AFC Divisional: Pats and Colts

[KingPK 0]

Ok, I'm just going to gloat a *little*. From my recap:

 

1) The Patriots have scored an average of 34 points over their last three meetings (in Indy last season, the AFC title game, and the ’04 opener), so the Colts aren’t the only ones with a pretty good offense. This is the game they got Corey Dillon for.

 

DING!. Dillon made the Colts his bitch, plain and simple.

 

2) All of the Colts’ 3 losses in meaningful games (throwing out the game in Denver for obvious reasons), came on the road, outdoors. The Colts’ offense is built to be the most effective indoors (since they play 8 of their regular season games indoors, 9 if you include going to Houston every year), and they always struggle outdoors in not so great weather (it rained and snowed earlier in the week and it’s going to rain Friday, and they haven’t covered the field at Gillette this week.)

 

DING!. Though it was probably much more a result of the Pats' marvelous D, but the Colts were dropping passes left and right. The snow WAS a factor.

 

3) Back to the Colts’ defense: Freeney is neutralized a bit on natural grass, and they have injury problems on the line themselves, with little depth to fill the holes. Oh, and Ty Law? In the opener, Law actually was in and out because of a hamstring injury, so all he had was one tackle, and Seymour really wasn’t much of a factor himself, but they still won because guys like Tedy Bruschi (THE most underrated player in the NFL, IMO) and Willie McGinest made plays when it counted. Just remember, in the playoffs, a team’s biggest weakness comes into the forefront and the Colts’ defense is the biggest weakness of them all here.

 

DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!!!!. Bruschi = hoss, Freeney played pretty well, I admit, but the Colts' D was the biggest weakness and the Pats took full advantage.

 

Ok, I'm done. Off to Heinz!!!!

[2GOLD 0]

Good game and the defense looks really fresh for the first time in months.

 

Boomer just said Peyton is the new Marino and won't make a SB. Marino was shocked. Awesome lol

 

I expected Dan to say, "I made it to a Super Bowl bitch!" and then go on a 20 minute rant about how Peyton Manning is no Dan Marino.

[alfdogg 0]

Amazing.

[The Man in Blak 0]

If anything, I think this game makes letting go of Edgerrin James a lot easier.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Good game and the defense looks really fresh for the first time in months.

 

Boomer just said Peyton is the new Marino and won't make a SB. Marino was shocked. Awesome lol

 

I expected Dan to say, "I made it to a Super Bowl bitch!" and then go on a 20 minute rant about how Peyton Manning is no Dan Marino.

I will always be a Marino fan for the sole fact that he ripped on Salsbury as an analyst a few times.

[2GOLD 0]

Oh. my. god.

The Colts..are admitting...defeat.

 

IT'S THE RAPTURE!!!

RUN!

REPENT!

[KingPK 0]

The fans will probably whine about the physical play again. Already are on the Colts ESPN board.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I looked these up cause I was curious

 

Manning Yard Per Attempt season: 9.17 (led NFL)

 

Manning YPA last week vs. Denver: 13.85

 

Manning YPA today: 5.7

[Art Sandusky 0]

I'm no Patriots fan (one of my best buds is but whatever), but I certainly wasn't sleeping on them. Everyone who told me that the Colts would win would just get a response of "you don't go 27-4 and win a Championship in your last 31 games, in the NFL, and then lose to a team you've rocked before." In any sport but especially football, I always know to fear the team that manages to win no matter what happens to them. Pittsburgh will have to play extremely well next week and hope that last week was their only really bad game of the season.

[The Czech Republic 0]

So it looks like it's going to be #1/#2 in both conferences. How boring.

That's the National Football League for you.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Tedy Bruschi in his post game interview on the Patriots 5th Quarter

 

"I'm just wondering what excuses they're gonna have this time or what rules they're gonna try to get changed now."

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Tedy Bruschi in his post game interview on the Patriots 5th Quarter

 

"I'm just wondering what excuses they're gonna have this time or what rules they're gonna try to get changed now."

Sounds like an ass. Played a great game though.

 

If Brandon Stokeley had played dead after the CLEAR helmet to helmet, there would've been a penalty, as there should have been. That's what you get for being a man about it and getting up.

 

Rodney Harrison was touched by a Colts WR that he was jawing, and that started complaining to the ref. Yeah, that doesn't make you look like a hypocrite.

 

I wanted the Colts, but with all the circumstances, I was surprised that they were such heavy favourites. Belicheck is a genius, that's most important, and the stories about him breaking into the league were GOLD. It's akin to those mafia stories where the guy breaks in as an errand boy and becomes the most powerful man in the family.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

If Brandon Stokeley had played dead after the CLEAR helmet to helmet, there would've been a penalty, as there should have been. That's what you get for being a man about it and getting up.

It was mostly shoulder after just watching the replay on NFL Primetime about 30 times. It was clean.

[Guest TheLastBoyscout]

So it looks like it's going to be #1/#2 in both conferences.  How boring.

That's the National Football League for you.

Yeah, doesn't it suck how the best team wins and shit?

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

If Brandon Stokeley had played dead after the CLEAR helmet to helmet, there would've been a penalty, as there should have been. That's what you get for being a man about it and getting up.

It was mostly shoulder after just watching the replay on NFL Primetime about 30 times. It was clean.

