NFL FanHouse

Peyton Manning to Feast on Injured Texans Defense?

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:15:00 EST

The Colts have beaten the Texans every single time they've played except for once. In their upcoming matchup in Houston against the Texans on Sunday, Indianapolis is favored by 3.5. In their recent matchup in Indy, the Colts were fortunate to win by 3 as Texans kicker Kris Brown missed a field goal to send it into overtime.

In five of their last six meetings, the Colts-Texans games have been decided by six points or less. Unlike their previous matchup, the Texans will be missing a key member of their secondary: safety Eugene Wilson broke two toes in his game against the Titans and has been placed on IR. His absence after a preseason injury caused by a Brett Favre-fined low block contributed to the Texan defense's bottom of the league slow start. In general, it is not a good thing to be missing a starting safety when your team is facing Peyton Manning.

Safety Bernard Pollard claims that Wilson has made his transition to the Texans much easier.

Other Texans defensive players who are expected to play but have injuries of unknown severity include linebacker DeMeco Ryans with an ankle injury that kept him out of practice some this week and linebacker Brian Cushing with the same foot injury that has limited his practices for most of the season. Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye missed Thursday and Friday practices with the flu and just got out of the hospital, and though it isn't being acknowledged much by the team, there's speculation that defensive end Mario Williams' shoulder is still bothering him.

Ultimately, the Texans' game plan has more to do with their offense than their defense. They need to keep Manning off the field, and try to get 3's instead of 7's from the Colts.

Of course, the Colts have their own concerns. They put two dozen (!) players on the injury report list, including Manning with a "glute" injury that limited his participation at practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Peyton Manning to Feast on Injured Texans Defense? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts Survive Ravens With Defense

Matt Snyder — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:12:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Ravens, AFC North, AFC South

Had you told the Baltimore Ravens they would win the turnover battle against Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sunday, I'm pretty sure they would have assumed the result would be a victory. Of course, getting into the end zone against Indy generally is a necessity in order to win the football game. The Ravens didn't do that and lost, 17-15.

Despite allowing 354 yards of total offense -- 135 to burgeoning star Ray Rice -- the Colts defense buckled down when in their own territory, forcing the Ravens to attempt six field goals and punt twice in their first eight possessions. The Ravens still had a chance to win the football game late, but Joe Flacco was intercepted by Gary Brackett with just over two minutes left at the Indianapolis 13.

More: Check Box Score | Saints Join Indianapolis at 10-0

"We are definitely a bend-but-not-break defense,'' Brackett said, according to the Associated Press. "They drove a couple of times on us, but we held them to field goals.''

The Ravens did almost have a last gasp for victory, as Ed Reed received a punt with just under 30 seconds left -- and a decent return would have pulled them within about 30 yards of (game-winning) field goal range. Instead, Reed desperately attempted to lateral to a teammate almost simultaneously as he was taken down. The ill-advised pitch went directly to Freddy Keiaho of the Colts. Replays showed the pitch happened at almost the exact same time Reed's knee hit the ground, thus, there wasn't conclusive visual evidence to overturn the call on the field (a fumble).

Manning took a knee on the next play, and the Colts extended their league-high win streak to 19 regular-season games. They joined the Saints at 10-0 with the best record in the NFL.

"To be able to come out of this game with a win is huge,'' Colts head coach Jim Caldwell said. "We're not going to ever sneeze at being 10-0, but we're doing it by a small margin these days.''

The final score suggests a slug-fest where neither team could move the football, but -- with over 700 yards in combined total offense -- that wasn't the case at all. Instead, each team repeatedly allowed lots of yardage before slamming the brakes on the opposing offense, either with a big stop or a takeaway. Manning passed for 299 yards, but threw two interceptions and just one touchdown. Tight end Tom Santi (who entered the game with no catches this season, but caught six balls for 80 yards Sunday) fumbled close to the Ravens' 1-yard line. Flacco, meanwhile, threw the aforementioned pick, and many other drives stalled. Both teams were basically playing bend-but-don't-break defense. There were two offensive touchdowns -- both by the Colts -- and that was the difference.

In addition to Rice, the big offensive star for the Ravens was the venerable Derrick Mason, who hauled in nine passes for 142 yards. On defense, Reed had a huge interception early, and played a part in the hit on Santi's fumble. Unfortunately, his attempted lateral ultimately finished his team.

Also of note is that Billy Cundiff, whom was brought in to replace Steven Hauschka as the Ravens' kicker, made five field goals but missed a 39-yarder that could have made the difference.

For the Colts, Pierre Garcon had six catches for 108 yards. Dallas Clark had a sparkling one-handed touchdown catch early in the game and Joseph Addai shook Ray Lewis for a second-quarter touchdown. Addai ended with 74 yards on 19 carries.

The Colts will look to continue their unbeaten streak -- and possibly clinch the AFC South -- next week in Houston.

Baltimore faces another tough test against the Steelers at home in Week 12.

Colts Survive Ravens With Defense originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dallas Clark's One Hand Is Better Than Both of Yours Combined

Will Brinson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Ravens, NFL Video

Dallas Clark has somehow become the ultimate "hybrid" tight end -- he's really more of a wide receiver than anything else, what with his athleticism and everything.

He also has decent hands: Sunday against Baltimore, Clark made a one-handed touchdown grab that's absolutely silly. The announcers mention that Peyton Manning probably thought he overthrew Clark on this play, and that's almost certainly true.

Video of Clark's catch after the jump.

Indianapolis 17, Baltimore 15: Recap | Box Score | NFL Scoreboard

Dallas Clark's One Hand Is Better Than Both of Yours Combined originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Week 11 Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Browns, Buccaneers, Colts, Lions, Ravens, Saints, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

We still have two unbeatens in the NFL, New Orleans and Indianapolis. The Saints visit Tampa, so they shouldn't be threatened, but the Colts have a doozy of a game at Baltimore. Meanwhile, it's a clash of titans in Detroit, as the 1-8 Lions host 1-8 Cleveland. Join us at 12 PM ET to discuss all the Week 11 NFL action.

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=b6a445c4bc&quot; &gt;NFL FanHouse Week 11 Chat&lt;/a&gt;

NFL FanHouse Week 11 Chat originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Roundtable: Examining Belichick's Decision

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Patriots, NFL Coaching

It seems everyone has an opinion about Sunday night's incredible finish in Indianapolis. Usually untouchable Patriots coach Bill Belichick is getting grilled by many (including a former Patriot) for his decision to go for it on a fourth-and-two inside the Patriots' 30 late in the game. The NFL FanHouse crew put their heads together Monday for a debate on the topic.

