Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

[PATS16N0]

Congratulations to Indianapolis for winning a game I believe they would of lost w/ Peyton Manning. Down 28, the Colts of old would of wilted beneath the pressure and spent the game sulking on the sidelines.

Luck played Championship football. Indy fans, having never actually seen that before, are still in a state of complete bewilderment.

After that comeback, send Indy to go give Denver their one-and-done. They can do it. All the experts will be wrong.

That's a narrative I want to see, especially coming on the year of Indy's owner's twitter account.

Let the media feast on that. My money is on Luck.
Championship football > October stat-compiling.

Will be hilarious irony. Hilarious, glorious, legacy-killing irony.

I'm officially all in on Cinci. Bring Cinci here and we'll watch the most glorious one-and-done in the history of the AFC at Mile High Stadium.

opcorn:

 

[PATS16N0]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

How beautiful would it be for the Luck-lead Colts to drive the final nail through the Manning face post season argument?

*evil laugh*

Go Bunguls.

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I am rooting for CIN with you, but for a bit of a different reason.

My reason is that I think we need to take it one game at a time, both for the team (obviously most importantly), but also for the fanbase. We're playing with house money at the moment, and there should be some caution before proceeding. In past yrs I would be looking ahead, even if I claimed not to be. This year--we simply need to take it one step at a time. Let's win next week's game and get into the AFCCG. It isn't going to be easy no matter who we face.

I believe that it will be a better matchup for us in terms of trying to shut down AJ Green, and stopping the run. I would rather face CIN, who has 4 road games in a row that they've scored 20 pts or less (compared to their 5 straight home games where they've scored 34 or more). That's a major difference, especially when you couple it with their 3-5 away record this season. On top of that, we've already faced them once earlier this year, so we should have some decent ideas on how to battle them in a familiarity sense.

As far as who goes to DEN, it could be SD or IND--and both would have about the same chance of winning for different reasons. Both have beat them already this year, but in the end I just don't see Manning going one and done again. It isn't going to happen every single time....That won't stop us from rooting for it though

 

[PATS16N0]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Andrew Luck giving Peyton another one-and-done is just too glorious not to root for, especially since it would be the same year Indy's owner was tweeting about the Colts new direction to win when it matters.

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Andrew Luck giving Peyton another one-and-done is just too glorious not to root for, especially since it would be the same year Indy's owner was tweeting about the Colts new direction to win when it matters.

I think that IND poses a battle for DEN, no doubt about it.

I'm just explaining why I'm personally rooting for CIN to win tomorrow. It's more of a selfish reason for our team, than it is seeing anyone match up with DEN.

Like I said, as a fan I am just taking it one game at a time. Nothing is a given, particularly this season. We're going to need to step up our game just to beat CIN next Saturday, let alone worry about the next game.

 

[coolguy]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Congratulations to Indianapolis for winning a game I believe they would of lost w/ Peyton Manning. Down 28, the Colts of old would of wilted beneath the pressure and spent the game sulking on the sidelines.

Luck played Championship football. Indy fans, having never actually seen that before, are still in a state of complete bewilderment.

After that comeback, send Indy to go give Denver their one-and-done. They can do it. All the experts will be wrong.

That's a narrative I want to see, especially coming on the year of Indy's owner's twitter account.

Let the media feast on that. My money is on Luck.
Championship football > October stat-compiling.

Will be hilarious irony. Hilarious, glorious, legacy-killing irony.

I'm officially all in on Cinci. Bring Cinci here and we'll watch the most glorious one-and-done in the history of the AFC at Mile High Stadium.

opcorn:

So you want the pats to face statistically the best passing defense, best rushing defense , and best runningback left in the playoffs?

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I believe the Colts are the optimum matchup for one reason, trenches. Of the 16 games the Patriots played this season, arguably Cincy won the war of the trenches more decisively than any of our other opponents. Is there a reason why Cincy will be less physically/easier to punch in the mouth this time around?? Conversely I don't see Indy as an overly physical team. I see the Patriots gaining an edge in the battle of the trenches with Indy. And unlike the past several years, this year the Patriot REALLY need to win in the trenches. This year they just don't have the offensive firepower to mask it.....

Indy or Cincy present difficulties. Even before the KC game I would have pegged Indy as the team much more capable of mounting a comeback. Put another way, if there is less than 5 minutes to go I'd rather be playing Cincy instead of Indy. But overall I favor the lesser physical challenge that Indy, theoretically, presents.

