Anyone Else Think the Colts Made a Tactical Error by Not Going for the Win?

[PatsDeb]

The Titans, IMHO, are just awful. They should not be in the playoffs. If the Colts just played their starters at 1/2 speed they should have won. Yet, they take a loss to rest players, ensuring that the Titans will go to SD and most assuredly get knocked out, forcing Indy to play a pumped up SD for the 2nd time this year, where Indy lost the 1st meeting. At least Cleveland, with its high powered offense, may have had a shot at beating SD, in SD. If they did, they'd have to travel across the country to play Indy on little rest, thus probably ensuring a pretty easy win for Indy.

I wondered why Indy didn't put much stock in this? Do they think the Titans, even though the have a 99% chance of losing, will beat up SD more? What do you think?

 

[BradyManny]

That's a good point - I hadn't though of that, but it's a really interesting thought. There's always a hangover effect from playing tough games and/or tough teams, and certainly San Diego would have a tougher game against Cleveland.

We saw BB and the Pats strategically lose against the Dolphins to get the matchup they wanted in the playoffs...but I don't think Dungy thinks things through as much. In fact, I disagree altogether with the notion of resting players when you're getting a bye week anyway. How'd that work out for him in 04?

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm not sure the Browns would have any more chance than the Titans. If I were the Colts, actually, I would want the weakest team against SD - even though that would give the Colts a matchup against SD, the worst case for the Colts is an easy first round game for the Patriots which Tennessee or Cleveland would be.

 

[PatsFan#37]

The Titans, IMHO, are just awful. They should not be in the playoffs. If the Colts just played their starters at 1/2 speed they should have won. Yet, they take a loss to rest players, ensuring that the Titans will go to SD and most assuredly get knocked out, forcing Indy to play a pumped up SD for the 2nd time this year, where Indy lost the 1st meeting. At least Cleveland, with its high powered offense, may have had a shot at beating SD, in SD. If they did, they'd have to travel across the country to play Indy on little rest, thus probably ensuring a pretty easy win for Indy.

I wondered why Indy didn't put much stock in this? Do they think the Titans, even though the have a 99% chance of losing, will beat up SD more? What do you think?

IMO i think the colts are so arrogant they aren't worried about who they play because they think they will beat them. I have always though that this is a chink in their armor.

 

[richpats]

Absolutely. The Colts haven't played a playoff-caliber opponent full-speed since December 2nd. They will have had essentially 3 full weeks off before they likely play SD.

 

[BelichickFan]

Absolutely. The Colts haven't played a playoff-caliber opponent full-speed since December 2nd. They will have had essentially 3 full weeks off before they likely play SD.

In that sense, I agree - shutting down a team once they've locked their spot in is nuts IMO if they have a bye.

 

[pwes]

Even if the Titans lose (and they will) they are going to beat the living daylights out of SD in the process. San Diego is going to come brused up to Indy which I'm sure they'd be happy about. I don't think it was tactical though. They wern't going to play to win, they never do.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Titans are a very physical team. The Chargers now have to face that sort of physicality rather than the less aggressive Browns, meaning the Chargers could well be banged up when/if they meet the Colts.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

It's really tough to game all that.

What if Indy thinks Jacksonville is a bigger threat than San Diego? In that event, you'd want the weakest team possible playing San Diego, because if San Diego loses Indy will get the winner of Jacksonville/Pittsburgh.

I think it worked out fine for Indy. In fact, if I were a Colts fan, I wouldn't be at all disappointed with how things worked out. I'd rather have the Titans than the Browns as the six seed, because I'd rather see the Patriots play the Titans than the Browns if there is an upset in the 3/6 game.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

The Titans are a very physical team. The Chargers now have to face that sort of physicality rather than the less aggressive Browns, meaning the Chargers could well be banged up when/if they meet the Colts.

It also means we could be banged up if and when we meet the Colts if the Titans pull off the upset.

 

[BradyManny]

The Titans are a very physical team. The Chargers now have to face that sort of physicality rather than the less aggressive Browns, meaning the Chargers could well be banged up when/if they meet the Colts.

They might be more physical, but the Browns are better. The Browns would've had a chance against SD, IMO, but I don't see the Titans winning.

 

[workhorse]

The Titans, IMHO, are just awful. They should not be in the playoffs. If the Colts just played their starters at 1/2 speed they should have won. Yet, they take a loss to rest players, ensuring that the Titans will go to SD and most assuredly get knocked out, forcing Indy to play a pumped up SD for the 2nd time this year, where Indy lost the 1st meeting. At least Cleveland, with its high powered offense, may have had a shot at beating SD, in SD. If they did, they'd have to travel across the country to play Indy on little rest, thus probably ensuring a pretty easy win for Indy.

