Monday, November 12, 2007

What matters and what doesn't

I was up until 4 AM after the game tonight because I was so frustrated. Here are my thoughts on about 5 hours sleep:

  • while it would have made the night a lot more fun and the week a lot easier if AV doesn't push that kick. It probably doesn't matter much in the big picture. The Colts finished the hell stretch of the schedule 2-2 after losing two brutally frustrating games. They will likely finish 13-3...
  • Unless the injuries are too much to overcome. We didn't lose that game last night because of injuries. We lost because of horrible play by Manning and Adam Vinatieri and the special teams. That being said, there are now so few healthy guys, that it makes you wonder how we'll field a team next week. We might remember this game for a long, but not for the reasons you think.
  • This season couldn't feel more like last season. Was this loss really any worse than the stupid Dallas game, the Tennessee game, the Jacksonville game, or the Houston game?
  • San Diego won but should be very concerned. They are not a good team. With as many mistakes as the Colts made, they should be embarrassed at how the game turned out. Phil Rivers is an utter disaster.
  • This Indy defense is legit. With their backs against the wall all night, they played with passion and pride. Gary Brackett is playing the best football of his life.
  • Hopefully, Toudouze is the temporary answer at LT until Ugoh gets back. The protection was much cleaner after he came in the game.
  • Manning was clearly pressing early. A couple of those picks were really great defensive plays, but the first, fourth and fifth ones were absolutely unforgivable throws.
  • All of the little annoying things about this game aren't worth focusing on. The officiating was spotty, with missed horse collar tackles (on both teams), blow interference calls (on both teams), and the idiot who randomly blew his whistle when he didn't have a look at the play in the end zone. The Colts did enough to piss away this game on their own without whining about that stuff. Dungy taking a timeout to get an explanation of the call was odd, but I really don't think he could have imagined that AV would miss that kick.

I'm not relishing another week of "will they or won't they play".

Demond Sanders: I totally agree. The defense is playing amazing football. The performance last night was maybe the best I've ever seen from a Colts defense. Even more than Manning, they were dead set on winning despite the odds. This is last season in reverse. This time the offense is in shambles.

I think we've seen the last of Special Teams Coach Russ Purnell after this year. His failures have become impossible to ignore. Again, we are in for a depressing week, but last season has prepared Colts fans for this. Nothing will ever be worse than Jacksonville. Last night showed the entire NFL that the Colts are a lot like zombies. You have to cut off their head or they keep coming back.

14 comments:

Joel said...

Good job keeping the game in perspective and all that sensible crap. As for me, I'm still pissed.

A co-worker this morning drew the connection to last year for me. So I guess there is hope. So long as Peyton doesn't keep channeling the ghost of Aaron Brooks.

Deshawn Zombie said...

LOL.

Anonymous said...

When did aaron brooks die?

Anonymous said...

I woke up angry this morning. It's getting better, though...

This is just a side note that I find funny, even though it might prove that I don't know too many players beyond the starters:

I honestly thought Craphonso (sp?) Thorpe was named "Alphonso," and people just called him Craphonso because he isn't very good. What kind of parent does that to their kid?

Anonymous said...

I agree with Stampede Blue.
http://www.stampedeblue.com/story/2007/11/12/101148/26

"Last night was one of the best games I've ever seen Peyton Manning play. Yeah, yeah, yeah write me off, call me stupid, call me crazy, call me a homer, call by Al. I care. Peyton Manning threw 6 INTs on the road, something he's never done. Some of those TOs were killer, like the one in the endzone in the first quarter. People will point fingers and laugh at Manning because... well, they're silly and pathetic people hoping and longing for the day when others listened to their insane gibberish. I watched that game. So did you. You saw receivers like Aaron Moorehead dog his routes. You saw Reggie let up and not fight for the ball, resulting in yet another Antonio Cromardie pick. You saw Moorehead (again!) run the wrong route and kill another drive. Of the 6 INTs, four were the result of Manning throwing to receivers who didn't know what the fuk they were doing. One was a tipped ball at the line, and the last was a desperate heave with 0 seconds left in the game. Despite all these TOs, Manning led his team down the field on three brilliant drives, one of which was the failed FG attempt by Adam which should have won the game. Manning had a third string LT protecting his blindside. He had Jake Scott as his RT. He had a guy named Craphonso catching his passes. He had a guy named Moorehead drop a gimme TD, the ball slipping right through his hands.
Despite all the odds (the bad officiating, the injuries, the horrid execution, and playing from behind all game), Manning got his team in position to win, and the team came up short. Even normally brain dead announcers Al Michaels and John Madden stood in awe of Manning's play, despite the picks. It's yet another example of stats not telling the whole truth of a game. Manning was brilliant in this game, and if Adam makes that gimme kick, this would have been a comeback on par with the TB game in 2003.