With that said, I have little faith in the Chargers. How can you look so poor against second stringers who had nothing to play for when a playoff birth is on the line?? It makes me think SD is a bunch of pretenders, fodder, the proverbial broken down nag thrown in the race to round out the field. It makes the question of 'Indy or Cincy' moot.

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Let's look at the pluses and minuses of both matchups:

#1. CIN--3 and 5 on the road this year, and have scored 20 pts or less in their last 4 straight road games. They are also a game worse in the AFC overall than IND at 8-4, compared to IND's 9-3 mark

IND--5 and 3 on the road this year, compared to their 6 and 2 home record. They seem to be a bit more balanced on the road

Advantage: would rather face CIN based on these stats


#2. We have already spent a week of prep work vs CIN this year, where we have not done the same vs IND. One would think this has to be of some advantage, at least in my opinion.

Advantage: would rather face CIN based on this


#3. IND does not seem to pose as much of a run game as CIN does, and I think we could shut down their run game of Brown and Richardson

Advantage: would rather face IND

#4. It may be easier to attempt to take away CIN's best offensive weapon, which would obviously be AJ Green. That would limit that a lot in my opinion. We'd gameplan to stop the run, and take away Green.

Luck poses a bit of a different challenge in the sense that he's able to scramble when needed, even though he's not exactly Cam Newton back there. My concern is that IND may have a bit of a better overall offense with Luck being the reasoning. That said, if we attempted to take away Hilton just the same, we'd likely be looking at something quite similar. This one is probably a matter of opinion, and something that I've wavered on throughout the week.

Advantage: about the same

#5. Defense--CIN obviously has a better defense, however they have an injured Newman at the moment who isn't playing tomorrow, along with Atkins being gone for the year. They still are a very good defense, however we've been plenty prepared for tough defensive fronts lately, as I think we've faced a lot of decent examples--particularly down the stretch.

It's hard to say that we wouldn't rather face IND though. Their secondary looks to be pretty weak overall.

Advantage: would rather face IND


#6. We would be facing CIN on a short week should they win tomorrow afternoon, as opposed to the usual 7 days if we faced IND.

Advantage: would rather face CIN

#7. Who would we rather face Manning and DEN next week? Due to DEN's somewhat poorer defense in certain areas, I would think that Luck and IND match up much better with DEN than SD would, even though SD beat them at Mile High earlier in the season. Can SD beat them 2x on the road? I'm doubting it. I think they are somewhat lucky just to be in the tournament myself.

Advantage: would rather face CIN, and have DEN/IND matchup


#8. OVERALL---I think that there are reasons for both teams that make sense, but it's the record away from home, the point differential on the road, along with the poor playoff football that both Dalton and M.Lewis have coached/played that points to me personally rather facing CIN next weekend.

I have the "score" at 4-2 in the sense that I'd rather face IND, with 2 of the issues coming in at a tie. Just my personal opinion though, as it's nowhere near cut and dry, nor am I meaning to suggest as much.

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

With that said, I have little faith in the Chargers. How can you look so poor against second stringers who had nothing to play for when a playoff birth is on the line?? It makes me think SD is a bunch of pretenders, fodder, the proverbial broken down nag thrown in the race to round out the field. It makes the question of 'Indy or Cincy' moot.

Not meaning to contradict myself, because I seriously am taking it one apprehensive game at a time as a fan, but IF you're one who's thinking about who you'd rather see face DEN to try and knock them off, then by this reasoning IND would probably pose Manning and DEN a better challenge than SD would.

I suppose it depends on how you're looking at it, and what you're rooting for exactly. I just thought I'd take advantage of this reasoning about SD potentially being pretenders to point that out--nothing more.

In the end, I don't think it matters. I agree with you in the sense that I don't see SD getting past an 8-0 home CIN team tomorrow in the jungle.

 

[Joker]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

San Diego beats Denver to keep playoff hopes alive | The Desert Sun | mydesert.com

I watched this game...and now I've read YOUR posts...WUT??????????????????

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

San Diego beats Denver to keep playoff hopes alive | The Desert Sun | mydesert.com

I watched this game...and now I've read YOUR posts...WUT??????????????????

I'm guessing you didn't watch the game where Indy hung 40 on Denver's defense to beat them too then?

Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts - Recap - October 20, 2013 - ESPN

Keep in mind that IND was 5-3 on the road this year, so it's worth wondering if they couldn't go into DEN and at least pose a better challenge.

Do you really think that SD is going to go into DEN twice in a month or so and come out victorious both times? That's a question worth pondering. After seeing SD control their own destiny at home last week and barely beat KC's backups, I'm wondering if they aren't a bit of the old pretenders.

We will likely find out soon enough

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Let's look at the pluses and minuses of both matchups:

#1. CIN--3 and 5 on the road this year, and have scored 20 pts or less in their last 4 straight road games. They are also a game worse in the AFC overall than IND at 8-4, compared to IND's 9-3 mark

IND--5 and 3 on the road this year, compared to their 6 and 2 home record. They seem to be a bit more balanced on the road

Advantage: would rather face CIN based on these stats


#2. We have already spent a week of prep work vs CIN this year, where we have not done the same vs IND. One would think this has to be of some advantage, at least in my opinion.

Advantage: would rather face CIN based on this


#3. IND does not seem to pose as much of a run game as CIN does, and I think we could shut down their run game of Brown and Richardson

Advantage: would rather face IND

#4. It may be easier to attempt to take away CIN's best offensive weapon, which would obviously be AJ Green. That would limit that a lot in my opinion. We'd gameplan to stop the run, and take away Green.

Luck poses a bit of a different challenge in the sense that he's able to scramble when needed, even though he's not exactly Cam Newton back there. My concern is that IND may have a bit of a better overall offense with Luck being the reasoning. That said, if we attempted to take away Hilton just the same, we'd likely be looking at something quite similar. This one is probably a matter of opinion, and something that I've wavered on throughout the week.

Advantage: about the same

#5. Defense--CIN obviously has a better defense, however they have an injured Newman at the moment who isn't playing tomorrow, along with Atkins being gone for the year. They still are a very good defense, however we've been plenty prepared for tough defensive fronts lately, as I think we've faced a lot of decent examples--particularly down the stretch.

It's hard to say that we wouldn't rather face IND though. Their secondary looks to be pretty weak overall.

Advantage: would rather face IND


#6. We would be facing CIN on a short week should they win tomorrow afternoon, as opposed to the usual 7 days if we faced IND.

Advantage: would rather face CIN


#7. OVERALL---I think that there are reasons for both teams that make sense, but it's the record away from home, the point differential on the road, along with the poor playoff football that both Dalton and M.Lewis have coached/played that points to me personally rather facing CIN next weekend.

I have the "score" at 3-2 in the sense that I'd rather face IND, with 2 of the issues coming in at a tie. Just my personal opinion though, as it's nowhere near cut and dry, nor am I suggesting such.

Good job by supporting your position with stats/facts (versus a lot of hot air that so often is the case on Internet forums). To be fair my position is not based on such clear metrics (at least there is no plainly defined 'more physical' metric that I know of). My view is based only on what my 'sense' of each team is (from game watching). IMHO, Cincy's physical capability presents a Patriots-centric matchup problem. One that will make it difficult for the Patriots to run, difficult to provide sufficient time to throw (having no Gronk/TE really hurts on this one), and will hit the Patriots right into the teeth of my biggest concern--the Patriots ability to stop the Run. Put more generically, to me Cincy's strengths appear to hit us right in our weaknesses.

Doesn't really matter though as I think the point is moot and we will be playing Cincy (based on my belief SD simply sucks). I look at it like this: the NFC has some very physical teams (much more than Indy or Den). If the Patriots are going to win this thing they will have to be able to do what they did against Baltimore in week 16, punch a team in the mouth (So to speak). Defeating Cincy by way of out physical-ing them is a nice message to send to potential opponents.....

 

[Joker]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I agree. I just didn't understand why you thought SD didn't have a chance against Denver.

 

[supafly]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I agree. I just didn't understand why you thought SD didn't have a chance against Denver.

I'm not meaning to suggest that either team doesn't have a shot (although in the end I tend to think that DEN will be winning their home game next Sun no matter what, unfortunately). I was just posing some reasons why it could be viewed that IND may match up better in the sense that they could score more points than SD, much the same as we may be able to do again.