More Coverage: Mariotti: Bill Blunderchick | Bozo and the Belichick Precedent

Bruce Ciskie: Am I the only one who thinks he is getting somewhat unjustly killed over this?

David Goldberg: No, you're not. What would we be saying if he'd made it? Best coach who ever lived?

Will Brinson: I actually liked it. Frankly, as insane as it looked last night, if they had gotten the first down, we would have been hearing announcers say stuff like, "That's why he's got those rings!" and "It's his signature -- going for big fourth downs and getting them. That's why people consider him a genius."

Michael David Smith: The bonehead move the Patriots made was wasting all three timeouts. I don't have a problem with going for it on fourth down, but I have a huge problem with using all your timeouts without any strategic clock management reason for any of them.

Knox Bardeen: I have an emphatic problem with him going for it on fourth down, especially from somebody who preaches smart decisions and field position like Belichick does. I understand that there were many reasons that the Patriots lost the game last night, MDS gave a good one already. But, had the Pats punted, they most likely win by six and we're talking about a completely different AFC playoff landscape.

Josh Alper: I don't know how you can kill a guy for wanting Tom Brady to decide whether he won or lost rather than Peyton Manning. You can quibble with the way he did it, especially without having any timeouts, but my first thought was that it didn't much matter where Peyton got the ball since he was scoring anyway.

Also, I agree with Brinson here. It's the same kneejerk stuff either way and can guarantee that Dungy and Rodney wouldn't have been saying Belichick's a dope who got lucky if Faulk converts right there. To me, the "that's why he's got those rings" part is doing something unconventional because he thought it gave his team a better chance to win.

Stephanie Stradley: I don't know. Going for it on 4th down, seems to me to be the ultimate insult to your defense. I know they were depleted, but by making it all about Brady making the play, you are saying that you can't trust your defense to stop Manning on a long field.

Bardeen: A touchdown, an interception, and a pass interference-aided drive capped by an Addai TD were the Colts three 4th quarter drives prior to the game decider. Is it really a given that Manning could have driven the Colts the entire length of the field if the Pats had punted?

Adam Gretz: I'm all for coaches being more aggressive in fourth down situations (for example, I hate seeing teams kick field goals on fourth and goal from the one), but there's a time and a place for it. Not every fourth down situation is created equal. Given that situation (up six, two minutes left, inside your own 30), I just can't see the justification for going for it. That was fourth and close to three yards. I don't like the call, and I don't like how they managed the timeouts. The last four minutes were a total train wreck for New England.

Brinson: Not to cite Bill Simmons here, but he's the biggest Belichick schlobber on the planet and even he thought this was going to happen -- his rationale on it is 100% correct. Peyton Manning is unstoppable and they had more than two minutes against a heavily depleted (as Steph noted) defense.

I feel worse agreeing with Merrill Hoge than Josh does agreeing with me, but good gravy, if you step on the throat of your biggest rival, give them the first loss of the year and all of a sudden give you justification for being the best team in the AFC, you're getting praised left and right this morning.

J.J. Cooper: I can't claim this as my idea, but let me ask you: if you were a Colts fan, were you cheering or scared when he decided to go for it? In my mind, I would have been frightened. I want the ball in Peyton Manning's hands even if he has to go 65 yards. Even if it's a 50/50 possibility that the Colts could stop the Patriots there (although the actual odds are 60/40 that they'd make it), the chance that they could run out the clock is scarier to me than anything.

It's definitely an unconventional call, one that very few NFL coaches have the confidence and the job security to make, but I think it's much closer to a toss-up on whether it was the right call than most TV pundits wanted to make it out to be.

Dan Graziano: Just a thought here, but if you are going to go for it on 4th (and I really do think it was a huge mistake), why not throw deep? If you really want the game in Brady's hands instead of Manning's, why not bring Superman Randy Moss into it too?

Worst-case scenarios include:

-- The thing that happened.

-- An interception downfield, which would have roughly equated to a punt.

-- An interception returned for a TD, which would have given the Patriots the ball back with enough time to get into FG range, which they didn't have once Manning finally did score.

Brinson: I think it's also worth asking, "Why Kevin Faulk?" In my mind, a toss-up to Moss or a quick crossing route with Welker are both better options. If you're dead-set on getting that fourth, get in a stacked I-formation, make the Colts stack the line while thinking you're just trying to draw them offsides and roll Brady out left. You'd get two yards that way easy.

Matt Snyder: I live in Indy and I kind of like the Colts. So I'll admit I was rooting for them.

I was mad because I felt like it deprived us of seeing if Manning could go the length of the field. It would have been a thing of beauty to watch that two minute drill.

My wife is a Colts fan, so I wanted them to win. Knowing that, I was scared when I saw the Pats decided to go for it because I thought they'd make it.

I still think you have to punt there, but I guess my fear should illustrate it's not necessarily as bad a decision as many are saying.

Ciskie: I've never favored using the video game argument, nor do I really like the "He'd be a genius if it had worked" argument.

The Patriots have struggled on defense. Manning is awesome. They had plenty of momentum. The Patriots' best players are arguably all on offense, and you should usually want to live or die by your best players.

Not only that, but if you feel a Colts score was somehow inevitable, no matter their field position, aren't you better off giving them a short field? Odds are higher that you're going to get the ball back after a quick score.

Gretz: I think the assumption that Peyton Manning was just going to drive it 70 yards and score without a fight from the Patriots defense is just a little bit flawed, seeing as how he threw an absolutely dreadful interception about six minutes prior to all of the insanity starting. You have to trust your defense a little bit.

Again, I think there are many fourth down situations worth going for (fourth and goal from the two or three, for example), this, to me, was not one of them.

Ciskie: Fair enough, but if you're Belichick, and you've danced this dance before, aren't you thinking that you can run a play for two yards, given how well Brady had been throwing?

A bit overaggressive? Probably. But I think a lot of the criticism is really off base, given how the media has worshipped this guy for all these years.

Snyder: I still can't shake two things, though:

Does the end really justify the means? Meaning, if the Pats did get the first down, wasn't it still a stupid decision -- one from which the Pats escaped?

