SB Nation - Ed Johnson

Colts run defense ranked in top half of the league

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:15:02 -0000

26 days ago: Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett celebrates with the ball after intercepting a Joe Flacco pass intended for Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 in Baltimore. The Colts won 17-15. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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For the first time in what seems a thousand years, the Colts run defense is ranked #12 overall. That number may change, with the Sunday idle Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans playing this evening on Monday Night Football. Both teams are ranked 13th and 14th, respectively, in terms of yards per game. But the Texans are surrendering 4.7 yards per carry on the ground and are facing (arguably) the best back in football in Chris Johnson. So, yeah, I think Indy will likely stay at #12, but we'll see.

Stopping the run is not paramount in the modern NFL, despite what talking heads and even some players say. Stopping the pass is the key element for any dominant (or even semi-competent) defense. If teams can throw at will and score, there is no need to run. However, for the Colts, their new defensive coordinator Larry Coyer made it a point of emphasis to improving the run defense this off-season. And for that reason alone, it is gratifying to see this team really improve dramatically at stopping the run.

Last season, the Colts surrendered 122 rushing yards a game and a 4.2 per rush average. Teams scored 18 rushing TDs on Indy and would utilize game plans designed to run the ball, shorten the game, and limit Peyton Manning's offensive possessions. This year, teams are not using this game plan anymore because it isn't working. The Colts are surrednering 106 rushing yards a game with a 4.1 per rush average. Also, they have allowed only 7 rushing TDs in 11 weeks of play.

Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens was really a coming out party, so to speak, for the Colts run D. Going into the game, Baltimore's running game was one of the best in the NFL, average 115 yards, 4.3 yards a carry, and scoring an impressive 12 TDs. Against the Colts, the Ravens averaged 3.2 a carry, were held under 100 rushing yards, and did not score a single TD. Indeed, one of the biggest plays of the game was Indy's third down stuff on the goal line in the fourth quarter.

Impressive improvement, and all without the services of Bob Sanders and Ed Johnson. We have sung Larry Coyer's prasies here since Week One. It's about time some other media take notice of the outstanding job he is doing.

Bengals worked out Joey Galloway, Ed Johnson and Mike Doss Tuesday

Kirkendall — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:58 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

4 months ago: New England Patriots wide receiver Joey Galloway hauls in a pass during NFL football training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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While the signing of Larry Johnson, and to a smaller degree, the release of Ben Utecht, were Tuesday's primary headlines, the Bengals weren't through, just yet. On Tuesday, the Bengals worked out three other players; wide receiver Joey Galloway, safety Mike Doss and defensive lineman Ed Johnson. Johnson was released by the Indianapolis Colts in October because he lacked production. In Joey Galloway's case, he just never caught on with the Patriots. Mike Doss, who played for Cincinnati at the end of last year, was released with Chris Perry, Eric Henderson, Nate Lawrie and Gary Russell in April.

The Bengals invited Galloway, who could be used as a deep threat on a core of wide receivers that are more possession receivers. Unless, of course, you play Jerome Simpson, who has speed. It appears that Ed Johnson is more trouble than he's worth. Johnson was arrested in September of 2008 when Indiana police pulled Johnson over for speeding and found he was in possession of marijuana. Along with lacking production, there's no benefit signing Johnson at this point. Doss was awesome in college. Since then, injuries have really slowed him down and he's, at best, a special teams contributor.

In the end, I'll be surprised if the Bengals offer anyone that visited a contract.

Armaggedon 2009 (or, the War of 18 and 12) : Just how evenly matched are the Patriots and Colts

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:16:43 -0000

More photos » by AJ Mast - AP

about 1 month ago: Indianapolis Colts linebacker Clint Session runs the ball after intercepting a pass from Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. The Colts won 20-17. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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For all the hoopla the New Orleans Saints are getting (and rightly so) for their 8-0 start, the reality is that, statistically, the Patriots and the Colts are more impressive. And while it is no en vogue for people like Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris to proclaim "Statistics are for losers," the reality is stats tell us an awful lot about how good a team will likely be moving forward.

Small side note: Anyone else find it both pathetically and ironically funny that Morris, who is 1-7 as a head coach, would proclaim that "statistics are for losers." Speaking of losers, Morris will be lucky if he keeps his job at the end of this season.

The Saints sport the league's best offense, averaging nearly 38 points per game, which is, of course, INSANE! However, their defense is surrendering 21 points per game, ranking them 19th in the league. But while the Saints appear free-wheelin' and high-flyin', the Patriots and Colts seem much more balanced as football teams and, therefore, much more dangerous.

New England sports the #2 scoring defense in football, surrendering 14 points a game. Their offense scores 28 points per game (#3 in the league). Indy trots out the #1 scoring defense, giving up just 13 points per game, and an offense that scores 27 points per game (#6 in the league).

