I hate to admit it...

[patsacolachick]

Everyone forgets that the Patriots soundly beat the Bengals, a team who's offense is modeled explicitely after the Colts.

Sorry, but Carson Palmer is NOT playing at the level Peyton is playing at right now, no way. It is going to be very, very tough next week, what happened in years past means nothing right now.

 

[Yankees/Colts]

I don't count how Indy beat us last year when our defense was depleted and we could not scheme against them, we are at full strength and should win soundly.

:rocker:

You guys are awesome. Now, that's why I come here.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

I still think we beat Indy...assuming we don't come out of Monday night's game with a bunch of serious injures (a huge assumption, actually) but I don't think it's chicken little to say the Colts win was extremely impressive today.

IMO Denver is one of the top two or three toughest environments in the league and Manning was quite good today away from his little hermetically sealed RCA cocoon. Of course, as someone said he didn't get a lot of pressure. Wish Brady could say the same when he faced Denver.

Denver's defense is better than ours on the whole yet Indy was able to get what they needed when they needed it. It's valid to be concerned about how exactly our DBs will match up and if we can pressure Manning if need be.

I saw nothing today to suggest they'll stop our run game like they did in the game last year. I still see their D overall as somewhat soft. Denver scored a lot of points today with their pop-gun offense.

The other X factor is for whatever reason, the Colts own the Broncos so beware reading too much into this one.

I was glad they won today. It served two purposes. They handed Denver a loss (we don't want to see Denver again) and it kept the Colts perfect heading into Sunday making it a much bigger win if BB and Co. prevail.

 

[zoostation]

The Colts lose today without their new kicer.

We can thank Kraft for helping them get over the hump and win a SB if they do so this year.

Still happy about those soccer games and concerts? How much are we under the cap?

I am going to throw up now.

What does Robert Kraft have to do with their kicker? Kraft makes "zero" personel decisions with his team. This is all done by BB & SP. Besides...that kick was a chip shot...Vanderjerk would have made that one too.

 

[dante828]

Sorry, but Carson Palmer is NOT playing at the level Peyton is playing at right now, no way. It is going to be very, very tough next week, what happened in years past means nothing right now.

I agree, Palmer is not playing up to Manning's level, even though he did play tremendously the week before against the Steelers (which everyone forgets now that Cincy has started to tank a bit). That Bengals offence can be just as scary as the Colts when firing on all cylanders, and until the Bengals played the Pats they were. Since then, the team has derailed, but don't forget what started the skid, and fantastic defensive performance by the Pats.

The point is, Belichick and the Pats coaching staff have shown that when the Pats have the right personnel they know how to scheme well against the Colts. That is how the past IS important in analyzing the upcoming game. The Pats have the personnel to scheme against the Colts this year (and I think the Bengals game shows that best, though the rest of the games should show that as well).

As for the Broncos defense, I think the past has shown that Shanahan does well shutting down the Patriots. There are things he does that confuse Brady and shut down the running games. Miami gives him the same problems. I can't explain why, I just know that Brady and the Pats always look confused and a step behind against the Broncos.

I also know that as good as they play the Pats, the Broncos always roll over against Indy. Its a matchup problem, the Colts match up well against the Broncos, which is why their vaunted defense got torched on Sunday. This will not happened against the Pats, because they have always matched up well against the Colts when they have the right personnel.

Does this mean the game will be easy? No. I think the Pats can win soundly if they have the personnel and scheme the way they know how (Personnel may be a problem if they get more injuries against Minnesota). Also, if the Pats have defensive breakdowns against Minnesota, I will then be seriously concerned about whether they can scheme against the Colts, and I will become seriously worried about the game. But if teh Pats play tough tonight and play defense the way they know how, I will feel confident they can do the same against Indy. However, even when they have done this is the past, Manning has made it interesting at times, and close, and he may very well do so again.

But the Colts have serious defensive deficiencies, and the Pats greatest offensive strength (running the ball) plays right into that. Which means that the Pats will probably put up a lot of points. The defense will slow Manning and the Colts just enough to keep them coming from behind all day, and I doubt they make it all that close in the end. That is why I think the Pats will win soundly.

I also don't buy that Manning has turned the corner yet. Does everyone forget he has won games like the Broncos game in the past, and has looked god like on the field before this. He always wins these games. He never wins them in the playoffs though, and until he does, he is still a loser in my eyes. They thought they got over the Patriots hump last year, just to get outplayed by the Steelers in the playoffs. They had their best team last year (this year's defense is much worse) and the Colts still faltered, and a lot of that is on Manning. Manning has proved nothing to me and the thing I hate most is undeserved praise. Manning gets boat loads of it, and nothing irritates me more.

Manning has played a ton of great games (all in the regular season) and he is the best QB in the league save Brady. But he is not a clutch player, he gets confused against certain defenses (like the Pats and Steelers) and then places the blame on everyone else when they lose. I think the root cause is the fact he overthinks and over-prepares, and this especially kills him in big games. These are serious flaws and he has done nothing this year to dispell my belief that these are fatal flaws. When he has the Lombardi pearched soundly over his head, I'll tip my cap and say well done, and I won't get so annoyed at the million Manning commercials, or even the arguments that he is the best QB in the league (he may very well be if he does win). But he has not shown he can get over those flaws yet, and after last year, when he had his best shot, I don't think he can. He is going to come to the downturn of his career soon, and the Colts don't look like they are improving this year. Can he win like Elway did on the downside of his career with a great all around team, when he isn't trying to micro manage everything, yes, its very possible. But with Dungy and Polian, I don't see that happening. We'll see.

