Are the Colts still significant?

[allbosfan]

I try very hard not to be a homer, but 146 penalty yards cannot be underestimeted. Take that away and the game should have been a blowout. Plus the Harrison factor is no longer an excuse as he's not just an injured superstar anymore, he's an aging WR that the team has failed to successfully replace or phase out. You can't blame injuries when you build an offense around a 35 year-old WR and a select few playmakers.

I have been over to the Colts forum. They are treating the Pats game as win for them. I guess a four point loss without their star WR equates to a win. lol.

 

[Wildo7]

I have been over to the Colts forum. They are treating the Pats game as win for them. I guess a four point loss without their star WR equates to a win. lol.

I hope they still keep treating Harrison as their star WR until he's 45. I'm not saying he's done, or even that he'll keep getting injured every year, but it's really foolish to rely so heavily on one or two players to be the difference between success and failure year in and year out. I think BB and the Pats realized this years ago and that's the difference between the "Patriot way" and the rest of the league IMO. History will never look back on the Colts v. the Pats and say that the difference between possibly the greatest dynasty of all time and a one hit wonder was an injury to one player. But unfortunately for the the Colts organization, that's the mentality that will define their mediocrity.

 

[JaredOfNazareth]

It doesn't matter who New England faces off against in the Playoffs. It is of no consequence. The second best team in the NFL is the Dallas Cowboys. If Dallas were to somehow beat the Pats it would be a bigger upset than any Superbowl upset ever. Bigger than Namath's Jets, bigger than Giants 20-19, Bigger than XXXVI.

It seems to me that a great many people expect the Pats to lose eventually. Even a number of people on this board. A tad pesimistic everyone is. So far through 11 weeks the 2007 Pats are the best group of assembled football players ever. If we could bring this team with us on a time machine to 2005 and face the Colts I would still heavily favor the Pats. Against John Elway's 1998 Broncos I would still favor the Pats by 7+ in Mile High. Ok I've calmed down. Ranting over. The only way I can compare would be Mohamad Ali only if his brain were in Mike Tysons body. The Pats are the greatest.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

If the Colts get fully healthy (guess they can't b/c of Freeney, but still) they are 1B to our 1A. I don't understand how folks are writing the Colts off. We've destroyed every team except them, coincidence? Doubtful.

Until we beat them in the playoffs and or win the championship, they are as much the team to beat as we are, no matter whether we are more talented on paper or not.

This 1A and 1B stuff should have stopped on Nov 4th. NE proved themselves a better team that day, and the Indy loss to SD only verified that.

Add to this that a playoff game between Indy and NE would be played in Foxboro and that Freeney is done and NE is clearly favored.

I agree that Indy is still #2.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

The Pats are 1.

Everyone else is done...

 

[Metaphors]

This 1A and 1B stuff should have stopped on Nov 4th. NE proved themselves a better team that day, and the Indy loss to SD only verified that.

Add to this that a playoff game between Indy and NE would be played in Foxboro and that Freeney is done and NE is clearly favored.

I agree that Indy is still #2.

Indy is the 2nd best team, but not the top challenger for beating the Pats in Foxborough in January. Here is Manning outdoors in January:

ATT CMP YDS SK/YD TD IN RT
031 014 137 01/13 00 02 31.2 (NY)
030 022 304 01/12 03 00 138.8 (KC)
047 023 237 04/29 01 04 35.5 (NE)
042 027 238 01/08 00 01 69.3 (NE)
030 015 170 01/09 00 02 39.6 (BAL)

Not a great record. I kinda remember the KC playoff game, but I don't recall the weather being a factor. Manning doesn't throw a tight ball and so he is significantly affected by the elements.

Winning in Foxborough would fall to either PITT or JAX. PITT is a mess on the road and JAX hasn't proven they can actually win a big game...but both are capable if everything falls their way.

 

[sieglo]

The Colts are still dangerous because after the Pats, they are the best coached team in the NFL. If they get a couple key players back and Manning gets in the zone, they are a huge threat.

Pats still will crush them if it comes down to it, however.

 

[IndianPat]

The Colts are dangerous. They should not be underrated. It is a fact that they are undermanned. I hope they continue to do so. I love the way the Patriots are playing and ultimately do not care if they end the season 14-2. I would love a perfect season, but if they dont, I dont care. But I want the is the SB!!