If we Colts fans know anything it's that great offense with mediocre-to-bad defense can only take you so far in this league. Eventually, you will run into a team that will stall your offense. When that happens, your defense must have the talent and the coaching to win the game for your team. For the Pats and Colts, they seem to have the kind of defensive talent to stop opposing teams, which is incredible considering the Pats are without Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, and Richard Seymour this year. Meanwhile, the Colts are without Bob Sanders, Marlin Jackson, Ed Johnson, and Tyjuan Hagler. Yet, they still shut people down.

Again, balance on offense and defense can make a football team dangerous, and this Sunday two very dangerous teams will face off in what hopefully will be a great game.

For more, check out Marima's FanShot.

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:30:25 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

about 1 month ago: Baltimore Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb, left, carries the ball for a touchdown as Denver Broncos safety David Bruton pursues during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Happy Tuesday, friends, if you can manage one. Welcome to another edition of Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations. Well, this was bound to happen, right? Since Sunday afternoon, I have been thinking about what the right tone is to take with this week's ST&NO. I still haven't decided, and it's Monday at 5 PM as I write this paragraph. I guess I am just going to go with it, and play it like it feels. We had an ugly loss, and to top it off, there were only 4 late games, and no Sunday night game, so I didn't see a lot of live football, at all. We'll make do, because that's all we can do. Out of the echo chamber, and into the fire y'all. Ready.... BEGIN!!!!

1. The two plays which set the tone for yesterday's game happened at the beginning of each half. On the Broncos' first play from scrimmage, Jarret Johnson came in untouched and unrecognized off the defense's left side, and creamed Kyle Orton for a big loss. As I watched the play happen, I couldn't help but think that the Broncos may not be well-prepared if they weren't expecting a lot of blitzing.

As the second half got underway, Lardarius Webb took the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a TD. That took a manageable 6-0 halftime deficit to 13-0, and essentially dictated that the Broncos start playing come-from-behind football. You see the picture of this play, and I used it because it sticks in my craw (whatever a craw is), and I want it stick in yours, too. I guarantee it bothers the coaches and players. You can't have that happen and expect to win.

The final score, 30-7, sounds like a blowout, but this game wasn't really that. This game swung on field position, and third-down performance, which was directly driven by down-and-distance situations. The Ravens made key plays on 3rd down, and the Broncos missed opportunities to make those plays.

There's an offensive concept called staying on schedule, and it means that from first and 10, you get to 2nd and 6, and then to 3rd and 2. All your down-and-distance situations are manageable if you stay on schedule. It's a really good thing to do every game, but it's absolutely imperative against a team like Baltimore, which can bring a bunch of overload pressure and force a QB to either throw way short of the first down or eat the ball.

Actually, the Broncos did a great job throughout the game with first-down defense, and getting Baltimore off schedule themselves. The Ravens, though, led by Joe Flacco, made enough plays to negate those early-down advantages.

The world didn't end, and all we can hope is that some lessons are learned from the experience by the players and coaches, and that those lessons are applied to future situations. Sometimes a loss is a growth opportunity, and I think that there is a solid reson to think that this loss was one of those.

2. Information From My Eyes. Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens:

a. I thought Mitch Berger was awul on Sunday, despite Josh McDaniels' charitable comments about his performance. Hang time is fine, but I want changes in field position. The Broncos lost the field position game the whole first half, in large part because of bad punting.

b. I disliked the offensive game plan and the play calling. The 3rd-and-5 sweep for Correll Buckhalter on the second series is an example. I thought there were too many screens against a team which clearly came to stop the screen. I wanted to see more use of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal agains the Baltimore CBs, and I am perplexed as to why we didn't get more of that.

c. I was really pleased with the way that Mario Haggan was consistently setting the edge in this game. He has a physical style of play which is perfect for the position he plays. It's pretty shocking that he was basically a special teamer only in Buffalo, because he's a top-notch 3-4 OLB.

d. I don't blame Knowshon Moreno very much for the fumble (this time). That play was doomed from the start, with Jarret Johnson forcing a high throw and tough catch, and Moreno turning right into a thumping from Ed Reed.

e. Andra Davis is playing at a Pro Bowl level this season, when he is on the field. He plays downhill all the time and has a great sense of timing with the snap count. The great thing about him is that he seems to be cool with coming off the field on 3rd downs, and letting Wesley Woodyard play the long-yardage situations, which Woodyard's much better suited for.

f. There was a lot of dancing by Brandon Marshall on his four catches. I'd like to see him get upfield quicker after the catch. I'd also like to see him use his physicality to get open on some downfield stuff.

g. I was tired by 10:30 Monday night, when I re-watched this game, so I didn't tally anything, but anecdotally, the screen game was a complete disaster on offense for the Broncos.

