Here's what I don't get...on paper at least, the clear mismatch is their soft defense against our offense. Perhaps not as much in the Antowain Smith era, but certainly the past few years anyway. Problem for the Colts is obviously they aren't built to play a ball possession style game, even though it makes more sense for THEM to keep US off the field, and limit the # of possessions we get.
I'm not saying we should run less or more (Maroney is obviously a great weapon, but that team isn't giving up 5.4 a rush WITH Bob Sanders...and Tom is still our best weapon and...it's all complimentary -- you can't just run against any team in this league -- you have to mix it up if you want an effective ground game or passing game -- just ask Peyton who gets 99% of his big plays off play-action, or Edge who got most of his production from the virtual vacuum created by their passing attack). I would've like to have seen less draws and K-faulk and more power 2-TE running...that wham stuff was great early on...so I guess you could criticize maybe HOW we ran more than HOW OFTEN.
I always blame/credit the execution of the players FIRST, and then I criticize/credit the gameplan only if the players are executing as well as they can. We just weren't sharp Sun night, and that starts with Tom and trickles down to the receivers (though it has more often trickled UP to him this season)...there isn't much margin for error in this league, especially against THE elite team, and certainly we don't have the ability to sling it in the vicinity of our receivers and hope they make circus catches (Watson is almost becoming a disappointment -- he's got to be able to make those catches in coverage deep down the field -- or at least prevent a pick from happening -- or we won't be throwing it down there much more).
Sometimes you just make a horrible throw (that first pick from Tom gets my vote for worst throw of his ENTIRE career -- at least the one he flung in Miami in '04 was in a late desperate situation where we needed to make a play -- good news is most QBs throw up ducks like that on a regular basis). Sometimes the ball is a little high (and sometimes you have to keep it high because there's a tackle right in front of you -- so I'm not putting it all on Tommy either), but we have to find a way to tighten it up a little bit and we've got plenty of time to work it out. The difference between Tom and Peyton will always be the fact that one guy is asked to thread the needle all the time...the other guy gets paranoid defenses playing 10 yards off his receivers and crapping their pants.
Though we can expect incremental progress in the passing game, I continue to believe it will remain a work in progress throughout the season...it will be better in January than it is now, and perhaps more than adequate to get it done, but certainly not as good as it could be next season.
Call me crazy, but I think Denver is, right now, the best team in the league (yes, I know they can't beat Indy).
But if what we saw Sunday night is clearly the best team in the league -- i.e. that which stands in our way -- then count me among the optimists -- you could argue that the path this year is set up better than ever.
Last year we just got smacked down, at least we now control our own destiny. We've proven when we show up with the right mindset (not too tight -- Denver last January -- or perhaps too ****y -- Sun night) we can blow teams off the board...even on the road.
Being under the radar is a lot bigger than most pundits think (don't tell me the disrespect doesn't get our guys playing with more fire)...look what happened to Pittsburgh this year...that bullseye is for real.
the battle may be lost, but the war is not.
Hasta la dome baby.
p.s. BONUS RANT: I'm so sick of hearing the pundits exonerate Manning for playing on a bad team...the Marino comparisons are ridiculous...Marino was infrequently incompetent, he didn't have a legacy of failure like Manning...you can't play on the winningest team in the league over your career and be 3-6 in the postseason.
He looks like he's on a mission this year and he gets my vote for MVP, but the ring's the thing...he's on a GREAT TEAM -- They're always picked to beat EVERYONE. Yeah, the D is historically bad, BECAUSE THEY SPEND EVERYTHING ON O...they're built to outscore teams and thrive on shootouts...there are no excuses...ten million pro bowlers last year! YOU ARE NOT BEATEN BY THE BETTER TEAM WHEN YOU LOSE A GAME IN WHICH YOU ARE FAVORED BY 10-POINTS. You can't pretend it's all about your QB when you win and then fraudulently absolve the guy when they lose...if you're getting blitzed to hell, maybe it's because **** Labeau doesn't think you can handle it -- learn to run at or dink off the blitz, DEAL WITH IT...or you will NEVER win a championship.
And if/when he does get a ring, I can't wait to read Manning apologists tell us how it does nothing to enhance the legacy of his greatness, because the QB is only one man out of 53.
YOU HAVE HOMEFIELD, YOU NO LONGER HAVE VANDERCHOKE, YOU HAVE THE MOST UNSTOPPABLE TEAM IN HISTORY...IN THE NAME OF ARCHIE MANNING, JUST WIN ONE FREAKING SB FOR GOD'S SAKE...you are the most talented QB of all time (no, I don't really believe that) on the most significant position in team sports...just do it!...otherwise have the dignity to spare us all from your next tidal wave of commercials.