Colts at Pats pre-game discussion, preview, keys & analysis

[jmt57]

Week 11 Colts at Pats pre-game discussion, preview, keys & analysis.

Whether it's your own thoughts or a link to an interesting column, post them here. Obviously if you have something very specific or in depth go ahead and start a new thread. This one's for comments and links that are worth posting, but not worth starting a new thread on.

Yeah, I know there are three other Pats-Colts threads going strong but they all seem to have headed off into specific tangents.



To start things off here's a video: YouTube - Colts vs Patriots Rivalry Highlights 2010 - Timeline Update!

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is - Fred Taylor has game plan for Colts: ‘Grind it to them’ by Mike Petraglia of WEEI

Running back Fred Taylor may or may not return this weekend against Indianapolis but he does think he knows a thing or two about attacking the Colts.

Before he came to New England, Taylor was in Jacksonville, where he saw the Colts twice a year as an AFC South division rival.

“We were a team that was built to try and be physical, smash-mouth style of offense and run the ball,” Taylor said Friday. “And quite frankly, we weren’t going to get [to gameday] and try to change. So, it wasn’t necessarily keep the ball away from Peyton but it was just get out there and try to grind it to them.

“They’re a team that’s been built over the years, smaller team, built with speed, and you just want to take advantage of that,” Taylor said. “And our style was just to try and run right at them.”

There was no better example of that than on Dec. 10, 2006 when the Colts started 9-0 and were 10-2 heading into Jacksonville. The Jaguars laid a 44-17 hurting on the Colts that day. Taylor ran for 131 yards on nine carries, including a 76-yard run. And Taylor wasn’t even the leading rusher that day for Jacksonville. Maurice Jones-Drew had the breakout game of his career when he ran for 166 yards on 15 carries and a 48-yard TD scamper.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

Aside from my prediction of a beat down (that didn't bode well with you guys), I think that Hernandez gets back into this game. He was quiet last game and I just can't see him getting shutdown 2 weeks in a row. and also Tate I think will have a big game. The key to winning this game is to play smart and not allow Peyton to take advantage of turnovers. The Defense has looked great and with Chung back I think that they will suprise everyone again and have a great game vs the Colts Offense.

 

[jmt57]

How the Colts and Patriots match up | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

COLTS CB JERRAUD POWERS VS. PATRIOTS WR WES WELKER

With deep threat Randy Moss gone, Welker is averaging a career-low 8.5 yards on the kind of quick passes New England is likely to throw to keep Colts pass rushers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis off QB Tom Brady. Welker remains the engine that drives the Patriots' passing game. Nine of his catches have come on third down, 30 have produced first downs and he is dangerous after the catch, whether he's on the outside, where Powers starts, or in the slot, where Powers shifts in nickel situations.

PATRIOTS PASS RUSH VS. COLTS OFFENSIVE LINE

The Colts have allowed an NFL-low one sack for every 33.2 drop-backs, but they have struggled of late in protection. They have yielded five of their 12 sacks the past two games, when the ratio was one for every 18.6 drop-backs, and Philadelphia and Cincinnati were around QB Peyton Manning far more than the Colts like.

 

[Kid~Brady]

Aside from my prediction of a beat down (that didn't bode well with you guys), I think that Hernandez gets back into this game. He was quiet last game and I just can't see him getting shutdown 2 weeks in a row. and also Tate I think will have a big game. The key to winning this game is to play smart and not allow Peyton to take advantage of turnovers. The Defense has looked great and with Chung back I think that they will suprise everyone again and have a great game vs the Colts Offense.

Yeah but they barely used hernandez in the last game, they needed a blocking TE for the pass rush and Gronk is a much better blocker than hernandez is. Hernandez is more of a receiving TE thats used for receptions and yards after the catch.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Couple Patriot Players have been hit with flu-like symptons...coincidence?

Tate listed as Questionable Friday

 

[jmt57]

Couple Patriot Players have been hit with flu-like symptons...coincidence?

Tate listed as Questionable Friday

Meanwhile it sounds like Colt players are improving health-wise.

Colts Austin Collie practices again, but will he be able to play? | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

By all appearances, Austin Collie's return to the Indianapolis Colts offense is on schedule.

The only uncertainty is whether that schedule has Sunday's game at New England as a realistic return date. Collie went through the full practice Thursday after being limited Wednesday.

"(Collie) ran around well, caught the ball well," coach Jim Caldwell said.

he offense might also get a boost with the return of receiver Blair White. He missed the Cincinnati game with a shoulder injury but has returned to practice.

Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne, who sat out Wednesday's practice with a knee issue, was back at work Thursday.

Offensive line shuffle

The team's attempt at shoring up the offensive line involved a change at right guard against the Bengals. Starter Mike Pollak, a 2008 second-round draft pick, was replaced by Jeff Linkenbach, an undrafted rookie.

Caldwell said the change was made "to get a little more consistent play."

Linkenbach made his first regular-season start Sept. 26 at Denver at left tackle, then started at right guard against the Bengals.