h. Kyle Orton had two easy interceptions dropped in this game. One was on a play where he got crushed and the ball came out weakly, and the other was a terrible decision, with Jarret Johnson sitting in an underneath zone, and Dawan Landry right behind him. Orton needs to play better than he did Sunday, like the rest of the offense.

i. With the score 16-7 early in the 4th quarter, the Broncos had Baltimore in a 3rd and 12 near midfield. On consecutive plays, Elvis Dumervil and Darrell Reid jumped offsides. On the resulting 3rd and 2, Flacco escaped pressure and made a downfield throw to Derrick Mason. This basically ended the game, because soon after, Mason scored to make the score 23-7.

j. Renaldo Hill looked out of position on the aforementioned Mason TD. Andre' Goodman had outside leverage on the play, with good coverage, really, but Hill never got over the top to help him. He may have seen something that kept him in the shallow middle; but it was a bust, clear as day, because Brian Dawkins played the coverage like he had a deep half on the other side. Credit Flacco for seeing the blown coverage and making a perfect throw.

k. From the Ravens' side, I liked their use of the no-huddle stuff, and their attempts to vary tempo. The Broncos substitute very liberally, and are one of the most package-intensive defenses in the NFL. By having to hesitate on substituting at times, they assumed a disadvantaged position against the Ravens. Really, I think that the lack of freshness of some players, who had larger than usual workloads, is a lot of what got them in the 4th quarter.

3. Information From My Eyes, Other Games:

a. As I mentioned, I didn't see a lot of other live games, since most ran at the same time as the Broncos game. To make up for that, I recorded some Short Cuts Sunday night, and hurried home from Day 1 of month-end close Monday to watch them. I started with the Jets and Dolphins, and my first (Nearsighted) Observation is that the Jets played a dominant game on defense, which surprised me a little. I thought they'd miss Kris Jenkins a lot more than they seemed to, especially with all the Wildcat stuff going on. The Jets held the Dolphins to 104 total yards, 52 each passing and rushing.

b. It's really something to score 30 points with 104 yards of offense. Jason Taylor got a fumble recovery for a TD and Ted Ginn returned two kickoffs. I have highlighted Ginn's lack of suddenness before - but let me tell you, when he gets going, he's as fast as anybody in the NFL. He outran players who had good angles on both TD returns. He may never be a top WR, but he's elite as a kickoff returner.

c. I think Thomas Jones is the most underrated player in the NFL. He started slow in the NFL, largely due to his being drafted by a horrible Arizona Cardinals team, but once he got it going in Tampa Bay, he's been a consistently productive player. He's on pace for 1,400 yards and 14 TDs this season, and is a big part of the Jets' success on offense.

d. The most overrated player has to be Jason Peters, just ahead of Alan Faneca and Flozell Adams. The bloom is mostly off the Faneca and Adams roses, at this point, but Peters still gets a lot of love from the MSM. I have just seen him get beat too many times the last two years, and the jury is in for me. He looks like he'd make a good Right Tackle, but on the left side, he gets beaten constantly by quick pass rushers. Osi Umenyiora owned him several times on Sunday.

e. DeSean Jackson is already a great player, and he's improving. He needs to be played physically, because if you let him run free through a defense, he's going to shred you. He's not really a true number-one receiver, who's going to defeat double coverage, but he's a dynamic outside guy.

f. The Eagles have a pretty fearsome passing game, when their line isn't getting Donovan McNabb sacked. Jeremy Maclin is having a solid rookie year, but I'm especially impressed with Brent Celek, who does a great job of catching the ball in traffic. He's now on pace for over 1,000 receiving yards this season. Celek isn't much of a blocker, really, but he even had a good hold that didn't get called on Sunday, helping spring Leonard Weaver's long TD run.

g. ST&NO favorite Alex Smith had a pretty nice game on Sunday against Indianapolis. He looks really comfortable in the shotgun, and led a great hurry-up TD drive at the end of the first half. For his part, Smith looked good for most of the game. The 49ers offense just repeatedly found ways to take bad penalties or give up sacks, (especially in the second half, after Joe Staley got hurt), which kept stopping the offense. Smith is showing a good rapport with Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, who looks like the real deal, already, two weeks into his career.

h. Peyton Manning was a little off on Sunday with his deep ball. That happens so infrequently that I thought it was worth highlighting.

i. I still can't figure out why the Colts cut Ed Johnson a couple weeks ago. They're very vulnerable to the inside running game without him. The Colts brass said the release was performance-related, but I don't buy that for a second. Johnson was definitely their best DT.

j. Very interesting news Monday evening that the Chargers had released Chris Chambers. He has been struggling to get the separation he used to get, but waiving him seems like a pretty extreme measure. You can't tell me that he couldn't beat nickel or dime CBs against most teams. I'd be very surprised if he isn't on a new team very quickly.

