If the Colts win Sunday . . .

Joe Public

Joe Public

Gabibbo's Finest
Am I the only one who thinks they can beat this NE team?

It wouldn't surprise me if I am. And I'm very interested to see if Indy is truly in playoff form. But watching Jax tonight, I look at that NE defense--as I have for weeks--and something's just not right.

They keep giving up yardage, like a lot of it. And they're giving up a ton of points, too.

Now, Indy will have to go to NE if they beat SD tomorrow, and their results have varied wildly. That said, if they're healthy, and they play well tomorrow--that is, if they look like they're on the same page, etc.--I'll be very excited for the AFC Championship Game, because I think they could have a shot.

(Ugh, God help me, I just realized I'm rooting for the Colts. Damn you, Bill Belichick, damn you all to hell.)
 
It will be the "real" Super Bowl Joe, just like last year. They're the best two teams in the NFL (again) and I definitely think the game could go either way.
 
Hmm ... since when did 20 points become a lot, especially against a team that has scored more points than anyone other team in the league the last 8 weeks of the regular season besides New England?

New England takes away your best weapon, and that was the running attack for the Jaguars, and they held Jax to under 90 yards? C'mon now think a little before you post here Joe.
 
20 is four scores and it's not like Jax was kicking 50 yarders, they were kicking 29 yarders. Four scores and moving the ball at will in the first half in NE is impressive in my book.

Now, that said, I actually think the Pats are the best team in the league and I bet them in the second half. But if you're a Pats fan, how can you like the way this defense has performed for the majority of its games in the last month and a half?

If the weather's bad, yeah, they likely frustrate Manning like they did a few years ago when they handed him his *ss, but if the weather's good, Indy's healthy, and Indy looks like their clicking, you know what they say, defense wins championships and right now I'm not crazy about what I'm seeing on that side of the ball for the Pats.
 
I really hope the Colts get by. The Pats D is overrated and Indy has the kinda gameplan that can expose them.
 
i don't think the colts offense can go score for score with the patriots. the colts d-line is hurting from freeney not being able to play. I think brady will have all day to throw. Bob Sanders will still be a roaming force. I have no doubt that the colts secondary will come to play but the d-line is what creates the most questions for me.
 
I really hope the Colts get by. The Pats D is overrated and Indy has the kinda gameplan that can expose them.

Yeah, but you partially hope that because you think your Cowboys can beat the Colts if they both get to Arizona.

=)
 
Understand this fellas. The Patriots D takes away the best weapon the opponent has to offer. For the Colts that would be Reggie Wayne, and or Dallas Clark. As we saw this year Harrison will be all over Clark, and they will move Wilson over to spy on Wayne. Let Addai try and beat the Pats, but that will not happen, as Addia and the Colts O, can not and will not go score for score against New England. They take away the number one option for the other teams O and they are a bend but not break D!
 
i think the Colts are the only team in this league that EVEN HAVE A CHANCE to beat the Pats IN THIS SITUATION. yes i know that there were close calls towards the end of the season, but in this playoff predicament, colts are only ones who have a legitament shot.
 
You really cant think NE defense played well tonight? It was open WR after open WR all night. They barely got to Garrard and the Jags running game is so overrated. Dont get me wrong the Jag backfield is nice with Taylor and Drew neither of those guys are All Pros though. Would either make the Top 10 RB list? They faced some weak teams and inflated those numbers some. Garrard dropped back 33 times and completed 67%.

The 2nd most points stat is BS cause they didnt play anyone and have a defense and special teams contributing to that. Look how many points they had last week and compare the yardage. They earned there points tonight. Twenty persay is not alot but its better then most can do in NE.

I questioned NE motivation last few weeks in the sense I think they didnt show up to blowout teams just escape with wins in preparation for the playoffs. Tonight they were so F'n sloppy and yes I am bitter for losing my NE play. Not cause they were the right side( the right side doesnt LOSE which it did) but because they should have been the right side if not for so many uncharacteristic mistakes. What made NE so great was they were a well oil machined and this was the situation they failed in. The only time I thought Jax had even a 1% chance of the SU upset was at halftime after the momentum shift and then I realized NE gets the ball first.