There's also this look at the Colts-Pats rivalry through the eyes of an Indy writer and fan:

Kravitz: Here's Why Colts and Patriots hate each other | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

That's why we love the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. Because the shared animosity is real, just the way it is with the Red Sox and Yankees, the way it was with the Celtics and Lakers, the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings.

"(The younger players) don't know how deep the hatred is," Colts defensive end Robert Mathis said. "They hate us, we hate them. But there's respect, too."

And finally -- finally --Marlin Jackson cradling that Tom Brady pass like a newborn, falling softly to the ground, the Colts on their way to the Super Bowl.

Greatest. Moment. Ever.

"It felt better than winning the Super Bowl," Mathis said, echoing a refrain I've heard from several other players. "Because it exorcised every demon we'd had up until that point."

 

[SVN]

i think its going to be a shootout. Pats offense has moved the ball on the colts but if iam not mistaken they have turned the ball over every time they have playd them in the last 5 yrs. They dont blitz much and are very fast so this is going to be interesting how brady handles find open WR's with no deep threat and freeney and mathis bearing down.
On defense, the corners are in for a tough day with wayne,garcon and collie coming back.Hopefully guyton can neutralize tamme who is manning's security blanket which can make manning throw some in completions or inaccurate passes.
i really hope they run the ball more than they do vs the colts usually. Colts have had a poor run D for ages but the pats have never run on them consistently for whatever reason.

 

[jmt57]

With Wilhite being injured, Darius Butler may see the field Sunday.

Possible opening for Darius Butler - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

With Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite missing practice Friday with a hip injury, it opens the possibility that he won't suit up Sunday against the Colts.

The trickle-down effect would likely move second-year cornerback Darius Butler one notch up the depth chart.

The rise-and-fall of Butler, a 2009 second-round draft choice, has been one of the bigger mysteries of the Patriots' season. He opened the year as a starter, was demoted in Week 3, and was a healthy scratch for the first time last Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Wilhite's primary role is to work against the slot receiver, although the Patriots have been utilizing safeties more of late in their sub packages, with Patrick Chung sometimes playing the "star" position in the slot. Wilhite, who is officially questionable for Sunday's game, also played on the punt return team last week, matching up against the gunner.

So this puts Butler in position to be active and potentially be on the field more than he has in recent weeks.

 

[jmt57]

Aside from my prediction of a beat down (that didn't bode well with you guys), I think that Hernandez gets back into this game. He was quiet last game and I just can't see him getting shutdown 2 weeks in a row. and also Tate I think will have a big game. The key to winning this game is to play smart and not allow Peyton to take advantage of turnovers. The Defense has looked great and with Chung back I think that they will suprise everyone again and have a great game vs the Colts Offense.

Hernandez touches on reduced role - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

"There are games we're both going to be used, games I'm going to be used, games he's going to be used," said Hernandez, who has 34 catches for 436 yards and two touchdowns this season. "Sometimes it's hard to deal with, but this is the NFL and the coaches know what they're doing. As long as we come out with the victory, everything will be good.

"It gets to you, because you want to be out there to help the team, but you also have to sit back and be a man, and understand that you have to do what's best for the team. Obviously that was the right thing for the game-plan because look what happened."

Hernandez has prepared himself for whatever the game-plan is on a week-to-week basis.

"Everyone knows that we have so many weapons, it's not like one player is better than another. We have so many weapons that are even that we could go and use every weapon. One game you have Deion Branch for 10 catches. One game it's Wes [Welker]. One game it's me. Gronk ... It's 'how are you going to stop us?'"

 

[Deus Irae]

Hernandez touches on reduced role - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

As long as we come out with the victory, everything will be good.

He'll have to learn to avoid statements like the above.

 

[jmt57]

Friday's injury report for the Colts; looks like the policy of listing as many players as possible as questionable is still in effect.
It Is What It Is - Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Joseph Addai all 'Questionable'

Did Not Practice
DB Bob Sanders (biceps) OUT
LB Gary Bracket (toe) Questionable
RB Mike Hart (ankle) Questionable
LB Clint Session (elbow) Questionable
DB Justin Tryon (foot) Questionable
RB Joseph Addai (neck) Questionable

Limited Participation
CB Aaron Francisco (rib) Questionable

Full Participation
DB Kelvin Hayden (neck) Questionable
WR Austin Collie (concussion) Questionable
WR Blair White (shoulder) Questionable
WR Reggie Wayne (knee) Questionable
TE Brody Eldridge (rib) Questionable

The link below shows a graphic for each Colt player's day to day progression that is on the Injury Report.
Indianapolis Colts - Injury Report

 

[SVN]

Friday's injury report for the Colts; looks like the policy of listing as many players as possible as questionable is still in effect.
It Is What It Is - Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Joseph Addai all 'Questionable'




The link below shows a graphic for each Colt player's day to day progression that is on the Injury Report.
Indianapolis Colts - Injury Report

thats just bill polian mocking the pats report probably. i know a few yrs ago both teams messed with this so much that one of them even listed the backup qb on the report.
Aside,peter king on weei said today that the colts are like the pats are secretive abt injury info. Wonder why they dont get that much hyped for that.