That said, SD may have a better knowledge of DEN seeing as how they beat them more recently and face them 2x a year. It is SD's defense that worries me, as they are giving up one of the worst YPA per play totals in all of football, if not THE worst--at 6.2 yards per play. That's amazing.

I don't think there is any clear cut answer, and I think it's going to be a lot of back and forth. We'll probably all be rooting for different scenarios come tomorrow, or just letting it play out without caring too much either way.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I'm guessing you didn't watch the game where Indy hung 40 on Denver's defense to beat them too then?

Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts - Recap - October 20, 2013 - ESPN

Keep in mind that IND was 5-3 on the road this year, so it's worth wondering if they couldn't go into DEN and at least pose a better challenge.

Do you really think that SD is going to go into DEN twice in a month or so and come out victorious both times? That's a question worth pondering. After seeing SD control their own destiny at home last week and barely beat KC's backups, I'm wondering if they aren't a bit of the old pretenders.

We will likely find out soon enough

I think Denver in Denver presents a tough challenge for any team, period. However, I think the respect afforded them is too much (similar to the far too over the top respect they were getting just prior to mid season). Denver is not the 85 Bears, they are far from unbeatable. Anyone thinking Indy can't "at least pose a challenge" is letting ESPN headlines do their thinking.

Is it likely? No but it's much more possible than some seem to think.....

 

[Kdo5]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Congratulations to Indianapolis for winning a game I believe they would of lost w/ Peyton Manning. Down 28, the Colts of old would of wilted beneath the pressure and spent the game sulking on the sidelines.

Luck played Championship football. Indy fans, having never actually seen that before, are still in a state of complete bewilderment.

After that comeback, send Indy to go give Denver their one-and-done. They can do it. All the experts will be wrong.

That's a narrative I want to see, especially coming on the year of Indy's owner's twitter account.

Let the media feast on that. My money is on Luck.
Championship football > October stat-compiling.

Will be hilarious irony. Hilarious, glorious, legacy-killing irony.

I'm officially all in on Cinci. Bring Cinci here and we'll watch the most glorious one-and-done in the history of the AFC at Mile High Stadium.

opcorn:

I look at it more as this team had already played Cinci. They lost. But they at least have experience this season with the Bengals. Rarely will a Brady/Belichick team falter twice in a season to the same team. It happened in 2006 and 2010 but still I'd rather Cinci roll through than Indy.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

San Diego beats Denver to keep playoff hopes alive | The Desert Sun | mydesert.com

I watched this game...and now I've read YOUR posts...WUT??????????????????

I think I took Super down the anti SD path.
Fair enough that SD beat Denver and at the time that said something good about SD. But I watched some of their last game, week 17 vs KC, and I was just so unimpressed with SD. With sooo much riding on it, playing against a team with zero to play for, resting many key starters, SD should have won that game easily! Instead they all but lost a game where they could barely get out of their own way.

It's probably unfair for me to take one game and let it define SD. Each week in a new situation. Yet games with everything riding on the line are semi defining IMHO.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I want to see the Colts, specifically Robert Mathis, go against the Broncos again. He killed Manning once already, and has stayed hot, playing as well as any pass rusher in football. He will make Manning change his game up for a rematch. Add the cold weather to the concessions on offense, and I think we could see the Colts win again.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

Indy's corners are playing hurt - Alex smith was having an easy time with their secondary. Indy also has only 1 pass rushing threat in Mathis and 1 receiving great in Hilton. And indy is a dome team...

The only reason cincy may be more appealing is they would play the pats on a short week.

With the exceptin at QB, cincy is man for man a better team than indy.

 

[Bhelmet]

re: Why I'm rooting for Cincinnati

I'll take either - Cincy seems scarier b/c they already beat us, but let's see them in Foxboro. Indy scares me less. I attribute that loss to KC more than I give the win to Indy. That was a TOTAL KC collapse - one that most teams will avoid. Whether it was injuries, Reid's wonderful clock management, or a combo of the two - Indy loses that game 9/10 times - especially in the playoffs. We may dominate noone in the post-season, but bring in an OL like Indy's into Foxboro and I love our chances. Mathis is another beast, but i have to believe we can stop one guy even with our OL situation. I do not understand all the fear of Indy and 'give me Cincy" attitude - at least based on some of the reasons given. Yes, I like the revenge factor, but I think the easier path is through Indy. If we can beat Cincy, it will be the bigger confidence boost. Cannot wait to see it play out.