k. The Raiders had a legitimate shot to drive to a tying TD and 2-point conversion in the final minutes of Sunday's game against the Chargers. Then, something completely emblematic of the Raiders happened. Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey lined up on the offense's right side, and both ran vertical routes against man coverage. The inside receiver released outside of the DB covering him, and the outside receiver released inside. They bumped into each other, and both fell down. JaMarcus Russell had nowhere to throw the ball and got sacked, despite a 7-step drop and max protection on the play. The game was functionally over at that point.

l. Aaron Rodgers got beaten up mercilessly again on Sunday, particularly early in the game. I actually thought T.J. Lang was generally pretty solid at LT, but Jared Allen still got 3 sacks. He now has 7.5 sacks in 2 games against Green Bay this year, which is like giving him a handicap in the sack race with Elvis Dumervil.

m. I really thought that Arizona had gotten their act together, but they got hammered by Carolina on Sunday. They went into the game with the number-one run defense in the NFL, and then got run over by DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. I think it was an aberration, but that remains to be seen.

n. I've never liked Matt Ryan's arm much, and Monday night reinforced that feeling for me. Because the Falcons have a below-average line in pass protection, they max-protect a lot, leaving few receivers in the pattern. If the coverage is tight, as it was Monday, Ryan always seems to struggle to make throws to beat the coverage. He's really not too dissimilar to Kyle Orton in that way, though Orton throws the ball with more velocity. Ryan needs to have a lot of options, where he can pick a guy who is open. For that reason, Atlanta needs to focus on building their offensive line. Sam Baker, particularly, isn't good enough at LT, and would make a better LG. Baker got annihilated by Will Smith throughout Monday night's game.

o. My man Thomas DeCoud was at it again for the Falcons on Monday night. He had a sack that forced a TD in the first quarter. This guy is a big-time young player.

p. Jeff Triplette is the worst referee in the NFL, and it's not even close. He just couldn't figure out the clock on Monday night, and he has no command with the crowd. It always seems like he lets them rattle him. When you're a referee, a sheepish smile is a bad thing. You need to command the stadium, like Ed Hochuli and Mike Carey do. Gene Steratore is a good younger referee, too.

r. Marques Colston is having a fantastic year for the Saints. Prior to this year, I've always thought of him as a fairly-average starting WR who has benfitted from strong QB play, and a friendly system. I really see him winning a lot of one-on-one battles with his physicality now. He was targeted 6 times Monday night, and made 6 catches for 85 yards and a TD. He really battled for the ball on a few of those catches, including the TD.

4. Between The Lines, Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens

a. The Broncos had a very bad day in protection, and there's no way to sugarcoat that. The Ravens blitzed more often than what it seemed the Broncos were prepared for. Ryan Clady got beaten twice, which is twice more than usual, and got Orton hit. He was otherwise his normal self. The rag-doll was Ben Hamilton. I am getting tired of writing that every week, but if he's going to get his butt kicked, I'll keep writing it. Old friend Trevor Pryce destroyed Hamilton all game. Casey Wiegmann had his worst game of the year too, with Kelly Gregg beating him more often than not. I was pleased with Chris Kuper's play against Haloti Ngata, and I thought Tyler Polumbus did a very nice job filling in for Ryan Harris. The Broncos got Orton sacked twice (once by a DB) and pressured many more times than that. The passing game was a clear win for the Ravens defensive line.

b. The running aspect was actually better for the Broncos. They picked up a couple of 3rd and shorts, which was nice for a change, and generally held the line of scrimmage, and got a bit of surge against an excellent group for Baltimore. The only notable running play which was blown up was the 3rd-and-5 sweep. I liked the work of Clady and Kuper, and everybody was actually pretty solid in the running game. The Broncos only ran for 3.5 yards per carry - but against Baltimore, that's pretty solid. This was a draw, but one the Broncos would have been happy with if they'd protected better.

c. The Broncos did a good job pressuring Flacco throughout the game, and were beaten by some great throws and poise. These things happen. Jared Gaither held Elvis Dumervil repeatedly, but he didn't get penalized, so kudos to him, if he likes granola bars. Ben Grubbs and Michael Oher, the two best players on the Baltimore line, had good days, and the two weakest, Matt Birk and Chris Chester, didn't so much. A lot of the Broncos' pressure came from the Back 8, which is typical of them. The Ravens allowed a lot of pressure, but much like Ben Roethlisberger, Flacco showed a really good ability to evade the pressure, and make plays in spite of it.

d. The Broncos defense won big in the running game, until the last 10 minutes of the game, when it seemed like they wore down. The Broncos had 10 tackles for loss, which is the kind of performance that typically wins games. Unfortunately, Flacco's big plays negated a lot of this good work. When you consider it separately though, the Broncos won this battle for most of the game. Notable Broncos were Ronald Fields, Kenny Peterson, and Marcus Thomas. Ryan McBean got some penetration too, and Le Kevin Smith made a good play, also.

e. Overall, you have to give an edge to Baltimore, for how well they pressured Kyle Orton. It was the primary reason the Broncos never got untracked on offense. The Broncos did a more-than-respectable job in the other phases, though.