 

[jmt57]

Look important for Patriots vs. Manning - Extra Points - Boston.com

One of the constant themes this week when you listen to Patriots players is how they feel it will be important to disguise their defensive looks against quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

If Manning thinks the Patriots are in one coverage based on their pre-snap look but in actuality they cover Colts receivers in a different manner, the advantage goes to the Patriots.

Conversely, if Manning can identify the Patriots’ coverage and/or if they will be blitzing from a certain area, he know where to go with the ball.

“You always have to be careful what you show him because he can definitely pull out a coverage and pick you apart if he sees a weakness so you really have to do a good job,” said linebacker Tully Banta-Cain.

He said the Patriots have devoted a little more time than normal in practice to disguising their coverages.

“His pre-snap reads are amazing,” linebacker Jerod Mayo said. “He pretty much knows what’s going on before he even snaps the ball. So that’s the tough part.

“(The key is) just showing the same look. We have to be good in our disguise and things like that and try to trick them basically. He’s a great quarterback, has a great arm and can make all the throws….It’s very difficult. He studies a lot of film, he’s a great quarterback…we have to try. You have to try.”

Peek at the Week: Colts-Patriots never gets old - NFL - CBSSports.com Football

Manning lost his security blanket, Dallas Clark, for the season, while the Patriots traded away Brady's best (only?) deep threat in Randy Moss. Manning has had to play much of this year without Joseph Addai, while Brady operates with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead as his backs. And so it goes, but it doesn't seem to matter -- and it doesn't because Manning and Brady always make people around them better.

That's happening again. Too bad it's not happening on defense because both clubs could use help. The Colts are soft vs. the run; the Patriots are soft vs. the pass. Both give up too many points, yet both are division leaders and conference heavyweights because both share the same thing.

If you guessed quarterbacks, congratulations. You get to make "Pete's Picks" next week.

The edge here belongs to Brady because he's home and Manning is not. Indianapolis is 2-3 on the road, while Brady hasn't lost a regular-season home game in his past 24 starts. Yes, there have been close calls -- like the Baltimore game earlier this season -- but Brady always finds a way to win.

So where's the hope for the Colts? Look no farther than Manning. He knows how to beat New England, winning five of his past six against the Patriots. Plus, he has passed for 300 or more yards in four of his five road games this season. Once upon a time we asked if the Patriots were in Manning's head; now it's Bill Belichick who must answer the same question about Manning.

Something to consider: The past five meetings have been decided by no more than seven points.

Pats run game the difference versus Colts - AFC East Blog - ESPN

When looking at Sunday's marquee matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium, folks generally don't pay much heed to the run games.

The headliners, as always, will be Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

But AccuScore projects the Patriots' ground game will make the difference despite Manning averaging 300 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in its 10,000 computer simulations.

Overall, the Patriots are 59 percent favorites because they averaged more than 5 yards per carry with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead in the simulations, while the Colts averaged about 3 yards. But top Colts back Joseph Addai has been getting more practice reps as he recovers from a neck injury and could play Sunday.

Brady completed 70 percent of his passes in the simulations. If he has two or more touchdowns and no more than one interception, then the Patriots become 73 percent favorites.

The formula for the Colts: hold the Patriots to under 4 yards a carry and sack Brady at least three times. If that happens, then the Colts have a 70 percent chance to win.

NFL.com news: Patriots have too much talent for banged-up Colts

The Patriots' unheralded stable of runners doesn't strike fear in opponents, but the collective efforts of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead are critical to their success. Against a Colts defense that struggles against the run and concedes big yards on check downs, the duo will be a significant part of the game plan, and their production will eventually determine the outcome.

The Colts have overcome a spate of injuries to remain one of the top teams in the AFC under the superb play of Peyton Manning. While his production has dipped in recent weeks due to the loss of critical personnel in the passing game, the four-time MVP has found a way to get it done with a host of backups. Though the Patriots have been his nemesis in the past, it is hard to count out Manning.

New England's dismantling of the Pittsburgh Steelers sent a resounding message throughout the league that the road to the Super Bowl may wind through Foxboro. While the Patriots' youth and inexperience will lead to some inconsistent performances, the combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will make it difficult for the Colts to get a tough win on the road.

NFL.com news: Colts, Pats... Manning, Brady... Get ready to rumble!

The Colts, 6-3, already have lost three road games this year, making them vulnerable when leaving Indianapolis. They make less big, explosive plays than before, and now instead of leading the league in big-play drives (four plays or less to score), they lead the league in 10-play scoring drives. Manning has been hit more this year than any other year -- although he still is not getting sacked, as the Colts are the best team in the league in protecting their passer. Manning has also thrown the ball away more this year -- even throwing the ball out of bounds -- which, when playing Manning, is like a sack. The Patriots' challenge in this game will be the same as every year: get Manning to throw the ball away, move him out of the pocket, make him throw the ball from different locations, and don't allow him to gain a clear understanding of their coverage from pre-snap alignment.