Also, why does his coaching acumen gain him a free pass? If this was Norv Turner or Jim Zorn, no one would be wanting to stick up for them. A bad decision is a bad decision. Everyone makes them. The best CEO in the world, the best salesman in the world, the best quarterback, etc. You can't just say it was a good one because of track record. Smart people make dumb decisions sometimes.

Graziano: The important thing to remember is that this isn't second-guessing. It was first-guessing. Nobody who was watching the game could believe he was really going to do it. You punt in that situation, whether you're a transcendent innovative genius or a high-school coach. It's more than twice as hard to drive 70 yards for a TD than it is to drive 35, whether you're a Hall of Fame QB or a Pop Warner QB. We can hammer this from every direction, but the man should have punted.

Ciskie: You can say that, but it comes back to whose hands you want the game to be in. All things equal, and you can play all the mental games you want with your own defense, there isn't a person alive that would argue that Belichick is better off putting the game in Tom Brady's hands than Peyton Manning's.

Especially when you have this environment involved, one where Manning is still -- inconceivably -- trying to prove himself to a certain extent.

Graziano: If they're at midfield, I agree. But by going for it there, you bring in the very real possibility that all Manning has to do to win the game is go the college-overtime distance. At home. Why allow that possibility to even enter the picture? All these coaches preach field position all the time like it's gospel. The location of the ball on the field at that time should have been the deciding factor, Brady vs. Manning notwithstanding. All due respect, it DOESN'T come down to whose hands you want the game to be in. It comes down to how far away from your own goal line you want the ball to be.

Brinson: But is 70 yards out really twice as hard as 35 yards out? It's twice as far, but I would argue that at home, with 2:14 to go, 70 yards is a comical distance for Peyton to travel against a beat up, young and less-than-stellar defense.

If you're Bill Belichick and you want to GUARANTEE a win -- and if you're the coach of that team, isn't that you job? -- the only way to do so is to get the first down there.

NFL FanHouse Roundtable: Examining Belichick's Decision originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bozo the Coach, Andy Reid and the Belichick Precedent

Dave Goldberg — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Colts, Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, AFC East, AFC South, NFC East, NFC North, NFL Coaching, NFL Analysis

What Bill Belichick did Sunday night has happened before. It justifiably earned Barry Switzer the nickname "Bozo The Coach'' for failing TWICE on fourth down in the late stages of a tie game. And the Eagles' Andy Reid did the opposite of the New England coach on Sunday, eschewing fourth-and-short twice to kick field goals in what turned out to be an eight-point loss.

Switzer's mistake didn't prevent Dallas from winning its third Super Bowl in four seasons in the early '90s, but it left Switzer at the top of the oft-debated list of worst coaches to win a title.

On Nov. 15, 1995, the Cowboys were playing in Philadelphia and faced a fourth down and 1 on their own 29 with the game tied 17-17 and just over two minutes left. Switzer decided to go for it and sent Emmitt Smith left over the massive Nate Newton.

Jay Mariotti: Spygate to Stupidgate: Belichick Blunders

He was stopped but it didn't count. The officials blew the whistle for the two-minute warning. No problem. The Cowboys tried again. Same play. Stuffed again. Three plays later, Gary Anderson kicked a 42-yard field goal that gave the Eagles a 20-17 win.

Headline in the New York Post the next day: "Bozo The Coach.''

The result brought the Eagles to within a game of the Cowboys in the NFC East with two games to play. But Dallas won its next two games, won the division, won both its playoff games and beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl -- the one in which Larry Brown ended up as the MVP on a team that featured Smith, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders.

But it was the end of an era. The Cowboys beat the Vikings in a wild-card game the next season, then lost next week to second-year expansion team Carolina. That win over Minnesota was the last postseason victory they've had.

Reid?

In Sunday's 31-23 loss in San Diego, the Philadelphia coach decided to kick a field goal trailing 14-0 in the second quarter with the ball perhaps six inches away from the Chargers' goal. In the third quarter, trailing 21-6, he had fourth and one at the San Diego 7 and had David Akers kick again. The Eagles lost, 31-23.

"There was too much time," Reid said of his decision on the first, the most obvious. "I thought it was important to come out of there with points."

That was four points. The second fourth-and-one kick was four points.

The Eagles lost by eight.

Bozo the Coach, Andy Reid and the Belichick Precedent originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday Night Football Live Chat: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

Adam Gretz — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Patriots, NFL Live Blogging

It's been called the rivalry of the decade, and on Sunday night the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts faceoff once again in a huge AFC matchup. As always, please join us for our Sunday Night Football Live Chat as we discuss all of the action involving two great teams, two legendary quarterbacks and everything else that happened around the NFL this week.

Festivies will be starting at 8:15 PM ET.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=7714522238" &amp;amp;amp;gt;Sunday Night Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Sunday Night Football Live Chat: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Week 10 Preview Recap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Colts, Cowboys, Packers, Patriots, Steelers, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

For weeks, people have asked if the Cincinnati Bengals are for real. The team keeps responding by finding ways to win games, but the questions keep coming in. This week, they get a chance to sweep the defending Super Bowl champions. Green Bay was picked by many to be a playoff team this season, but they've limped their way to 4-4, got worked by a former teammate, and now face a virtual must-win against red-hot Dallas. Meanwhile, the Colts and Patriots are stealing the spotlight for another high-profile meeting.

We'll chat about all of this at 12 P.M. Eastern, and we invite you to join us after the jump!

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=859ac6836f" &amp;amp;gt;NFL FanHouse Week 10 Chat&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

NFL FanHouse Week 10 Preview Recap originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Week 10 NFL Picks: Midseason Super Bowl in Indy

Dave Goldberg — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Patriots, NFL Predictions

It's now officially an annual fixture like the Super Bowl: a Patriots-Colts game locked into November. Whichever network has it can reap the sweeps month ratings that come from the matchup of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

This year, it's NBC -- the Sunday night contest. As usual, the teams come in as the top two in the AFC -- or close to it. The Colts are unbeaten, the Patriots are 6-2, have won three straight, five of six and are looking and playing better as Brady regains his form after last season's knee surgery.

This is the 10th game between these teams since 2003, including three in the playoffs. The Pats lead this Brady-Manning series 6-4, but the Colts have won four of the last five, including the AFC championship game for the 2006 season and last season, 18-15.

The line is what you'd expect: Colts favored by 3 for home field.

