SB Nation - Philip Wheeler

Monday "Practice Estimation"

shake n bake — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:20:19 -0000

Thursday night game means that to comply with the leagues requirement of 3 injury reports teams need to give a "Practice Estimation" on Monday, reporting which players they'd expect to hold out of practice if they were conducting a practice today. As you'd expect for the day after a game, the lists are long. Really it's more telling to look at who isn't listed. In the Colts case that list is actually shorter and we'll start with that.

Players Not Listed (count on them playing)

Curtis Painter, Mike Hart, Jacob Tamme, Gijon Robinson, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Hank Baskett, Micheal Toudoze, Mike Pollak, Jeff Saturday, Ryan Lilja, Antonio Johnson, Fili Moala, Erwin Baldwin, Philip Wheeler, Freddy Keiaho, Ramon Humber, Cody Glenn, T.J. Rushing, Jaime Silva, Devon Hall, Justin Snow, Pat McAfee, Matt Stover

Players that would've rested (likely playing)

Dwight Freeney, Antoine Bethea

The Injured (who knows?)

Joseph Addai (knee), Gary Brackett (foot), Raheem Brock (back), Donald Brown (chest), Melvin Bullitt (shoulder), Keyunta Dawson (knee), Kyle DeVan (shin), Ryan Diem (hamstring), Eric Foster (back), Aaron Francisco (ankle), Pierre Garçon (knee), Anthony Gonzalez (knee), Kelvin Hayden (knee), Tim Jennings (ankle), Charlie Johnson (foot), Jacob Lacey (Biceps), Peyton Manning (glute), Robert Mathis (quad), Daniel Muir (hamstring), Jerraud Powers (Hamstring), Jamey Richard (Shoulder), Tom Santi (hand), Clint Session (calf), Chad Simpson (back), Tony Ugoh (hip), Adam Vinatieri (knee), Reggie Wayne (foot).

Colts.com link

Recap Week Ten: Colts 35 - Patriots 34

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:48:21 -0000

More photos » by AJ Mast - AP

29 days ago: New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk (33) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Melvin Bullitt (33) on fourth down during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Indianapolis won 35-34. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Browse more photos »

Few games live up to pre-game hype.

Patriots v. Colts buck the trend.

Billed as the best game of the regular season, the thrilling come-from-behind win by the Indianapolis Colts, who were down 31-14 at one point in the second half, lived up to its expectations. This game had the feel and intensity of a playoff game. Hell, it had the intensity of an AFC Championship Game. Hats off to the Patriots for playing a great game, and to the community at Pats Pulpit, for blogging and commenting during the game.

We in the blogging community labeled this game The War of 1812, and both #18 (Peyton Manning) and #12 (Tom Brady) certainly came to battle. 702 combined passing yards for 7 TDs and three turnovers (one for Brady, two for Manning) for the QBs, who completed 66% of their combined passes.

All the respect in the world to Drew Brees, but there is a reason 18 and 12 are the best in football. Last night showed you the reason.

In the end, the game came down to some clutch play by both Peyton Manning and the Colts defense. There was also a rather arrogant, silly coaching decision made by someone we all know and loath; a decision that likely cost the Patriots the game. I am, of course, referring to Bill Belichick's erroneous decision to pull his punt team on 4th and 2 from his own 28 yard line and go for it with nearly 2:00 minutes left in the game.

But bigger than Belichick's decision was the clutch play of the Colts. Big media (aka ESPN, or ESPNBoston, whichever label you prefer) will hem and haw about how the Patriots "dominated" the game, and that the reason they lost it was because of Belichick's near-moronic decision.

Um, no.

The Patriots were dominant in the first half of the game, scoring 24 points while using a game plan that attacked Indy's injury-riddled secondary. But, as we Colts fans know all to well, it is not how you start. It's how you finish. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots disintegrated like wet tissue paper right in front of our eyes. The Colts outscored them 21-10 in the fourth, striking with TDs on two very quick drives. Also in the fourth quarter, with a 31-14 lead, the Patriots ran the ball only 6 times for 16 yards (2.6 a carry). And on the offensive drive following Joseph Addai's TD to cut the Patriots lead to 6, the vaunted Pats offense stalled after Jerraud Powers nearly (and likely should have) picked off Tom Brady's sideline pass and returned it for a TD.

It was after that third down play that Belichick opted to go for it, and the Patriots did not convert.

So, while mindless drones debate Belichick's silly decision to go for it on 4th and 2, the real reason the Patriots lost the game is because they folded in the fourth quarter. It's as simple as that. Imagine if the tables were turned and the Colts had lost the game in the exact same fashion the Patriots did. The talking heads would not be yacking about 4th down coaching decisions. They'd be talking about how "clutch" the Patriots are. How their quarterback "finishes" ballgames. How they "rise to the occasion" when they face adversity.

Yet, when the Colts play clutch football, all we hear about is Belichick, Belichick, Belichick.