The Patriots' offense looks more like the Colts when they had tight end Dallas Clark. With two versatile tight ends, the Patriots can force the Colts to play their base defense, and then spread the formation to utilize their passing game. Rookie tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski both allow the Patriots' offense flexibility to be a multiple-attack team without having to substitute -- thus forcing the defense to be vanilla.

The weather will be cold, the ball will be hard and, at times, difficult to catch, and the field conditions should be perfect. This will be a war, and, as we have learned in past games, it does not matter who starts fast. Both teams can mount comebacks, therefore this should be a four-quarter battle and another thriller.

 

[jmt57]

Bruschi's keys for Pats vs. Indy - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Offense
“The offensive tackles are going to step up. You gotta block Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, especially in those critical situations. The two-minute drive before halftime, the two-minute drive to win the game in the fourth quarter, that’s when these pass rushers wake up and play their best football.

“Just ask Carson Palmer. Last week, when he was driving to win the game, back-to-back sacks by Freeney and Mathis. Ballgame. Game over.”

Defense
“You’ve got Peyton Manning over there as a quarterback, so you’ve got a do a great job of disguising your coverages. If you tell Peyton Manning what coverage you’re going to run, pre-snap, he’s going to have success against you all day long. So defensively, disguise those coverages, don’t give Peyton Manning the answers.”

Bruschi's Breakdown: Expect New England Patriots to develop consistency against the Indianapolis Colts - ESPN Boston

Patriots defense vs. Colts offense

Mike: It was also clear how much Bill Belichick respects receiver Reggie Wayne, who scorched the Patriots last year for 10 catches for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. I think we could see the Patriots adopt the Randy Moss-type coverage plan, with a safety playing over the top of him on almost every snap. I can't imagine Belichick putting together a plan that doesn't do this, after what unfolded last year.

Tedy: There are certain players that coach Belichick talks about and you can just feel the respect he has for them, and Wayne is one of them. [Belichick] called him one of the best receivers in the NFL.

Mike: The Colts rank first in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per pass play, which speaks as much to Manning as to the offensive line. But when looking at the line, center Jeff Saturday is the old standby.

Tedy: There have been a lot of changes on the line, but Saturday has been the constant, with his ability to get all those guys on the same page. It's a different type of running game that they implement, with the well-known stretch play. This offensive line isn't filled with maulers, like the New York Jets, where one-on-one they'll try to drive you off the ball, get angles and run scheme runs at you, with different formation sets in the backfield. This line moves in tandem, at the same time, from left to right on the various run plays they have. Saturday is the musical conductor, who keeps all of them together and playing the same song, if you will.

Mike: Last week, the Patriots went heavy with the pressure against the Steelers. Can we expect to see the same thing this week?

Tedy: Manning doesn't get sacked. Belichick has talked about that. I've been in that defensive meeting room where he's said, "Sacks will be tough to come by, but we have to hope to get a little bit of pressure to alter some throws to help the coverage." That was our main goal going into games against Peyton, because he gets rid of the ball so quickly and is so great at deciphering defenses. So you say to yourself, "If I get a sack against him, that's a bonus."

Patriots offense vs. Colts defense

Mike: Tom Brady said this week that he's had a lot of sleepless nights when getting ready to face the Colts and their pass-rushing defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Freeney is the Colts' career sacks leader with 90, while Mathis has 70.5.

Tedy: They are extraordinary pass-rushers, especially in certain situations. You can block them throughout the day, which has been done before, but then in a two-minute situations they know that's a time when they have to step it up and bring it. A perfect example was last week against the Bengals. It was the Bengals' last-ditch effort to come back and win the game, and on back-to-back downs it was Mathis sack, Freeney sack. That was basically the end of it. Trey Wingo at ESPN likes to call these guys the Mariano Rivera of the National Football League. They are closers, who get it done when the game is on the line.

Mike: So it will be a big test for left tackle Matt Light and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer. They should get help from the likes of tight end Alge Crumpler and running backs chipping out of the backfield.

Tedy: Another word that captures what this Colts defense is all about is "opportunistic." They force turnovers, with five last week against the Bengals. You may drive the ball on them a little bit. They may be smaller and you can push them around a bit. But they know how to go after that ball and produce turnovers.

Mike: The Patriots are 6-0 when winning the turnover differential this season. Since 2001, they are 76-3 when having a plus-turnover differential. Elsewhere on the Colts' defense, what do you see at linebacker?

Tedy: Gary Brackett is one of the most underrated linebackers in the league. He isn't someone you often hear in the discussion with the Ray Lewises and Patrick Willises, but he is a great tackler with great speed. He is undersized but perfect for what they do in that defense. He has been out with a toe injury, and Pat Angerer -- the rookie out of Iowa -- has come in. It's another example of how the Colts have had some injuries -- like Tamme for Clark at tight end -- and there has been a drop-off. A 3-yard gain is now turning into a 6-yard gain at times, because Angerer isn't as fast and is not as good of a tackler. Also, in zone coverage in that Tampa-2, Angerer will be back there in coverage, and he's not as athletic as Brackett. So there is a little more space there, and I think you saw that last week with Chad Ochocinco, where he had some big catches over the middle.