The game may not be what the odds guys expect. This hasn't always been a series for the home team -- the Pats won 24-20 in Indy in 2007 en route to the perfect regular season that ended imperfectly in the Super Bowl. This year, it's the Colts who are unbeaten, although they're hardly dominant -- if Houston could close games, it might have beaten the Colts last week.

Based on that and based on the sense that the Colts are due to lose:

Patriots at Colts (Sunday night)

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
New England Patriots		24
Indianapolis Colts	- 3	20

The Thursday night games start now for the increasing number of fans that can get the NFL Network. But these are not exactly the hottest teams in the league: the 49ers have lost four straight; the Bears have lost three of four, with the only win over Cleveland -- which probably shouldn't count.

Bears at 49ers (Thursday)

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Chicago Bears		19
San Francisco 49ers	- 3	27

That line is perception as much as anything.

Even though the Bengals won 23-20 at Paul Brown Stadium in the first meeting, we're talking here about the Super Bowl champions and a "public' team'' against a team perceived as perennial losers. OK, not just perceived.

Yes, the Steelers should win at home, but ...

Bengals at Steelers

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Cincinnati Bengals		16
Pittsburgh Steelers	- 7	19

The Chargers, now only a game behind the Broncos in the AFC West, might petition for a transfer to the NFC East if they win this after beating the Giants.

Eagles at Chargers

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Philadelphia Eagles	+ 2	17
San Diego Chargers		23

Shudder to think of DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff against a Green Bay OL that's allowed 37 sacks.

Cowboys at Packers

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Dallas Cowboys	- 3	30
Green Bay Packers		20

;

Brady Quinn is back. Good night for a comeback by the Ravens D.

Ravens at Browns (Monday)

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Baltimore Ravens	- 10 1/2	30
Cleveland Browns		6

Broncos at Redskins

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Denver Broncos	- 3 1/2	16
Washington Redskins		15

Jaguars at Jets

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Jacksonville Jaguars		20
New York Jets	- 7	24

Lions at Vikings

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Detroit Lions		20
Minnesota Vikings	- 16 1/2	42

Saints at Rams

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
New Orleans Saints	- 13 1/2	39
St. Louis Rams		17

Bills at Titans

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Buffalo Bills		16
Tennessee Titans	- 6 1/2	21

Falcons at Panthers

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Atlanta Falcons	- 2	26
Carolina Panthers		27

Bucs at Dolphins

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Tampa Bay Buccaneers		10
Miami Dolphins	- 10	28

Seahawks at Cardinals

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Seattle Seahawks		20
Arizona Cardinals	- 8 1/2	28

Chiefs at Raiders

Team	Pointspread	Projected Score
Kansas City Chiefs		7
Oakland Raiders	- 1 1/2	9

LAST WEEK: 9-4 (spread), 9-4 (straight up)

SEASON: 72-56-2 (spread), 87-43 (straight up)

Week 10 NFL Picks: Midseason Super Bowl in Indy originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: Know Your Surroundings

Matt Snyder — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, Saints, Texans, NFL Referees

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

This past week of NFL play was relatively quiet in terms of complaints about the officiating. Note I said "relatively," because there are always a bevy of complaints -- many warranted and many ridiculously unwarranted. We know that. Regardless, we're still here to sift through some of the more intriguing rules-type interpretations, so let's dive in.

- A loyal reader (Dave B.) submitted this question on a play that caused a bit of a scrap on the Falcons' sideline:

"I was hoping you might take a look at the late hit by LaRon Landry in the 'Skins-Falcons game. I've tried to look at it, and it seems that Matt Ryan hadn't stepped out of bounds yet (his body was over the line, but neither of his feet had touched) when Landry made contact with him. If that were true, isn't Ryan still technically in bounds? The hit did seem pretty unnecessary, but wasn't against the rules if Ryan's foot hadn't touched yet."

Watch the play in this highlight package, it starts at the 1:09 mark.

This is one of the tougher judgment calls officials have to make, especially in full-speed and in a split-second. Here is the portion of the rule (12-2-8, p. 82) which applies here.

"(Unnecessary roughness includes ... ) contacting a runner out of bounds. Defensive players must make an effort to avoid contact. Players on defense are responsible for knowing when a runner has crossed the boundary line, except in doubtful cases where he might step on a boundary line and continue parallel with it."

This is a part of the rules constantly taught to lower-level officials in clinics by the NFL guys. At every level, it is the responsibility of the defender to avoid contact on a player entering the end zone is clearly going out of bounds. In the case of Ryan, there was no danger of him cutting back into the field of play. When someone is slowing down and clearly looking straight out of bounds and heading that way, the defenders need to avoid contact. He's not cutting back and staying in bounds, so just let him run out. It harms no one.

This call becomes extremely tough when a player isn't necessarily showing signs of wanting to go out and may still make a cut up-field. It's all discretionary, but the rules of football are very clear in that the burden is on the defensive player to know his surroundings.

In this specific case, I don't even think there's a question that Ryan was clearly headed straight out of bounds -- and was already there -- by the time Landry hit him.

- In the Colts-Texans game, Ryan Moats is tackled just shy of the end zone and the ball comes loose. Upon further review the officials rule that it was a fumble and the ball was never out of bounds. You can watch the play by clicking here and watching at the 35-second mark and beyond. There are several elements here that must be reviewed.

First of all, was it a fumble? It does appear the ball is coming loose before a knee hits the ground. Was it conclusive? I think so, but others may have a different opinion.

Secondly, was any player out of bounds when touching the ball -- even if he doesn't have possession? If so, the ball is dead. You might think the ball was definitely touching Moats when he was out of bounds, but was he legally out of bounds? I point you to the definition of being out of bounds (rule 3-21, p. 11), where it says that someone -- or the ball -- is out of bounds when touching "anything other than a player, an official or a pylon on or outside the boundary line." That means that, since Moats was laying on top of Antoine Bethea, he was not out of bounds when he crossed the sideline.

From the Texans' point of view, they don't seem to be questioning the part about Moats being out (though that's the main complaint of fans). They have offered up that they believe Bethea -- who was definitely on the ground and out of bounds -- touched the ball. There are some still photos and an argument that Bethea touched the ball when he was out of bounds contained in this linked article. We've included a poll to let us know what you think, and feel free to drop comments. This was a very close one.

