PATSNUTme

Well the morons at ESPN are at it again. Yesterday Sean Salisbury and John, the goober, Clayton were asked if Adam V. was the "missing piece" for the Colts to win the SuperBowl.

Both of these idiots agree whole heartedly - Vinatraitor was the missing piece.

So, let's refresh our memories about the Colts "missing pieces".

2003 season- missing piece was calling illegal contact
2004 season- missing piece was getting home field advantage after getting the rule for illegal contact enforced.
2005 season- missing piece- needed that clutch kicker to win a homefield advatage game played with illegal contct rules enforced.

2006 season- Missing piece ????- there will be one- what will it be? Still having "protection issues"?

PatsWickedPissah

Th colts need to learn how to play hard contact playoff football against talented Ds like Pittsburgh and NE. Then they also need to step up their own D to playoff excellence. They might just want to work on pass protection a bit as well.

I see the SB Champs Pittsburgh as favored to repeat this year. My hope is that BB once again disects Rottenburger's game and we beat them in the AFC Championship game again.

BelichickFan

In the past three years, I didn't feel like going back further, the Colts have lost 4 games by three points or less. Two get the attention, the opener against us in 2004 and last year's playoff game. The other two close losses, Vanderjagt was perfect on the day. The point is, the Colts don't play close games. Plus Vanderjagt was great in the regular season.

The only was Vinatraitor helps them is in a close, pressure situation and the odds that he'll make the difference just aren't very good. He'll look good on the sidelines, though, while the Colts go for TDs and allow TDs. Of course, they may play some closer games now with Addai as their RB instaead of Edge

The bottom line is that Vinatraitor could make all the difference if they need a pressure, playoff kick. But the probability of them needing one isn't great. In their last 7 playoffs games, only last year's vs. Pittsburgh was decided by less than 7 points.

fgssand

Colts:
Upgraded their kicking game
Lost Edge
Lost ket defensive players
Draft was a B- at best

Pats:
Younger, faster,simply better
Upgraded running game
D/Backfield will improve simply with new players, experience and health

Bottom line - Pats offseason far outshines Colts

BelichickFan

Losing Edge rules because 1) it downgraded the Colts and 2) it forced them to use their #1 pick on offense.

Well, it didn't force them to use the #1 on offense but they chose to as a result of losing Edge. But they were able to upgrade from the most accurate kicker in NFL history on the off chance they play a vey close playoff game.

PatsChick87

Far be for me to disagree with Dr Nut but,.....The missing pieces are a pair of them, that Manning loses at every high stakes game. Simple as that!

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p8ryts

Let them keep picking Miami, Indianapolis, Houston, Jacksonville and whoever.

This team will be better and HUNGRY again.

I choose to put more credence in the Las Vegas oddsmakers.

If Dillon regains his health he will have a nasty chip on his shoulder. I look for him to have a great year.

We just need the offensive line to improve and we are in like Flynn!!

QuiGon

I didn't see the ESPN piece to which you refer, but I find it very easy to believe those two morons were as nauseating as you report. The Colts' "missing piece" is a QB that has choked in big games all throughout his college and prop career. He's incredible against Vanderbilt or the Houston Texans, but stinks in the big games. People love to blame Indy's defense, but consider the following...

The Colts defense played very well against the Patriots in January, 2004. But Manning through 4 picks and they lost.

The Colts defense played reasonably well against the Patriots in January, 2005. But Manning scored all of 3 points and they lost.

The Colts defense played well against the Steelers in January, 2006. But Peyton Manning went out and played 57 minutes of some of the worst QBing you will ever see - and then he blamed his offensive linemen afterwards.

The Gr8est

Pittsburgh got hot at the right time last year. They were 6th seed and that probably isn't far off from where they should have been. They are a contender, but I don't see them as the favorite by any stretch.

Brady-To-Branch

In defense of Vanderjagt he didn't get any help from his QB...

His most notable chokes are the missed 48-YD FG in Foxboro in the 2004 opener and the 46-YD FG he missed in the AFC DIV loss to the Steelers. Both kicks would have sent the game into OT.

In each of those games Peyton set his kicker up for failure. In the Foxboro game, the Colts were already in good FG range when Peyton didn't read the blitz and McGinest sacked him for a loss of 12 yards and a 26-YD FG becomes a 48-YD attempt. Rookie QBs are taught that you don't take a sack in that situation. Yet Vanderjagt becomes the goat. Vandy compounded his own problem when he foolishly flashed the "money" sign at the Pats sideline, thus looking like a jackass afterwards. Vandy's miss coupled with his goofy antics provided enough cover for the fair-haired QB to escape blame.

About last season's home loss to Pittsburgh. To say that the fair-haired QB could have done a much better job moving the ball down field from his own 42 with a minute and 3 TOs left, is an understatement. Instead of relying on a 46-yard FG attempt, Manning could have helped his kicker by getting the 1st down on 2nd and 2 at the Pitt 28, with 31 seconds left and two TOs remaining. At this point, the Steelers defense understood the situation and played for the deep ball in the end zone (OT is better than a loss - Peyton didn't seem to grasp this truism). Yet, what did the FHQB do? He takes two shots at the endzone and forces his kicker to make a 46-YD FG attempt. I don't think Vanderjagt misses a chip shot.

At the present time, Pollian is snickering about snatching AV from the Pats, Vanderjagt is in Dallas, and the pundits are getting silly over the Colts again. Adam was 4-8 in FGAs of 40+ YDS in 2005. The Colts had better hope this isn't the beginning of a trend. You know the FHQB isn't going to help.

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