Thoughts on the SD-Colts game

[Buchanty]

Its funny how all the threads and the media are focussing on the Colts, the interceptions and the Dungy snafu in the final minutes. How come no-one is talking about the incompetency of Norv Turner? I do feel sorry for their fans, because no franchise deserves what they are experiencing. I cant say that I admire the team's actions in the last couple of seasons, but they do have some excellent players and Turner is turning a silk purse into a pig's ear.

Did he do anything last night to help his team? Without Sproles and ST they would have been buried. Their offense is terrible, even calling them paper tigers is flattering them. Rivers is an embarassment, no timing, no awareness and no confidence. He did an excellent impession of the bad Grossman with his muffed snap in the EZ, which he batted away from this lineman.

But its Turner who is the biggest reason they are so bad this season. ITS RAINING HEAVILY and you only use Michael Turner once (or did I miss the other one when I went for a snack). and LT sparingly? I also think that LT is trying too hard and leaning too far forward on most of his runs, and falling at least a couple of yards before he should.

Watching Norv in the second half was depressing, he just seemed to be sucking it up, resigned to the turnaround and defeat. He just appears lost. His challenges were desperate and ill-timed. The first one was never going to be reversed, and the second one (the interception) was the wrong challenge. It was clear from the video that the ball was never grounded, but the only thing he might have been thinking was that that he was denied a pass interference on the tackle on Gates that led to the interception. But it was his last challenge and it was still too early to risk losing it with most of the second half ahead.

The Colts should be very glad that the real Chargers (other than Sproles and Cromarty) didnt turn up as at least the ponies felt they were in it and should have would have could have won it. And two finally thoughts, Wayne is just amazing, almost as good as Harrison in his prime. Great, great game. As for Peyton - I know its hard bringing in reserve receivers and tight ends, you dont have the timing. But its raining and Peyton is trying for the big strikes, and those were bad decisions.

 

[sieglo]

Yeah, the Colts were the better team by a significant margin. Take away Sproles and Cromartie and the rain (Peyton throws INTs when it's wet) and you have all the makings of a Sunday night blowout.

 

[Patsguy05]

I could not believe they called a pass play on that last interception by the Colts. LT and the other guy (can't remember his name) had been running the ball with some success and it is 2nd and 3 or 4 and you are going to pass the ball? Unreal! This, while in control of the game, the ball, and the clock.

 

[CTPatsFan]

Damn, sounds like I should have watched the game. I was planning on it but was so far behind on my "To Do Before Winter" list that I just kept plugging away until I crashed. I should have listened to it though but just kind of forgot about it. It really is hard to believe that someone thought that Turner would be an improvement over Schottenheimer.

 

[RussFrancis]

It was a sloppy game in sloppy weather on a sloppy field. But Rivers is a meathead of a QB, Norv Turner is a horrible HC, Manning stinks without Harrison and Clark, and Vinatieri is missing his old team right now. Neither of these teams is getting in NE's way this year. Colts shoulda won the game, but the fact that they lost means very little, imo. SD doesnt have the right kind of leadership. And the Colts just arent deep enough.

 

[desi-patsfan]

Yeah, the Colts were the better team by a significant margin. Take away Sproles and Cromartie and the rain (Peyton throws INTs when it's wet) and you have all the makings of a Sunday night blowout.

Um you sorta took out a lot of important factors. Its not like Sproles and Cromartie got lucky. They were good plays by good players.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Yes. The San Diego offense was horrible, but the defense was no better. They were supposed to be the masters of getting to the quarterback yet, with an offensive line including a street free agent at offensive tackle, Manning had all day. And once he got throws off, his receivers were mostly wide open (or, if they were covered, like Wayne, they caught the ball anyway). Credit them for holding on to the interceptions and more or less shutting down the Colts' running game until the fourth quarter, but that's about it.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Philip Rivers threw 3 straight passes with the ball at his own 11 yard line. And, an 8pt lead. And, the best rb in the league lined up behind him. If that's not enough to fire Norv nothing is. One of my buddies is a Colts fan. Other than that he's a good guy. Anyway, after they cut it to 23-15 I called him and told him Rivers was going to throw an int and it's going to be tied. Well, not quite. But, I had confidence Norv would make the wrong call. Can't wait to play those chumps SD in the playoffs.