- As I've said before, you can't exactly trust announcers to know the rules. We can add former-Super-Bowl-champion-coaches-turned-announcers to that list. During the fourth quarter, the Saints punted the ball near their own end zone. A member of the Saints' coverage team accidentally ran into the end zone, but got himself back out before touching the ball. It was downed on the one. "He can't be the first one to touch that!" Brian Billick screamed. Um, Brian, yes he can. It's not the sideline. Here is the only stipulation involving coverage team contact with the goal line on a punt (rule 9-2-2, p. 63):

Item 2: If a player of the kicking team touches the goal line with any part of his body while touching the ball, the ball is dead, and the result of the play is a touchback.

He doesn't even have to get both feet established, as play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman tried to tell Billick. Just don't be touching the goal line with anything.

- Reader James G. submitted this question. In the Raiders-Chargers Week 8 game, there was a questionable play followed by a false start. After the five-yard penalty was marked off, there ended up being a challenge. The simple answer to the question, "how can you challenge the previous play after a false start" is precisely that a false start doesn't constitute an actual play. It's not a play. So there still hasn't been a play run since the questionable (and still reviewable) play. Of course, James didn't make it easy on me. He asked a legitimate question as a follow up. What if the play is reversed and the spot is changed? Would the false start still be assessed? I searched through the entire enforcement and instant replay sections of the rulebook and found absolutely nothing resembling direction on this question. I have no idea. I would guess that the penalty is not assessed and is simply ignored because they altered the previous result, but that's just an educated guess. Well, as educated as you consider me, at least.

- Vikings fans/Steelers haters, there was a tripping call on Arizona in the Bears-Cardinals game for the exact same action as was called on Minnesota in Pittsburgh a few weeks back. Seriously, it was like the lineman was trying to emulate Jeff Dugan by whipping both legs back up at the leaping defender. What happened there? Was this game fixed, too? Are the Bears "stealers," too?

- Finally, in that same game, Tommie Harris was ejected for punching a Cardinals lineman in the first quarter. This was an absolute no-brainer. Good decision by Ed Hochuli.

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: Know Your Surroundings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts Turn Up Tempo to Stay Unbeaten

Dan Graziano — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:38:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Texans, AFC South, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

INDIANAPOLIS -- You expect the Colts to throw, and throw a lot, but even for Peyton Manning and his band of merry, pass-happy men this was a little bit nuts. Indy ran nine plays -- eight of them passes -- in the first two minutes of the game, averaging one every 14 seconds, completely disregarding the play clock and leaving their star offensive players more than a little bit tuckered out.

"I wouldn't call it fun," said tight end Dallas Clark, who caught 11 passes in the first half and 14 -- for 119 yards -- in the game. "When you run 60 plays in the first half, you're going to feel that on Wednesday and Thursday. But the win makes it feel a lot better."

More: Check Box Score | Young, Titans Win Again | Seattle Rallies

The win, a hold-your-breath 20-17 squeaker that wasn't assured until Houston's last-second field goal hooked wide left, improved the Colts to 8-0 and kept alive their hopes to repeat the Patriots' 16-0 regular season of two years ago. The Patriots are the next obstacle in Indy's path, heading here to Lucas Oil Stadium next Sunday night for a showdown of AFC powers. But for the Colts this day was all about holding off the very game division-rival Texans, and the insane early pace was a key aspect of that plan.

"That was by design, and it was almost like our two-minute operation in terms of the tempo of the game," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. "Sometimes, if you go fast enough, quickly enough, you can slow down some pass rushers. And they've got some pretty good ones."

The Colts were very concerned about the Houston defense. Manning pointed out after the game that Houston came in leading the league in "three-and-outs" -- series in which the offense fails to get a first down and has to punt the ball after only three plays. To combat this, the Colts made the decision Sunday morning to come out in a souped-up, no-huddle from the opening kick.

"We knew they were going to go no-huddle, but man, they were high-intensity," Texans safety Bernard Pollard said. "And I'm not going to lie -- they caught us off-guard."

Houston countered with a nickel defense, which makes sense in the abstract if you're convinced the other team is going to throw on every play. Problem was, with the nickel back covering slot receiver Austin Collie and the safeties staying back to defend against the deep ball, Dallas Clark spent the whole game matched up against a linebacker. And that's a mismatch.

"When we get an opportunity to get him on a linebacker, most of the time Dallas is going to fare pretty well," Caldwell said.

And they milked it. Manning targeted Clark eight times in the first quarter, and Clark caught all eight. He targeted him five more times in the second quarter, and Clark caught three of those. At halftime, Clark had 11 catches, putting him more than halfway toward Terrell Owens' NFL record of 20 catches in a single game.

But the funny thing was, in spite of possessing the ball for 16:52 of the first half, and in spite of moving the ball down the field with relative ease until they got near the goal line, the Colts' halftime lead was a mere 13-3. And after the Texans dominated the time of possession in the third quarter, they were able to open the fourth with a Steve Slaton touchdown run that put Houston on top 17-13.

"We didn't finish drives like we're capable of doing," Caldwell said. "That's a concern."

Oh they came back, of course, as Manning always seems to. He marched them right back down the field, mixing in a couple of run plays this time and scoring on a Joseph Addai touchdown run with 7:16 left in the game. The frenetic pace of a first half that saw Manning throw the ball 40 times was gone, replaced by a more humble and plodding game plan. And the win wasn't sealed until the injury-riddled defense managed to hold on at the end and Kris Brown's 42-yard field goal attempt as time expired missed to the left. But they did win, and they're still undefeated. And while they'll admit they have plenty to work on, the Colts would tell you they won at least in part because of how much they respect the Texans.

"We were just able to hang on and find enough gas in the tank to finish it," Clark said. "A couple of plays here or there, and they're the ones celebrating in the locker room."

So now it's on to next week, when Tom Brady and the Patriots will try to take advantage of the injury-depleted Indianapolis secondary in ways in which Matt Schaub and the Texans could not. What Caldwell and Manning come up with for the Patriots remain to be seen. Do they dare ramp up the tempo the way they did this week, enticing Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker into a potentially classic (and potentially dangerous) shootout? Or do they dial it back a little bit in an effort to keep the Patriot offense off the field?

These are questions for later in the week. As they dressed and headed out after their hard-fought win against the Texans on Sunday, the Colts were a happy but very tired bunch, and they weren't thinking about next Sunday night yet.

"Coach told us we get about 12 hours to enjoy this one," Colts receiver Reggie Wayne said. "And I'm going to take my full 12."