I'm not reading any of "OMG! The Colts are so amazing!" stories this morning, and that's unfortunate. If that story is good for the Patriots in victory, it should be for the Colts. Indy has proven for ten years they are the equal to the Patriots. Since 2005, the Colts have a 5-1 record over their rivals, and they have won those games mostly by coming back to beat the Patriots in the fourth quarter. Yet, despite yet another resilient performance by a Colts team that simply refuses to quit, even when some of their "fans" were leaving Lucas Oil Stadium 10:00 minutes into the fourth quarter (side note: If those were season tickets holders, their tickets should be revoked; no "fan" leaves a Colts game with 10 minutes left), I'm not seeing a national media scene lauding the "clutchness" of our beloved team. Hell, even Indy's local columnist thought they had no chance to win, and knowing him he probably had is story written up and spell checked by the end of the third quarter, sitting back in his press box chair with a smug told-you-so look on his face.

And that, my friends, is why blogs like this one exist. After the jump, we start breaking it down the best game of 2009 thus far.

Melvin Bullitt (33) stops the Patriots Kevin Faulk on fourth down

(AP Photo)

Before we begin, let's dispel any notion that the Patriots were "robbed" of this game by forces outside their control.

The 31 yard pass interference penalty called on the Patriots at the 3:03 mark was indeed a penalty. The defender is pulling on Austin Collie's arm before the ball is there. That's a penalty. It says so in the rule book. Pass interference is pass interference if it is in quarter one or quarter four, and a flag for the foul is warranted regardless of down, distance, or situation. Glad the refs called it. That's what they are paid good money to do.
Kevin Faulk did not convert the 4th and 2. Replay showed he bobbled the ball before he landed a good yard short. Forward progress means nothing if you are bobbling the football, and the reason Faulk did not have full control of the ball when it landed in his hands was because Melvin Bullitt crushed him right as it was delivered.

So, any nutbag (NFL Network's Deion Sanders) who is suggesting the Patriots were robbed of this game (NFL Network's Deion Sanders) needs a good kick in the testicles (please, NFL Network's Deion Sanders).

This game came down to clutch play by the defenses. For all the love and laurels the quarterbacks deserve for this stellar match-up, the real keys to the game were the defenses for the Patriots and Colts. MaPatsFan and I talked during our podcast last week, and one of the keys to the game we agreed upon was the play of the defenses. My worry was Indy's secondary. His worry was New England's pass rush.

Our podcast was prophetic.

For much of the first half, Tom Brady and Randy Moss took a ruler to the rear end of Indy's pass defense. Moss finished the night with 9 catches for 179 yards and 2 TDs. They were also running the ball effectively, with Colts killer Kevin Faulk leading the way with 79 yards rushing. Much of the Pats success had to do with moving Moss around in different formations, utilizing him in the slot, or using motion to have him drive right at Antoine Bethea, who Moss burned for a 63 yard TD in the second quarter.

Randy Moss (left) gives some props to Colts rookie corner Jacob Lacey

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Brady went through much of the first half untouched by the Colts pass rush, with rookie Sebastian Vollmer and his double-teaming friends focusing a lot of attention on Indy's Dwight Freeney. Despite a brilliant first half by Peyton Manning, who threw 2 TDs to keep the game close, the Pats looked like world beaters entering halftime up 24-14.

The second half told a much different story than the first.

The third quarter started with Indy stopping the Pats in the endzone on an Antoine Bethea INT. Brady was staring down Randy Moss in the endzone, and Bethea read his eyes all the way for an INT. The Colts did not capitalize on the Brady mistake because of a costly Manning INT on the following drive, which looked like a wounded duck when it left Peyton's hand bound for the eventual arms of the Patriots' Lee Bodden. But, despite the setback, the Colts were undeterred by the Patriots offense, which drove the field again only to turn the football back over to the Colts again on a goal line fumble by Laurence Maroney. However, even with another gift from the Pats, the Colts still couldn't score.

The fourth quarter began with the Patriots seemingly sealing the "win" with a 5 yard TD pass from Brady to Moss. At that point, the score was 31-14, and with the Colts offense stalling it's very likely Bob Kravitz already had his story for Monday morning emailed to his editors. However, the Colts responded to the Pats TD with one of their own, hooking up on a 29 yard TD strike from Manning to Pierre Garcon. The drive took less than 2 minutes. The Colts scored a TD on another two minute drive in the fourth; Joseph Addai capping the drive with a 4 yard TD run.

It was after this drive that the Colts defense shut down the Patriots offense, stopping them on fourth down with Bullitt's excellent tackle of Kevin Faulk. The Colts then burned out the clock as they marched 28 yards, winning the game on a one yar TD pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne.

So, for all the praise everyone is heaping on Brady and Moss for "dominating" the first half, the real dominant players were Manning and Reggie Wayne, who caught 10 balls for 126 yards and 2 TDs, including the game-winner. In the fourth quarter, and especially on the game-winning drive, Reggie Wayne was money. Absolute money. Contrast this with Moss, who caught only one pass for 8 yards in the fourth, and when the Patriots needed to convert 3rd and 4th down, Brady did not go to his "dominant" wide receiver. He threw it to Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk.

So, say whatever you want about Randy Moss, but Reggie Wayne is a better wide receiver than him. I will defiantly shout that from any mountain top, and unlike the Moss backers I have actual games to back up my claim. Maybe Wayne doesn't have Moss's skill, his speed, or his playmaking ability. What Reggie does have is guts, grit, and an ability to rise to the occasion when the chips are down. We have never seen that, EVER, from Randy Moss, who puts up gaudy numbers but often folds in the clutch?

