Anyone Else a Little Bit Worried?

[tombonneau]

Count me in the not worried camp. I'm normally pretty objective with these sort of things.

But I just think take away all the things going against in the AFCG, add all the new players, and line it up against pretty much the same Colts team that we almost beat, and we win it going away.

The two caveats as always being turnovers and _____s.

 

[Wildo7]

I just can't see Brady walking off the field after a loss this Sunday. I'm very confident they will win. Just think back to the first half of the AFCCG and how dominant we were. Then think of the second half and how a defense with the flu and injuries, and an offense that doesn't even compare to this one still almost won that game. The Colts retort to this is "oh well our Defense isn't the same as last year's it's better." Is it though? I just don't see it. I don't even think this is the best defense we've faced this year. Add that to the mentality and preparation of the Pats players and I honestly don't think this game is going to be close. If we can put up 52 on Washington while still taking our foot off the pedal (even though no one thinks it) then offensively, for the Pats, they will only stop scoring when they no longer have to. The offense is better than any we have faced but our D is healthy and amped up and if they can make even 2 or 3 stops on Peyton, then that's game over.

Pats 52
Colts 34

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I was driving home from work and listening to WEEI. Boomer Esiason was on and he and all the Big Show guys were going on and on about how the Pats are just going to kill Indy, and win by at least 13 points, with Indy only coming that close because of a last minute score. Much of the same has been said here all week.

Here's reality. What is said here and on the Big Show has at best a tangential relationship to reality and has absolutely NO effect on the outcome of the game. What does it matter what folks SAY?

It is what it is.
We'll see Sunday.

That being said, speaking for myself, I have never been more confident of victory Sunday, not since the Pats started in 1960.

 

[Barnsie]

Personally, I think you'd have to be silly not to be a little worried. The Colts are a great team with one of the best QBs to ever play the game. I'm worried every single time we play the Colts. This is a regular season game though. I'll be much more concerned about the rematch in January.

That said, if you aren't confident about this year's Patriots team, you never will be. I expect the Pats to win.

 

[homergreg]

This is how I feel. I don't need to look at the list of players that went down last year in the playoffs. I watched it happen in agony. I haven't seen Indy get blown out in a game that mattered in a long time (2004 playoffs is it). Peyton has upped his game against us since then. I don't know why everyone thinks it's suddenly going to happen this weekend. They will fight as long and hard as we do. I am hoping for a win, dreaming of a blowout.

It is funny the reflections between the 2004 playoff game. Patriot fans are hoping for the Patriots to do what Indy did after the 2004 playoff game and come into town and hand their hat to them on their home field, like Indy did in 2005. I'll concede that it is entirely possible.

Colts fans are hoping for the Colts to do what the Patriots did in that 2004 playoff game. Being the underdog Superbowl champs and having the team with the unstoppable offense coming into town with the media giving us little chance of competing, let alone winning. Then shutting them down 20-3.

(I know, I know Patriot fans, our 2007 isn't your 2004 D, I'm just drawing a comparison here, not making this an exact player to player reflection.)

Now if we could just get Gostkowski liquored up and say that the Colts are "ripe for the picking"....

 

[patological]

Yeah, but look how that worked out for him. That 2nd half comeback worries me. I wish I had the confidence to go out in the 2nd half. I hope some of my fingernails are left by then!

TB won't throw an interception in the red zone, Wes won't fumble a punt return and Gost WILL NOT hit a kick off out-of-bounds.

Now, what I really want to know is when we first see the pouty-face . I'd say 8 mins into the second quarter.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Me, I love Peyton's "Home Alone" look with hands to the sides of his helmut and mouth agape. 4th QTR when reality sinks in.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Of course there's a "little" worry. Strange things happen in loud domes...drive-killing false starts for one. The Pats have given up 34 and 38 points the last two times there and that 34 was one yard away from being 41 (thank you, Willie Mac!). In past years, Brady has always had a random 4-pick game on the road and you never know when that type of game is going to show up. On top of all this, this is by far the best Colts team defensively this decade. We used to joke about Manning being a crybaby choker who couldn't take a hit, but he shed that label in 2005.

That being said, the past is in the past. This Pats offense is light years beyond previous editions and the defense measures up well vs. the 2003, 2004 and 2006 squads. This might be the best Colts team in recent history, but this is definitely the best Pats team ever.

Regards,
Chris

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

You should be a lot worried... You guys don't give the Colts nearly the credit they deserve... It is easy to stomp a mudhole in the teams the Pats have played... They have not really played anyone worth the salt yet. This will be a great test for them. Remember.... Dallas is WAY over-rated.. Sorry..

