questionman

Would that taint a win?

What about if it were reversed and Moss was out and the Colts won?

Fencer

Nothing like that would TAINT the win.

But health is one of the biggest reasons Sunday's game will be an imperfect predictor of the likely January rematch.

Ishdul

No, injuries are a part of the game and you're expected to have at least a couple out by Week 9.

boggleboggle

Injuries are part of the game. Of course it is best if both teams are fully healthy, but that is rarely the case this late in the season and even less so in the playoffs. If Harrison's injury taints this game, then all the Pats' injuries and flu would taint the Colts' victory last January. They don't. Nobody, except a few Pats fans perhaps, remembers the injuries / illnesses now - they just remember the score and the Patriots collapse.

As a side note, the Colts have been amazingly healthy over the last few years compared to the Patriots - especially on offense. I think Harrison's injury is the first key skill guy to have missed more than a game or two in three or four years.

Another side note - I do not think Harrison is as big a loss as some people think. He is 35 and no where near the player he was three or four years ago. Reputations always lag reality by a few seasons. Right now, Wayne and Clark are bigger threats in my opinion. Certainly you can not compare him to Moss at this stage of their careers.

DarrylS

The pats deal with injuries, thus the colts are expected to do the same.. it is all part of the game.. nothing taints a win.. unless the mediaidiots want to make it seem that way.

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moosekill

It wouldn't taint the win, but... the win would be less of an indicator of how we would do against a fully healthy colts team in the playoffs. If the Pats crush the colts when they are fully healthy it would be more demoralizing than if we beat them when they are missing one of their key players. This might mean something come playoff time, but of course, if the colts lose, they are probably playing the game in January in Foxborough. hehehehehehehehh

LoveDemPats

They have been so healthy compared to the pats it ain't funny. And, we have had that thrust in our face by a lot of colts fans, that you just gotta play with what you have. They were right. It sucked to not have Rodney. Seymore was banged up. Light was sick.

This time, I think we might be the healthiest that we ever have been? Its awesome.

It will taint the win, according to many fans and patriot haters. There is no doubt about it. Look at what people have said so far about the pats not playing anybody. I find it hilarious. People are still saying that crap. Then when their teams go and play the likes of Buffalo, and get punched in the face (maybe not win but get punched non the less), we don't hear anything about how maybe these teams aren't so bad. Heck, even Miami. Everyone wants to thumb their noses at the fins, but they are certainly capable of putting a hurtin on a team if they don't take them seriously. And yet, the pats have not played anyone. So, I guarentee that there will be people, should the pats win, who will say that the pats got lucky again. They will say that they can't believe how easy the pats have it and that they keep catching people at the perfect time, yada, yada, yada. Expect it from some.

But anyone with half a brain, and with some historical perspective, oh and with some shred of integrity will concede that the pats have truly worked their azzes off the first half of the season, and deserve every win, especially this one, at indy, against an amazing oponent in the colts.

I really feel that Harrison will be missed greatly by the colts by the way. I kindof agree with you on one hand that he is older, and that the colts use wayne and clark a lot more. But, Harrison is like a ghost out there. I mean, he is leathal in this capasity. He is greatly trusted. And he doesn't drop the ball. I still think that he is awesome. And he can certainly still play. Did you watch the game where he got hurt? He was blocking during a running play and got crunched when the tackle happened right behind him. A bunch of people kinda rolled up on the back of his leg. It probably yanked a bunch of stuff the wrong way in his leg. He really got hurt. You could see him right after the hit on the sidelines and he was not happy. This guy hardly ever shows anything. He goes to the bench and sits down. But not this time. Since he was standing, I thought that it was not that bad. But the look on his face seemed to say more. Like you could tell that he had a significant injury, but that he would bust his azz to get back in time.

He is hurt. When he comes back, he will certainly be a headache for people.

homergreg

They don't put asterisks in the record books next to wins because of injuries.

JJP

The media pundits do not qualify with an asterisk or an explanation the first of the "three wins in a row" for the Colts, on November 8, 2005, a home game. I was there, and it wasn't pretty. It was a Monday Night game unfortunately, so the entire nation saw the sorry state of the Patriots' health that night. The Pats were missing Kevin Faulk, Patrick Pass, Richard Seymour, James Sanders, Rodney Harrison, Matt Light, Dan Klecko, to mention some big injuries, not to mention the fact that Corey Dillon was all banged up too. Also, the Colts obviously had Patriots cornerback Duane Starks on their payroll, as Starks gracefully let the Colts wideouts and tight ends roam the field without consequence. I recall vividly on one obvious Manning passing play how Reggie Wayne stopped running his route -- directly in front of me -- because Starks was nowhere to be found. I actually started yelling at Starks to move, but a second later Wayne had the football and was heading up the field. Starks was the Eric Gagne of the 2005 season. In short, the Patriots that took the field that night were a shell of themselves -- on national Monday Night Football nonetheless! As usual, however, Tom Terrific did his best to score in the absence of his defense taking the field that evening: he threw for 265 yards and 22 of 33 passing with three touchdowns. If any game, any Colts win deserved a big, fat, multicolored asterisk as a win, this game certainly qualifies!

ATippett56

If Marvin Harrison sits, the New England Patriots definitely blow out the Indianapolis Colts.

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