Mike: At defensive back, they have been without safety Bob Sanders again, but you like what you see here.

Tedy: Last week, I thought the Patriots had their way with the Steelers' secondary by spreading them out. I think this Colts' defensive backfield covers better, with cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey, and safety Antoine Bethea and Co. Looking back at last week, I know the Steelers have Troy Polamalu at safety, but he's more of that in-the-box guy, disguising, playing with his hair on fire. But these Colts guys are real cover guys and they are more likely to be able to stay with the quicker Patriots receivers. It will be a greater challenge for Patriots receivers to get open this week.

Video: Reiss' 3 keys to Pats-Colts - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
1. Handle the Colts' strong pass rush
2. Control the game's tempo despite Peyton Manning's effective no-huddle offense
3. Establishing a balance on offense in order to increase their play-action options

 

[jmt57]

Bedard's 3 keys to beating the Colts - Extra Points - Boston.com

1. Patriots must control Colts defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney
2. Win the turnover battle
3. Fans need to bring the noise to Gillette Stadium on Sunday

It Is What It Is - The Big Nickel: Tom Brady back at practice, Jonathan Crompton on ‘Being Peyton Manning’

It’s still really hard to sack Peyton Manning.
While the Indy quarterback is a stat-producing machine, one of the most intriguing numbers are his sack totals. In 201 games and out of 6,917 pass attempts over the course of his career, the Colts quarterback has been dropped only 227 times. That equates to one sack every 30.47 passes attempts, an extraordinarily low number for a pocket quarterback like Manning. No quarterback has been sacked fewer times than Peyton Manning since the NFL started keeping official track of the statistic.

This season, Manning has been sacked 12 times through nine games. While that number is relatively high for the Colts quarterback, it remains one of the lowest figures in the league among starting signal-callers. Why is it so hard to bring Manning down?

“You have to give his line credit — he’s always had a good offensive line. And he knows when to get the ball out,” said outside linebacker Rob Ninkovich. “Any time you’ve got pressure, you always see him throwing the ball off to an open receiver because he knows who’s going to be open and he knows every route that’s being run. So he can go through his progression quickly and throw the ball to somebody who’s open.”

“His pre-snap reads are amazing. He pretty much knows what’s going on before he even snaps the ball,” said inside linebacker Jerod Mayo, who got his first career sack against Manning last November. “That’s the tough part.”

The Patriots’ pass rush has been inconsistent since the start of the season — through nine games, they have 18 sacks, tied for 19th overall — but they did come away with five sacks last week against the Steelers. Can any of that performance carry over this week against Manning and the Colts?

It Is What It Is - Timing is everything… if you want to get to Peyton Manning

Keep Manning from getting into a rhythm on the field and you slow down the machine that is the Colts offense. The rhythm and timing is one big reason why the Colts have been able to lose weapons like Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Addai to injury and not miss much.

“He’s a tough quarterback to try to confuse,” Banta-Cain said. “He’ll confuse you more than you’ll confuse him. He’s a guy you try to do your best to disguise stuff but he’s really good at what he does and picking out coverages.

“You can try but it’s still one of those things where you have tight coverage, good pass rush and hope you disrupt the play somehow.”

The Colts come to Foxboro with a 6-3 mark, thanks in large part to Manning’s ability to effectively use replacements like Austin Collie, Jacob Tamme and Donald Brown. Now, Collie is likely going to miss his second straight game after suffering a concussion in a violent collision in Philadelphia on Nov. 7.

But the Patriots don’t think that will slow down Manning and what he hopes to accomplish at Gillette on Sunday.

“They’re still doing the same things. Tamme’s done a great job coming in when Dallas Clark went down and those guys on the outside as well,” Mayo said.

Those guys on the outside are none other than Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon. Wayne leads the Colts in catches (63) and yards receiving (758) while Garcon is having another solid season with 28 grabs but only one TD.

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is - Schefter on D&C: No buzz on Patriots and Colts match-up

“I don’t think that we have buzz, no,” began Schefter, “And I think it’s gotten upstaged by a number of other factors in the league. I think the explosion of Michael Vick has drawn so much attention, and controversy surrounding Donovan McNabb has drawn so much attention, and it seems like we live in a world as you guys all know and you make your living probably doing this, we live in a world where controversy sells better than interesting.

“And intriguing as this matchup is,” continued Schefter, “we are talking about two of the great franchises in sports, and you’re talking about two of the great quarterbacks in the history in the game, and you’re talking about a lot of intriguing elements and aspects to this whole thing. The fact of the matter is, I mean you guys are from Boston, last night I’m sitting here talking about, thinking about what we’re going to talk [about] on SportsCenter this morning. I haven’t talked about the Patriots and Colts once all week.”

Do you still look at the Colts as a Super Bowl contender?