Colts Turn Up Tempo to Stay Unbeaten originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Sanders Reportedly Out for Season

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, AFC South, NFL Injuries

There's never a good time to have half of your defensive backfield hurt, but having it happen immediately before facing the Houston Texans' powerful passing attack is close to the worst possible situation during the regular season. But that is exactly what's happening in Indianapolis.

News broke Thursday that Marlin Jackson would be out for the season with a torn ACL -- for the second consecutive year. Friday, the Colts learned that Bob Sanders needs surgery to repair his injured elbow -- which will end his season, according to Adam Shefter of ESPN -- and that starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden has been definitively ruled out for Sunday's game as well.

This means that the Colts are left with Antoine Bethea, Melvin Bullitt, Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers to deal with the mighty Texans pass offense this Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium. Though the Texans will be without star tight end Owen Daniels, they have plenty of weapons in Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones, Steve Slaton and Ryan Moats.

Hayden will reportedly miss up to four weeks with a knee injury.

Sanders, the oft-injured former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is apparently having surgery to clean up some lingering issues in his elbow. For now, the Colts are saying he's out for an undetermined amount of time. Some reports say he'll miss at least a month while Shefter broke the news that he'll miss the rest of 2009. The Colts are certainly used to playing without him, as he's only suited up twice this year after missing 10 games last year. It's a real shame Sanders can't keep himself healthy, because he is a punishing player. Apparently he punishes his own body more than opponents.

Bob Sanders Reportedly Out for Season originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Preview Chat Recap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Colts, Ravens, Saints, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

Most teams will play their eighth game this week, meaning that we're hitting the halfway mark. Already, there's talk of 16-0 teams and teams that have played themselves out of serious contention.

We previewed this weekend's big games, got your predictions, and found out who you think has the better shot of running the table among the remaining unbeatens. Read all about it after the jump.

&lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=b2b20c2f1f" &gt;NFL FanHouse Week 9 Chat&lt;/a&gt;

NFL FanHouse Preview Chat Recap originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts' Marlin Jackson Out for Season

Matt Snyder — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, AFC South, NFL Injuries

In what will surely be a big blow to the Colts' very solid pass defense, Indianapolis starting cornerback Marlin Jackson confirmed Thursday that he has torn his ACL and will miss the rest of the season. The unfortunate injury reportedly occurred on the last play of Wednesday's practice -- it's the second straight year that Jackson's suffered a season-ending ACL injury.

The timing is especially bad for the Colts, as they gear up to face the league's third-ranked passing attack this weekend, in the Houston Texans. This also further jumbles the situation as to who will guard superstar wideout Andre Johnson, considering Kelvin Hayden is also banged up for the Colts.

The timing for Jackson is actually worse than it is for his team. He's scheduled to be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2009-2010 season and he likely won't be healthy enough to prove himself until most teams will have filled their most pressing depth chart needs.

The Colts (7-0) face a big test this weekend against the upstart Texans (5-3). Johnson leads the NFL with 697 receiving yards. He also led the NFL with 1,575 receiving yards last season. The Texans average 282 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air per game.

The Colts do have a solid pass defense, ranking seventh in the NFL, but they haven't faced a high-powered attack like Houston provides and this injury further presents a challenge.

Jackson was a first round draft pick out of Michigan for the Colts back in 2005. He has been a starter, when healthy, for the past three seasons. One notable play for Jackson was he made the interception which iced the game in the Colts victory over New England for the 2006 AFC Championship. He has battled injuries the past two seasons, but the Colts are better with him on the field.

Colts' Marlin Jackson Out for Season originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts Face Big Test ... Against Houston?

Matt Snyder — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, AFC South

Much has been made about the Indianapolis Colts and their 7-0 start. As I pointed out in the power rankings, they are actually 82-21 in the regular season since the beginning of 2003. They are an absolute juggernaut. Thus far this season, we've heard lots of talk about how Peyton Manning looks better than ever and the Colts are firing on all cylinders. This week, we're bound to hear a lot about how the Colts are the biggest test yet for a Houston Texans team looking to visit the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The funny thing is, in a movement worthy of Bizarro-World status, the Texans are actually the first big test for the Colts.

Say what?

The Texans have only beaten the Colts one time in franchise history, and that was in Houston.

It's true that this game is a much bigger test for the fledgling Texans, who appear ready to make the playoffs for the first time ever. But let's not act like the Texans are the only team being tested here. The San Francisco 49ers recently gave each respective team here quite the scare at home. The Texans escaped by three; the Colts by four.

The Texans have also won four of their last five games and are presently a better football team than anyone the Colts have dealt with thus far in the 2009 regular season. The only team the Colts have defeated who currently sports a winning record is the Arizona Cardinals. The Texans did lose to that same Arizona team, but the Texans have steadily improved since that game and the Cardinals have been so inconsistent it's hard to figure which Cardinals team will show up on any given Sunday. It would be hard to find a legitimate argument that the Week 9 Houston Texans are a worse team than the Week 3 Cardinals' squad the Colts manhandled.

Houston also sports the type of high-powered offense the Colts haven't had to defend yet. The Cards are the highest-ranked passing offense the Colts have faced, and they check in at eighth, while the Texans are third. Houston Quarterback Matt Schaub is having a stellar season. He's completing 2/3 of his passes while leading the NFL with 2,342 passing yards and is tied for the lead with 16 touchdown passes. Yes, his stats are a bit padded by not having had a bye yet, but he's playing well enough for a 100.5 passer rating.

The biggest plus for Schaub this week is the Colts haven't seen him since September 23, 2007 -- just his third start as a Texan. He's a bit more comfortable at the helm now and has developed a rapport with Andre Johnson rivaled by few QB-WR combos in the NFL (and, yes, including Manning and Reggie Wayne).

The offense is finally getting some complementary defensive play, though. The defense for Houston has long been the source of embarrassment for the Lone Star State, but this season they are actually in the top half in total defense (barely, checking in at 16th). They have especially improved against the run since Week 3, no longer being manhandled at the line of scrimmage. The growth of rookie Brian Cushing has especially lent a hand in this marked improvement.

Of course, the Colts have improved drastically against the run since being shred by the Dolphins and Bob Sanders is now back in the fray. They would probably also like to point out the Texans have only defeated one team with a winning record (the Bengals). Oh, and did we mention Schaub?

The Colts have Manning. And Manning owns the Texans. He is 13-1 in his career against them with 33 touchdowns and just five interceptions -- good for a 116.5 rating. There is no team in the NFL Manning has defeated more times, and he's won 124 games.