5. Word broke on Monday that the Browns had fired General Manager George Kokinis. I really can't imagine why they'd want to do that. Reportedly, Randy Lerner is displeased that Kokinis didn't take an active role in speaking to the media and communicating to the outside world. If that's really the problem, then I think it's clear that Lerner doesn't get professional football. During the season, the GM needs to be quiet and let the Head Coach be the voice of the team. This is the way it works everywhere, even a place like Baltimore, where GM Ozzie Newsome is the top football guy in the organization. That's where Kokinis came from.

Here in Cleveland, the Browns organization is really far too worried about public opinion. Remember how the Broncos organization ignored the DP message boards all offseason, and then the booing at the scrimmage? You have to do that, or you'll never get going in a coherent direction. I don't know if the Mangini plan is the right one, but it seems that Randy Lerner just canceled it before it even had half a season to work. Rumor has it that Lerner is trying to bring in Ernie Accorsi to join Bernie Kosar as a consultant. As respected as Accorsi is, this sounds like Lerner already blew the situation.

Phil Savage, who is still being paid for the next 3 1/2 years, had some interesting comments this past week. He said that the previous regime left this one with two quarterbacks, and that both of them look ruined at this point. The Browns will almost certainly be in the drafting-a-QB business again this coming spring, and that typically signals another full deep dive into rebuilding. While they're at it, they need a right side of the offensive line, two RBs, a WR, and a TE. Then they can turn their attention to the defense, which is currently solid enough to be part of a .500 team.

The team, led by Lerner, needs to definitively figure out what they want to be. They need to then formulate a plan to become that, and start executing the plan. Most importantly, though, they have to try to clearly articulate that plan to their stakeholders, and then prepare to stick to that plan, no matter what Joe in Berea, or Stanislaus in West Park have to say on the radio. You have to build your program, and winning will follow. As we all know, winning is the great deodorant.

More month-end closing activities are ahead for me this week. It seems like just last week I was closing September and complaining here about how busy I am. Now, it returns. The good news is that I will have a full Sunday of game-watching and channel-flipping next weekend, so expect a more-robust set of games which I'll be commenting on. Have a great week, friends, and remember to visit MileHighReport.com every day, for all your Broncos news and analysis.

Recap Week Seven: Colts 42-Rams 6

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:33:53 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

about 1 month ago: Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Austin Collie, top, is congratulated by teammate Hank Baskett after catching an 8-yard pass from quarterback Peyton Manning for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in St. Louis. The Colts won 42-6. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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This was not a case where the Colts went into someone's stadium and beat the snot out of a team that had quit on their season and forgotten how to win. As VanRam at Turf Show Times put it, this game seemed to highlight a big talent gap between the Colts and Rams. I have always liked Rams coach Steve Stagnuolo, and I think he will do a good job moving forward, teaching these Rams how to win again. But right now, they are searching. We Colts fans have been there as well, watching our team learn how not to commit penalties, turn the football over, blow coverages, etc. The Rams played with a lot of fight, but in the end the Colts simply overwhelmed them.

Surprisingly, the Rams are one of three NFL teams still without a win this late into the season. We're almost to the mid-point of the regular season (shocking, I know), and the Buccaneers, Titans, and Rams all are winless. Meanwhile, three more clubs (Lions, Chiefs, and Browns) all have only one win. That's six clubs with a combined record of 3-37.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, for the first time in NFL history, three teams will hit Week Eight with undefeated records. The Colts are one of those unbeaten teams, along with the Broncos and the Saints. If the Vikings Chester Taylor could hold onto a friggin screen pass, we'd have four unbeaten teams in November, which would have been even more amazing.

Like several of Indy's games this year, the Colts have re-discovered their formula which eluded them last year: Start fast, overwhelm the opponent, pin your ears back, and sack the hell out of the QB. Oh, and they re-learned how to run the ball as well, which made this blogger feel much better about this very special, very well-coached team.

