Will the Pats have an easier time with the Colts than they had with the Chargers?

[SVN]

I'd prefer to have to stop Manning than Tomlinson.

correct but marty didnt put the game in LT's hands in the end so chalk that up to his boneheadedness ...he put in river's hands and lost ...i guess it means addai needs to be stopped who was very effective against a stout ravens D

 

[Seymour93]

If anyone picks 'no' here, they are picking Indy to win. There's no way they could have a more difficult time with Indy than SD and still win.

The difference is the Colts won't make near as many boneheaded mistakes as the Chargers. We have to play better from start to finish, IMO, especially at the end. We need to make sure it's not tied with them getting the ball back with :50 seconds left.

 

[JR4]

It should be easier. Not that it will.

1. BB knows this team pretty well and has last game to
see mistakes made. That should be a big advantage.

2. This time PATs passing game is a threat the Colts will have to deal with.

3. PATs are now handling the Blitzs and pressure ... in fact doing a great job of it.

4. Samuel has become very confident and is playing at top of his game.

5. PATs handled Gates pretty well and should be able to handle Clark.

6. Contained their run game very well without Rodney I don't see why
they shouldn't this time.

7. There is no one guy like LT on the Colts that presents so many problems.

8. Confidence. PATs winning SD and scoring 24 points vs Colts win no TDs.
which team is more confident? Confidence doesn't mean co_kieness it means they know they can win if they play good ball.

Again any team can blow it if they make mental mistakes. I don't see PATs
doing that.

 

[Bruschi 3:16]

The difference is the Colts won't make near as many boneheaded mistakes as the Chargers. We have to play better from start to finish, IMO, especially at the end. We need to make sure it's not tied with them getting the ball back with :50 seconds left.

I wouldn't bet that the Colts don't make any bonehead plays. The pressure is 100% on them in this game. We all know how Peyton deals with pressure.

 

[zippo59]

Tom Brady got impatient and tried to force the ball last time. This time he needs to stay cool and take what the defense gives.

 

[PatsRI]

they werent good in week 9 either when we were coming after blowing out minnesota so it doesnt mean much IMO

no graham and no neal for the Pats in that one though. Graham has been the main guy chipping Freeney for years.

 

[Seymour93]

I wouldn't bet that the Colts don't make any bonehead plays. The pressure is 100% on them in this game. We all know how Peyton deals with pressure.

Ohh I agree. Peyton's going to throw INT's and one of their guys is going to get a personal foul, but I don't think anything is going to top how much the Chargers goofed up on Sunday.

 

[mesoslo]

the RAVENS would have beaten the colts if they had Tom Brady as QB.

We can play Defense that is in the same class as the ravens, so logically we can beat the colts.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

After the Chargers game, I thought yes, but now I'm not so sure. What do you think?

I'm just coming out of the state of numbness with regards to football stuff that I entered after Sunday's game (seriously, I was too drained after Kaeding's kick missed to celebrate or shout or jump up and down or otherwise go nuts...all I could do was stare at the TV and mumble to my wife words vaguely to the effect that we had won the game and that i wasn't quite sure how we had done it and that maybe I would have a nice cold Martini now).

Anyway, that's a way of saying I don't yet know what I think.

I'm nervous about HOW the Colts have won their last two games, especially vs. the Ravens. They've been playing defense and they have figured out how to win without great performances by Peyton. That's a little too different for comfort from the pattern of the Colts' teams we've loved to beat in Playoffs past. Also, I'm scared that the stars have to line up for Manning sometime and that we're tempting the fates by thinking that a player as great as he is will keep failing.

On the other hand, I think that the Pats are the grittiest, gutsiest, toughest team in the NFL. They remind me of the 01-02 team in that way. We have a QB who just knows how to win a big game, whether pretty or ugly. We have a coach who is a freakin genius in situations like this. He's never lost a second time in the same season to a team that had already beaten him that year.

So, I'm thinking we will win another very tough game and will really need that week off before the SB.

 

[BelichickFan]

i guess it means addai needs to be stopped who was very effective against a stout ravens D

Rhodes did fairly well but Addai was 18-39 - not what I call "very effective".

 

[sieglo]

I voted yes because if the answer is no, then the Pats will lose.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

I just think it will be a different game than the one they played in SD. SD=all brawn,no brains;all talk,no experience.
The Colts play smarter, they've been there before,and they know the Pats (or think they do). They will also be "rested" according to Dungy,who plans to hold just 3 days of practice in order to have his team "fresh". Obviously the Pats just went through hell and back in SD and Dungy's going to try and take advantage of that.
I don't know if this one will be more difficult or not,but I think the Colts are a different style team.A team we also know quite well. The Colts really don't have anything we can't handle,but we need our A game.
This one is huge for Indy. Manning and Dungy need to get to the SB this time, or else.

 

[indycolts685]

I don't think this game will be easy for either team, if anybody thinks otherwise then there crazy. I think both teams can have a blowout win in the game but there is so much on the line I just don't see it with either team...