I only saw it during the game, but it looked helmet to helmet to me. Also I heard a loud clank, but whatever, it's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

 

I think Peyton has more heart then people think. At least he wasn't laughing it up with the opposing QB. He wants to win, but when you don't have support from the run, your defense is on the field for a very long portion of the game, and you're expected to throw up like 400 yds with 4 TDs against the most dominant defense with the best defensive minded coach, that can be difficult to say the least. I'm sure he'll get it one day, and fuck Boomer Esiason for just dismissing the guy's chance at a Super Bowl like that. I hate when analysts, instead of trying to make some insight, just reach for comparisons to old stars in an effort to make themselves sound smart. Last time I checked Peyton hasn't even hit thirty yet, and QB's of his level stay in the league for a while, especially when it's not like mobility is ever a factor. After this and his typical corporate response to the whole Randy Moss thing, well, Boomer's a moron. Besides, he didn't win a Super Bowl either did he? I could go on about this but it's just a waste of time, so I'll just say fuck him.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

If Brandon Stokeley had played dead after the CLEAR helmet to helmet, there would've been a penalty, as there should have been. That's what you get for being a man about it and getting up.

It was mostly shoulder after just watching the replay on NFL Primetime about 30 times. It was clean.

I only saw it during the game, but it looked helmet to helmet to me. Also I heard a loud clank, but whatever, it's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

I usually think its helmet to helmet after hearing that sound too, but then I remember the part of the pad not touching flesh is that really hard plastic shit and thus the reason for the noise. I think if it was helmet to helmet with the force both men wouldn't have gotten up, let along jump to their feet like they did.

[Mole 0]

3) Back to the Colts’ defense: Freeney is neutralized a bit on natural grass, and they have injury problems on the line themselves, with little depth to fill the holes. Oh, and Ty Law? In the opener, Law actually was in and out because of a hamstring injury, so all he had was one tackle, and Seymour really wasn’t much of a factor himself, but they still won because guys like Tedy Bruschi (THE most underrated player in the NFL, IMO) and Willie McGinest made plays when it counted. Just remember, in the playoffs, a team’s biggest weakness comes into the forefront and the Colts’ defense is the biggest weakness of them all here.

 

DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!!!!. Bruschi = hoss, Freeney played pretty well, I admit, but the Colts' D was the biggest weakness and the Pats took full advantage.

All this week, everyone was saying how the Pats are going to be hurting since they are without Law. Did any of those people actually, I don't know, check up on the Pats record without Law? 8-1, it could have been 9-0 if Brady didn't have a seizure during the Miami game.

[Prime Time Andrew Doyle 0]

Awesome game by the Pats, almost everybody wrote them off, and they came back and showed why they have won 2 of the last 3 SB's.

[KingPK 0]

I wanted the Colts, but with all the circumstances, I was surprised that they were such heavy favourites. Belicheck is a genius, that's most important, and the stories about him breaking into the league were GOLD. It's akin to those mafia stories where the guy breaks in as an errand boy and becomes the most powerful man in the family.

The guy was learning from his father how to break down film at the age of TWELVE.

 

"Ever since I could remember, I always wanted to be an NFL head coach."

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Its why I call him "Don Vito Belichik". He really is like the head of a large football head coaching crime syndicate.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

This game was a damn letdown. I will NEVER pick the Colts in a meaningful playoff game EVER. They gave Manning and Harrison huge money so it's going to be harder for them to bring in new players and they still are the Patriots' bitches. I had the Patriots winning this won because the Colts did this same shit last year. I can't believe I was buying into the hype and expecting a good game. What the hell was I thinking?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I thought the Colts would have had momentum following their drive at the end of the first half, but then the Pats just controlled the ball for practically the entire second half. The Pats offense won this game, not their defense. Certainly, not what I expected, although I did think that the Pats were going to win. The weather wasn't a factor either. Playing like that the Pats would have won in the RCA Dome too.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

So why can't the Colts beat them? What do they need to do to win a title?

[KingPK 0]

Get a defense, get the #1 seed every year, and hope Belichick decides to smoke pot with Ricky Williams.

[Slayer 0]

So why can't the Colts beat them?

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

So why can't the Colts beat them? What do they need to do to win a title?

Not face the Patriots.

[Precious Roy 0]

LET THE BLOWJOBS COMMENCE!

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Show me one deep ball thrown by the Colts in that game. Stupid, stupid, STUPID gameplan. The stuck to their first quarter scheme the WHOLE DAMN GAME. They didn't deserve to win that, they COULD have, if they would've exploited the obvious mismatches in the secondary, like Troy Brown, a converted friggin WR matched up on Stokeley, and the NE 2nd stringers. Sure, the wind's a pain in the ass, but why abandon what had gotten them that far? Three touchdowns would've won that game for them. They need to get rid of James yesterday and get some mustard LBs to back up Freeney. That defense is shameful.

 

Thank you Indianapolis, for reaffirming my Bears fandom. At least their season ended where I expected it to.

[Slayer 0]

So why can't the Colts beat them? What do they need to do to win a title?

Not face the Patriots.

Not face the AFC East, period

 

Fun fact: Peyton's 3 playoff wins came against the AFC West (Denver twice, KC) which isn't known for playoff success (post-Elway's retirement, the AFC West is 4-8 in the playoffs, with all 4 wins coming from Oakland) while 4 of his 5 losses have come against the East (Pats twice, NY, Miami).

 

Conclusion: In order for Peyton to win the Super Bowl, he needs to only play AFC West teams in the playoffs, and then have the SB be in a dome. Of course, that doesn't factor in how good the NFC champion will be.

[2GOLD 0]

Didn't the Jets shut him out and blow him out all in the same game? Like 44-0 or something?

 

As for not throwing downfield...double coverage is something Manning will not throw into and the Pats were willing to only give them the dink and dunk passes. That was just solid defensive gameplan.

 

The Patriots seem to be one of only two teams in the NFL willing to give the Colts the dink and dunks then hit them hard. The other team is the Jaguars. I'd bet the Steelers would be a third.

 

This is why I LOVE the Pats-Steelers match up:

Both of these defenses LOVE to hit.