This game was an opportunity for the Colts to finally display some kind of ground game. They were ranked 30th in the league running the ball despite an entire off-season of work aimed specifically at fixing it. The Colts took advantage of St. Louis' "talent gap" and showcased a lot "WOW!" plays on the ground:

Indy ran for 156 yards on 26 carries, averaging 6 yards a carry. That, my friends, is what you want to see! Joseph Addai ground out the tough yards while Donald Brown continues to get better and better each week. That 45 yard run by Brown was exactly the reason Indy drafted him. The hole he was given off the left side was so big a cruise ship could have sailed through, but this is the difference between Brown and someone else (like Addai). Other backs get maybe 20 yards on that run. Brown gets 45.
I don't care about Peyton Manning not throwing for 300 yards, breaking some NFL record no one cares about. I'll quote AP writer R.P. Fallstrom:
It wouldn’t have been appropriate for Manning to try for the mark the way his unbeaten team was beating up on the woeful St. Louis Rams.
I agree. Maybe the Patriots would have continued to just "run their offense" by going for it on meaningless 4th and 6 opportunities so their QB could get the record, but Indy doesn't do that.
Daniel Muir is a better DT than Ed Johnson, and I can see why Ed was cut. Muir had 7 tackles and a sack today replacing Johnson as the starting under tackle. Eric Foster also had himself a nice game with 3 tackles and a sack. WE ARE GETTING SACKS FROM THE DTS! OMG! Again, the Colts weren't getting this kind of production from Ed. In one game, Muir almost had as much production Ed had built up over the course of four games. Muir and Foster = better.
Fili Moala is still figuring it out. One tackle. He looked lost out there, but that's expected.
Austin Collie; another game, another TD. 24 catches, 264 yards, and already 4 TDs as a rookie receiver. Wow. He is a serious Rookie of the Year candidate.
Bob Sanders is in the same boat. He looked rusty, unsure, and tentative. Again, that too is expected. Bob hadn't played football since January. He's in pre-season mode. Sanders left the field after 25 plays because he was on a "pitch count," not because of injury.
Jacob Lacey just leap-frogged Tim Jennings on the depth chart.
Dallas Clark is on pace to shatter the NFL record for catches and yards for one season by a tight end. His catch in the endzone was text book on how to look cool catching a perfect throw, with two defenders hanging curtains on the back of his jersey. Clark is the best tight end in football now.
Once again, the defense holds another team out of the endzone.
Once again, Dwight Freeney got a sack. That's a streak of seven games with at least one sack. Very quietly, it seems, Dwight is having his best season as a Colts player.
Reggie Wayne aggravated his groin (yee-ouch!) during the game, but came back. He racked up 7 receptions for 83 yards and a TD. With 542 yards, 39 receptions, and 5 TDs, Reggie is establishing himself as one of the best receivers in football. No, he doesn't have Andre Johnson's size or Larry Fitzgerald's speed. Reggie is just damn good as playin' receiver.

I could be Mr. Frowny Face Poop Head and complain about that run defense giving up 155 rushing yards to a winless Rams team, but that would just be frowning that the serving platter for your Baked Alaska is sterling silver and not gold. Some fans and media idiots might complain that the departure of Ed Johnson caused a run defense "lull" this to happen.

Sorry, but no.

Daniel Muir , Eric Foster, and Antonio Johnson were outstanding Sunday. Fili Moala will come around. The DTs are fine. In the first half, the Rams were unable to run the ball with effectiveness while Indy built a two touchdown lead. In the second half, Indy came out playing two-deep safety, thinking the Rams were going to throw to get back in the game. St. Louis had tried a successful flea flicker earlier in the game, and likely had more tricks up their sleeve.

However, St. Louis responded to Indy's two-deep safety look by running at it. Why? I don't know. Down two TDs, and matching up against an offense like the Colts, running the ball is near close to conceding the game. You have to throw to win in this league.

So, by running the amazing Stephen Jackson at a two-deep safety look, the Rams padded some rushing stats and only scored 3 more points the entire game. The Colts run defense is fine. We've seen them stone the Titans (better rushing team than Rams) and the Seahawks. We've seen them contain Maurice Jones-Drew. We've seen them kill Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower of the Cardinals (something the Giants struggled with last night). Larry Coyer knows how to get these guys focused on the run, and with Bob Sanders slowly rounding into form, worrying about this is just not worth your energy or effort.

At 6-0, the Colts continue to show they are one of the elite in the AFC. They seem to improve each and every week, focusing on weaknesses and working to make them strengths. The running game was the one area where we had not seen any kind of dramatic improvement over last year. Now, that question is answered. The only thing now is how bad is Donald Brown's sprained shoulder, which he injured in the game. Brown says it is a re-occurring thing from college (oh boy) and that he is fine. We'll see.

Remember last year this time? Indy was coming off a thrashing by the Packers and we were all wondering "What the hell is going on?" Never take an undefeated start for granted, folks. Go Colts!