So, obviously the test for the Texans is a big one. Probably a much bigger test than the one the Colts are being provided.

Just don't trick yourself into thinking only one team is being tested in Indy this coming Sunday, because it's a two-way test.

When you are talking Texans-Colts, that's certainly something new -- and quite refreshing. A little competition never hurt anyone.

Colts Face Big Test ... Against Houston? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts' Donald Brown, Bob Sanders (Surprise!) Hurt in St. Louis

Chris Burke — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, NFL Injuries

Still missing wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez because of a knee injury, the Colts' offense suffered another setback Sunday at St. Louis when running back Donald Brown exited Indianapolis' game with a first-half injury. Receiver Reggie Wayne also left, limping off with a groin injury, but returned after halftime.

On the other side of the ball, defensive back Bob Sanders, who continues to make his case for "Most Fragile Player in the NFL", walked to the locker room with a trainer early in the fourth quarter.

Even with all the injury issues, Indianapolis smoked St. Louis, 42-6, to move to 6-0 on the year.

More: Check Box Score | Texans Hold Off Niners | Chargers Improve to .500

Brown had two carries for 58 yards, but left after his second run -- a 13-yarder -- with a strained left shoulder after taking a hard hit on his arm. He immediately went to the sideline and appeared to be in a substantial amount of pain.

Both Brown and Wayne were initially listed as questionable to return, but Wayne rejoined the Colts' offense after halftime. Brown stayed in the locker room for extra treatment. Joseph Addai led the Colts with 62 carries on the season, heading into Sunday, but Brown had 44. The only other running back to rush the ball was Chad Simpson, who had just three attempts.

Sanders, meanwhile, was making his 2009 debut after a knee injury sidelined him for Indianapolis' first six games. Sanders only played six games in 2008, four games in 2006, and has been simply unable to stay on the field.

Colts' Donald Brown, Bob Sanders (Surprise!) Hurt in St. Louis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Sanders to Make 2009 Debut

Matt Snyder — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, AFC South, NFL Injuries

It's been a long wait for Bob Sanders. The 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year hasn't suited up since last Dec. 18 against the Jaguars, but he'll be back for the Colts this Sunday in St. Louis. In fact, as of right now, he's able enough to start the game. He's close to finally being recovered from offseason surgery on his right knee.

Sanders, when on the field, is one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Back in 2006, the year the Colts won the Super Bowl, they had severe problems stopping the run late in the season. When Sanders returned for the playoffs, they were -- all of a sudden -- able to stuff the run. That's the element he brings to the defense.

Of course, the violent nature of his play has taken its toll on his body. The bone-crushing 28-year-old is just 5-foot-8 and 206 pounds. He plays like a much bigger man, but his body just can't keep up. Out of a possible 85 career games, Sanders has played just 45 -- due to various injuries through the years.

This year, the Colts' defense has actually been pretty solid without him. They have the top passing defense in the NFL. Sanders' forte has always been run support and the Colts currently rank 14th against the run in the league -- and that's including the 239 ground yards for which the run-happy Dolphins shredded them.

Put simply: if Sanders can stay healthy -- granted, that's one gigantic "if" -- the Colts' defense is going to be among the NFL's best. Team that with their scary-good offense, and this is clearly bad news for every other team in the NFL.

Bob Sanders to Make 2009 Debut originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Fisher Stars in Titanic: Video of Manning Jersey Photoshop Mischief

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, NFL Fans, NFL Video

Some Titans fans weren't amused when coach Jeff Fisher wore a Peyton Manning jersey at a Nashville fundraiser, and he joked "I just wanted to feel like a winner today." Fisher seemed surprised anybody would be angry about this, even after his 0-6 team just got humilated by the Patriots 59-0.

He gave the "apology to those I've offended" non-apology, saying he wore the jersey in honor of former Colts coach Tony Dungy who he was introducing, it was all in fun, and even with what he knows now, he would do it again. Really?

How about if he knew some Bud Adams-hating Houston Texan fans got pictures of him in the jersey and decided to do their own Photoshop fun? The video of the result is after the jump. I have to give a Celine Dion warning, and tell you that the video starts off a little slow but then gets very wrong, which means it gets very funny.

Jeff Fisher Stars in Titanic: Video of Manning Jersey Photoshop Mischief originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Fisher Dons Peyton Manning Jersey At Nashville Fundraiser

Clay Travis — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Titans, NFL Coaching, NFL Video

Jeff Fisher's Tennessee Titans are 0-6. This week the Titans are on a bye, and Fisher appeared at a Rocket Town fundraising event alongside former Colts head coach Tony Dungy. In so doing Fisher chose to make light of the Titans failure. How? By taking off his trench coat to reveal that he was wearing a Peyton Manning jersey underneath.

Seriously.

As if that weren't enough, he then said, "I just wanted to feel like a winner today."

Manning, oh by the way, recently swept into Nashville and stomped Fisher's winless Titans 31-9. I'm sure they're laughing in Indianapolis, but is this really the way to endear yourself to the local community? Even if it's at a fundraising appearance? Especially when people are already starting to question whether you deserve another season as head coach?

I think not.

Especially after your team just got beat 59-0, the worst defeat in the NFL in over thirty years.

And I don't think the people of Nashville are overreacting. Would this go over well in any city in America if the team was 0-6? Can you imagine if Jim Zorn showed up at a Washington fundraiser in an Eli Manning jersey?

Would it even go over very well if the Titans were 5-1 and had only lost to Peyton Manning?

Nope.

A joke like this is perhaps the best evidence yet that Jeff Fisher has lost touch with the average fan's frustrations over the collapse of his team. Either that or he truly feels that he's so bulletproof thanks to his relationship with owner Bud Adams that he can get away with anything.

Regardless, fan outrage is building rapidly. And this, wearing the jersey of a rival even if it is for a fundraiser, may have just been the tipping point for the Jeff Fisher era in Nashville. Look out below, Jeff, at least you've got that Manning jersey to cushion your fall.

Jeff Fisher Dons Peyton Manning Jersey At Nashville Fundraiser originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colts Need More Super Bowl Titles to Immortalize Great Manning Era

Matt Snyder — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, AFC South

The Montana-Young 49ers, the '70s Steelers, the '70s Dolphins, the '90s Cowboys, the Belichick-and-Brady Patriots: what do they all have in common? They are all-time great NFL teams that racked up many wins in a handful of seasons. You know what else they have in common? None of them have ever put together as impressive a regular season resume as the current Peyton Manning-era Colts.

