I came across this list of NFL power rankings on MSNBC this afternoon by clicking on the front page link that said something to the effect of that the Colts were at the top of the rankings - for now. They say that the Colts and Patriots are “more 1 and 1A than anything else,” and then they go on to make a case for why this is so; and it almost sounds plausible until you dig into the schedules a little bit.
(The reason you have to dig into the schedules is because the numbers are so much in favor of the Patriots. To make an argument for the Colts you have to start talking about "quality opponents," which is a legitimate argument but fails in favor of the Colts in this case.)
Their first argument is that the Colts have wins over three quality opponents to wins over no quality opponents for the Patriots. This is true, except that the quality division teams the Colts have beaten (yes, on the road) are quality because they have played pretty bad teams. The Texans and Titans between them have played Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, and New Orleans. Those teams combined have three wins - and one of those wins was Atlanta beating the Texans. The Patriots have division wins over the Jets and Bills, who have played teams like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, NYG, and Dallas.
That’s really picking at nits maybe, but the fact is that the Colts have beaten teams that are considered quality because those teams beat bad teams; and the Patriots have beaten teams that look crappy because those teams lost to good teams.
The other argument is that the Colts beat two preseason “favorites” (their word) in New Orleans and Denver. I agree that the Saints were preseason favorites, but to call Denver a preseason favorite is stretching it. Even in the preseason, the AFC South was a lock to send at least one team to a wild card game - if not two; and it was likely that the AFC North would send the other wild card team if the South didn’t get both. Thus, Denver was a favorite to do what? San Diego was clearly the preseason favorite to win that division.
The Patriots beat San Diego and Cincinnati - and I don’t care how you slice it, those teams combined were better thought of during the preseason than were the Saints and Broncos. (Sorry, Broncos fans, but Jay Cutler does not a team make. As a Colts fan I say this from experience - it helps to have a rush defense.)
Bottom line - neither the Colts nor the Patriots have really had a test yet. Yes, the Colts have won two division road games that they did not win last year - but the Patriots are beating teams with a precision and ferocity the Colts cannot ever hope to match. The Patriots don't have to come out in the second or third quarter with solid adjustments because they're not lazy enough to let the other team into the game at all. The Colts are content with letting the other team dictate the style of play and then make adjustments. The Patriots come out gunning to beat you to death in the first fifteen minutes.
I’m not unwilling to rank the Colts ahead of the Patriots - but I’m not going to do it just because the Colts won the World Championship Of All Football last season, and I’m not going to do it just because they’re the home team. I’m also not going to do it just to go against the grain. You can imitate President Bush and cherry pick the data to make it look as rosy as you want it to in spite of the actual facts - but the truth will out.
2 comments:
Can't a guy just honestly believe that the Colts are better than the Patriots? Without everyone putting a noose around his neck?
It seems like you are just nit-picking against the Colts.
Yes, the Colts are my team. And yes, I think they are the best. If we were 0-5, I wouldn't consider us one of the best. Be we aren't. We are 5-0. You can bad-mouth and not support the Colts all you want, but some us will.
Until November 4th, no one can say anything. After that day, if the Patriots beat us, then I'll give them credit as #1, but you'd better believe I'll still consider us #1A.
Wow Shane...do you have fun being @$$ to everyone? :-)
John is just pointing out both sides of the argument. He even says he's not unwilling to rank the Colts ahead of the Pats. He's pointing out that it's hard right now to say who is ahead of whom.
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