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Poll

Week Seven game balls

RBs Donald Brown and Joseph Addai: 22 carries, 134 yards, 1 TD

78 votes

WR Reggie Wayne: 7 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD

21 votes

Colts offensive line: 5 offensive TDs, 155 yards rushing, no sacks allowed

404 votes

CB Jacob Lacey: 35 yard INT return for a TD

108 votes

QB Peyton Manning: 67% completition, 235 yards, 3 TDs

111 votes

DT Daniel Muir: 7 tackles, 1 sack (actually, .5 sack, but we'll round up)

95 votes

817 votes | Poll has closed

Bills work out DT Johnson, five other linemen

Brian Galliford — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:15:10 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

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Per Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com (with a tip of the hat to Kurupt), the Buffalo Bills on Monday worked out six defensive linemen, including former Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Ed Johnson.

Normally, routine Monday player workouts don't interest me. Johnson is an interesting case, however. Buffalo currently has the NFL's worst run defense, and even though the predominant opinion is that the Bills' run-stopping woes have much more to do with linebacker play than line play, Johnson is something of a proven commodity as an NFL run-stuffer. Add in the shoulder injury that could sideline Kyle Williams and the fact that 2006 first-round pick John McCargo has yet to make a significant impact, and Johnson's intrigue increases.

An undrafted free agent out of Penn State in 2007, Johnson started all 16 games for the then-defending champion Colts in place of the injured Anthony McFarland. Johnson racked up 41 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble for an Indianapolis defense that finished the 2007 season ranked third in the league (though they were fifteenth against the run).

Set to become a household name in 2008, Johnson was cut by the Colts on September 11, 2008 after police found marijuana in his possession during a routine speeding stop. Without him, Indy's defense dropped to No. 11 in the league, and a lowly No. 24 against the run. Johnson filed a grievance upon his release, and as Florio notes, even after the Colts gave him a second chance by re-signing him on May 5 of this year, Johnson refused to drop the grievance.

After just five games this season, Johnson was released again by the Colts. Jim Caldwell, Indy's head coach, cited a lack of performance as the reason behind the release. (Stampede Blue interpreted this as Johnson being cut because "he stinks.") However, Colts GM Bill Polian added, roughly a week later, that the release was "directly related to his weight" (Johnson is listed at 296 pounds, but is currently much closer to 320). Florio points out that, though the Colts clearly would never say this publicly, the lingering grievance might have played a role as well.

Johnson clearly has talent, but there are concerns about his attitude. According to Florio, Buffalo also worked out the following defensive linemen on Monday: Marlon Favorite, Antwan Lake, Joshua Leonard, Langston Moore and Rodrique Wright. Would you give Johnson (or any of the lesser-known names) a chance in Buffalo?

Luke Links: The "Yep, Denver is for real" Edition

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:40:45 -0000

Trade deadline is about six hours away. Bill Polian says "NO!" to any possibility of a trade. Um, yeah. He kind of says that every year, and for two of the last three years, the Colts have made a significant trade just prior to the deadline.

That said, here be the linkage:

One more time folks- The Colts let Ed Johnson go because he is fat and lazy. This time, Bill Polian himself confirms it (via John Oehser). Ed was confronted twice from Week One to Week Five about his lack of effort and his weight. He didn't improve both, and the defensive coaches asked for a change. They got it. Ed was cut.
OK, time to man up and admit we were wrong; the Denver Broncos are indeed for real. They are 6-0 and, barring a collapse of epic proportions, they will make the playoffs by winning their division. Josh McDaniels was very smart to hire Mike Nolan has his defensive coordinator. Other than the Colts, the Broncos are the best team in the AFC right now.

18to88 is annoyed with Bob Kravitz again. We could create an entire blog devoted to how much Bob annoys people with his shotty reporting, bad writing, and back-handed complimenets to a team he clearly do not like covering. But, after about two days, the blog would get boring.
Turf Show Times gives us an update on Rams injuries.
Colts kick coverage is very much improved thanks to Pat McAfee's leg and Russ Purnell's absence.
Paul Kuharsky, AFC South blogger and all-around good guy, is now a dad. We trust Paul will raise his son to love and root for the Colts even though Paul makes his home in Nashville. We also hope Paul did not subject his son to the horror show the Titans put on against the Patriots last weekend.
Lounging Pass ranks the QBs, with Big P on top.
The Chiefs traded Tank Tyler to the Panthers, effectively ended any speculation that Gelnn dorsey will get traded.

Why was Ed Johnson cut? Simple, because he stinks

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:38:39 -0000

More photos » by Jeffrey M. Boan - AP

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell walks the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 in Miami. The Colts defeated the Dolphins 27-23. (AP Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan)

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As always, John Oehser gives us the goods.

Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell on the release Wednesday of DT Ed Johnson: "It was production. It was a lack thereof."

So, this had nothing to do with any violation of his zero tolerance policy. He wasn't caught with drugs, hookers, or a midget with a camera in a hotel room.

