickets? Colts v. Lions

2007-08-18T11:07:00.000-04:00

I am unable to attend the Colts v. Lions game on Saturday, August 25th.

Please contact me directly if you're interested in my two tickets in Section 338, Row 21. Price and method of transfer are negotiable.

E-mail: worstsportsblogever@gmail.com

Ugoh Makes National Talks

2007-08-13T20:51:00.000-04:00

USA Today.com has AN ARTICLE on Tony Ugoh and his potential to be the starting left tackle.

While many of our readers sure don't seem too impressed with him, I loved what I saw. Three plays into the game, my cell phone rang. My buddy Troy and I spent the entire rest of the drive on the phone breaking down exactly what Ugoh was doing right. And despite one person getting by him - because he was trying to block two guys - Ugoh did a great job. And he did a good job on one of the best rushers in the league in DeMarcus Ware. Stopping Ware was a good test of what he could pull off, because Ware is a MONSTER.

You know, I have forgotten how much I loved football season for another reason: The night of the Colts vs. Dallas game, my phone was ringing like crazy and text messages were coming in left and right. I have a good number of friends who are Colts fans, and its fun to get the texts and the phone calls all the time during the game. Although, my non-Colts Fans Friends know that I won't answer their calls during games. I'm looking forward to a long and fun football season.

GO COLTS!

More thinking outloud on Tank Johnson

2007-08-12T22:13:00.000-04:00

Maybe the whole Tank Johnson as a reclamation project is not so far fetched after all.

In today's Indy Star, we learn than another defensive tackle named Johnson -- this one Ed -- comes out of Penn State with his own history of character issues.

This doesn't mean the Colts will run out and sign Tank immediately. What it does mean, though, is that bringing in a defensive tackle with character issues is not without precedent.

Something to think about.

Is Cris Collinsworth Serious?

2007-08-12T21:49:00.002-04:00

Did anyone else watch the halftime show tonight on NBC?

Cris Collinsworth picked five teams who would NOT repeat as Division Champs. In the five years the AFC South has existed, we have won four of the five years - and those four all came in a row.

I just don't understand why he would think this?

Does our defense need some work? YES.

But, it's been pointed out many times this past week, that for a team to beat us, they are still going to have to put 28+ points on the board, because when you've got an offense led by Peyton Manning, you have to score points to win.

Now, this didn't prove true last year in Baltimore. Peyton couldn't do much, but the defense stepped up when they had to. Now, Tony Romo did pick us apart pretty badly. We obviously need some work, but I don't think the guys we lost are going to be that big of an issue. We've still got a good core of guys who have been in our system a couple of years. Its obvious that losing Booger is the biggest blow of the year, but I am putting faith in Irsay, Polian, and Dungy - that they have a plan and will make something happen for us.

And let's not forget last year: Bob Sanders was undefeated. He NEVER lost a game he played in last year. He IS the difference maker, and honestly one of the true MVPs of our team. If he can take it easy these next few weeks, and just physically ready for an entire NFL season, I think we've got a good chance of repeating. It's a LONG road to the University of Phoenix Stadium in February, and A LOT can happen between now and then, but A LOT of good things can happen for us too.

We won't have one of the best defenses in the NFL this year. That's just not how our system works, and its not where the Colts have chosen to put their money (aside from Freeney). But, we will have the best quarterback, and one of the top offenses in most categories. Joseph Addai is getting high rankings as one of the better running backs in the league, and if we chose to utilize him like we did during our play off run, then we are going to have more weapons than just our receivers.

I want to see more of Peyton to Gonzales. I haven't really seen that much. Usually its been Sorgi throwing to him, both in Training Camp and in the game on Thursday night. De De Dorsey looked fairly good, at times, but he also had some nowhere rushes. So, I don't know if he's going to be as good of a one-two punch as Addai and Rhodes were last year. However, with Rhodes getting suspended for four games, we kind of got the better end of him leaving the organization.

My biggest complaint about this off-season was our lack of attempts to get some free agents. I know we don't have a whole lot of money available, but it would have been nice to attempt to pick up a couple someones from somewhere. Get some safeties and some corners that we might be able to offer a little more money to. But, we really didn't do anything. The Colts appear content to bring up players from within the organization and the practice squad. It's a nice theory, let's just hope it pans out. Because it is very obvious that we have issues with our defense. I honestly believe that things will work themselves out, if we pay attention to the right things. We need a new BIG BODY on that front line. That's priority number one. Our corners need a little work. I think we've got some good guys back there. We've got Kelvin Hayden who had one of the interceptions in the Super Bowl. Antoine Bethea had 66 solo tackles in 14 games. Marlin Jackson had 61 solo tackles last season. And both of those guys had an interception.

So, we know our issues. And as fans, we can just hope that they get addressed. I don't want to end up with as poor of a defense as last year. While it turned out to be fine, once the Playoffs started, I really don't want to push our luck. Because it will come back to bite us. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens against the Bears next Monday night. I'll be very interested in Chicago's first drive. I have faith that Peyton will tear apart the Bears (again), it's how this defense will handle the Bears... That's what I want to see next.

So, in closing, I'm really unsure what Cris Collingsworth sees in Jacksonville. Is he serious? I really can't buy it. I don't see any way that the Colts won't win a FIFTH AFC South Title. That's just how we roll. Heck, I'm expecting ANOTHER run at the '72 Dolphins...

Sell your tickets now while you still can, because the Colts won't do crap this year

2007-08-12T21:49:00.001-04:00

If I were a national sports writer, or even a local sports writer, I would probably write a headline like the one above. Because getting people worked up sells newspapers and increases cable sports viewership. They throw out "facts" like:

"The Colts defense has lost 247 starters to free agency this year, making them the worst defense in IHSAA."

Which isn't a hard argument to make when you consider that last season the Colts were statistically the worst rush defense in the NFL. So how hard is it to have been the worst in a big category last season and still be considered the worst before the new season even starts?

Offense, on the other hand, has improved in my mind. While we lost Tarik to retirement, our new Eastern European car did a decent job with his debut against the Cowboys.

It may not be sexy, but a Ugoh gets the job done

And we improved in our slot position. I loved Brandon Stokely to death, but I think we'll see more production from Anthony Gonzalez.

I think the major poo-pooing of the Colts has more to do with a national sports bias for the east coast and the continual love given to the Patriots and their can't-do-any-wrong mentality. It's a New York/Boston sports world and I'm just living in it. And I'm not the only one who thinks that.

All I'm saying is despite the hoopla from professional national and local sports dorks, I'm not jumping ship and I hope that you won't either.

Thinking outloud ... Tank Johnson as a Colt

2007-08-11T10:59:00.001-04:00

Most Colts fans will scoff at the idea of the Colts acquiring Tank Johnson to fill the current void at defensive tackle. Including myself.

And the Colts will probably not entertain this idea because they don't hire proven knuckleheads to play football.

I am reconsidering this possibility for the sake of debate. I heard Chris Mortensen on ESPN Radio while on a Saturday morning run to Wal-Mart; the host asked Chris if we can expect the Colts to call upon Tank to fill Booger MacFarland's void. Of course, my initial thought was that the conversation would go nowhere fast because the Colts value character above talent. Well, you know what? Chris Mortensen didn't dismiss it. In fact, in his view, that door of possibility is wide open.

Can't beat 'em ... join 'em?

Let's think about this. First, Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy share a strong connection. During the playoffs last year, Lovie seemed supportive of Tank when he started to face legal difficulties (or, maybe the desperation to win the Super Bowl made Lovie show compassion ... who knows?). Could Tony have supported Lovie's support of Tank? It is possible. The fact that Lovie and Tony share a strong bond, and the fact that both have a lot of compassion for people ... AND given the fact that Tony has said he might entertain the idea of prison ministry after football ... maybe Tank represents an opportunity for Tony to do God's work, so to speak ... a reclamation project to make Tank a positive contributor to society.