Given that I think a rematch with the Colts is inevitable. For a fan, that will be a scary proposition. Let's not forget that they put together 4 to 5 extremely good drives that fortunately produced very few points. Their defence totally outplayed our vaunted offense for 3 quarters. A loss was loomimg before our offense turned it around.

Our running game, in the meantime, is worrisome. The history of this league is littered with extremely good one dimension teams that had ultimately stumbled. We are likely to meet atleast two good defenses in our march to the SB - Steelers and/or Colts and the eventual NFC champ - either Dallas or Green Bay and without a decent running game, the likely hood of a stumbling increases. The next few games, I hope, BB emphises the running game and sticks with it to force its improvement. The aerial attack can wait a couple of drives.

 

[skri65]

The Colts are the only threat. And I think they are a legitimate one for two reasons.

1.) They are the last team to beat us. I know this is faulty logic, but looking at recent history, the Colts are the only team who has, in the BB era, been able to consistently beat us (3 consecutive games)

2.) They are losing now because their offense is struggling. But, once Harrison comes back, and once Manning gets back into his groove, they will have a great offense and a great defense. Anyone with that combination will be a threat.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Given that I think a rematch with the Colts is inevitable. For a fan, that will be a scary proposition. Let's not forget that they put together 4 to 5 extremely good drives that fortunately produced very few points. Their defence totally outplayed our vaunted offense for 3 quarters. A loss was loomimg before our offense turned it around.

Let's not forget that "throw it deep and hope for a horrible call" was their go-to offensive play that day. We also shouldn't forget that Freeney made the most impact defensively for them and he's now out of the picture. Let's also add "Manning in Foxboro in January" to any discussion of a future playoff game. I just don't see how the Colts fare any better than they did Nov 4th.

 

[FilPats]

With Dungy, Payton, Wayne, Sanders and their defense, Colts are still relevant. Go pats:rocker:

 

[ChoWZa]

Peyton to me has had ONE good playoff game. Peyton will have to win a playoff game vs a potentially tough team before they have a chance to play the Pats, they may even have to play two games to get to the AFCG. Peyton is still not a proven winner, lets not forget all the no-name quarterbacks who have won one superbowl.

In the past 3 super bowls, the AFCG was the real super bowl. This year, the super bowl will be the real super bowl.

Dallas/Green Bay will be the biggest threat coming down the playoff stretch.

The Colts/Patriots regular season game was close only because the NFL wanted it to be.

Look for a surging team like the Steelers, Browns, Jaguars to knock them off.

 

[PatsFan#37]

they are the only team to have kept it close in the game

 

[Fencer]

I don't think the Colts can replicate their defensive success against the Pats again this season (absent injuries to Brady or Moss).

I do think they are a significant threat even so because of the offense they can unleash. Manning may have learned how to play with weaker WRs by January.

 

[Rawky77]

Indy is done...we broke their cofidence in Indy when we beat them with everything on their side the Refs, the Noise, the Home Field, us without sideline to QB communication the Adai fluke TD run everything went their way for 3 1/3 qtrs and they still lost.....Peyton knows this and regardless of whether Harrison comes back or not they will never be the same team they were before that game....That game stole their swagger and with our continued dominance of the AFC they can not ever get it back.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Of course they are, every team we have to play to get to the Super Bowl and win it, is significant.

Maybe to the fans, we can list teams on our upcoming schedule that are not significant in our opinion, such as the Jets or the Phins. But Belichick and the team will prepare for every opponent the same way, not overlooking anything or any opponent.....

 

[Mack Herron]

It sounds arrogant and crass, but nobody else is significant.

 

[Keegs]

they are significant. Significant Frauds.

Especially Tony "the greatest human being in the history of the world" Dungy.

He is the biggest fraud of them all.

 

[Miguel]

Let's hope that the Patriots coaching staff and players do not feel that the Colts are not significant if there is a rematch.

 

[FrontSeven]

With all their issues and recent poor play, does anyone still think that the Colts are the biggest obstacle in the way of the Patriots on their quest for a fourth Super Bowl ring? I am more worried about Dallas and maybe GreenBay.

Abso-lutely-friggin!

Hey, teams go through rough stretches at times, but look at the talent level and the coaching.

They have a tough job ahead to get to the AFCCG, but they are the most worthy opponent on that date unless the Jags really show the world something.

Who the hell else is out there? Denver is struggling on defense, the Steelers will be humiliated here in December, and the Chargers got off lucky in September.

Oh, I forgot to mention the Bills.

Hehe.