I look at them as a team that as long as they have that quarterback they have a chance. They’re not as good, I don’t think, as some of the other Colts teams we’ve seen in recent years, but that’s probably just due to injury as much as anything else. I still think I wouldn’t want to play a playoff against that team. I just wouldn’t.

It Is What It Is - Nuggetpalooza’s Gameday Preview: Colts at Patriots

* - Two great quarterbacks, but contrasting styles for sure:
Here are the teams with the most pass attempts more than 10 yards downfield in 2010:

130 - Colts
121 - Broncos
119 - Chargers

And here are the teams with the fewest such attempts:

73 - Patriots
73 - Jaguars
74 - Rams
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - This ain’t like Peyton: Over the Colts’ last three games, Manning has completed only 12-of-43 passes over 10 yards downfield (28 percent). In their three games before that? 24-for-47 (51 percent). He’s completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes to wide receivers in each of the last three games. First such three game streak for the Colts since 2007.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - The Patriots completed seven passes on throws more than 10 yards downfield last weekend. They only had six such completions in their previous three games combined.
————————————————————————————————————-
* - The Colts are the only team that has scored 17 or more points in every game this season.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - The Patriots now lead the league at converting 3rd-and-short (five yards or less), having moved the chains at a 64.4 percent clip. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the Pats are last at stopping third downs overall (47.5 percent) and 31st at stopping 3rd-and-10 or more (32.3 percent). Only the Jets are worse (36.2 percent).
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - The Colts lead the NFL in passing first downs per game (16.0) while the Patriots defense has allowed the most such first downs (15.3). New England has allowed 20 or more first downs in eight of their nine games this season.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - The Colts rank second in drives of 10 or more plays this season (23) and are third at cashing those in (4.52 average points). New England’s defense has allowed 18 such drives (30th) and allowed points on 17 of them (94 percent, last).
—————————————————————————————————————————–
* - On defense, opponents are averaging 5.0 yards per carry on the ground, the highest in the NFL:

5.00 - Colts
4.97 - Redskins
4.85 - Buccaneers

Indy’s rushing defense is third worst on first downs:

5.84 - Redskins
5.59 - Raiders
5.50 - Colts

Pittsburgh has played the best rushing defense on first down this year, alowing a 2.3 yard average.
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* - Both teams have been rather pedestrian this year against blitzes: The Pats rank 11th with a +1.50 rating (7.1 yards/pass play, two touchdowns, three interceptions) while the Colts are 17th at +1.13 (only 5.2 yards/pass play, but five touchdowns and one interception).

Both teams have been VERY GOOD when there is no blitz: The Colts are third at +2.50 while New England ranks fourth with a +2.48 rating. The Patriots’ 15 touchdown passes when there is no blitz are the most in the league.
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* - The Colts have 25 completions to their wideouts that have been caught behind the line of scrimmage, tied for the league lead with the Rams. Their completion percentage (86.2 percent) ranks second on those throws (Giants, 86.7 percent).
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* - When the Patriots have chosen to run the ball on third down, they’ve been quite successful at converting the first down, doing so 64 percent of the time:

74% - Texans
64% - Patriots
64% - Buccaneers

When Colts OPPONENTS have run it on third down, they’ve converted 63 percent of the time (third worst):

65% - Vikings
63% - Buccaneers
63% - Colts
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* - The Pats’ third down pass DEFENSE has been brutal, as 50 percent of opponent pass attempts on third down have resulted in a first down (45-of-90), the highest percentage allowed in the league. Contrast that to the Colts’ defense, which has allowed only conversions on just 34 percent of opponent third down tries (ranked fifth).

New England’s defense has allowed 7.1 yards/pass play on third downs this season, but it’s been noticeably better over the last four games (4.6).
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* - When they’ve been pinned inside their own 20-yard-line, the Colts have completed 83 percent of their passes (25-of-30), the highest in the league, while the Patriots have ALLOWED 75 percent completions on those throws, second highest/worst in the NFL.

The Pats’ offense has completed just 45 percent (10-of-22) when inside their own 20, the worst mark in the league.
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* - Indianapolis defense has allowed an average of just 8.0 yards per catch on opponent passes to tight ends this season and each catch has come an average of 3.7 yards downfield. Both are NFL lows. However, you couldn’t tell it from last week’s stats: The Colts allowed 11 completions to Cincinnati’s tight ends last Sunday, their most allowed in 44 games. What’s more, they racked up 74 YAC (yards after the catch), the most against Indy in their last 80 games and the first time they’ve allowed 30 or more in over a year.

 

[jmt57]

ProFootballWeekly.com - Patriots-Colts matchup of the day: Thursday

The Patriots are 1-2 this season when they don't eclipse 100 yards rushing. They are 6-0 when rushing for more than 100 yards.