Now use this as a backdrop to the current situation at hand. The current defensive tackle rotation going forward includes Darrell Reid, Dan Klecko, Ed Johnson, Quinn Pitcock, Raheem Brock, Tom Johnson and Ramel Meekins. This might be a stellar rotation once the rookies start to figure out pro football, but it doesn't give me any warm fuzzies when I think about it at this moment (more like an upset stomach).

Couple Tony's compassion and mission as a human being with a enormous skill gap at defensive tackle, and you have a solid business case to hire Tank Johnson.

Again, I seriously doubt Bill Polian will consider this for even a minute because, like I said earlier, he does not hire knuckleheads to play football.

But it does make for interesting debate.

It's Game Day!

2007-08-09T12:22:00.000-04:00

Flying the Game Day Flag

I know I catch a lot of flack for getting excited about Training Camp and Pre-Season games, but its the start of something. It means the real deal is coming soon. It's getting closer. And while most people don't think that pre-season games mean anything, I think its a good chance to see some of our other guys that we don't typically see.

And with us letting Navarre go, we should see A LOT of Sorgi tonight. I'm only expecting Peyton to play the first drive. Afterwards, he'll probably be the one calling the plays to Sorgi.

And here's the other reason I'm excited: We've gotta find some guys for our defense. And pre-season games are the chance to see guys playing their hearts out for those starting spots. Some of these guys might not ever get onto the field aside from a pre-season game, and they all know the holes we have to fill, so I expect them to play their hearts out and fight for those open spots.

I know some people don't consider Pre-Season as "real" football, but I care about it. It's football. It's something to watch. I think its more fun than the Pro Bowl, because roster spots are on the line. So, tonight in HD (I hope!) the Colts should have a fun time down in Dallas.

Despite our 1-8 pre-season record in the last two years, we have a pretty good regular season record, and a Super Bowl victory. So, win or lose, I just hope to see some good football played.

Life after Booger

2007-08-07T22:51:00.001-04:00

Before the weekend I started a blog post about how Peyton Manning's confidence in the Colts' progress in training camp was a great sign for Indy faithful that the Colts may not suffer from a post-Super Bowl hangover.

Now, with the news that Booger MacFarland will miss extensive time this season do to a torn patella tendon in his knee, I've decided to scrap that post.

So ... now what? The Colts do have options.

A big loss

The first option -- and cheapest -- is to rely on draftees Quinn Pitcock and Kenyunta Dawson to carry the load. Pitcock probably stands the best chance to fill the void as he currently weighs somewhere around 300 lbs and is the highest drafted defensive tackle in Bill Polian's tenure (the fact that Polian usually sticks lowly drafted and / or walk-on free agents should tell you how good Pitcock may be). Dawson doesn't look like he'll fill the Booger role. He played defensive end in college, and at 254 lbs., it appears he will see the most action at defensive tackle during obvious passing downs. Other rookies vying to make the roster are Ramel Meekins, Tom Johnson and Edward Johnson, but they are long shots at best.

If only Dawson could add 50 lbs. quick

Another intriguing option is to pick up a player via a trade or waiver wire. Rumors about Warren Sapp or Tank Johnson joining the Colts have already started. The latter may have some merit because of the relationship between Dungy and Sapp, but the former will likely be a very long shot because the Colts don't take chances on sketchy characters. Counselors the Colts are not.

The option of veteran acquisition might be the road the Colts take. One advantage of the Tarik Glenn retirement is that it cleared some cap space for the Colts to make a move if needed. Not only could the Colts potentially add a veteran, but they could add a decent veteran since the cap space would probably allow it. The second reason the Colts might take this path is precedent. Bill Polian generally doesn't take a lot chances on personnel moves outside of the draft and re-signing their own; the fact that Polian did take chances on both Corey Simon and Booger MacFarland not only shows how important it is for the Colts to add a big body, but also shows that Polian is willing to add that body by any means necessary.

Time for Bill to earn his paycheck (again)

However the Colts do it, they need to do it soon and effectively. They cannot afford to go much of the season without a big body in there to keep the linebackers clean.

Colts first look

2007-08-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

After our first training camp I must say the Colts look stout and ready for action. Even with the holes in our D-Line I feel the players and system we have in place will provide enough stopping power for any offense. We may start out shaky again, but like last year we will be there when the time is right.

This Could be BAD

2007-08-05T22:27:00.000-04:00

Looks like there is a chance we're going to be WITHOUT BOOGER McFARLAND this season!

READ ABOUT IT on the Indy Star Website.

Corey Simon done; Irsay sets goals and other camp tidbits

2007-08-02T21:01:00.001-04:00

We now know the Colts will end their relationship with Corey Simon once they reach a separation agreement.

This is a shame, for one, because Corey was a good player and could have made a huge impact for the Colts. But given the un-Colts-like comments and behavior from owner Jim Irsay, general manager Bill Polian and Tony Dungy, it's clear that what transpired between Simon and the team was taken personally by the team. The Colts must view him as having a serious integrity problem, or something. Whatever it is, it's not good. I reckon we'll have to wait on Simon's tell-all book.

It's game over for Corey Simon.

Given the tension between the two parties, I think it's best for all involved that Corey Simon seek employment elsewhere if he is indeed able to play football (which has to be in question right now). The Colts have plenty of on-field issues to sort out. They don't need off-field ones as well.

In other camp related news ...

John Clayton observes that Anthony Gonzalez will make an instant impact. Also, within this excellent piece, Clayton observes that Freddy Keiaho is already showing signs that he can more than adequately replace Cato June. I personally think that Keiaho will be an upgrade over June by the time we get to December.
John Clayton writes about life after Tarik Glenn. I like the attitude the team is taking here: business as usual. I am hearing some positives about Tony Ugoh; the biggest positive being his intelligence, which Clayton writes about in this article. I have heard this more than once. When draft analysts like Todd McShay criticize the Colts for picks like Tony Ugoh, I guarantee you that they don't factor in intangibles like intelligence and how important it is to have it to grasp the Colts' offensive system.
ESPN says that four current Colts and one former Colt will make the Hall of Fame in Canton: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeney, Adam Vinatieri and Edgerrin James. As time goes on, the list could grow to include Reggie Wayne. And if not for guys like Jonathan Ogden, Tarik Glenn probably enters this conversation. Columns like this really put the level of greatness the Colts have achieved over the last decade into perspective. Twenty years from now we'll be telling our kids about how great these teams and players were. It's a special time.
Jim Irsay wants to repeat.

Simon to be Released

2007-08-01T22:27:00.000-04:00

BUMMER!
According to THIS ARTICLE from NFL.com, Corey Simon will be released in the next few days. It's really a bummer, because I would have loved to see him and Booger on the front line together.

Well, we did fine without him last year, so we should still be okay.

More on Simon

2007-07-31T11:37:00.000-04:00

"Colts not clear on what to do about Simon" is a good article from ESPN.com.

HERE is the report from IndyStar.com.

I'm kinda bummed. I really got my hopes up about this, let's just hope it all eventually works out.

Peyton Lost

2007-07-30T18:54:00.000-04:00

Peyton lost the ESPN Who's Now Competition to Tiger Woods (64% to 36%).
Well, you made a GREAT RUN PEYTON!
And you out-lasted Tom Brady - again - just like you're going to in this next post-season!

Kind of a bummer, but it was fun to watch while it lasted.

And So It Begins...

2007-07-30T18:49:00.000-04:00

"And So It Begins..." Article from Colts.com

"The gist of my talk is that we’re the ’06 champions,” Polian said Monday. “There’s no ’07 champion. We start all over. Everybody’s 0-0."

This is so true. It's not boxing, you're not the Champs until someone beats you, you're just another team when the first day comes.

Good Peyton Manning quote:

“I always tell the rookies, ‘No letter jackets, or bowl gear or (NFL Scouting) Combine gear. That could be the same thing.

“If you catch somebody wearing it (the ring), that could be a potential fine.”

Where in the world is Corey Simon?

2007-07-30T18:23:00.000-04:00

According to WTHR-13 in Indianapolis at 5:30 and 6:30 ...

