Who are these guys and what have they done with the Colts? Who would have thought that the Colts could win not just one, but two (and one of those on the road), playoff games despite five Manning picks against a scant one touchdown? Who would have thought the rush defense could hold the opposing running game to an average of 63.5 yards? This was a Colts team, you may recall, which gave up well over 170 yards per game, on average, to the opposing tailbacks during the regular season. Clearly we have slipped into some Bizarro world where everything is topsy-turvy and nothing makes sense. Next thing you know, the Colts will be hosting the AFC title game...
I haven't fired up a Colts blog since they blew the Texans game a while back, though not because I have completely lost interest in doing so. See...I'm a little bit superstitious when it comes to sports - and have therefore, of course, decided there must be a correlation between the Blog-O-Rama's silence with respect to the Colts and the fact that the Colts have not lost since my last blog about them.
Which means that it will be my fault when they lose next week in the AFC title game in the Hoosier Dome...except that they are not going to lose next week in the Hoosier Dome. They are going to beat the Patriots - in what should be an amazing game to watch or listen to - and they are going to then board an airplane and fly to Miami, Florida, where they will compete in - and win - Super Bowl whichever the hell this one is (XLI, I think).
There are myriad reasons why they will win next week's AFC title game in the Hoosier Dome, including the fact that they have not lost in the Hoosier Dome this season. You could also point to the fact that they have played pretty solid, complete football in the last two games and that that play has helped them gain momentum at a time when momentum is sometimes the difference between hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and watching the game at home.
Those are both valid reasons why the Colts will win next week in the Hoosier Dome to advance to the Super Bowl, but neither is the best, nor, in my opinion, the correct one. The reason the Colts will win next week over the Patriots in the Hoosier Dome is because Manning is going to throw for four touchdowns, and there is no team on the planet that can beat the Colts when Manning is in his zone and playing his kind of game.
He was ineffective due to picks in the Kansas City game because, as Shane correctly noted here, the Kansas City secondary contains Ty Law, to whom Manning has an apparently pathological desire to throw footballs, despite the fact that Ty Law always insists on playing for the other team. Also, Manning was nervous - first playoff game, pressure to win, pressure for the defense to contain Larry Johnson, etc. I doubt anyone will ever say that Manning handles his pre-game jitters as well as, say, Brett Favre. Manning was ineffecitve due to picks tonight against Baltimore because...
What the hell is up with Ed Reed? This guy is the most disruptive defensive back I have ever watched play. You may say that Champ Bailey is a better cover corner, or that Ronnie Lott was a better tackler - but did you see how many times Ed Reed just appeared on the scene tonight, as if from nowhere? He could go up to the stands to sell popcorn and peanuts while the other team is in the huddle, and still get back down on the field in time to break up a play or make a tackle. He's just a freak - and you can point to the fact that the Colts got some amazing clutch kicks (crossbar!) from Vinatieri tonight, and also that the Colts shut down the Baltimore running game...but luck played a part in this game. The Colts have to feel very fortunate that Ed Reed did not get the chance to run back one of those picks for a score.
I actually said almost as much to Amy last week when we were talking about whether or not the Colts stood a chance against the Ravens. (By the way, even though I never said this and you'll probably suspect me for only bringing it up now that the Colts have the Ravens safely behind them - I was more worried about Kansas City than I was about Baltimore. I have thought all season that the Ravens were overrated. Something you will notice about teams in the NFL is that the ones who have great defenses, and win a lot of games MOSTLY because the other team fails to score points, get overhyped by the media. Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Chicago Bears are cases in point this year. Also, both teams had schedules that were just ridiculously easy.) I told her that, if Manning threw three picks to Baltimore like he did to Kansas City, Ed Reed would run at least one of them back for a touchdown.
Manning will not have such a rough time against New England - the Patriots are not nearly as disruptive in the secondary, Manning knows he can beat them, the game will be in the Hoosier Dome, and the Colts will come out with fire in their hearts for the first time all year, at the best possible time they could have picked to come out on fire. Manning may even have those four touchdowns in the first half - we could conceivably see Jim Sorgi take a few snaps in the AFC title game. Wouldn't that be something?
1 comment:
OK, lets try this comment thing again. A few nuggets for you, if you don't mind.
1. I would contest that people are making too big a deal of Peyton's interceptions. First off, there is, as you mentioned above, the Ty Law factor. Secondly, 2 of the ones he threw against Baltimore were essentially as good as punts. They were on third and long, and they gave the Ravens roughly the same field position they would've had if old Hunter the Punter had used his right foot. Then, there is the Ed Reed situation. The ball he intercepted over the middle that was headed for Dallas Clark is a completion against any other safety in football. Peyton did everything right. He pumped the ball first, to freeze Ray Lewis, then he stared at the left side of the field to hold Reed, which worked (Reed actually floated slightly towards Reggie Wayne). Peyton then through what is one of his favorite passes, the deep seem route to Clark. Now, admittedly, Peyton over threw the route, which doesn't help, but Reed made a tremendous play on the ball. He came from the left side of the field, and as you put it, appeared out of nowhere. There are times where you have to tip your cap to an amazing player, and this was one of those times. To me, the more troubling thing wasn't any of the INTs, it was the play when Peyton missed a wide, wide, um hello Raven's defense there is a Colts guy streaking down the side line, open Aaron Moorehead for what would've not only been the only touchdown in the game, but would've made all of us Colts fans feel a bit better going into the second half. Peyton doesn't miss these throws. His balls are not always pretty, or not always the hardest thrown, but they are always on target. That scared me more than any of the pics, but obviously, it didn't matter.
2. Now, onto the defense. I really don't know what to say here. It seems improbable to me that this is all due to Bob Sanders. After all, he is tiny, and while he may be a big hitter for his size, he is still only the size of Larry Johnson's left leg. Now, that being said, something has happened to this defense, and he seems to have a huge part in it. I have a theory. I don't necessarily think it has anything to do with what he has done. I think it is all about what he does, psycologically, to the rest of our defense. First off, he lets everyone play their real positions. Marlin Jackson can now shift back to corner and Jason Daivd can move to the slot. More than that though, I think he makes the rest of the defense feel safe, for lack of a better way to put it. I think he gives them the sense that if they miss a tackle here, or over-run a gap there, there is some one back there who is going to make the play, which he usually does. He has a little Ed Reed in him in his ability to always be around the ball, which also helps, but I really think it is more about what he does for teh Colt's D mentally. It also has not hurt that Ron Meeks has stripped the defense down to the bare nuts and bolts and just told his guys to go out there and make plays.
3. OK, I am not ready to print their tickets to Miami yet however. This is more due to me, like you, being a supersticious sports fan. I have seen a better Colts team lose too many times to just assume anything. Lets just say, that I like our chances.
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