Bill Polian comments on the Pats this week

[bostonia3333]

Surprisingly, he doesn't seem reluctant to say positive things about the Pats.
The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts


Q: You mentioned the Patriots. Talk about them a little bit. They’re without Tom Brady at quarterback, but they’re still 5-2 . . .

A: They still have that great defense. They’ve done a pretty good job at moving the football through the air. (Quarterback) Matt Cassel has done a nice job there. They still have (wide receiver Wes) Welker. They still have (wide receiver) Randy Moss. They still have very good tight ends. They have a very well-coached offensive line, the area that has been hurt in addition to Brady has been the running game, where (Laurence) Maroney went on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and Sammy Morris has been dinged up a little bit. We won’t probably know until game time whether Sammy can play or not. That leaves Faulk and BenJarvis Green-Ellis, who’s a very hard running rookie out of Mississippi to carry the running load. (Kevin) Faulk is a very good draw, screen, third-down catching back and a very explosive guy who has hurt us in the past. It’s a formidable offense still with lots of weapons and a really strong defense that remains healthy despite the fact that they’re a little long in the tooth at some positions. They did lose (safety Rodney) Harrison, which is a big loss for them, but safety (Brandon) Meriweather will step in and do a great job there. (Jerod) Mayo, the rookie linebacker from Tennessee, has been doing a fine job, so it’s as formidable a defense as ever with (defensive tackle) Vince Wilfork and (defensive end Richard) Seymour. We know them well and they’ve tormented us for a long time. Offensively, while it’s not Tom Brady, it’s still a stellar cast and one of the best-coached teams every year. They’ll concede nothing and be prepared for everything, so it’s a very tough matchup.

Q: And they never seem to make critical mistakes . . .

A: They never beat themselves. They don’t commit penalties. They don’t turn the ball over. They don’t make mental errors. That’s a credit to their coaching staff and Bill Belichick. They’re well-prepared and they play as well and as efficiently no matter who’s in there as any team in the National Football League.

 

[captadamnj]

Does this mean we're going to hear from Jonathan Kraft on his view of the Dolts this week?

 

[JSn]

They’ll concede nothing and be prepared for everything, so it’s a very tough matchup.

That's one to smile about, because it's truer than true.

 

[mgteich]

As usual, Polian is more positive about the team than many of those who post here. There is an enormous amount of mutual respect between the teams (players, coaches and ownership).

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

never mind

 

[Kontradiction]

Polian can still eat a turd and choke for all I care. He says some nice things about the organization but you know he's cursing the Pats in the back of his mind.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

As usual, Polian is more positive about the team than many of those who post here. There is an enormous amount of mutual respect between the teams (players, coaches and ownership).

That is always his pregame stance. Postgame can be another whole matter...

 

[bostonia3333]

That is always his pregame stance. Postgame can be another whole matter...

I think you're right to a certain degree, look at what Polian said before the Monday night game about Kerry Collins. A little over the top, wouldn't you say??!!

POLIAN: Kerry Collins is three things. One, he’s among the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL. You can take two jet planes, two F-16s, rush them off the edge and it wouldn’t bother Kerry Collins one iota. Secondly, he can make every throw. Third, he’s a winner. He has the soul and the heart of a winner. He’s going to find a way to win. There is no obstacle too big for Kerry Collins to overcome. On top of that, he is now an extremely veteran presence who lends not only great talent, but great wisdom and leadership to this team. He’s sort of the missing piece, if you will.

 

[JaxPats]

"We know them well and they’ve tormented us for a long time. "

YES! A thousand times yes!:singing:

 

[DefenseRules]

Polian said THAT about our Pats?
WOW!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Polian said THAT about our Pats?
WOW!

Don't worry, if we prevail on Sunday he will be singing another tune, like the one about what we got away with...

 

[SVN]

sometimes you wonder who is the coach. dungy or polian ?

 

[Kontradiction]

sometimes you wonder who is the coach. dungy or polian ?

Neither. Manning is. They are just riding his coattails.

 

[workhorse]

I think you're right to a certain degree, look at what Polian said before the Monday night game about Kerry Collins. A little over the top, wouldn't you say??!!

POLIAN: Kerry Collins is three things. One, he’s among the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL. You can take two jet planes, two F-16s, rush them off the edge and it wouldn’t bother Kerry Collins one iota. Secondly, he can make every throw. Third, he’s a winner. He has the soul and the heart of a winner. He’s going to find a way to win. There is no obstacle too big for Kerry Collins to overcome. On top of that, he is now an extremely veteran presence who lends not only great talent, but great wisdom and leadership to this team. He’s sort of the missing piece, if you will.

He said that? The F16s comment is a little weird. He did draft Collins coming out of college when he was with Carolina.

 

[MassPats38]

As usual, Polian is more positive about the team than many of those who post here. There is an enormous amount of mutual respect between the teams (players, coaches and ownership).

Do you honestly believe that, or do you think Polian is pulling a page from the good head coach playbook and throwing nothing but compliments at the opposing team? He could also be throwing that out there to counter the press that the Pats are not as good this year thus beating them would not be as big a win for the Colts as it would have been with Brady there.

I just sense there is no love lost between these teams. Consider the Dungy Spygate comments, the Bruschi "what are they going to give as an excuse this time" after the 2004 playoff win, Polian's competition committee positions, and the Polian "break his leg" commentary supposedly directed at Flutie when the Colts were routing the Pats in 2005. Brady and Manning seem to get along, but I don't see much other evidence of respect between the organizations. I would call it mutual animosity. Usually, fans perceive teams hate each other, and it is just fans and media creating that perception. These teams seem to have offered some evidence in support of the animosity.

For the Colts fans visiting here, I am not saying the blogs and stories reflect the truth, and I am not saying you cannot both respect and dislike an opposing team, but my read on the rivalry is that it has become a legitimate animosity more than just a respect and both teams seem to take pleasure in kicking the other when it is down post-2000.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

As usual, Polian is more positive about the team than many of those who post here. There is an enormous amount of mutual respect between the teams (players, coaches and ownership).

I wonder if his own team's record (3-4)has something to do with that and the lack of smugness that we've grown to expect....

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Patfanin Philly

You win today's cookie. Ofcourse, you have to realize that their QB didn't get any reps in preseason so they every excuse in the world for a 3-4 record.

Heard it on ESPN.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Q: And they never seem to make critical mistakes . . .

A: They never beat themselves. They don’t commit penalties. They don’t turn the ball over. They don’t make mental errors. That’s a credit to their coaching staff and Bill Belichick. They’re well-prepared and they play as well and as efficiently no matter who’s in there as any team in the National Football League.

Of course, they left out the rest of that sentence. . . .

They don't commit penalties; but I pay the refs enough to make sure the yellow flags come out anyways.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Neither. Manning is. They are just riding his coattails.

:yeahthat: In a way I'm glad they finally won one-Polian hasn't beaten anybody up since. I think he feels less inferior now but he's taking his BB imitation a little too far

 

[BionicPatriot]

He can still kiss my ass. All his stupid crying over rules "The Patriots run is over", etc. screw him.

No company line makes me kiss his feet all of a sudden. I hope his team sucks all season and next season and the season after. Lets hope for a beat down on them come sunday :]