Simon was in Terre Haute over the weekend, but is now back in Florida
The Colts say the physical results are pending
Simon's agent says the Colts are holding Simon hostage until he returns money to them

This is getting strange. It sounds like Simon isn't suiting up for the Colts anytime soon.

Stay tuned.

Ugoh on Fast Track

2007-07-30T15:26:00.000-04:00

According to THIS ARTICLE on the IndyStar, it looks like (as of now) the Colts are leaning towards Tony Ugoh replacing Tarik Glenn, instead of Charlie Johnson. Granted, its early in training camp - a lot can happen over the next few weeks.

It also says that Corey Simon failed his physical. That's not a good sign.

2007-07-30T11:14:00.000-04:00

IndyStar.com posted ANOTHER ARTICLE today about training camp.
They also posted AN ARTICLE about the missing Corey Simon? Was this too good to be true? Was it a rumor that got started before the could "legally" get cleared to play for us again? I'm not sure what's going on with Simon, but I know I hope he's on our starting line this season!

TEN DAYS until our first pre-season game against Dallas!

Vote for Peyton Again!

2007-07-30T00:02:00.000-04:00

It's that time again.
ESPN's "Who's Now" Competition, and Peyton Manning is facing Tiger Woods this time. They were both the No. 1 Seeds in their brackets, so we need to help Peyton out, and get the edge over Tiger.

GO to ESPN's Website.
Click on "Launch Who's Now"
AND VOTE FOR PEYTON!

30 seconds, max. I swear.

You have until 6:00pm on Monday. GO NOW! What are you waiting for?

Tom Brady fell to Shaq - so Peyton is all that is left from the NFL.

A Collection of Media

2007-07-29T23:24:00.001-04:00

I figured I would collect all of the articles from today, that have to deal with the Colts reporting to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology today, for the start of Training Camp.

So, here you go:

"Ready to Roll" from Colts.com
"The Blind Side" from Colts.com
"Checking In" from Colts.com
"Ready to Work" from Colts.com
"Colts Report to Camp Ready to Defend Title" from NFL.com
"Colts Sign Rookies Ugoh, Coe as Camp Opens" from NFL.com
"Colts Begin Training Camp in Terre Haute" from IndyStar.com
"Manning Stays Focused on Another Title" from IndyStar.com
"Colts Still Hungry" from Terre Haute News

My plans have been finalized for this weekend, and I will be out at Rose-Hulman before 8:30am on Saturday, and plan to stay as long as stuff is going on. I will be bringing my camera, and will post as many pictures as I can, when I get the chance.

Anyone else going to Camp at any time?

Thanks for the support, Bob Kravitz

2007-07-29T10:19:00.000-04:00

The World Champion Indianapolis Colts officially open up training camp today, and Bob Kravitz has already determined that the Colts will not repeat as champs this year.

Why not? Well, the Patriots won the off-season NFL fantasy football this year (which, as history indicates, always works ... just ask the Redskins) and the Chargers were good last year (that's good enough ... trust him). Oh, and the Colts lost a bunch of players to free agency and Tarik Glenn retired (I'll give him the Tarik Glenn argument).

That's enough justification, right? It must be.

Another year of spot-on
commentary forthcoming

Why he felt the need to even write this column in the first place is beyond me. I would be shocked if the Indianapolis Star management saw this as the best way to sell newspapers to the optimistic and Colts-loving Indiana public.

It looks like we're headed for another season lackluster Kravitz columns. I'm sure glad I don't subscribe to the Star.

A New Colts DVD

2007-07-29T01:00:00.001-04:00

On September 4th, a new Colts DVD is being released.
The Indianapolis Colts Road to XLI: Post-Season Collector's Edition looks AMAZING!!!

It includes all of the original broadcasts of the post-season games (Kansas City, Baltimore, New England, and Chicago). I'm REALLY looking forward to re-watching the entire New England game, because I REALLY thought it was a great game. Well, maybe I'll jump to the start of the third quarter each time I watch that game! Even thought I technically have the entire Super Bowl game on DVD already (off of a DVR), it'll be nice to have a better-than-broadcast quality version to watch.

I'm looking forward to adding this to my DVD collection, just two days before the regular season starts!

Has Corey Simon returned?

2007-07-28T10:36:00.000-04:00

If this report in the Indianapolis Star is true, the Colts are about to get an early training camp surprise.

Corey Simon in camp. Ready to play.

The Colts tumultuous relationship with Corey Simon over his knee injury, “non-football related illness” and general lack of a physical condition suitable for NFL play has been a blemish for an organization that otherwise prides itself on fairness, honesty and loyalty. Granted, both Simon and the Colts kept most of the details that surrounded his physical condition, the grievance filed against the Colts and his status relatively quiet, so it’s hard to truly speculate on the real nature of the relationship between the two. But, if we are to believe the media reports on the relationship, and read into the actions like Simon not attending the Super Bowl or the ring ceremony, the fact that Simon’s agent portrays him as someone who is in shape and with a seemingly positive attitude is a big surprise for me as a Colts fan.

Simon could be a huge lift for the Colts

This development could provide a huge lift for the Colts. I don’t think there’s any question that Simon’s absence from the team last year negatively impacted the run defense, even if the extent of which could be debated. The fact is too many linebackers were blocked and not allowed to make plays in space for the majority of the season. Simon’s presence along side Anthony MacFarland can help keep linebackers clean, and that is something the smallish and young linebacking core can desperately use. If Bill Polian thought his acquisition of Anthony MacFarland last year was the equivalent to the Yankees getting Bobby Abreu last year, then this turn of events – assuming Simon is indeed healthy and in good playing shape – could easily give the Colts the same impact.

The only lingering doubts about this news, however, revolve around his health and what the true intentions are on both sides. As a fan, I hope that the health is there and both sides want to make this deal work. But, as has been the case for the past year or so, the truth in this situation has been closely guarded. Only time will tell if Simon will really be starting on opening night, or if his career with the Colts is over.

I Have Colts Fever

2007-07-27T15:48:00.000-04:00

What did you do today, Shane?
I watched the Super Bowl again.
Not the Colts Super Bowl DVD. Nope. I watched the entire 2 and a half hour game, on the DVD burned from the DVR. It was so much fun to watch it again, because I honestly hadn't watched the entire game since that night. I had forgotten about some of the calls, some of the challenges, and some of plays. So, it was a fun time to check it out again.

I've started a new season on Madden '07. I'm currently 5-0.

I can't wait until next Saturday, when a couple of us are going out to Rose-Hulman. It's getting closer and closer. And I can't wait for this season!

Simon to Return?

2007-07-27T13:45:00.000-04:00

This could be MAJOR!
Corey Simon's agent says that he's planning on reporting to the Colts Training Camp!!!
Read the Indy Star Article!

Corey Simon and "Booger" McFarland on a front line together? WOW. How much fun would that be? I hope it's true. I hope it happens. And I hope it helps our defense this coming season!

Vote for Peyton!

2007-07-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

Okay, if you even watch SportsCenter, then you know about the Who's Now Competition that's going on right now. Peyton has pretty much cruised through the first two rounds. But, starting today, he's facing Alex Rodriguez.

So, if you've got thirty seconds - GO HERE. Click on "Launch Who's Now" and then click on Vote for Peyton. That's it!

I know Justin will be voting for A-Rod, and I know Jason and Dave would NEVER click on anything that was voting for Peyton. So, in two days, I'll just have to make sure I vote A LOT for Shaq!

You have from RIGHT NOW until tomorrow (July 27th) at 6:00pm to vote. VOTE NOW!

Happy Trails, T-Bone

2007-07-26T10:43:00.000-04:00

Tarik Glenn’s retirement from football has made him the biggest off-season defection from the World Champion Colts.

Both figuratively and literally.

T-Bone's had enough

It’s hard to criticize him for this decision, however. Glenn had the rare opportunity for a football player: the ability to quit on top. If given the chance to retire at the pinnacle of a career and venture into a life with family that’s financially secure, I am sure that almost everyone would take it. Good for him, I say.