But don't praise this guy to the sky, or think anything has really changed. We'll only know that come playoff time. Until then, he'll have his good games as he always does and everyone will think he has turned the corner (as they always think he has) and Brady and the Pats will quietly go about their business and win another Super Bowl (at least I hope so).

 

[mosi]

By all accounts, this Indy team is the same as in 2003 and 2004 and not as good as the team in 2005. That defense is terrible. If we play Patriots football, it should be an easy win - 20-10 or 20-14.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Normally I can understand people jumping off the bandwagon after a Pats lost... but damn, we didn't even play today and people are jumping off like it's on fire

I am not saying it's a guaranteed win next week but let's no go overboard with thank you Kraft for letting AV go or Manning is gonna shred us apart-talk. Have some faith in TB and the co.

The point of my thread wasn't to say we should fear Indy, I was just giving props to Manning on a great effort yesterday. I think the Pats will beat them next week, but boy was he impressive yesterday.

 

[jeffd]

im very afraid of our secondary in this contest. offensivly i think we can roll over their D all day but defensivly..can we cover Marvin AND Reggie?

I can't help but think I've heard that before...........

Can our own fans at least have faith in our team and history?

 

[Oswlek]

I'm not sure how this game/team was any different than any of the previous incarnations. If anything, Indy was more impressive in prior years, although I can see the case that NE was probably better then, too.

Indy just matches up well with Denver. I'm not even quite sure why, but Denver never gets any pressure on Manning, and he usually abuses their safeties. Indy even ran pretty well yesterday; better than I thought they would, anyway. I was with a group of people that I didn't know well and they were talkng about Denver's defense and Indy's lack of a running game. I felt compelled to correct their misunderstandings. Denver's defense is really only slightly better than they have been in the past. Sure they gave NE a hard time, but look at all the other offenses they have faced. Pitiful. Knowing this, I told them, "Denver is the same as they ever were and Indy will run roughshod over them. Trust me." For the most part they thought I was a fool, but whatever.

Now, on top of that, didn't anyone notice that Indy allowed a team that hadn't scored more than 17 points all season to run up 31? Their defense is dreadful. I will be shocked if NE is held under 24 points. Just shocked. Personally, I don't see how NE scores less than 30, unless they happen to be kneeling in the red zone at the end of the game, in which case I will gladly be wrong.

So where does that leave us. Right where I thought we would be, which is why I am nervous about today's game. NE will beat Indy. I have absolutely no doubt. What I can see, however, is a week of "How will NE ever take down the Mighty Colts?" storylines. And those will be propelled by a loss against a mediocre to good Minny team.

But make no mistake. Indy will leave NE with their first loss of the season.

 

[Mike the Brit]

The point of my thread wasn't to say we should fear Indy, I was just giving props to Manning on a great effort yesterday. I think the Pats will beat them next week, but boy was he impressive yesterday.

Quite right. I agree.

But I have no idea what to think about the Pats' chances next week. First we have to play Minnesota.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

I know as fans we can look ahead in our schedule, but lets see what the Patriots do tonight before we move on to the Colts. I remember when Bill was asked how the Patriots were going to stop the Colts after all they were already passing the rings to each other. His response was something to the effect - Well we won 14 games we will do our best out there -

Look The Colts are Good The Patriots are Good, but tonight The Vikings are on Tab.

 

[Bella*chick]

I'm not sure how this game/team was any different than any of the previous incarnations. If anything, Indy was more impressive in prior years, although I can see the case that NE was probably better then, too.

Indy just matches up well with Denver. I'm not even quite sure why, but Denver never gets any pressure on Manning, and he usually abuses their safeties. Indy even ran pretty well yesterday; better than I thought they would, anyway. I was with a group of people that I didn't know well and they were talkng about Denver's defense and Indy's lack of a running game. I felt compelled to correct their misunderstandings. Denver's defense is really only slightly better than they have been in the past. Sure they gave NE a hard time, but look at all the other offenses they have faced. Pitiful. Knowing this, I told them, "Denver is the same as they ever were and Indy will run roughshod over them. Trust me." For the most part they thought I was a fool, but whatever.

Now, on top of that, didn't anyone notice that Indy allowed a team that hadn't scored more than 17 points all season to run up 31? Their defense is dreadful. I will be shocked if NE is held under 24 points. Just shocked. Personally, I don't see how NE scores less than 30, unless they happen to be kneeling in the red zone at the end of the game, in which case I will gladly be wrong.

So where does that leave us. Right where I thought we would be, which is why I am nervous about today's game. NE will beat Indy. I have absolutely no doubt. What I can see, however, is a week of "How will NE ever take down the Mighty Colts?" storylines. And those will be propelled by a loss against a mediocre to good Minny team.

But make no mistake. Indy will leave NE with their first loss of the season.

I would like to say AMEN to every word of this. I am trying so hard to figure out what was so different about yesterday's Manning effort than every other Manning effort against Denver and especially during a regular season game. I just can't. The ONLY thing of significance I saw was the points they allowed Denver to run up!

 

[shakadave]

Denver beat NE.
Indy beat Denver.
Come on, non-transitivity!

 

[DB15]

But Manning was out of his mind today. I'm trying to think of a single better effort by a QB in recent memory. The guy would have lost this game in January, but I've never seen Manning as good as he was today considering the team he was going up against today. Jeesh.

ps- Who was that kicker would finished Denver off today.

I have to agree, it was sick how automatic he was... you really cant just sit back and let manning do as he pleases, you have to take chances and get in his face, if the blitz is picked up so be it but he will do as he pleases against a defence that just sits back