Gee, where have we heard that line before?

Reggie Wayne. Clutch.

(AP Photo)

Also notably absent from the fourth quarter, and really from the entire game, were great young players Jerod Mayo (5 tackles, 1 sack) and Brandon Meriweather (1 tackle). Mayo's name was not called at all in quarter four, and on the Addai TD run he was blocked out of the play by the interior of Indy's o-line. Meriweather, on the other hand, might as well have not suited up. One tackle. ONE! Contrast this with Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt, who played amazing football in the second half after getting toasted in the first. I think Mayo is a stud and Meriweather has some great ability, but these two guys did not bring it during the money time.

Despite their fourth quarter meltdown, the Patriots do deserve a lot of props. They are a damn fine football team. These two teams were so evenly matched that the game literally came down to one yard. And while everyone is screaming that Belichick's decision cost New England the game, I beg to differ:

Indy's defense holding NE out of the endzone in the third quarter cost the Pats the game.
Randy Moss disappearing in the fourth quarter cost the Pats the game.
Indy stuffing the run in the second half cost the Pats the game.
Philip Wheeler forcing a Laurence Maroney fumble on the goal-line cost the Pats the game.
Robert Mathis harassing Brady in the second half to the tune of two sacks and a forced fumble cost the Pats the game. Mathis was able to get free in part because the Patriots had so much of their attention focused on Freeney.
The Pats offense stalling on third and fourth down with nearly two minutes left cost them the game.

Blasting Belichick is easy to do, but it is not accurate. It does not give justice to what was a a truly great fourth quarter comeback. The Colts won because they played better than the Patriots during the "money time." They did not quit. They did not fold. They battled and fought their way back into the game, and when the moment of truth occurred on fourth down, the Colts executed. The Patriots didn't.

Special thanks once again to Pats Pulpit. Their team is impressive and their QB is a future Hall of Famer. It is because they are so great that this rivalry might be the best one in sports. Forgot Red Sox v. Yankees. Forget Man U. v. Chelsea.

Patriots v. Colts. Nothing comes close.

Go Colts!

Pats Pulpit

Patriots vs Colts coverage

Poll

Week Ten game ball?

QB Peyton Manning: 63% for 326 yards and 4 TDs, including game-winner with 13 seconds left

273 votes

WR Reggie Wayne: 10 catches for 126 yards and 2 TD, including game-winner

346 votes

RB Joseph Addai: 10 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD, 1 catches 27 yards, 1 TD

36 votes

SS Melvin Bullitt: 8 tackles, one a key stop on fourth down

183 votes

FS Antoine Bethea: 6 tackles, 1 INT

3 votes

DE Robert Mathis: 2 sacks, 1 FF, 8 tackles

252 votes

1093 votes | Poll has closed

Report: Peyton Manning quits on season, tells team it is OK to "coast" until technology allows us to clone non-brittle Bob Sanders

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:31:35 -0000

Hi. I'm BigBlueShoe, and this is your

Friday Night Open Thread!!!

My job this fun-filled Friday is to inject a little humor into the news cycle, especially in light of all the WONDERFUL injury news we've gotten today. In case you've been living under a rock, or are too lazy to scroll down the blog frontpage, here is a quick recap of the wounded:

Tyjuan Hagler, done for the year; biceps
Marlin Jackson, done for the year; knee
Bob Sanders, ~~likely~~ done for the year; biceps
Anthony Gonzalez, out until December; knee
Kelvin Hayden, out until December; knee

All these injuries were reported to us in less than 24 hours. As a result, Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, and Jim Caldwell have declared that it is OK to quit on the season. All players, fans, and bandwagoners can officially stop thinking about football and focus on Thanksgiving travel plans, Christmas shopping, and whether or not an animated Jim Carrey "playing" Ebenezer Scrooge on the big screen is worth a $10 investment.

Season over. Quit now. We'll see you next year for our pre-draft coverage. Pack it up. Bye-bye season. Bye-bye happiness. Hello off-season loneliness. I think the 2009 season's gonna die.

Or...............................

We can look at the team depth chart, take a breath, and look at this logically and intellectually.

Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson barely played a lick this season, and the Colts still had the #1 scoring defense without them.
Anthony Gonzalez's injury is not season-ending, and like Brandon Stokley in 2004, Gonzo could come back and make a big late-season difference. His injury also hastened the development of Pierre Garçon and Austin Collie, which was a big positive.
Tyjuan Hagler was playing well, but the Colts have Philip Wheeler waiting in the wings. If Wheeler isn't ready, then that's on him and the Colts will simply plug into another backer.
Kelvin Hayden is expected back.

So, before you slice a razor blade across the throat of the Colts 2009 NFL season, know that the Colts have sustained injuries that are on par with injuries other teams have had to deal with.

The Bears lost Brian Urlacher in Week One. Half of the Packers offensive line is gone. Injuries to the Vikings secondary have made their defense swiss cheese. The Texans lost Owen Daniels. The Giants lost their safety as well. The Chargers lost Jamal Williams, the best player on their defense. The Steelers lost Aaron Smith.