And who knows why he’s retiring. He mentioned that he had lost the competitive juice to play, which in football, is pretty much everything. Perhaps he wanted to drop weight for health reasons, which is something he has always struggled with during his Colts career. Or, just maybe, the fact that this was the final year of what looked to be his last contract with the Colts was a deciding factor. With Bob Sanders and Dallas Clark also coming up in free agency at the end of 2007, the Colts will have some tough decisions, and the acquisition of Tony Ugoh in this year’s draft had to be writing on the wall for him. But, no matter why he has decided to retire, he has done so and done it at a very good time for him.

The Colts are losing a lot in the short term. The left tackle spot is the most important position on offense after the quarterback, and given the importance of Peyton Manning and the Colts offense to the team as whole, Colts management has a serious problem on its hands. So, how do the Colts fill the void?

The short term solution is Charlie Johnson. Charlie was a super-sub last year, playing at guard and right tackle when a starter either suffered an injury or needed a break. Charlie is one of those linemen who go unnoticed; he does his job without you knowing he’s doing his job. For an offensive lineman, that’s a good quality to have. Charlie, in fact, played in the Super Bowl at right tackle and played well. I personally have no immediate reservations about him stepping in at left tackle in the early going. Can he handle the entire season? It’s hard to say. But he has shown that he can come into the game at a critical time and minimize the drop off in production.

Can the Colts repeat with him at left tackle?

The long term solution is Tony Ugoh. The Colts traded their 1^st round pick in the 2008 draft to the San Francisco 49ers to get him in the 2^nd round this year, so no clearer indication of his future with the Colts can be given. The only question mark at this point is if he is ready to play left tackle right away. Given the demands of the position, I would guess not and that he would benefit most by playing the majority of the season at either guard spot or right tackle. But, that’s not to say Charlie Johnson is anymore qualified – he only has one year on Ugoh. But look for Johnson to come into camp number one on the depth chart.

The future at left tackle

Tarik’s retirement will ultimately become a win/win scenario for all parties involved. Tarik is making the right move for himself and his family. That will always be a win. But for the Colts, this could be a winning scenario. Now they can avoid the PR disaster that would have ensued after the season when his hefty contract demands would have forced the Colts to not re-sign him; no reasonable Colts fan wants to see the team turn its back on our beloved left tackle. The way is now paved to bring back Bob Sanders long-tern, and hopefully Dallas Clark as well. The Colts will also gain more wiggle room under the cap this year to make any needed additions. For instance, if they need to add a key player for the stretch run on defense, or – God forbid – a left tackle to replace an underperforming Ugoh or Johnson, they can do it.

The key to this whole situation, though, is Johnson and Ugoh. If these two can keep Manning upright and open holes for Joseph Addai, it will minimize the loss.

If they can’t, however, it will be disaster.

Happy trails, T-Bone. A nomination in the Colts Ring of Fame is sure to follow.

So Long, Tarik

2007-07-21T14:06:00.000-04:00

I'm torn about this.
I'll be honest, during any Colts game for the last three years I have found myself yelling at Tarik Glenn two or three times for his false starts. "False Start Glenn" is what Zach and I call him. And I can admit that he does it EVERY play, he just doesn't always get caught. But, those time that he does get caught, those are what make me livid - because I just wish he didn't do it. Anytime there was a whistle, and the play was instantly called dead - I knew what was coming:

"False Start. Offense. Number 78. Five Yard Penalty"

With that said, I liked Tarik Glenn. Once the ball was snapped, I thought he was amazing (if he could make it that far without a whistle). I thought he did a really good job protecting Peyton.

I was impressed with Charlie Johnson and what he did in the Super Bowl, when he replaced Ryan Diem. Perhaps he's ready to step up, and fill Glenn's role? It's going to make Training Camp lots of fun to watch...

Freeney re-signs with Colts

2007-07-15T10:47:00.000-04:00

Was there ever any doubt?

Dwight Freeney's brand spankin' new 6-year, $72M deal came with little surprise in Indy. I got the sense that the deal would get done no matter how close the July 15th deadline for extending players with the franchise tag came. The Colts Management Team said very little on the subject beyond their desire to keep Freeney here long-term. Freeney himself showed the ultimate goodwill by attending the majority of off-season activities with the team (unlike Lance Briggs, Asante Samuel, et al) and with his Mark Buehrle-esk spoken desire to remain with the franchise who "reached" to draft him in 2001. With signs like this, the fact that a deal was coming was academic. And it was a no-brainer.

The only possible downside to this deal is the overall dollar value. Freeney now becomes the highest paid defensive player on a yearly basis by earning an average of $12M per year. The common argument now is that other defensive players, like Richard Seymour, Julius Peppers, etc., are all worth more, but even that holds little water because the Colts will likely not have a chance to sign those players, and, when their contracts expire, their new deals will be larger than Freeney's. Freeney is the highest paid defensive player ever as of July 2007, but he won't be this time next year. The market will correct itself.

Six more years of terrorizing QBs in Indy

The biggest upside to this deal is that the Colts guarantee long-term that an integral piece of the Colts cover-2 defensive scheme stays in Indianapolis. His presence as a dominant pass rusher has a cascading effect on the Colts defense. First, the pressure he puts on the quarterback forces offenses to double- and triple-team him on passing situations. This in turn puts the linebackers in a situation where they may only have to worry about one blocker rather than two; it creates space for them to make plays. It also takes pressure off the corner backs since they know that a quarterback will have to make a quick decision under pressure. Because of the opportunities Freeney creates for defensive players down field, the Colts can (and have) get by with cheaper talent since they don't rely as heavily on these down field contributors to make things happen. In short, Freeney brings the opportunities to them. They don't have to create them.

Freeney may not be the best overall defensive lineman in the league, and may not be the best pass rusher in the league, but he is a perfect fit for the Colts because his skill set fits perfectly in the Colts cover-2 scheme. A perfect fit at this critical position is worth $12M per year in the NFL labor market.

2007 Super Bowl Champs: The Patriots!!!

2007-07-14T02:05:00.000-04:00

So, this was the Tattoo I was expecting to be getting on February 4th, 2008.
But, Jason - via his blog - pointed me to THIS ARTICLE, where EVERYONE (but Lindy's) claims the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl. So, WHY play the season? The Patriots are the greatest team ever. Let's just give them the Trophy this year, and let everyone rest. Heck, let's give them the trophy for the next three years, then maybe we'll consider having a season to ACTUALLY see who the best team is. I guess all of these magazines stopped watched the AFC Championship at halftime. And they must have completely missed the "soft" Colts in the rain of Miami. I keep forgetting, we're a "dome team" - there's NO WAY we could win an outdoor Super Bowl! Right?

I'm SO DUMB for being a Colts fan.

Please note the entire SARCASM of this posting. I'm sick of everyone thinking the Patriots are better than they are, and I'm tired of rooting for them - just because one of my friends likes them. NO MORE. I hate and despise all teams besides the Colts, I DO NOT CARE if my friends are happy with their teams this season. I hope Brady breaks a leg, and I hope Romo gets knocked out. I'm done being a friendly football friend. Because no one else shows that respect to the Colts fans - because we don't deserve anything. Heck, according to Jason, I'm not even a Colts fan. Despite the fact that I watched games when Harbaugh was the quaterback and almost took us to the Super Bowl in 1995. Nope. I'm not a fan at all.

And what do I know? I still want to play the 2007 Season, so I can watchthe Colts go 14-2 again, and repeat at the Super Bowl. Wait... The Patriots have already won Super Bowl XLII, I forgot.

You know what, I'm actually happy no one picked the Colts. No one picked us last year. Sports Illustrated picked THE DOLPHINS. And they sure didn't live up to that.

Argh. Why do I get so mad and heated about people never giving the Colts credit? Because I believe you should give credit where credit is due. I thought we proved ourselves last year, I guess we didn't. We must have been a fluke. Dumb Shane.