This was the one thing bothering me last night. We know Peyton squeezes passes into incredibly tight places because he knows exactly where the receiver is going to be. Clearly, Wayne and Moorehead quit on plays last night. A bunch of routes got screwed up because the receivers goofed the read on the conversion.

Without knowing more, I don't know how many of those picks were really 18's fault. I KNOW 2 were mostly due to great defensive plays and some others due to failures by WRs.

Anonymous said...

Hello from Boston.... God did Manning stink up the place. Why did he look like he had lost even before the game started??? I remember that look on his face for most of his career ... hope you guys can find more reasons to "keep losing in perspective". How does the saying go... show me a guy who can keep it in perspective and I'll show you a LOSER!!! Nice job Manning.... we look forward to seeing you in Foxboro.

Anonymous said...

OOPS. Should have closed the quote there after the TB game reference.

And don't forget that Peyton got Adam in position at the end of the half for his other missed FG.

Demond Sanders said...

Hey Boston,

The Colts are going to beat the hell out of your team in January. I can't wait.

Anonymous said...

Dear Pat fan troll,

For the best example of a QB really, really screwing up (perhaps the best example in NFL history), you should go watch a guy named Tom Brady puke up a game that the Pats had won vs. Miami a couple of years ago.

The Pats had great talent. The Dolphins were the worst team in the NFL. NE had a big lead in the 2d half on a beautiful night in Miami. Then this chump Brady starting making some of the most incredibly stupid decisions in the history of football. He ended up with 4 picks, blew the big lead, and lost the game to the worst team in the league. If I remember correctly, it was Miami's first win after 10 or 11 straight losses.

Now that was THE case study in suckitude by a QB. Not only were his throws bad, his decisions were just brain dead stupid.

Anonymous said...

Waaaa …. You just don’t get it. Manning was, sorry, is the most overrated QB of since Marino. As far as kicking our butts in Jan … it’s on a real field not that that artificial sound system of a stadium the Colts call home. Which means Manning will be crying about how cold it is. Keep on whining we love it. And by the way, have you seen Brady’s QB rating … oh my god. He’s like the Red Sox post season pitching staff … 4 Aces.

Anonymous said...

Don't feed the trolls. "Hello from Boston" clearly doesn't have a life, and that's his problem. Don't make it yours.

Anonymous said...

Again, let's keep everything in perspective here. San Diego is a talented team. They're not elite, but they're good.

Also, every time they showed a picture of Norv Turner, I kept saying "That man is why we're still in this game." You can count on Norv to do something really stupid at least a half dozen times a game.

The Colts have KC, @ATL, JAX, @BAL, @OAK, TEN, and HOU left. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us win all seven.

Dave Harrington said...

Sup fellas.

Went to the game last night, had a lot of fun, and it was a pleasure hosting Indy fans, they definately know how to crank dat Soulja Boy.

You really hit it right on the head, the Colts will be there in the end once they get healthy ( and Manning doesn't have to throw to Thorpe and Moorehead every play), but the Chargers? It's time for Volek.

The one thing both Bolts and Colts fans can agree on? BEAT THOSE F---ING PATS!!!!

HeatherRadish said...

The only thing I'm trying to figure out is...when mild-mannered Marvin Harrison spikes the ball, it's 15 yards for taunting. When known cheater Shawn Merriman dances around pointing and laughing at the other team, it's nothing. I don't know why I can't wrap my brain around that.

I hearby apologize for all the jokes I made last month about Favre's INT record being the sole passing record that Peyton won't break. I didn't realize anyone would take it so seriously.