Welcome to the NFL, fellow football fans! Injuries are as much a part of the game as the pigskin ball, the field goal bars, and stupid pontificating from idiot TV announcers. Before you give up, take a look around the NFL and look at the injury reports for other teams. Shockingly, I bet you'll see their situations are the same as ours.

Go Colts!

Click after the jump to see the text from Bullard47's open thread, which I have combined with this thread to make your disco-tastic Friday night as injury-free as possible.

From Bullard47's thread, which was combined with this one:

For a week leading up to a game against a common opponent that nearly everyone expects us to beat, this one has been just about as stressful as you can ask for. Let's recap the stupidity first:

Tyjuan Hagler somehow ruptures his bicep(again), out for the season

Marlin Jackson hurts his other kneee, out for the season

Bob Sanders hurts his elbow, out for the season

Anthony Gonzalez goes under the knife, out for at least 3 more weeks

Hayden aggravates a previous injury, out for about a month

Jackson's injury happens in a practice that according to the Colts, he didn't participate in

So, with that out of the way, there was some good news. Let's take a second to recap that:

Donald Brown practiced, looks healthy

We have great cornerback and safety depth

Hank Baskett has yet to get acclimated to the offense, and could shine as the year moves on

Kyle DeVan is more than likely going to get more playing time

The Star wrote a really great story on the awesomeness of our O-Line

The media thinks we are done for

With all of that said, I think that should be a lot to talk about. This might even be a majority-on-topic open thread, but the usual open thread shenanigans are welcome. I will be running a few errands for a bit, but should be full on into the conversation later tonight.

WAAAHHHH!!!

I can hardly concentrate at work today – not good. But ultimately, we’ve really only lost 1 player who had been contributing, and 2 who hadn’t made it back to contribute significantly (yes, I know, what about Bob’s INT? that was a tipped ball that he happened to catch).

Just hoping that Gonzo and Hayden can complete the journey back and that the only reason their return is meaningless is because we’ve already got the #1 seed locked up.

NEXT MAN UP!

How can you not love a team that does this?

by LovinBlue on Nov 6, 2009 4:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

To open this on a lighter note

Captain O’Hagan: I swear to God I’m going to pistol whip the next guy who says, " Shenanigans."
Mac: Hey Farva what’s the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
Farva: You mean Shenanigans?
Mac: OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Thorny: OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
[as they hand the Captain their pistols]

I also wish I had time and motivation to blog at Speed Blue Nation

by Bullard47 on Nov 6, 2009 4:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Their next movie's due out in early Dec. I can't wait.

by vintagephoenix on Nov 6, 2009 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They're making another one?!?!?!?!?!?

Freakin sweet!

As long as we have Peyton we will always have a chance to win.

by skywalker on Nov 6, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tyjuan Hagler done for the year

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:41:37 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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Thanks to tenyardfight for posting about this earlier.

John Oehser is reporting that Tyjuan Hagler tore a biceps muscle during the 49ers game Sunday and that his 2009 season is over. Philip Wheeler, the man who had the starting job in pre-season before Hagler wrestled it away from him, is once again the starting SAM backer. Ramon Humber will also compete, and Cody Glenn was promoted from the practice squad.

For Hagler, this injury (which sound similar to the injury he had in 2008) is another set back. He'd signed a one year deal to return to the Colts in hopes of competing for his starting job again, which he'd lost last season ( presumably because of the injury) to Clint Session. Hagler fought back and was playing significant snaps in 2008 at WILL. After an off-season of little interest from other teams, Hagler returned to Indy, signed that one-year deal, and had to (once again) earn a starting job, which he did.

Now, this.

It's very sad for Hagler, but he can fight back again. He's the kind of tough-minded scrapper that the Colts really like, which is likely why they re-signed him this past off-season. Maybe they'll do so again.

For now, Philip Wheeler should do a good job. He played much of the 49ers game, and seemed to do OK (forced a sack on Alex Smith). Humber and Glenn are solid depth behind Wheeler, and Session has some experience at SAM as well.

2009 NFL Trade Deadline: What will the Colts do?

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:59:20 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs, right, attempts to fend off a tackle by Green Bay Packers safety Anthony Smith (29) during the first half of an exhibition NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

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If rumors are to be trusted, we've seen two pretty reliable sources say the Colts have actively worked to trade for Cleveland Browns kicker returner Josh Cribbs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Barrett Ruud. I think it is pretty safe to say that the Colts will try to do something before the deadline ~~today~~ tomorrow at 4PM Eastern. The last three seasons, the Colts have made two significant trades just prior to the deadline (with one going through and the other getting voided because the Buffalo Bills tried to pawn an injured player on us).