 

[SVN]

They will also be "rested" according to Dungy,who plans to hold just 3 days of practice in order to have his team "fresh". Obviously the Pats just went through hell and back in SD and Dungy's going to try and take advantage of that.

yeah ..fatigue after such a physical game is expected...i gues adrenalin will carry us only so far..if things dont go our way the tiredness might show..that may be a concern

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

yeah ..fatigue after such a physical game is expected...i gues adrenalin will carry us only so far..if things dont go our way the tiredness might show..that may be a concern

Having his team fresh as daisies could prove to be a very smart move on Dungy's part...or it could also backfire on him. He tried that philosophy last year,before the Steelers game I think, and we know how that turned out.
No matter what he does,the tiredness/banged up factor never occured to me until I heard that tonight. Let's hope the boyz aren't battered and our D isn't out there all night.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

The Chargers are the better team. They just are. They're a tougher, stronger team but still fast. The difference, though, is the Colts will execute better. So the Patriots need to play better. If we play poorly the Colts will take better advantage of it.

I'll say one thing - I'd prefer to be playing @Indy than @SD this week.

this is dead on

 

[BigEZPatsFan76]

I would not call it "easier" or "harder" per se'. They are all difficult. These are two different types and styles of teams. We can not have 5 TO's like we did last game against the Colts back in October and expect to win. But, I don't think EITHER team can afford that. We definitely have to execute better and play smarter than what we did in SD. I expect a tight close game, but if either team starts really screwing up and turning the ball over a lot, it could be a runaway one way or the other.

I do agree, it is NOW OR NEVER for the Colts though. I think the "window of opportunity" will be starting to close on them after this year, and a lot quicker than it will for us. Put it this way, if they don't do it NOW, I don't think they will. They have it lined up for them, it is at their place, they are the favorite (3 points). ALL of the pressure is on them to win it. There really isn't much pressure on the Pats, after all we were not supposed to get this far, right? I think you will see the media really grill Manning if he loses this time. And, I predict, if the Pats beat them Sunday, either Manning, or Tony Dungy is history in Indy some time in the not too distant future. And, my money would be on Dungy, being the gone pecan.



EZ76

 

[cringelyindy]

I do agree, it is NOW OR NEVER for the Colts though. I think the "window of opportunity" will be starting to close on them after this year, and a lot quicker than it will for us. Put it this way, if they don't do it NOW, I don't think they will. They have it lined up for them, it is at their place, they are the favorite (3 points). ALL of the pressure is on them to win it. There really isn't much pressure on the Pats, after all we were not supposed to get this far, right? I think you will see the media really grill Manning if he loses this time. And, I predict, if the Pats beat them Sunday, either Manning, or Tony Dungy is history in Indy some time in the not too distant future. And, my money would be on Dungy, being the gone pecan.



EZ76

As a Colts fan, Agree for the most part With almost every single word. But who are you kidding that ALL the pressure is on them to win? You mean it's a preseason scrimmage with nothing at all to lose for the Pats? Hardly. Also, I feel more then any other meeting between the two, the Pats know the Colts are the closest they have ever been (in striking distance) to beating them in the post season.

I said this earlier somewhere, Pats victory Sunday seals this 21 year Colt's season ticket holder in believing we may never beat NE in post season play. THIS IS IT ---- I just don't think NE is a shoo in winner Sunday and if any Pats fan thinks so please explain why we should not even play the game then... just hand over the Hunt trophy to NE saving us ton's on beer money @ the dome

 

[BigEZPatsFan76]

As a Colts fan, Agree for the most part With almost every single word. But who are you kidding that ALL the pressure is on them to win? You mean it's a preseason scrimmage with nothing at all to lose for the Pats? Hardly. Also, I feel more then any other meeting between the two, the Pats know the Colts are the closest they have ever been (in striking distance) to beating them in the post season.

I said this earlier somewhere, Pats victory Sunday seals this 21 year Colt's season ticket holder in believing we may never beat NE in post season play. THIS IS IT ---- I just don't think NE is a shoo in winner Sunday and if any Pats fan thinks so please explain why we should not even play the game then... just hand over the Hunt trophy to NE saving us ton's on beer money @ the dome

Cringe, easy there, man, I think you are reading part of what I am saying wrong. I NEVER said we were a "shoo in" to win it. I, personally think this game is a dead even pick (as does Vegas), hence a 3-point favorite to the Colts. If the game were in Foxboro, we would probably be the 3 point favorite. Yes, I do think the pressure is on the Colts' and not us this time. The Colts are EXPECTED to win it this time, and everything is in THEIR favor this time. If they don't, it would be WAY more detrimental to the Colts and Peyton, than it would be for us. In all honesty, NO ONE even gave us a chance to even be here right now. We were supposed to get rolled by the Chargers.


EZ76

 

[cringelyindy]

Cringe, easy there, man, I think you are reading part of what I am saying wrong. I NEVER said we were a "shoo in" to win it. I, personally think this game is a dead even pick (as does Vegas), hence a 3-point favorite to the Colts. If the game were in Foxboro, we would probably be the 3 point favorite. Yes, I do think the pressure is on the Colts' and not us this time. The Colts are EXPECTED to win it this time, and everything is in THEIR favor this time. If they don't, it would be WAY more detrimental to the Colts and Peyton, than it would be for us. In all honesty, NO ONE even gave us a chance to even be here right now. We were supposed to get rolled by the Chargers.


EZ76

Fair enough. I will buy way more detrimental, thats for sure. I personally am not EXPECTING a win and after last years Pitt debacle who knows what team shows up. I am glad we don't have to go to Gillette--- first time in four years we are playing you and its not there.