The Colts, meanwhile, have the league's 29th-ranked rushing defense and are tied with the Redskins, allowing a league-worst five yards per carry. While defenses usually need to work to game-plan against Brady and his host of receivers and tight ends, the Colts cannot afford to forget about Green-Ellis and Woodhead. A few big runs will set up the play-action pass and allow Brady to heave it deep. The Colts are starting a couple subs at the linebacker position and their defensive-line strength comes from the ends. If the Pats get into a rhythm on the ground, it will make their bread-and-butter passing game much more efficient.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Colts continue to shuffle O-line

Perhaps the biggest concern for the Colts heading into the season was who would win the two starting jobs at offensive guard. Jamey Richard got the nod on the left side to start the season before losing his job to Kyle DeVan in Week Six. Mike Pollak, who was replaced by DeVan halfway through the 2009 campaign, started the first eight games of 2010 at right guard before being benched in favor of undrafted rookie OT Jeff Linkenbach in Week 10 against the Bengals. Our sources on the scene were surprised by head coach Jim Caldwell's decision to bench Pollak, as he had fought his way back and appeared to be playing with more confidence, but Caldwell said that he likes the way Linkenbach has practiced recently. The way we hear it, Caldwell is trying anything to find more consistency and physicality in the running game, which has struggled even more than usual the past two weeks without Joseph Addai and Mike Hart.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Five questions with Patriots correspondent Ian Rapoport

1. What did you make of the Patriots' defensive strategy against the Steelers where they showed lots of blitzes?

Rapoport: They showed they have it. They hadn't shown many creative blitz packages this season. But the best thing that happened in the game was that guys were beating one-on-one blocks.; Tully Banta-Cain's sack came off a one-on-one block, Gary Guyton beat (Rashard) Mendenhall one-on-one. Those are the battles that good teams win and the Patriots hadn't been winning in pass rush.

4. What's the best strategy to slow Manning down?

Rapoport: They may do a little bit of what Cleveland did against Brady — keep him off the field. The Colts give up five yards per rush on the ground and the Patriots can run the ball now. Crumpler is as good a run blocker as there is. I would expect a ball-control offense, and on defense, drop eight into coverage, disguising at the line or simply not showing what they're doing.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Patriots-Colts matchup of the day: Friday

Patriots defensive line vs. Colts offensive line

The Pats attacked the Steelers' front in Week 10, sacking Ben Roethlisberger five times and putting Pittsburgh's offense completely out of sync. They will be hard-pressed to have similar success blitzing Peyton Manning, who has been sacked just 12 times this season — tied with his brother Eli for the fewest among quarterbacks who have started every game this season.

What blitzing against the Steelers did for the Patriots was it took pressure off their young secondary and forced Roethlisberger to deliver the ball quickly. They took away any deep routes he could throw to Mike Wallace and will want to do the same to Manning who will be looking to hit WR Reggie Wayne deep.

Blitzes by safeties and linebackers opened things up for the Pats' defensive line, specifically Mike Wright. Wright, NT Vince Wilfork, and DL Brandon Deaderick will have to do a better job of winning individual battles against the Colts' O-line if they want to have an impact on Sunday.

Colts C Jeff Saturday is one of the best in the business, and OLT Charlie Johnson has battled a foot injury but is still a solid blind-side protector for Manning. The Patriots may line up LBs like Tully Banta-Cain or Jermaine Cunningham on the line to utilize their speed to go after Manning without having to take players out of coverage.

The Pats' biggest challenge will be to slow Manning down, and blitzing could make him better, so the defensive line will have to find its own way to get after it and keep the Colts from scoring at will.

ProFootballWeely.com - Three-and-out with Patriots radio color commentator Gino Cappelletti

PFW: What will the Patriots' defensive strategy be for this Sunday with the Colts coming to town?

Cappelletti: It will be a different strategy for Sunday. We saw so many blitzes last week, you'd like to think the Colts will prepare for it and the Patriots won't be blitzing a lot. But I think they are going to feed off last week's game. (Peyton) Manning doesn't have the receivers that he had for a while but he's still got some good ones. He looked for Dallas Clark a lot and you don't just replace guys like that. You're not as sure with someone who is new or younger and not having the guys you've played with for a long time.

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is Joseph Addai and Mike Hart among those downgraded to out for Indy

Obviously the big news, being discussed on another thread, is that five Colt players have been downgraded to out for Sunday's game.

The Colts on Saturday evening announced the following players are out for Sunday’s game against the Patriots: running backs Joseph Addai and Mike Hart; as well as linebackers Gary Bracket and Clint Session and cornerback Justin Tryon. All five did not practice on Friday, so it’s not a dramatic surprise, but Addai (neck) and Hart (ankle) have provided much of ground attack for Indianapolis, while veteran linebackers like Bracket (toe) and Session (elbow) are also a major part of the Colts’ defense.

It Is What It Is - What to watch for Sunday against the Colts

Christopher Price lists his five keys to the game as being New England's tackles, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Tate, the Indy run defense, and the Pats not turning the ball over.