I wondered why Indy didn't put much stock in this? Do they think the Titans, even though the have a 99% chance of losing, will beat up SD more? What do you think?

I think the Colts would look forward to playing San Diego again. They had a horrible game the first time the played and nearly won. They probably feel pretty good about their chances in a rematch.

If Cleveland would have beat San Diego, the Browns would travel to Foxboro not Indy.

I'm not sure the Browns would have any more chance than the Titans. If I were the Colts, actually, I would want the weakest team against SD - even though that would give the Colts a matchup against SD, the worst case for the Colts is an easy first round game for the Patriots which Tennessee or Cleveland would be.

Agreed. I think if there is one team that the Colts would rather not face in their first game it would be Jacksonville.

IMO i think the colts are so arrogant they aren't worried about who they play because they think they will beat them. I have always though that this is a chink in their armor.

You think the Pats feel any differently? Would you want you team to feel otherwise?

Absolutely. The Colts haven't played a playoff-caliber opponent full-speed since December 2nd. They will have had essentially 3 full weeks off before they likely play SD.

I disagree. They only took part of ONE game off. The Texans have turned into a pretty good team. And the game against Oakland wasn't a walk in the park, there is no way you can call that a week off either.

 

[BradyManny]

I think the Colts would look forward to playing San Diego again. They had a horrible game the first time the played and nearly won. They probably feel pretty good about their chances in a rematch.

As bad as the Colts played - it goes both ways, the Chargers played horribly in that game as well. Don't get me wrong, the Colts are a much, much better TEAM than the Chargers, but SD is a group of players that is scary simply b/c of all their talent.

Granted, that talent likely will never turn into anything b/c it also happens to be one of the biggest group of losers ever assembled on a sporting field, but the point remains.

It's sort of all moot, b/c if it's not Colts-Pats in the AFCCG, I think it would be a shock and I think everyone will feel let down. It's like when Tiger Woods and or Phil Mickelson aren't in the hunt on Sunday of a major championship - no one watches and everyone feels cheated.

 

[Deus Irae]

I disagree. They only took part of ONE game off. The Texans have turned into a pretty good team. And the game against Oakland wasn't a walk in the park, there is no way you can call that a week off either.

They took this week off. That's one week. They get next week off. That's two weeks. They don't play until the next week. That's three weeks.

 

[pwes]

They might be more physical, but the Browns are better. The Browns would've had a chance against SD, IMO, but I don't see the Titans winning.

Then why would they want the Browns to play SD. If the browns won then they get Jacksonville and we get the Browns.

 

[workhorse]

They took this week off. That's one week. They get next week off. That's two weeks. They don't play until the next week. That's three weeks.

That's fuzzy math. They get one weekend off between their last regular season game and their first playoff game. The way you lay it out, everyone have a week off in between every game.

The Pats had a bye week in week 10. They had one game off (or one week), but using the formula you used, they had 2 weeks off.

The Colts don't have any more time off than the Pats do. Because on injuries there are only a handful of players that got much time off during the Titans game anyway. Heck Peyton threw 16 passes in his limited time.

 

[speed]

I don't think its arrogance as was suggested, but I don't think they do care. I would guess this discussion NEVER happen in the organization and I agree with them. You can only control what you can do and how you can prepare, you focus your energy on that, not on trying to manipulate the external bye week match ups. I'm not being a jerk, I just think the whole supposition isn't reality.



I am curious of the details that BB loss a game on purpose against Miami?? Is that true or just speculation.

I have really hard time believe BB loss on purpose or any coach or organization for that matter, unless maybe it was for like draft position in the NBA back in the day.

 

[BradyManny]

Then why would they want the Browns to play SD. If the browns won then they get Jacksonville and we get the Browns.

Fair point...but still, if I were the Colts, I'd rather play Jax then SD. They play the Jags twice a year, and even though the Jags play them pretty tight, the Colts know they can beat them. SD beat them the last two times they've met, once when the Colts had their unbeaten season going. I guess in the end, they have no real controlling who they end up playing in this situation...and maybe that's the best point that can be made.

 

[patchick]

Regardless of future opponents, I don't like resting up before a bye week. But this is how Dungy has consistently done it, just as BB has consistently played 100% before a bye (but not before a wildcard-weekend game). One coach is putting a premium on health, the other on sharpness and momentum. It will be interesting to see how the respective teams look in two weeks.

 

[spacecrime]

IMO i think the colts are so arrogant they aren't worried about who they play because they think they will beat them. I have always though that this is a chink in their armor.

Why? The Patriots feel the same way.

If a team thinks it is worthy of being the World Champion (and the Colts still are, you know), then they must be the best team and capable of beating anyone.

I think their mistake was resting their starters when they have a bye week coming, but I imagine that Peyton can hit Clark and Wayne in stride after two weeks off.