Checking Out Training Camp

2007-07-03T04:16:00.000-04:00

Zach and I were talking on Sunday, and I am trying to convince him to take a Saturday or Sunday to roll out to Terre Haute with me to check out the Colts Training Camp.

Then, I was talking to Phil today and he told me he'd be up for going even on a weekday - when attendance might be lower and we could sit down closer.

I'm looking forward to attending Training Camp this year. It should be a fun time. I'll probably have to wear shorts, just to make sure the tattoo is visible while I'm there...

It's getting closer and closer to the fall... Closer and closer to the Pre-Season... Closer and closer to Opening Day... It's going to be a GREAT SEASON.

Reggie Wayne Story

2007-05-10T02:25:00.000-04:00

Justin emailed me THIS STORY today, and I thought it was REALLY GOOD. So, I'm passing it on to you. It's about Reggie Wayne.

Thanks for the link Justin!

I've got a lot of thoughts about the Colts, especially with the amount of people we've lost. Lucky for you guys: Since I don't have internet at work, it might be a while before you read those thoughts...

Just another Polian draft

2007-05-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

NFL Draft commentary on a national level is too predictable. When they pass out "grades", they always rate the teams who landed a top 10 talent ahead of those who do not. When they look at busts, they also consider the same type of measures -- how many impact players did a team draft that can start immediately? It is lazy analysis at best.

At least they are consistent.

I am not a fan of the national draft commentary because it is inherently biased. The media does not have the time to really evaluate a team's draft based on the context of its needs and draft position. Nor would they want to, because that would not generate as high of ratings.

So, that is what I will do here -- look at the Colts' draft with respect to the team's needs and draft positioning.

This draft was just another Polian draft. Non-conventional picks at the top. Picks from top caliber schools at the top. Picks from smaller schools at the bottom. Guys picked in spots that are consistent with the Colts' value system.

I fall short in expert knowledge and analysis of each players strengths and weaknesses because I cannot see the details in talent that an evaluator can see, and I do not watch college football regularly (cut me some slack, I am a Hoosier fan). In lieu of in-depth analysis, I have listed my impressions of the Colts' picks on more of a macro level.

1. Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio State (1st round)
Here is what I like: he is the fastest receiver on the Colts roster and is willing to play the slot. He can totally change the dynamic as noted here by ESPN's John Clayton.

A younger, faster and smarter Brandon Stokley

Two other things strike me about Gonzalez. One is that he played at Ohio State, which means he has played on the biggest stage of college football. This is extremely important when you consider the types of games the Colts will play next year, as well as the fact that everyone, including themselves, expects them to repeat. Two is that he is a Rhodes Scholar candidate. This is also a huge intangible in a system that requires an offensive player to think and adjust at the same time. We can all rest assured that he and Peyton will be on the same wavelength in no time.

It is also worth noting that this pick went against the conventional wisdom for the Colts. Most fans and draft experts thought the Colts should have taken a linebacker or defensive lineman, but that did not fit the Colts value system. The Colts have only drafted one lineman (Freeney) and one linebacker (Morris) in Polian's tenure. The other picks have been a quarterback, wide receivers, a tight end, running backs and corner backs. The Colts simply do not value those positions as first round picks. Rightly or wrongly. This pick should not have come as a surprise, and when we see how well Gonzalez fits in with what the Colts want to do, I would bet that no one will care (or remember).

2. Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas (2nd round)
Todd McShay of ESPN.com has been especially harsh on this pick. He has called the pick a reach and referred to Ugoh as "a project".

In the context of 2007, McShay is right. Ugoh is not going to start for the Colts in 2007, and since he will change from his college position of left tackle to right guard and right tackle, he probably will not be as effective out of the gate as a backup. He probably will not be ready to really contribute until mid-to-late 2007.

T-Bone's replacement

This pick has nothing to do with 2007, and everything to with 2008 and beyond. Current Colts left tackle Tarik Glenn will enter his 11th season in 2007, and if I am not mistaken, will become an unrestricted free agent in 2008. It is probably safe to assume that Tarik Glenn will not be back in 2008 unless a miracle happens; good left tackles on the free agent market can command the highest of prices. Tony Ugoh is the 2008 starting left tackle because of this. And, if Polian is right, it works out that he gave up what should be a low first round pick in 2008 to get him, which is not a steep price for a franchise left tackle.

3. Daymeion Hughes, CB, California (3rd round)
Daymeion was the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. This means Daymeion can play. This also means that Daymeion will battle Tim Jennings for the nickel back position. Prior to the draft we all had concerns about the depth at corner, and now we have the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year battling for a significant role.

Help is on the way

This is great value with the third round pick and is somewhat consistent with Polian's history (Hayden, Jennings, et al).

Feel better? I do.

4. Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio State (3rd round)
Quinn is another Ohio State guy who has experience in big games. I like this. He was also defensive co-captain of the defense his senior year, which means he brings leadership. He was also a first team All-American.

Who needs Montae?

Again, this seems like good value in the third round. He has Colts size (6'2", 299 lbs).

I get the feeling Pitcock could immediately replace Montae Reagor.

5. Brannon Condren, S, Troy (4th round)
Brannon comes with fewer accolades that some of his draft peers. Brannon most likely fits into the mold of someone like Robert Mathis, who came from a smaller school with little fan fare and eventually flourished. Polian has excelled in getting value from guys like Brannon who come from the smaller schools.

Brannon will backup Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea.

6. Clint Session, LB, Pittsburgh (4th round)
Clint is the replacement for Cato June. Sort of. Freddy Keiaho will most likely fill June's role, and Session will fill the spot vacated by Keiaho.

I like that Session was the team captain at Pitt as well as a two-year starter. He is likely a development project and will most likely, like Keiaho, fill in for injured players and play on special teams.

Player success and impact diminishes from round 5 to round 7. I will reserve comment or judgment on the rest of the Colts' draft until it becomes certain that these players will make the team. The draftees are:

Roy Hall, WR, Ohio State
Michael Coe, CB, Alabama St
Kenyunta Dawson, DE, Texas Tech

This year's draft was a quality draft. The Colts improved their offense, planned for the future and still addressed the major skill gaps in the roster. Now it is time to see if they pan out on the field.

The Patriots' draft day mistake

2007-04-30T11:05:00.000-04:00

Most NFL fans and the national media should have no trouble predicting the winner of Super Bowl XLII in Arizona, right? The New England Patriots will win because of their free agent acquisitions, the strength of their draft and the crown jewel of the off-season, Randy Moss.

Or so the conventional wisdom has it.

I am not buying this. And it is not because I am a World Champion Indianapolis Colts fan.

I think the Patriots made a huge mistake with Randy Moss because the Patriots have a system, and Randy Moss represents everything their system is not. The Patriots bring in "Patriots guys": guys who are selfless in play, play a specific role on the team and have the skills and abilities that fit their system. They also value character much in the way the Colts value character. In fact, when you compare how the Patriots and Colts select players for their team, it becomes really difficult to separate the two methods. The Colts favor an offensive minded approach while the Patriots favor a defensive minded approach, but the differences end there. Both teams build with the draft, re-sign their own and resist the temptation to participate in the fantasy football action that occurs every March 1st when NFL player contracts expire. It is no coincidence that these two teams have such a fierce rivalry and always find themselves pitted against each other in the playoffs. They utilize a system that works, and they stay true to their system.

Beginning of the end in New England

The Patriots deviated this time. Randy Moss represents all that is wrong with professional athletes: he refuses to hustle on every play and instead choses to hustle when he is the primary option; he lets his teammates down, like when he walked off the field before the end of a game; and he gets into trouble off the field with drugs, law enforcement, etc. In short, he is a clubhouse cancer. And the worst sort of cancer. This is not a Corey Dillon situation who the Patriots signed after becoming disgruntled in Cincinnati. Dillon has no real off-the-field record of misbehavior; his issues stemmed from his perception that the Bengals would never win. That made Corey and easy fix because the promise of winning a Super Bowl was enough to ease his pain.