That's right, after beginning this season 5-0, the Manning-era Colts are now 80-21 since the beginning of 2003. The '70s Steelers went 87-27-1 from 1972-1979. From 1981-1998, the 49ers were always pretty stout, but they never put together a six-plus season run where they played close to .800 ball like the current Colts (they came closest from 1987-1992 when they went 75-20). The '90s Cowboys went 70-20 in their best stretch. From 2001-2007, the Patriots went 86-26. Shula's '70s Dolphins, at 67-16-1, check in as the best competition.

So, these Colts should go down as one of the best teams of all-time, right? Uh, no. Not yet, at least.

You know what else those teams have in common (that the Colts don't have)? Of course you do. It's the same thing the Gibbs-led Redskins, Parcells-led Giants, Big Ben-Polamalu era Steelers, Elway-TD Broncos, Plunkett Raiders and Lombardi's Packers have: More than one Super Bowl ring.

Should the Manning-era Colts not win another Super Bowl here in the next few years, they will be just another team who won a Super Bowl, instead of being considered among the immortal groups in the NFL. They can join the Bears of the 1980's (who went 52-11 for a four-year stretch, but won only one Super Bowl and have been relegated to being a one-year wonder instead of an immortal team), and the Brett Favre-era Packers (who went 160-91 under Favre, including seven seasons with 11 or more wins and visited the playoffs 11 times -- yet won just a single Super Bowl). Sure, it's better to have won the big one instead of failing to win it at all (sorry, Minnesota Vikings teams of the '70s and late '90s and the Jim Kelly-Thurman Thomas Bills teams). Winning the big one is what defines greatness, but winning more than one is how you achieve immortality.

We see potentially great all-time teams fall short of multiple championships and not end up getting the relative recognition they seemingly deserve in other sports, too. Look at the Atlanta Braves in baseball -- they won 13 straight division championships, which is just absurd. They were only able to win the World Series one time, though, and have been greatly overshadowed by the New York Yankees and even the Boston Red Sox in recent memory. What about the Detroit Pistons earlier this decade in the NBA? They went to the conference finals six consecutive years, losing less than 30 games in the final five years of that stretch. They only won one ring.

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Indianpolis Colts Photos

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts is pictured during the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Peyton Manning

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Indianapolis Colts Photos

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans is pictured during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vince Young

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans throws the ball during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vince Young

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans runs with the ball during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vince Young

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: A Tennessee Titans fan shows her support during the 31-9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Dwight Freeney #93 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates a sack during the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts won 31-9. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Freeney

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning throws against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Manning passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns as the Colts improved to 5-0 with a 31-9 win. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Tennessee Titans fans wear bags on their heads during the 31-9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Tim Jennings #23 of the Indianapolis Colts tackles Mark Jones #84 of the Tennessee Titans during the NFL game at LP Field on October 11, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts won 31-9. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Jennings;Mark Jones

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Instead of being thought of as transcendent teams, the Bears, Packers, Braves and Pistons teams mentioned above are actually thought of as relative failures. Not because they didn't win, but because they only won the big prize once. Whether or not that's fair, that's how it is in the annals of sports history. Look at the talent those teams had and the number of chances they had to add to their ring total. Not being able to do so sticks in the craw of fans. The current Colts are staring down the barrel of joining this group.

And, really, that would be a shame. These Colts are so good during the regular season, we take them for granted. Look around at the remaining unbeaten teams this season. You have the Vikings undefeated after netting Brett Favre. You have the upstart, Josh McDaniels-led, Broncos. You have the Saints, who are garnering press for actually having a good defense now opposite the stellar Drew Brees. The Giants are just killing teams and have been really impressive. And then, you have the Colts. Ho hum, just another 5-0 start -- their fifth in the past six seasons. They have now won 14 straight regular season games. When watching the Colts these past three games -- when they throttled the Cardinals, Seahawks and Titans -- how boring was it? It was just an "oh well, the Colts are blowing someone out again" feeling. You can make excuses about the competition all you want, but when anyone else outscores teams 97-36 in three games, you usually get to hear about how great they are. When it's the Colts, opposing fans scoff and find ways to downplay it -- all simply because it's nothing new.

That's how good they are (again, in the regular season).

It all starts with Manning, who is easily one of the top-10 quarterbacks of all-time. In fact, you could make an argument for the best ever (and his stats will show it before he retires). The only argument you can make against him? The one I'm talking about right now: "he's only won one Super Bowl!" Sure, Marvin Harrison is a Hall of Famer (and Reggie Wayne probably will be before it's all said and done). Dallas Clark has morphed into one of the premier tight ends in the league. Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai are Pro Bowlers. But Manning makes them look better by running the offense the way he does. He also makes guys like Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Brandon Stokley, Dominic Rhodes, Marcus Pollard, Anthony Gonzalez and herds of others appear studly at times. As amazing as it sounds, Manning is actually playing the best ball of his illustrious career at present. He's not going to have the gaudy stat-line of 2004, but he's more efficient and polished this time around.

Bill Polian probably deserves more credit, because he is the man who constructed this franchise, and he's pulled all the right strings. He drafted Manning. He's given Manning the weapons to survive and has constantly reloaded the offensive arsenal at the expense of spending more money on defense. He's gathered the book-end pass rushers (Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis) and other important pieces (Bob Sanders, Cato June, Antoine Bethea, Marlin Jackson, etc.) that help keep the defense respectable at worst and very solid at best. He's shuffled in the right offensive lineman (including Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday) to keep his quarterback upright and healthy. He hired Tony Dungy, who found a way to blend all the talent into a championship team. He helped install the current coaching staff, which is thriving due to the continuity after Dungy's departure.

We could go on and on about all the great things about the Indianapolis Colts for the past decade -- and everything will come back to one negative: post-season failures. The Super Bowl championship is overshadowed by the 3-8 postseason record in all the other playoff seasons under Manning/Polian (including six first-round losses).

By my estimation, the 33-year-old Manning has roughly five years left while fully in his prime. In order for the Manning-era Colts (or even Polian-era Colts, if you prefer) to be truly appreciated, they need to bring home the hardware one more time. If they are really serious about being a transcendent team, they'll do it at least twice -- just for good measure.

After all, that is what a truly immortal team would do.

Colts Need More Super Bowl Titles to Immortalize Great Manning Era originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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