The Colts cut Ed Johnson because he stinks.

When Jim Caldwell was hired, one of the first things he stressed as his theme was accountability. During his open press conferences, he quoted the age old poem from an unknown author:

Excuses are tools of the incompetent
which create monuments
of nothingness
those who specialize in them
are seldom
good in anything.

The coaches and players are all accountable for the work they did, how they carry themselves, and how that translates to the final result on the football field. No excuses. No nonsense. Perform well, or hit the road.

Since his hiring, Caldwell has backed up that theme of accountability with action. We've seen coordinators Ron Meeks and Russ Purnell shown the door, Tony Ugoh benched, and now Ed Johnson cut from the roster.

Yep, I really like Jim Caldwell.

Tip to psvirsky

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri out six weeks, per ESPN's Adam Shefter

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:54:42 -0000

New Colts kicker Matt Stover. Image: masnsports.com

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Twitter is a great, great thing these days when it comes to getting important NFL news quickly. Here's Adam Shefter, via Twitter:

Looks like Indianapolis will be without kicker Adam Vinatieri for about six weeks -- or five games with the bye -- due to knee surgery.

Tip to ihateshrimp. Also fro Shefter's Twitter page, the Colts have signed veteran kicker Matt Stover.

Stover, who is six years Vinatieri's senior, has kicked in the NFL since 1990. Last season, he played for the Baltimore Ravens and kicked a 43-yard game-winning FG to defeat the Tennessee Titans in a playoff game in Nashville.

With the Colts releasing Ed Johnson yesterday, the Stover signing does not prompt the release of another player from the 53-man roster. It seems the Colts will leave Vinatieri inactive for roughly six weeks. With rookie Pat McAfee handling kickoffs, all the Colts require from Stover is he kick field goals. In the past, Stover (like Vinatieri) has shown a knack for making big kicks in the clutch. Also like Vinatieri, Stover has a workman-like personality, and he seems respected as a kicker where ever he plays.

Key to the Colts making any kind of post-season run is the health of Adam Vinatieri. When on his game, no kicker in NFL has shown such a consistent level of clutchness when it comes to kicking important FGs. The next game we may possibly see Vinatieri is November 22nd against Matt Stover's old team, the Baltimore Ravens.

[UPDATE]: Colts.com has more on Vinatieri's knee [via shake n bake]:

Adam Vinatieri has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery to his right knee to remove a piece of cartilage. Vinatieri is expected to miss four-to-eight weeks.

Welcome to Schmuckville; Population: Ed Johnson

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:34:11 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Once again, Ed Johnson is a former member of the Indianapolis Colts (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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I'm having a hard time coming up with something to describe this tidbit of news that does not involve a long series of curse words, most of which involving the word f*ck. So, I'll just let Paul Kuharsky do the talking for me:

So much has gone right for the Indianapolis Colts as they’ve run out to a 5-0 record. But ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton is reporting the team has parted ways with a key contributor, cutting defensive tackle Ed Johnson.

A 5-0 start. A defense that is starting to dominate. Everything looking on the up and up. Then... this.

We have no reasoning why Big Ed was cut. What we do know is that he came back to the this team in May under a zero tolerance clause . This meant that if he did anything, ANYTHING to violate that policy in the slightest, it was back to the unemployment line. This latest termination from the Colts is also likely the end of Ed's football career. No one touched him after the Colts cut him last year for violating his previous zero tolerance clause. Why would anyone touch him now? And if he did something serious to warrant this, he'll likely be suspended again by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

I'm so disappointed in Ed Johnson right now it makes me sick.

From the Colts standpoint, they will be fine. They can re-sign Adrian Grady or Terrance Taylor, and likely they'll start integrating second round pick Fili Moala into the rotation, which needed to start happening soon anyway. Indy has talent on the defensive line, and stopping the run will not be the slap stick comedy it was last year. Guys like Antonio Johnson, Daniel Muir, and Eric Foster seem to be bringing it every week.

What makes me want to vomit is just how STUPID Ed Johnson has been. Other than violating his tolerance policy, the only other reason I can think of for Indy to cut him is that maybe he was dogging it during games. On his radio show last night, Bill Polian said this, emphasis mine (Tip to SpazMo):

There are areas on defense we can improve, particularly in terms of all-out hustle all the time. We had some people like (defensive end) Keyunta Dawson that really stepped up and did a great job of that, but there are other people who can improve upon what they're doing.

I haven't gone back and looked at the tape, but maybe Ed was one of the people Polian was referring to in that statement. I don't know, and at this point I don't care. Ed was given his second chance and he seems to have flushed that down the toilet.

Now, we move on.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I absolutely refuse to allow yet another Ed Johnson f*ck up to distract me from enjoying my team.

Colts cut DT Ed Johnson, again