The promise of a Super Bowl will not solve Randy Moss. Randy has a history of bad behavior, most of which have nothing to do with football, and old habits die hard. Even the promise of a Super Bowl will not be enough to keep him at ease when the going gets tough. And the moment he takes one play off for Belichick, the honeymoon in Foxboro will come to an end and the clubhouse distraction will begin. Randy Moss is not Terrell Owens, but he is close. Randy is someone who a team contending for a Super Bowl should never consider.

The Patriots move reeks of desperation. The Patriots have made several out-of-character moves since Marlin Jackson intercepted that pass in the RCA Dome. Some of them, like signing Adalias Thomas, make a whole lot of sense. Others, like Randy Moss, seem desperate and destructive.

If there is a team that can solve Randy Moss, it is the Patriots. But I am not betting on it. The Patriots won the off-season, but the World Champions, who stayed true to their plan, are still poised to win the war.

Again.

Colts pre-draft analysis

2007-04-23T11:11:00.000-04:00

The conventional draft day wisdom says that the Colts will select either a defensive tackle or a linebacker with their first pick, 32nd overall, in the NFL draft this Sunday. This could be true. Thousands of media types and fans have lamented the smallish construction of the Colts defense for years, and many still have their doubts even though the Colts will raise a Super Bowl Championship banner in the RCA Dome on Thursday, September 6, 2007. The off-season departures of key contributors in both positions add merit to the conventional wisdom.

Bill Polian is not a conventional general manager, however. I can recall several drafts where he surprised all of us and drafted against the conventional wisdom, such as 1999 when he selected Edgerrin James over the more highly rated Ricky Williams, in 2001 when he selected Reggie Wayne despite the glaring needs on defense, in 2003 when he selected another offensive player named Dallas Clark, and even in 2005 when he selected Marlin Jackson despite greater needs at other defensive positions. And let us not forget 2004 when he traded out of the first round to get an undersized and injury prone safety out of Iowa named Bob Sanders, or in 2002 when he drafted a small defensive end out of Syracuse named Dwight Freeney that several pundits called a “reach” at number 11 overall.

In fact, Polian really only followed the conventional draft wisdom in 1998 when he selected Peyton Manning, in 2000 with the Rob Morris pick and in 2006 with Joseph Addai.

Given Polian’s track record, I think all pre-draft prognostication should be taken with a grain of salt. Only he and the organization know the direction they will take, which leads me into my own meager attempt at a pre-draft analysis for the Colts.

There are two ways to approach pre-draft analysis:

1) Analyze based on what you think the Colts should do
2) Analyze based on what you think Polian might do

I will choose the latter because Polian will draft based on how he views the needs of the Colts, and not as I view them. The method I use below looks at the gaps in the Colts roster and the ways in which the Colts may fill them.

First, it is important to look at the gaps created by free agent departures.

First string:
WLB (Cato June)
CB (Jason David, Nick Harper)

Now consider the gaps in the second string.

Second string:
WR (Aaron Moorehead - pending, Brandon Stokely)
RB (Dominic Rhodes)
DT (Montae Reagor)
S (Mike Doss)

The Colts have historically filled depth chart gaps via the draft and internal promotions. Here are candidates that will most likely fill gaps on the first string:

WLB – Freddy Keiaho
CB – Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden

After promotions from second string to first string, we can look at all of the gaps that exist in the second string.

RB (1)
WR (1)
DT (1)
LB (1)
CB (2)
S (1)

One may also be inclined to add offensive line onto this list since Polian has a history of always selecting at least one lineman. And, with the pending free agency of Dallas Clark, I think it would be prudent to also consider TE as a draft possibility.

There are other factors to consider as well. One is fit. The Colts will not select a player, no matter how good that player is, if the player does not fit the scheme. It just will not happen. Another key to think about is player competition. Despite all of the free agent departures, the Colts really have not lost many starters; 19 out of the 22 Super Bowl starters will return. The players who Polian drafts will be brought in to compete with other players currently on the roster, and will most likely play second string and special teams in their first year. Lastly are the pending free agent decisions. Aaron Moorehead remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent, and at the time of this post, Polian still has not made a decision on the Jason David offer sheet from New Orleans.

All that being said, here is how I think Polian will prioritize the roster gaps: CB, LB, S, WR, RB, DT, OL and TE.

Now comes the tricky part: determination of who Polian will draft. I will not speculate on who Polian will draft because:

1) Who the Colts select is largely a function of who gets selected with the first 31 picks
2) It is hard to pin Polian down anyway

In the absence of a guess on the 32nd selection, I will offer this: be ready for a surprise. Polian’s draft history suggests that he does not always follow draft experts like Mel Kiper or anything fans like me have to say. Currently, Kiper and the fans are favoring DT Justin Harrell out of the University of Tennessee. He may not be the guy. Whoever Polian selects with the first pick will likely play one of four positions I have listed above (CB, LB, S, WR) and will be the best athlete on the board who fits with the Colts system (do not underestimate fit when you create your draft strategy).

Or, Polian could surprise us by not surprising us and take Harrell. Your guess is as good as mine.

World Champion Indianapolis Colts visit the White House

2007-04-23T11:07:00.000-04:00

The World Champion Indianapolis Colts visited the White House. No word on if George Bush asked Peyton on how he would audible his way out of Iraq.

"Mr. President, we're gonna to run Sunnis / Shias crossing route into Baghdad, UN block left, UK and US diplomats block right, US forces run a fade route deep down field out of Iraq; watch the blitz from Palestine ... on three ... ready? Break!"

Saints put Colts in a fix

2007-04-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

Why wait for the season opener? The New Orleans Saints already have the World Champion Indianapolis Colts in a fix by signing DB Jason David to an offer sheet.

This is a good news, bad news situation.

The good news is that the Colts get the opportunity to match the Saints' offer since Jason David is a restricted free agent. David would already have his gold and black #42 if he were an unrestricted free agent.

The bad news is that this forces the Colts to make a really important decision: match the offer sheet and keep David, or allow the Saints to sign David and receive a 4th round draft pick as compensation.

How the Colts approach this will tell us a lot about the value they place at corner back. The Colts have not re-signed CBs in the Polian era; instead, the Colts have allowed experienced CBs to seek out greener pastures and have backfilled with younger, cheaper talent acquired via the Draft. This situation differs, though, in that Jason David has not reached the same point in his career that Nick Harper or David Macklin had reached. Because of his youthfulness, I think we can assume that his abilities have not peaked, whereas we could argue that Macklin and Harper both reached the end of their useful life in a Colts uniform (useful life defined as the point where the amount of money they command does not align with the quality of their contributions). Because David has not reached his useful life, his would-be backfill (like Tim Jennings) could still be 1 to 2 seasons away from really being able to fill David's shoes. Yes, it is more likely that someone like Kelvin Hayden will fill David's shoes, but I'm not certain that someone like Tim Jennings is even ready to fill the role of Kelvin Hayden.

So, do the Colts match and pay more money than they have anticipated for Jason David? Or do they let him walk, force themselves into a position where they have to take a CB high in the draft to compensate for lack of experience at the position and only accept a 4th round pick in return?

I think the smart money is on the let him walk decision. The Colts just don't re-sign corner backs, and odds are that David would have walked within two years anyway. Furthermore, if the Colts were really concerned about keeping him in the mix, they would have offered him a higher restricted free agent tender that would have given him a higher salary, but also would have called for a higher return than a forth round pick which would have acted as a deterrent to offer sheets from other teams.

If I am Bill Polian, however, I match the offer (assuming the financial package can work). The Colts have already lost one veteran contributor in the secondary. I'm okay with that. What I'm not okay with, however, is a nickel back formation of Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden and Tim Jennings. I am not convinced that this particular grouping is ready, at this time, to contribute in the way that the Harper, David and Jackson trio contributed this year.

The loss creates to much of a skill gap exposure. Match the offer.