I expect the mindless Steelers fans here next week to say the exact same thing "Indy is WAY over-rated"

 

[stcjones]

Add ole friend Wilie McGinest to that list too.

I watched Adam Schefter ask Willie on "Point After" how he saw this Pats/Colts game and Willie told Adam that he doesn't think this game is going to be close. In favour of the Pats.

Can we sign Ken Walter tomorrow....and trade him for Willie before Sunday???

Seriously, I wish Willie could still be playing in a Pats Uni.......GO PATS!!!!

 

[BingoBrown]

Not in the least bit.This will be the first Pats/Colts tilt without
any worries and the first game in a while were we are at full
strength.

 

[solman]

Don't get me wrong; I'm hoping for a blowout in our favor as much as the next Pats fan, but I cannot believe the number of people who have predicted that Indy has no chance.

Can't you do both?

I'm predicting an 18 point victory for New England, but Indy certainly has a chance.

I'd give them as much as a 20% chance of winning.

 

[SaCaCh]

When was the last time we had Rodney for a full game against Indy?

 

[stcjones]

Of course there's a "little" worry. Strange things happen in loud domes...drive-killing false starts for one. The Pats have given up 34 and 38 points the last two times there and that 34 was one yard away from being 41 (thank you, Willie Mac!). In past years, Brady has always had a random 4-pick game on the road and you never know when that type of game is going to show up. On top of all this, this is by far the best Colts team defensively this decade. We used to joke about Manning being a crybaby choker who couldn't take a hit, but he shed that label in 2005.

That being said, the past is in the past. This Pats offense is light years beyond previous editions and the defense measures up well vs. the 2003, 2004 and 2006 squads. This might be the best Colts team in recent history, but this is definitely the best Pats team ever.

Regards,
Chris

Chris...always appreciate your posts.....

I would expect to see the same "choker" manning this weekend against the Pats........AND.....the next time he comes to Foxboro during the "winter" with the snow flurries driving down........Pay-a-ton would have brought out the "oh no I just poopied in my pants" face had the AFC championship gone the RIGHT way last season....and he would have lost another opportunity....then would come the press conferences where he would have blamed all of his teammates.....and on it would have gone....and the media would still be talking about how he STILL can't win the big game......BUT because half our team was reeling from the flu......questionable penalty after penalty was called against us (don't like play the penalty card.....but puh-leese.....anyone....go back to that game tape and tell me how that face guarding penalty gets called.....and several others)......Fact is.....with the big games on the line and Pay-a-ton coming back from behind against a GOOD TEAM......he generally starts gagging pretty bad.....and will crumble....I truly expect that this weekend....we shall see...

 

[stcjones]

Can't you do both?

I'm predicting an 18 point victory for New England, but Indy certainly has a chance.

I'd give them as much as a 20% chance of winning.

I'm thinking 14 point win....but 18 is not out of the question....GO PATS

 

[spacecrime]

Well, some of those players started the game but were injured and gone or intermittent in the 2nd half.

Yeah, some weren't on the field much in the second half, but that's not what we're talking about.

Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Thomas, Harrison, Gay, Wilson. None of those guys were on the field at all. They replace:

Caldwell is now Moss
Gaffney is now Stallworth
Troy Brown is now Welker
Eric Alexander is now A Thomas
Artrell Hawkins to now Rodney Harrison
Ray Mickle is now Randall Gay
Rashad Baker is now Eugene Wilson.

This should make everyone breathe easier.

 

[54Bruschi]

I honestly do not think Indy is as strong as everyone thinks.

They barely beat the Titans, only beat the Texans by 6 points... Harrison is out with an injury. Sure, they've got some talent no doubt, they're a good team no doubt. As much as it pains me to say it - buckethead is a good QB.

In my honest opinion - I don't think it's going to close at all.

Pats - 38
Colts - 10

I really think Indy is slightly overrated.

 

[Frezo]

Ask yourself this Deb, "Have I seen the Pats maintain an all out offensive onslaught for 60 minutes against any team this year?" Next ask yourself if you've seen the defense do the same thing this year.

Pats win big in a laugher.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

I think it should be a blowout not to say it will be.. The best offense the Colts have played in the last 10 games was the 2006 Pats in the AFCCG. Now the Pats have upgraded bigtime to bring it to Colts Level +. Colts have never faced this sort of offense. But the Pats have been dealing with a similar offense for several years now and almost won last meeting.

 

[NEPatriot]

I worry about every game. Then again, AJ' is usually right in his predictions. I think the key is going to be turn overs.