So, factoring all this in, here is a bit of analysis:

Trading for Cribbs would be an absolute coup. Cribbs had a TD on a return yesterday against the Steelers, and if you give this offense the kind of field position Cribbs gains on a consistent basis, watch out! Cribbs would immediately energize a rather stagnant return game, and provide another weapon in the arsenal for a 5-0 team.
Ruud is, arguably, the best Tampa-2 middle linebacker in football right now. The problem is, the Bucs don't play Tampa-2 anymore. Gary Brackett is a great Tampa-2 backer, especially in coverage (where he is arguably the best). But, whereas Brackett struggles in run support, Ruud seems to thrive. Ruud also brings size to any linebacking corps, at 6'2 245 pounds. He's essentially Philip Wheeler, except good. If Indy trades for him, they will likely move him to strongside backer, meaning Wheeler's days in Indy are numbered.
People keep yapping about Glenn Dorsey of the Chiefs. Yes, he'd likely play much better in a Tampa-2 4-3 defense. And likely, Dorsey is the under tackle. However, Eric Foster and Daniel Muir have played very well, and Fili Moala is now in the rotation. So, for me personally, I don't see a need for Dorsey.
Terrell Owens. Um, no. If the Colts wanted an old, overpaid wide receiver, they'd have kept Marvin Harrison.
Another Buffalo Bills player to think about is Roscoe Parrish. Parrish is a better wide receiver than Cribbs and, in some ways, just as dynamic a returner.
Left or right tackles. It is very, very rare that a offensive lineman is traded before the deadline. So, I don't expect this.

Of course, it is entirely possible that the Colts will simply stand pat. They are 5-0 after all. However, we've seen to much activity from them to suggest they will simply "take it easy" today. So, for someone like me, I expect a trade. I mean, what ease do I have to look forward to today, a Monday after a bye week?

Colts cut Jordan Senn (again); Colts sign Chad Simpson (also again)

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:22:27 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Colts decide to give Chad Simpson (right) another chance. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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This part of the business is the part that leaves a bad taste. In today's Indy Star, Phil Richards penned a nice piece on linebacker Jordan Senn, who has been one of the primary nickel linebackers the Colts have used in recent weeks. He was also one of the better players on special teams. Senn was cut in early September when the Colts had to trim down to 53, but was re-signed prior to the Arizona Cardinals game, and played 40 snaps in that game.

Today, despite the nice publicity in the morning paper, Senn was waived once again, according to Aaron Wilson of NFP. Taking his place on the roster, the Colts re-signed Chad Simpson.

Yes, THAT Chad Simpson.

The same Chad Simpson who has been awful as a kick returner and provides little, if any, upside at running back over Mike Hart (who was promoted from the practice squad this past week prompting Simpson's release prior to the Seahawks game). Also, Indy re-signing Simpson appears odd given that, just yesterday, Bill Polian seemed to suggest that Simpson kind of, well, sucked as a kick returner:

Our special teams have improved greatly this year. We've only had problems (previously) with kickoff coverage. (The) return game is a function largely of the returner. If you have a dynamic returner, you're going to have good returns as you saw with T.J. (Rushing Sunday) on the punt return.

Notice how Chad Simpson, who had been the primary kick returner since Week One, was not included in the "dynamic returner" discussion. I wrote about this just a few hours ago, and now Simpson is back in the fold?

Maybe I'm reaching or misreading Polian's quote a bit, but, regardless, I'm still scratching my head at this roster move.

Clearly, the move suggests that Gary Brackett is healthy enough to return this week, but even with Gary back playing nickel linebacker, Senn is still a better option to have on the team than Simpson, especially on special teams. I mean, Senn was playing more than Philip Wheeler was.

Just doesn't make sense.

Thursday Injury Report

shake n bake — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:43:12 -0000

Not only is it bad news, it's boring. No new (injury) additions and none of the 7 that sat out yesterday were back. Dwight Freeney, Bob Sanders, Gary Brackett, Kelvin Hayden, Anthony Gonzalez, Keyunta Dawson and Chad Simpson all missed a second day of practice this week. Tim Jennings, Tony Ugoh and Adam Vinatieri were given the day off.

I don't expect any of the 7 guys sitting to play with only a day or less of practice, which would mean a DE rotation of Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock, Eric Foster and Philip Wheeler (a bit concerning). Freddy Keiaho and Jennings would get starts again (quite concerning). T.J. Rushing would be returning kickoffs (not at all concerning).

colts.com link

Luke Links: The Sigh of Relief Edition

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:00:33 -0000

Now that we know how long Dwight Freeney will be out, we can shift focus away from obsessing over his injury to finishing up discussion on the Cardinals game and looking ahead to the Seahawks.

Revenge of the Birds breaks down the Cardinals inability to run the football on Indy's defense.
John Oehser breaks down Bill Polian's latest episode of the Bill Polian show.
Peter King offers yet another interesting nugget on how Peyton Manning develops a professional relationship with his receivers:
It's likely Clark and Wayne will alternate being Manning's men in the coming weeks, and perhaps even when Gonzalez returns. That's because Manning takes so long to get totally comfortable with new receivers. I've been told that Gonzalez hasn't become the kind of go-to receiver Manning looks for because he's too exact and doesn't yet have the kind of rapport with Manning the veterans do.
"It takes every receiver who comes into this offense a few years to not just be a receiver running routes, but to be a useful target,'' Clark told me. "It took me four years. It's hard to narrow down why, but a good answer is experience. It's my seventh season now, and it's seeing a lot of plays with [Peyton], in the same film room with him, then getting out on the field and feeling it. Same thing with Reggie. I'm sure he didn't have the chemistry in year three he does now."