2007 Colts Schedule

2007-04-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

Week 1 - Sept. 6 - 8:30PM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 2 - Sept. 16 - 1:00PM @ Tennessee Titans
Week 3 - Sept. 23 - 1:00PM @ Houston Texans
Week 4 - Sept. 30 - 4:15PM DENVER BRONCOS
Week 5 - Oct. 7 - 4:05PM TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Week 6 - Oct. 14 - BYE WEEK
Week 7 - Oct. 22 - 8:30PM @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 8 - Oct. 28 - 1:00PM @ Carolina Panthers
Week 9 - Nov. 4 - 4:15PM NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Week 10 - Nov. 11 - 8:15PM @ San Diego Chargers
Week 11 - Nov. 18 - 1:00PM KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 12 - Nov. 22 - 8:15PM @ Atlanta Falcons
Week 13 - Dec. 2 - 1:00PM JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Week 14 - Dec. 9 - 8:15PM @ Baltimore Ravens
Week 15 - Dec. 16 - 4:05PM @ Oakland Raiders
Week 16 - Dec. 23 - 1:00PM HOUSTON TEXANS
Week 17 - Dec. 30 - 1:00PM TENNESSEE TITANS

There is it. If you want it officially from the Colts Website: GO HERE.

And can life work out any better?
Letha is running the NYC Marathon this year.
Jason is going with her to NYC (because they will be married and living in Boston at the time) and he wasn't going to have anything to do, so offered to go out there, hang out with them, and spend time with Jason while Letha did the marathon.

Well, how ironic, and perfect that the marathon is on November 4th - the exact same day that the Colts play the Patriots! So, I have committed myself to making this by all means, so that I can hang out with Jason and Letha in NYC, while watching this game!

2007 Colts schedule analysis

2007-04-11T11:14:00.000-04:00

The NFL had its version of “Selection Sunday” today as it released the 2007 regular season schedule with lots of fanfare from its own network, ESPN and others.

Now it’s time to sort out what it all means. How does the layout of the schedule help or hinder the World Champion Indianapolis Colts as they try to defend their title? The Colts’ schedule helps them. It helps them immensely.

First, consider the really important games – the division games. The Colts play the season opener at home (good) and get two tough road games with Houston and Tennessee out of the way (also good). Those teams could be at their best health wise, but the simple fact is that division games do not feel as important as they do in December. And don’t forget the Colts lost three of them down the stretch last year. Road division games in December are brutal. The Colts get two of them out of the way before the calendar turns to October.

And speaking of October, the Colts get a big Monday Night Football match up at Jacksonville after the bye week. Fifteen calendar days will pass between the Tampa Bay game and the Jacksonville game. It is a chance for all those nagging injuries to heal themselves up just before the big Jags showdown. Advantage Colts.

Finally, in terms of division games, the NFL set the Colts up really well: their last three home games are against division rivals. Mark my words: the AFC South will be won in the RCA Dome in December. It’s a perfect scenario. Unless, of course, the Colts already have the division clinched by then. Advantage Colts.

That alone tells me the schedule makers were looking out for the Colts. Now, let us get into the other highlights of the schedule.

- Five prime time games. Four of them are on the road? Hostile crowds at night will have the Colts battle-tested for the big December stretch. I can live with that. The Colts are the class of the league with five prime time appearances.

- The only really brutal part of the schedule is the two weeks where the Colts play the Patriots at home and the Chargers on the road. That’s a tall order, but not any worse than the consecutive road games at Denver and New England last year. It’s very doable. Besides, it’s nice to have the really strong 3-4 defensive opponents back-to-back to help with preparation.

- Who doesn’t like a Thanksgiving game?

Finally, the Colts close out the RCA Dome with a game against the Titans. That seems fitting, although I would’ve preferred the Patriots. This can be beneficial, because you know there’s no way Peyton Manning will lose this game. No way, no how, no matter the opponent. The fact this is a division opponent makes it all the better; it could be pivotal for the division and / or conference seeding. A big division win is how you want to close out the Dome and the season.

The NFL did the Colts a lot of favors with the schedule. The Colts should make good on it.

This Tuesday's Blog

2007-04-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

Now, let's shift over to the Colts and the NFL.
The NFL has laready DELAYED the release of the 2007 schedule - and we don't know when we are going to get it. It is rumored to be sometime this week, but who knows?

What we do know is WHO we are going to play, both home and away:

HOME GAMES
Houston
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Denver
Kansas City
New England
New Orleans
Tampa Bay

Let's be honest - we WILL go undefeated at the Dome AGAIN. New England and New Orleans are the only two teams that might give us trouble, but we're pretty solid in the Dome. Even when we trail 21-3. So, I'm looking at 8-0 for home games.

AWAY GAMES
Houston
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Oakland
San Diego
Baltimore
Atlanta
Carolina

Can our away schedule get ANY easier? Seriously? San Diego is a HUGE trouble spot. And I'll be honest, I'm glad the Patriots beat them last year, because the AFC Championship might have been even tougher if we had to go out to San Diego. They are a tough team, and I wouldn't be surprised if we lost to them. Baltimore is a minor trouble spot I see, but WAIT, what did we do there in the playoffs? And wait again, they don't even have Jamaal Lewis anymore, so they have Willis McGahee - I don't think he's better than Lewis. I'm REALLY confused how we ended up with Oakland? But... Who knows? I want to say 7-1 on the road, but I have a feeling that either Baltimore is going to be really good, and might give us a second loss, OR something crazy will happen in the AFC South, and we might drop one (not three) like we did in 2006. So, let's say 6-2 on the road.

Giving the Colts a 14-2 record in 2007. But, I will be honest, I would not be opposed to having the #3 Seed again in 2007. It worked out better for us than #1 Seed in 2005. Although, with this being the last year for the RCA Dome, it would be kind of nice to be ranked #1, and see the AFC Championship come through Indy for the second year in a row, en route to a Repeat Super Bowl Victory. Man, it's only April. I guess I had better save some of this talk for the Regular Season...

How pathetic is it that I spent some time last night watching Arena Football??? I just want some NFL action SO BADLY.

Exit Doss; enter DeMulling

2007-04-10T11:17:00.000-04:00

The World Champion Indianapolis Colts made two moves of note last week: they allowed S Mike Doss to walk away and signed former OG Rick DeMulling.

The first move is not surprising. Doss fits the same criteria as other free agents who have walked away from the Colts. First, he’s coming off a significant knee injury that often requires more than just an off season to return to full strength. Second, his replacement, Antoine Bethea, is already on the roster and was a major contributor to the Super Bowl run. It would’ve been nice to have Doss back because he had shown steady improvement in all facets of his game and was becoming a good tackler. But, the simple fact is that he was replaced by cheaper talent that is just as capable of getting the job done. This move affects the Colts’ depth, but will have little impact in the starting lineup.

The second move is surprising. I don’t know of anyone who saw this coming, be it expert media types or well-informed fans. DeMulling brings a lot to the table, the most important of which is experience and a certain comfort level with the Colts’ offensive scheme. If you read the article posted on Colts.com that summarizes his reaction to his return, you’ll find that he was never really comfortable in Detroit, and really wanted to come back to the Colts because of his familiarity with the coaches, the other linemen and the system.

The DeMulling move intrigues me on two different levels. First, I think it changes the draft strategy the Colts will use on Draft Day. The Colts face the potential loss of Jake Scott and Ryan Lilja to unrestricted free agency at the end of 2007. The team almost always drafts an offensive lineman late on the first day or early on the second day, but with the pending departure of Lilja and Scott, the Colts would’ve been faced with a need to draft two linemen rather than one. So, in essence, the Colts freed up one of their draft picks by signing DeMulling, and thus could allow them to bring in a young, speedy and sure tackling defender. Second, the reason why DeMulling wanted to comeback is something that Colts fans should rejoice in: he wanted to come back. Long term change has occurred here in Indianapolis, friends, because the Colts have a system that makes the most out of the talent and is an organization that people want to play for. And I don’t have the numbers (no one does), but I’d be willing to bet a cheap beer that he took a hometown discount to do it. The Colts’ salary cap situation is a tight one to say the least, so to be able to afford a veteran free agent like DeMulling means concessions were probably made. I doubt that his market value dropped that much from poor play in Detroit. Heck, they all play badly in Detroit.

