Our depleted secondary vs. Peyton & friends

[Rob0729]

One of the meathead announcers from last week said the Rams shouldn't play the helmets, but the players wearing that helmet.

Some folks in this thread are still looking at the helmet and its history prior to this season, not the actual production or play by the players wearing that helmet this season.

It was what Hasslett preached to his team and he is right. With teams like the Pats, Chargers, Colts, Cowboys, etc. you have to ignore what they did last year and in previous years and concern yourself with this year's version. None of them are what they were last year.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

How is this not a good match up? Is it the Colts' lack of a pass defense? maybe it is the fact that they have no running game? Could it be that Manning has been inconsistent all season and a lot of his passes are off?

I do agree that the Pats shouldn't try to win the game, but just use it to get in tune for the rest of the season. They have lost the game already so why bother. Are you serious?

If Brady was still playing, the Pats would be a two TD favorite. If Kerry Collins can do damage vs. the Colts, image what Brady could do.

Honestly...this would be nothing short of a dream matchup as road games go if Tommy were here. As it stands it's a lot closer to a dream road matchup for the 2008 NEP's than if they were facing the Colts of 2007, 2006, 2005...short week against a team misfiring on more than one cylinder.

They are just a hair off but in a lot of areas. OL is in flux where it used to be top 5, running game is in flux as a result of OL and thier own injuries, passing game is in flux as a result of aging and injury prone weapons and Manning's own inability to work with them in TC or the pre season... If Rosenfels hadn't literally thrown that game away they really should be 2-5 and looking at draft position.

Manning has long struggled against adversity. Bill gave him fits for years before he figured that out. Now he's battling the enemy within - his own team isn't capable of executing with the precision that is crucial to his game. He isn't Tommy and he struggles with the very concept of doing more with less.

It will all come down to three things - playmakers on offense rising up, which defense can play for 60 minutes and who avoids or capitalizes on turnovers. The Colts D came out guns blazing last night, but their offense was not able to open a remotely insurmountable gap. Piss poor WR's and all Tennessee's OC opened up the playbook to take what the colts were giving (and with better receivers it would have been more) and the Colts D ran out of gas in the second half. They have long been a one half defense - for a couple of years they got by rope-a-doping the first half and pacing themselves to play all out in defense of a lead in the second half. Manning can't get them that lead to defend this season unless opponents hand it to him.

 

[mgcolby]

It was what Hasslett preached to his team and he is right. With teams like the Pats, Chargers, Colts, Cowboys, etc. you have to ignore what they did last year and in previous years and concern yourself with this year's version. None of them are what they were last year.

I thought that was too smart of a concept for either one of those idiots to come up with on their own. I clearly missed the part where they must of prefaced the comment with "Haslett told his team:".

To the second part of your quote: Exactly. Unfortunately some folks can't get past it.

 

[mgcolby]

I was thinking the same thing as I watched the Tenn secondary bat away at least three long passes because they were in perfect position. We just don't have that. The thing we do have is PRESSURE, PRESSURE AND PRESSURE Manning some more. Indy did a good job early keeping Haynesworth et al off of Manning for the first half, then they got tired. Until then, though, the Tenn backfield did a good job of blanketing the receivers and knocking down Manning's throws, which were not as crisp as usual. Think BB can get our rookies to be able to stick to Harrison (a shell of his former self) and Reggie Wayne like glue? This game is scary and fascinating at the same time. I think Indy looked good in the 1st half and wore out in the 2nd half, on both sides of the ball. If we can keep it close until half time and then continue to pound, I think we can win.

I can only think of one play in the past three weeks where the Pats gave up a big play through the air and the DB was out of position. The Avery TD pass on Sunday, Sanders clearly blew his read on the deep coverage. Other than that they have all been in position to make the play but didn't. Rivers threw two passes that were on the money, just over the reach of the defender and on another play the receiver simply out leaped the defender. I said this after the Chargers game and I'll say it again, it is possible to play well and still lose. And on those individual plays the defender played it well but lost.

The last time I saw blown coverages were in the 49ers game, now that was a terrible first half for the secondary.