 

[boggleboggle]

Yeah, the Colts were the better team by a significant margin. Take away Sproles and Cromartie and the rain (Peyton throws INTs when it's wet) and you have all the makings of a Sunday night blowout.

I agree that the Colts are better than the Chargers, but they did not play better last night. You can not ignore special teams and ability to adapt to different conditions.

Special teams are part of the game. The Colts are poor on special teams and have been all season. It was part of the reason they lost last year and a major reason this week. It is part of the consequence of their "all stars, no depth" roster management philosophy - which also hurts them when they get injuries.

Adapting to the conditions is part of the game. If you are chucking bombs in driving rain you are likely to get intercepted. It was bad decision making by Manning. I think Brady adjusts better, but then he is not used to playing half is games in perfect dome conditions like Manning.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Damn, sounds like I should have watched the game. I was planning on it but was so far behind on my "To Do Before Winter" list that I just kept plugging away until I crashed. I should have listened to it though but just kind of forgot about it. It really is hard to believe that someone thought that Turner would be an improvement over Schottenheimer.

This was not a game like the first half of Pats-Dolphins, where you're just in awe of what you're watching. This is the kind of game you're just at the ineptitude of both teams. This was a trainwreck on the order of Bears-Cardinals last year.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Just a poorly coached game by both sides. At the end, Dungy did his best Norvo the Clown impression to blow it.

BTW-if I'm a Chargers fan, I would be very, very worried. Without Harrison, Clark, and a third string LT, Manning and that O still somehow managed to light it up(and they dominated the game statistically too).

And yeah-Philip Rivers STILL BLOWS.

 

[patchick]

Manning played a career-bad game, the Colts had a ton of injuries, and their special teams were awful. Yet the Chargers had to get unbelievably lucky to eke out a win. Look at the SD roster and ask yourself, how can they possibly be this bad? Answer: coaching really matters.

I lay this firmly at the feet of AJ Smith. He forced Marty out in a power play, fueled by the arrogance of believing that the team's success was all about his talent collection. And he did it after the best candidates -- including assistant coaches -- were already off the market. He didn't believe in coaching, and he's paying the price.

A factoid: how far was Manning off his game last night? His QB rating for the season fell by 10 points!

 

[PatsWin]

Charger's offense stink. Rivers is as bad as Grossman.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Interesting season - the Patriots have always been without top caliber receivers and have suffered key injuries during the season and the results?

3 Super Bowl Rings

This season, as much as everyone gets to see what Tom Brady can do with receivers as good as those that the Colts have had - we also get a chance to see what Manning would do without all his top weapons.

The result? An embarrassing 6 INT performance against a very bad San Diego team.

 

[spacecrime]

Its funny how all the threads and the media are focussing on the Colts, the interceptions and the Dungy snafu in the final minutes. How come no-one is talking about the incompetency of Norv Turner?

It's time to stop trashing Norv and start admitting that the Chargers are not as good as everyone thought.

Norv isn't making poor QB decisions, and Norv sure isn't keping Merriman from getting past the LT he went up agaisnt last night.

The Chargers had a magical season last year. Very nice, but back to reality.

They are not who we thought they were.

It is especially bad because they and everyone else believed what was written about them.

 

[psychoPat]

Philip Rivers threw 3 straight passes with the ball at his own 11 yard line. And, an 8pt lead. And, the best rb in the league lined up behind him. If that's not enough to fire Norv nothing is. ....

Eerily reminiscent of several years ago
when he was OC of the Phins
playing in Foxboro with a 4th qtr multi-score lead
and Ricky before he went off to star in Canada.

Went exclusively to the passing game.
And lost.

That has always been my thumbnail synopsis of Norv Turner.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

Yeah, the Colts were the better team by a significant margin. Take away Sproles and Cromartie and the rain (Peyton throws INTs when it's wet) and you have all the makings of a Sunday night blowout.

Take away the Chargers team and insert SD State University and Colts win just by showing up.

If and and's............blah blah blah excuses giving ****ies

 

[Skree]

I am personally sickened by Peyton's stat whore behavior
He wanted that Indy interception record so badly.

What a jerk.