NFL.com's Mike Lombardi states that when Peyton Manning plays well, the Colts win. Pretty much a "duh" statement.
Colts.com offers sites and sounds from the game.
Does anyone have Comcast at home? Is it nice? SB Nation has started working with Comcast (you may have noticed the "Red Zone" ads) and I'm looking to gauge whether folks use and like Comcast's NFL packages. I know Comcast now offers NFL Network, which means that anyone who has it and NFL Network is now someone I automatically hate. I'm still stuck with Time Warner Cable. Barf.
PhilB of the Indy Star offers a great live chat the night following the game. It seems that Philip Wheeler is very much in the Colts doghouse.
18to88 keeps it real, saying the only accurate article written about Freeney's injury in the last 24 hours was a FanPost written here.
PhilB again, this time playing the "homer card." Very enjoyable article.
And finally, shake n bake already has his "Ask a Colts fan" post up over at Field Gulls. Check it out to see what Seahawks fans are inquiring about.

Colts v. Cardinals Game Review: Putting the Pieces Together

Colts Homer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:09:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

2 months ago: After making a catch, Indianapolis Colts' Pierre Garcon, left, tangles with Arizona Cardinals' Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. Both received penalties on the play. The Colts defeated the Cardinals 31-10. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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This was a fun game. My favorite games are the ones when you know that your team is going to win throughout the entire game, and it makes it even better since I didn't think that the Colts would be able to beat the Cardinals with all of the things stacked up against them (No Brackett, Hayden, Gonzalez or Sanders, short week, tired defense, etc.). The Colts had a lot of adversity for this game. They even made the Colts underdogs. That's unbelievable. Obviously, the Vegas people aren't going to make that mistake again. Right now the Colts are probably going to be favored by double digits for the Seahawks game. I'm very happy that they're back playing on Sunday afternoons. I know that it is better for the Colts fans outside of the Midwest, but I'm a greedy person and I enjoy sleeping. The analysis is below.

QBs-Peyton Manning is unbelievable. He has lost two of his top three receivers from 2008, and he is better than ever. Besides Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, his other top receivers are a second-year player out of D3 Mount Union and a rookie out of BYU. Most QBs wouldn't be able to make that work. Peyton does. The Brady v. Manning debate is on hold. We are seeing what Peyton does with only two top targets and a bad right side of the line. Peyton is second in the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards. If we are going to be making early predictions, I'll say that number 4 is not out of the stretch of the imagination. After the Saints start to look human, Manning will emerge past the Brees hoopla. Bursa sacs were holding Manning back.

The rest is after the jump.

RBs-This was a huge concern of us all after the Chargers loss. It was clear that Addai-Rhodes was not going to cut it. Rhodes was a decent back but nothing special and Addai was always banged up. Fast forward 8 and a half months, and the running attack is lethal. Addai is amazingly consistent. On first down he seems to always get 5 or 6 yards at least. Joseph Addai has come back with a vengeance. He is proving haters wrong and he is looking like the Addai of old. And then there's Donald. Donald Brown looks like a future star. There is no questioning this draft pick now. Brown is very explosive when he gets in the open field. That 70 yard reception was brilliant! He breaks tackles which honestly surprised me as I thought that wasn't going to be a part of his game. For people wondering why he isn't starting right now, look at the differences pre-snap with him in the game. On multiple occasions Sunday night Brown had to be moved around by Peyton to get into position. Once Brown gets a hold of the playbook he will be the main back.

WRs/TEs-This is why Polian is a future Hall of Famer. Somehow he found Pierre Garcon out of Mount Union. Mount Union plays in a nearly century old football stadium that seats 5,000. Mount Union is a dynasty, but the fact that Polian found this diamond in the rough just shows his genius. Garcon is emerging as a great third receiver. He's very explosive, and to say he is a big play threat is an understatement. My guess is that once Anthony Gonzalez returns they will continue to give Garcon playing time on the outside with Gonzalez in the slot. That's why he didn't take Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt. Austin Collie has become a nice receiver. He's not the Stokley big play threat yet, but he has good hands and can get the first down. On third down, going to Collie is a great idea. He plays smart and he knows where the first down line is. Garcon is the better receiver right now, but Collie definitely has a future on this team. Reggie Wayne is also pretty good I've heard. He's leading the league in receiving yards right now and he makes the most ridiculous plays. He's working his way onto the All-Pro team. Speaking of All-Pros, Dallas Clark is the best tight end in the league. He's left John Carlson, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez in the dust. Clark is reaching his prime, and I would not be surprised to see a nice 1,000 yard, 10 touchdown season out of him. Once Gonzalez gets back, Clark is going to be even tougher to guard. Peyton has the weapons to win yet another MVP.

