Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Blip on the screen

Maybe it doesn't merit it's own post, but #18 showed up on another MVP list today:

Bucky Brooks has him at #5.

A big win this week, and you'll only see him get more and more attention.

In other news:
SI predicts the playoff field. They have Indy going 11-5, winning this week and losing at Jacksonville. I would reverse that (especially if Bob is out), but 11-5 is what I'm going with as well.

The guys at Hugging Harold Reynolds have come up with at really great idea for a website. The get local eating tips from various bloggers around the sports world. Fanfoodie is a great place to check out before you head on a road trip. Oh, and the Indy entry? I think you'll recognize the contributors. I'm open to argument on our post. If you disagree with our pick, please comment on the post there or here. And yes, I missed a chance to try and push "The Stable" nickname. I didn't feel it was the place to drop a new nickname.

Bob sends us this link that posits what we all know to be true: the dumpster is definitely ablaze.

The DVOA numbers are out. The O-line numbers are fascinating. Indy is #1 in pass pro, and number 27 in rushing. For those that care: Dom and Joe's numbers are virtually identical. What does this tell us? The line isn't that good, but Manning's completion % has taken a hit this year because he's getting rid of the ball and avoiding sacks.

Demond Sanders: I am optimistically leaning towards an 11-5 finish as well. I think the Colts will beat the Chargers in a very high-scoring affair. I think they might lose to Jacksonville, although the Jaguars are truly terrible so a 6-0 finish is possible. Not that it matters since they can't improve their seeding beyond the 5 spot. Now we know what it has been like to be Jacksonville the past few years.

I think its interesting that Bucky dropped Eli Manning from the 3 spot last week to unranked this week. Maybe he realized there is no chance in hell Eli is winning it this season. I love Eli and he has good stats, but he's not important enough to his own team to merit the MVP. I think the Kerry Collins ranking may also be a courtesy thing. If he finishes with 20 touchdowns AND 15 wins then maybe, but that won't happen.

Read this before judging Marvin Harrison for having his gun used to shoot a convicted murderer.

The Colts may add another TE. I wonder if Santi will be IRed

11 comments:

Bob M. said...

Did you see Vic Carucci's piece at NFL.com about Mad Jack "losing" his team?

Is it possible that he'll depart Jax before the team does?

Otherwise, a pretty slow NFL-news Tuesday around here....

Justin L said...

Any opinions on whether the Colts beat SD without Sanders? I'm getting the feeling that he's not going to play this weekend.

Deshawn Zombie said...

I think SD is more dangerous than anyone wants to admit. They've lost a lot of close games, and will be desperate. That's not a situation I want to go into without Bob. Rivers may well eat the secondary alive if Hayden and Sanders aren't in. A lot of people think this is somehow a 'gimme'. I think it's easily the most difficult game left on the schedule. I don't feel good about it.

Demond Sanders said...

I agree, (although I'd like to know what madman is acting like this is a gimme).

SD has lost three games by 2 points or less. This will be as big a challenge as the Steelers game.

I think the Colts will move the ball easier than they did against Pittsburgh, but the Chargers will move the ball with ease as well. I'm assuming the odds are greatly against another rainstorm game. Isn't it always 79 degrees and sunny in SD? I like the Colts in a 37 - 30 type of game.

shake'n'bake said...

I just finished writing up the DVOA and noticed the OL split too.

I'd put it on guards being pretty interchangeable in the pass game, but not for the run.

Justin L said...

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm worried about this game. The past few games against SD have been brutal on my nerves. I can't get that near comeback out of my head from last November.

As for the weather, sunny & 69.

Demond Sanders said...

I can't believe they lost that game. That was an all-timer as far as heartbreak goes.

shake'n'bake said...

I wondered if it was Graham or Hall getting the boot, but they aren't going to carry 5 TEs, it has to be Santi to IR.

Bob M. said...

Okay, percentage-wise, how much worse is the 2008 Colts team than the 2007 team? Say 15%-20% (if such a thing can be measured). Now how much better or worse is SD? I'd call them slightly worse than 07--a 5% dropoff. Now remove 6 picks, 3 KEY OL injuries, and 2 return TDs, shake, and serve. Try it, you'll like it.

Yes it will be a test, but I am pretty confident. I can see Rivers lighting us up without the "real" zombie and our interchangeable CB replacements (will Kelvin play?), but without 6 picks and 2 return TDs, plus no Merriman to pressure PM, I think we'll put up some holiday lights as well.
I agree with the mutual high-scoring game prediction--with the better coached team and the better clock managers winning. That's the Colts.

Bob M. said...

Oh hey, and with our schedule and the injuries we have had, 11-5 or even 12-4 (which might include a "semi-gift" game) is pretty damn impressive. Everybody is writing in a "W" for Tenn, but Fisher... ya never know with him.

And the Jags, ya never know with them, either. You can be pretty sure, and then they pull one out at the buzzer. I'm expecting to see Mike Pete eat Mad Jack's head on live TV in late December. The result would be a coach with no head (and no brain) and therefore only slightly smarter than Matt Millen.

Anonymous said...

So word is we signed another player off Tennessee's practice squad.

Maybe this is part of a new strategy. Like, if they're going to keep signing our free agents, let's make sure that more of our free agents were people that they drafted and put on the practice squad....

There's a nice symmetry to it, at least.