Colts Stuff to Talk About

2007-04-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

There's been a couple of things happening in the Colts World over the past couple of days.

First, the Pre-Season Schedule has been released.
The Colts will be on TV August 9th at Dallas on FOX.
And again on August 20th, at the RCA Dome vs. the Chicago Bears on ESPN.

Our two other Pre-Season games are at home against Detroit. And on the road at Cincy.

And don't forget September 6th, when the Colts play host to the New Orleans Saints, in the first game of the 2007 season.

The Colts re-signed Rick DeMulling. You can read the article HERE at NFL.com.

And another Colts has found himself in legal trouble. Darrell Reid has been arrested on Marijuana charges. NFL.com article HERE. IndyStar article HERE.

To the victor goes the spoils

2007-03-26T11:19:00.000-04:00

Saturday Night Live. Thanksgiving Day. The NFL 2007 season opener. The perks keep coming for the World Champion Indianapolis Colts.

If you're a Colts fan, you know what I mean when I say this: did you ever think a Colts player would host SNL? And not only did Peyton host, he was great for an athlete. The mock NFL United Way commercial was a classic. Not only do we have the best quarterback in football, and probably the greatest player to ever play the game, but we also have one of the best personalities in all of sports. And, just maybe, the most popular. And he plays for our Colts. How cool is that?!?

The Colts also get to play on Thanksgiving in Atlanta in the night cap on the NFL Network. Again, how cool is that?

Finally, the Colts get the season opener on the first Thursday in September against the Saints. This game will be quite a ceremony: it's the last home opener in the RCA Dome, and it's the night the Colts will raise the championship banner ... all in front of a national audience. The only way this could've been sweeter is if the NFL had scheduled the Patriots for that night. After all they've done to the Colts over the years, the Patriots deserve no less. It would've been nice to rub their faces in it.

I can't wait to see the rest of the schedule ... we already know the Colts get two prime time games. Odds are that they'll get a couple Monday Night Football games as well as a Sunday night game. That would make 5 prime time appearances for the Colts.

I'm starting to like this whole Super Bowl Champion deal.

Adios, Cato June and Brandon Stokley

2007-03-21T11:22:00.000-04:00

The exodus of starters is almost complete with Cato June signing with Tampa Bay and Brandon Stokley signing with Denver. But now is not the time for fans of the World Champion Indianapolis Colts to panic no matter how tempting it seems.

The way the Colts play cover-2 makes linebackers expendable. Here's why: the cover-2 isn't designed for the middle and weak side linebackers to shed blocks. Rather, it's designed to have them in pursuit. They need to play "clean". Taking on blocks is the job of the defensive line and the strong side linebacker; they keep the other linebackers, the safeties and the corners clean. The skill set required for weak side linebacker is slightly different from other teams as it requires speed, the ability to cover and the ability to tackle. The Colts believe they can find someone younger and cheaper to do the same thing at that position as a veteran, and for the most part, they've been right. When Mike Peterson left, it was David Thornton who filled that role. When Thornton left last year, it was Cato June who filled that role. There's no reason why someone like Kieth O'Niell or Freddy Keiaho can't fill that role, or a drafted player from, say, the third or fifth rounds.

What will make this move backfire, however, is a lack of improvement at the defensive tackle position. As I noted above, a weak side linebacker can't have success without the defensive tackles doing their job well. The Colts are down two starters from last year (Simon and Reagor), and while they made it work in 2006, having guys like Raheem Brock play tackle, who are better suited for defensive end, is not an optimal solution.

The Colts can replace June with a player with lesser experience, but part of the deal of replacing a veteran at that position is making sure the defensive line is upgraded as well. It's a package deal.

I don't think the departure of Stokley is as big of a deal for a couple reasons:

1) Stokley is coming off an achillies injury. Since his primary job is to run fast, I'd say he's now damaged goods and is a much higher risk.

2) The Colts were very effective with the combination of TEs Brian Fletcher and Dallas Clark in the slot. The versatility they bring to both the passing game and running game make high-priced third receivers less of a priority. This is a role the Colts could fill with Aaron Moorehead, or ex-Purdue standout John Standeford.

Tony Dungy said yesterday that he thinks the Colts have enough young talent on the roster to fill the voids left by all the free agents that have departed. With a solid draft, I can't say that I'll disagree with him. They've proved it before, so why should we doubt them now? (plus, it's really hard to question someone when they have the Lombardi Trophy)

Exit Reagor; enter Klecko

2007-03-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

Montae Reagor got a 3-year, $8.25M contract from the Philadelphia Eagles. Even with his injuries sustained in a car accident.

Wow. I'm surprised by this. I saw the move to release Reagor as a way to gain "insurance", if you will, on the risk now associated with Reagor as a result of his accident and that the World Champs would re-sign him at a lower cost. The Eagles must've thought otherwise about the risk. Word is that he passed his physical. So much for speculation! Good for Montae, but I hate to see him go. The Colts need help at defensive tackle.

And speaking of help at defensive tackle ... the Colts made sure one wouldn't get away by re-signing Dan Klecko. I like this for two reasons:

1) he plays defensive tackle

2) he can play fullback in spot situations

Gotta love versatility. Welcome back Dan Klecko.

In other Colts free agent news, they re-signed restricted free agents Ryan Lilja and Gilbert Gardner. I expected those two to come back - most restricted free agents do come back - so this isn't a surprise. Lilja's 2005 performance left a lot to be desired. His 2006 performance, on the other hand, was very good.

As for Gardner, I sure hope he gets better at linebacker. The Colts can't afford to have this guy riding pine and playing special teams for $850K.

The Work Week Begins

2007-03-19T13:54:00.000-04:00

And the Colts LOST YET ANOTHER DEFENSIVE PLAYER - as Cato June has signed with Tampa Bay. Again, I'm not happy about it. I think it's dumb. I don't understand why these guys think money is so important. There's more to life that making a billion dollars to play a "game". Playing on a good team, and playing for the team who is going to Repeat in 2007, that would be more important to me than any amount of money. Greed, it's so pathetic. We did sign Mike Labinjo, but the dude didn't play one game in 2006, and I can't find an explanation as to why. So, that doesn't inject confidence in him, in my eyes.

Jim Irsay has picked local Herff Jones (who made my class ring... by the way, where is that ring???) to create the Super Bowl Champions Rings. I think Irsay is a pretty cool guy, I like how he handles himself, the things he did for his staff to go to the Super Bowl, the way he treats people, the way he gives back, his non-selfish attitude, etc... These are all things that put him high on my list of people I admire. I think he's a really cool and very generous person. (Some friends of mine used to work security for him, and have only told me amazing stories about things he's done for people, so that helps too...)

It's Wednesday, I Usually Blog on Wednesdays

2007-03-14T14:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've been talking about Team Loyalty OVER Money these past couple of weeks, and now the Colts have fallen victim to it again, losing another starter. Last off season, we lost David Thornton to the Titans. This off season we are losing Nick Harper to them. Congrats on getting the money, and congrats on going to a team that still isn't going to win the Division. ARGH!!! Now, the biggest thing that I am upset about is: We're letting all these players go, we're creating Salary Cap Room - WHY AREN'T WE SIGNING ANYONE!!! The Patriots are STACKING THEIR TEAM this year, HOW are we going to compete when we keep letting GOOD players go?!?!?! GRRRRRR.... Dungy and Peyton have both said this season is going to be harder than last - because we are trying to defend our title, instead of just win one. Well, HOW do expect to defend a title when you don't actively attempt to keep your roster in tact??? ARGH!!!! Good Grief!

Adios, Nick Harper

2007-03-13T11:23:00.000-04:00

It looks like Nick Harper has signed with the Tennessee Titans as an "insurance" policy for Pacman Jones' uncertain future. That doesn't exactly sound like much of a promotion.

If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that I wasn't thinking about Nick Harper when Kelvin Hayden ran back the interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

It was nice knowing ya, Nick. Have fun covering Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne twice a year.