OL-Left side good, right side bad. That's the best way to describe this line. You could use better grammar, but that is as simple as it gets. Charlie Johnson has been a pleasant surprise and has proven doubters like me wrong. He's a good run blocker and so far he hasn't given up a sack this season. Ryan Lilja is reminding us on why he got that contract instead of Jake Scott. Lilja is a great run blocker. Running to the left side is better than ever with Lilja back. He's a sleeper for the Pro Bowl this year. Saturday is Saturday. He's been great this year and he did well last night. No one is doubting him. The right side is getting ugly. Whenever a former 2nd round pick is rotating with a former center that most recently was seen with the Boise Burn of af2, it's a bad sign for that former first day pick. When that former 2nd round pick is in his second year, it's embarrassing. Kyle DeVan is a good player and there is a reason why he is still with the team, but Pollak was a second round pick. He's not good at all. His play resulted in the interception, and he is clueless on the stretch play. Pollak is a liability, and Diem isn't much better. Running to the right is a death sentence for the drive. There is absolutely no blocking at all. This is the biggest need going into the 2010 draft. I'm perfectly content with Charlie Johnson starting at left tackle down the line, but I do not want Ryan Diem. I would support them moving Ugoh to the right tackle position and grooming him into a future starting job.

DL-Talk about a nice recovery. Against Miami the defensive line was pretty bad. Obviously Dwight Freeney played well in Miami, but no one else really did. Ed Johnson looked lost (and high), and Antonio Johnson was always getting pushed off the line. On Sunday night, I was almost sure that Big Ed was starting in the backfield. How a man that big can get off the line that fast is beyond me. Eric Foster is also becoming a nice rotation player. He played some defensive end as well as defensive tackle last night, and he did great at both positions. He is probably the best at batting down balls on the defensive line, and of course he is great at stopping the run. Antonio Johnson was not as impressive as Foster or Ed, but he didn't do anything to hurt the Colts, which is better than what we could say about the defensive tackles from 2007 and 2008. Without Dwight Freeney for the next two to three weeks, the defensive end position will be very different. As we saw Sunday night, Freeney is superhuman. On almost all 51 passes he hit Warner. He embarrassed Mike Gandy out there. With Freeney out, we will see more of Raheem Brock. Robert Mathis will take over for Freeney in the "Embarrassing Offensive Tackles" department, but there will have to be a rotation. Philip Wheeler played some defensive end Sunday night, and I have always thought that he would be a nice fit at defensive end. Throw in Keyunta Dawson and I can go two games without Freeney.

LBs-Freddy Keiaho didn't suck last night? I know, surprising. He didn't do anything terrible. I am still stunned. Everything I've seen from him would suggest that Kurt Warner would have torn him apart. Keiaho still should not be playing, but it does make Gary Brackett's injury less scary. On the outside, I am very content with Tyjuan Hagler and Clint Session. There is a reason why Hagler is starting over Wheeler, and Session has continued to play well. They are doing very well in stopping the running game. Obviously right now they are no David Thornton or Marcus Washington, but I feel fine with them back there. Jordan Senn did not impress me at all last night. If they have to play a backup linebacker, I would prefer to see Ramon Humber.

DBs-Once Kelvin Hayden and Bob Sanders get back, this will be the best secondary in the league. Jerraud Powers didn't play as well last night as he did against Jacksonville, but he is still the future of the cornerback position along with Hayden. Marlin Jackson did well as the nickelback last night. Is he worth re-signing? I'm not sure. Without a salary cap next year, I say go ahead. It pains me to say this, but Jennings did not suck last night. I still do not want him out on the field since we've all seen what happens when he is sucking. With Hayden hopefully coming back, it won't be a problem. Jacob Lacey is becoming one of my favorite rookies. He was very clutch Sunday night. His stop at the one yard line was HUGE. The next play was the Bethea interception. If Lacey can keep it up, he will work his way into the 4th spot above Tim Jennings. At safety, Antoine Bethea has played well this year. He still isn't the Pro Bowler from his second season, but he is a very good player and a quality starter. Melvin Bullitt has always played well in place of Bobzilla, but he isn't Bob Sanders. Once this team gets Sanders back, it will be even better in pass and run defense. Hopefully Bob will practice this week.

STs-Adam Vinatieri may be losing it. He is very, very close to being 2-5 this year, and he doesn't even kick off anymore. I think that this is the last year for Vinatieri. Next year Andrus will be the kicker. Vinatieri has not looked good this year. In fact, the whole field goal unit has looked bad. The blocking is weak and Vinatieri has been weak. On the other hand, McAfee is still great. On 11 kickoffs, he has 3 touchbacks. McAfee is still punting well. He's averaging about 45 yards per kick and he has 2 kicks inside the 20 on 9 punts. The return game is as expected. Simpson cannot return kicks and Rushing is a decent punt returner.

Top 5 players from the Colts-Cardinals Game

5. Pierre Garcon: Garcon is definitely stepping up when he has to. With Marvin Harrison and Gonzalez gone, he needed to become an acceptable target for Peyton. He's gone above and beyond that. Garcon had his great touchdown where he burnt the corner, and he played well for the rest of the game too. Garcon will end up getting more targets as the year goes on.

4. Reggie Wayne: Wayne is leading the league in receiving yards at this point, and last night he made one of the best catches of his career for a touchdown. He is a big target, and he has shown that he can get it done without Marvin on the other side of the field.