With Sebastian Vollmer at left tackle in last season’s Patriots-Colts matchup, New England was able to keep sack machine Dwight Freeney at bay in last year’s matchup because of Vollmer’s pure size and strength. (On the other side, Robert Mathis had his way with Nick Kaczur.) On Sunday, Vollmer will be at right tackle and veteran Matt Light is back at his left tackle position. While Light — who has traditionally struggled against speed rushers like Freeney — has had a better than average season (his only below average game came against the Chargers), he might need help from Rob Gronkowski or Alge Crumpler if New England wants to hold Freeney sackless again on Sunday.

10 things to watch in New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts game - ESPN Boston

Patriots handling edge pressure
Randy Moss-type plan on Reggie Wayne
Responding to the Colts' no-huddle attack
Patriots' running game creating balance
Jermaine Cunningham as an edge rusher
The return of Aaron Hernandez
Darius Butler and third cornerback spot for Patriots
Monitoring Tom Brady's foot injury
Special teams tweaks with Pierre Woods
Shayne Graham and Patriots' kicking game

With the Patriots waiving Shawn Crable during the week, it creates an opportunity for Cunningham, a rookie, to play more as an edge rusher on a four-man defensive line. The Patriots don't figure to be in their base 3-4 defense much in this game, so Cunningham, Tully Banta-Cain and Rob Ninkovich may be the top options as pass rushers. They know it's hard to get to Peyton Manning -- the Colts rank first in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per pass play -- but they'll do their best to disrupt the rhythm of the passing game as much as possible.

 

[jmt57]

A writer from a Colt site answers questions from NESN's Jeff Howe about the Colts. He discusses Manning's season in relation to the Colt injuries, Jacob Tamme replacing Dallas Clark, Jerry Hughes, Manning getting more pressure from opposing pass rushes this year, and which injury has hurt the Colts the most this year.

Jacob Tamme Takes Reins From Dallas Clark as Dangerous Colts Tight End - Across Enemy Lines - NESN.com

Jacob Tamme has produced spectacularly since Clark's season ended. He was drafted specifically to be Clark's insurance policy and potentially his heir, so it is not that great of a surprise. However, since Tamme joined the team, Clark has done nothing but stay healthy and increase his production each year. This left Tamme to watch on the sideline and focus primarily on special teams. His work paid off as he became the best, and most well-rounded, special teams player on the team. Now getting his chance with the offense, there's every reason to believe that over time his hands will come back to him (in college, he was primarily a receiving tight end), and his timing with Manning will only get better. Tamme should not be overlooked. The Colts' previous opponents have done so, and Manning-to-Tamme has hurt them almost as much as Manning-to-Clark did.

I think it is also fair to say that this year's offensive line is the worst the Colts have had in some time. Veteran left guard Ryan Lilja was released, Jeff Saturday is not getting any younger, Mike Pollak has underperformed in relation to his second-round draft position, and injuries or underperformance has not allowed the line to have any real continuity. When the weapons come back, the line will look better, and getting attempts to blitz Manning will be as risky and probably as detrimental as they were in the past.

NFL Sunday: 5 things to watch | National Football Post

The Patriots’ secondary:
You know the top route concepts you are going to see from Indy: china-dig, smash-7, options, hi-lo concepts, 4 verticals, etc. But, the key for any secondary—especially a young unit in New England—is disguising your looks. This hasn’t changed since I was playing. Bill Belichick will have a game plan that can win against Manning, but the secondary has to use enough movement in their pre-snap alignment and roll their coverages at the snap of the ball. Show Manning what you are playing in the secondary and he will pick you apart.

Colts-Patriots is NFL Game of the Week - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com

Defensive Passer Rating. New England's Super Bowl-winning defenses of 2001 and 2003 were among the best in recent history in Defensive Passer Rating. But the 2010 version of the Patriots struggle badly here, too: they're No. 27 with a 94.5 Defensive Passer Rating (in other words, opposing quarterbacks have posted an average passer rating of 94.5).

To put that number into perspective, Brady has one of the highest career passer ratings in history, and that rating is only 93.7.

It's the worst Defensive Passer Rating in Patriots franchise history and may prove costly against Manning on Sunday or in future playoff clashes against elite quarterbacks.

In his last two games, a loss to Philadelphia and last week's win over the lousy Bengals, Manning posted passer ratings of 67.0 and 69.8. It's just the second time since his rookie season back in 1998 that Manning has posted ratings bellow 70 in consecutive games.

All quarterbacks have bad spells, but for Manning they usually last no more than a game. Injuries have certainly played a role. Manning right now is surrounded everywhere by second- and third-stringers. Skill-position players Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Anthony Gonzalez and Mike Hart, among others, have all missed significant playing time and most are out this week. Manning is down to fifth- and sixth-stringers at wide receiver and running back.

In normal circumstances, Manning vs. New England's flawed pass defense would be a huge advantage for the Colts. But given Manning's recent struggles and that he's playing without many of his best weapons, it gives the Patriots a fighting chance to contain one of the most feared passers in NFL history.

Curran's keys for Patriots to beat Colts | CSNNE

In this video Tom Curran's three keys are:

Containing Reggie Wayne
Pats running backs exploiting the Colts run defense
Bring the same intensity that they did against the Steelers