3. Joseph Addai: On 13 carries he got 63 yards and he made two big catches. One was the touchdown screen and the other was when he had to extend his body to come down with a pass that easily could have been a pick. Addai is getting back into 2006 form.

2. Peyton Manning: Manning is the best QB in the league. He is a favorite for the MVP again this year, and he is on pace to throw over 35 touchdowns and 4900 yards. He's pretty good, and Sunday night was his best game so far. He is doing this without Anthony Gonzalez. WOW.

1. Dwight Freeney: Even though Peyton was phenomenal, holding a very good offense to 10 points is a great feat, and Freeney was the main reason. His constant pressure got Warner to make bad throws and it got some sacks too.

Next up, Seattle Seahawks.

Re-evaluating the Colts defense

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:56:05 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts' Eric Foster runs off the field, celebrating with cheering Colts fans after the Colts' 31-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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I'm going to quote myself, because that's the kind of narcissistic guy I am:

So, before people start pressing the run defense panic button, just know that a stout defense like the Giants got run over as well. Yet, like the Colts, they still won. Indy has good DTs, excellent coaches, and a strong system. Their run defense will improve.

Well, on the road, after a short week of preparation, the defense comes up with yet another stellar performance in a big, primetime game. This time, they did it without Kelvin Hayden, Gary Brackett, and Bob Sanders. Next man up, indeed.

The Cardinals were held to 2 yards a rush. They finished with 24 total rushing yards, were forced into three very costly turnovers, and failed to keep Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis from tattooing their helmet logos on Kurt Warner's face. This kind of performance one week after allowing the Dolphins to run for over 200 yards and hold the ball for 45 minutes is what you call serious bounce back.

While much of the credit for this bounce back should go to the players, who were roasted by fans and media after the Miami game, and to the overall match-up with the Cardinals (Arizona is a bad running team that prefers to throw) two people who also deserve some early props are head coach Jim Caldwell and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. I'll echo these comments from 18to88:

I'm astounded at the job Caldwell did to get this team fresh and healthy enough to go out there and dominate last night. That'll buy him a few punts on fourth and inches in my book any day.

Caldwell is quickly showing why he was tapped to replace Tony Dungy. Like Dungy, Caldwell runs a calm, collected ship. He does not panic. He does not seem to waiver. He simply goes about his business and expects his team to follow suit.

After reading so any of your comments in the game threads (we had well over 5,000 for the day folks... you all are ANIMALS!), Caldwell is the kind of man this team needs to succeed right now. Unlike many of YOU, he does not freak out when Mike Pollak whiffs on a block, Tim Jennings gives too much cushion, or Adam Vinatieri misses a 32-yard FG. He simply calls on his big money players to go out there and pick up the slack, which they are more than willing to do. And so far, those big money players play on the defensive side of the ball.

For the defense as it stands now (after just three games):

Colts rank #5 in yards allowed per play (4.6)
Colts rank #3 in points allowed (15 per game)
The Colts hot up to 20th in the league against the run (128 yards a game); the Dolphins and the Cardianls games being two extremes on both ends of the run D spectrum
The Colts have allowed only one passing TD so far; rank 10th in pass defense
Opposing QB rating against the Colts: 66.7
Colts are ranked #9 in sacks (7 sacks total)

I'll leave it to shake n bake to provide DVOA stats and to mgrex03 to find us some stats on QB pressures and hurries, but after a small three week sample, it seems pretty clear that the Colts do indeed sport a much improved defense over last year's bunch. Now, with all small samples, there are wild cards, X-Factors, and nick-knacks galore:

We do not know the extent of Dwight Freeney's leg injury, which happened late-Sunday night against the Cardinals. Freeney said he felt something pop with his quad, which does not sound good. He was seen limping slightly off the field and into the locker room in the fourth quarter with a smile on his face, but that means nothing. An MRI is scheduled for today. Losing Freeney for any length of time would be a big blow to this defense.
The possible bad news on Freeney needs to be off-set with some good news: The Colts are ranking high in several defensive categories despite playing without Bob Sanders. Look no further than the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers to see what happens to defenses when they lose an impact safety. Troy Polamalu going down in the first game of the year has radically altered Pittsburgh's defense. The Steelers have one turnover in three games, with Polamalu getting the turnover in the first game before he got hurt. Pittsburgh is 1-2. The fact that Indy has played this well without Sanders is a testament to the coaches and Bill Polian. Melvin Bullitt might have been the steal of the 2007, and he went undrafted that year.
The interior of the Colts d-line is developing some very good rush up the middle. Eric Foster has played excellent football when he has lined up in the third down pass rush fronts. Daniel Muir has also shown some good push up the middle as well.
Last night, we saw Indy use SAM backer Philip Wheeler as a three-point stance pass rusher, and he looked good! He got immediate pressure on Warner, which resulted in a Marlin Jackson INT. We also saw Larry Coyer flip Freeney from RE to LE on a few plays, resulting in confusion by the Cardinals (and pressure on Warner). More "Wrinkles" like this are welcome to an improving and oftentimes unpredictable defense.

So, after having to deal with all the freaking out over the Miami game, it's time to give a little love to the defense for getting back to what we all know they can do: Hit people in the mouth. Hopefully, we'll see it on a more consistent basis.