1st Q - Allow a 34 yd pass on 4th and 1. Later Garrard getting tackled / sacked on 3rd down tosses a TD . Instead of 3 points they allow 7 .

2-On 2nd down they get a chop block penalty putting them in 2nd and 23. They recover the yardage lost but MISS a 35 yd FG. So lose maybe 7 points....but at least 3

3-Harrison drops a INT in the end one that would have saved Jax last 3 points.

4- On 3rd and 1 the genius elects to pass instead of run Maroney and Welker drops a would be 1st down when he takes his eye off the ball. No one near him. Settle for 3 instead of 7 and thats not even including Stallworth getting tackled from behind.

So miscues cost them bewteen 14 and 18 points on top of the 31 they scored therefore allowing Jax to hang around longer.

I am still trying to figure out what NE game plan was on defense.

They bring this type effort and if Indy is healthy they will lose. They played terrible compared to there season.They had near misses in season but mostly veteran types that probably felt disrespected being 2 or 3 TD underdogs.

NE didnt get to the Qb there were WRs running open everywhere. Change the names to the Colts and this could have been very different.....I'd imagine Indy will be +7.5 or +8.5 .....

The Pats are nolonger invincible especially since I dont think Jax is very good. Who has Jax ever beaten?? They feast on the medicore. Also I think any of the NFC teams left could beat them as well but give Indy the edge....:cheers:
 
Yeah, but you partially hope that because you think your Cowboys can beat the Colts if they both get to Arizona.

Whoooaaaa nelly, there is a game tomorrow i'm concerned about:prayer
 
Good post, SN (though I would say that Fred Taylor had a hell of a season and the Jags might have the best one-two RB punch in the league right now). But it really was the pressure thing that made me start thinking this.

They got very little pressure on Garrard all night. Now, some of the credit for that actually goes to Garrard himself, his footwork tonight was perhaps as good as I've seen from him. But still, you can't let any QB drop back like that and give him that much time. This is the NFL, do that and AJ Feeley can pick you apart. Wait a minute . . .

Now, the one thing with Manning is that he gets happy feet at times, so that might even some of this out, but when I'm sitting there watching David Garrard beat them like that, even if I say that they'll flop, and focus on stopping Manning, I have trouble seeing them really lay it on Indy because not only is Manning better than Garrard, and therefore assured of making at least a few more plays than Garrard did, but I think Addai can really hurt you of the backfield if you load up to stop Manning.

If you let both Addai and Clark get free on you, even if you're locked up on Wayne and Gonzales/Harrison on the outside, we're going to watch Indy do exactly the same thing Jax did, and if Indy doesn't cough up the ball on their own 20 . . .
 
Whoooaaaa nelly, there is a game tomorrow i'm concerned about

Me, too, but you know you were thinking it, if even just a little.

Oh, and tomorrow I'm doing the unthinkable. I'm rooting for your Cowboys. Ugh, I feel like I need a shower and the game doesn't start for another 18 hours.
 
IceMan24 said:
Since when is a team invincible?
Click to expand...

No one is invincinble but NE set just about every record this year and you have to be special to do that. They were clearly the best team in the NFL doing things most of have never witnessed. Jags are a somewhat above average team whose weakness play into NE strengths. If Garrard and the worst WRs in the league can do that to NE I'll be happy to see Addai in action vs them. Push comes to shove you can talk stats all day but Tom Brady had 2 Incompletions and Maroney avg nearly 6 yds per carry and the game was still in question in the 4th quarter...Jags cant ever beat Indy so its seems fairly logical that Indy can give them a legit run for there money. What better story? For years it was about Peyton NOT beating NE and now he can be the man to end the magical run. To me NE didnt take away anything tonight cause Jax opted to throw it...
 
Fred Taylor had his best season I agree. Was it him or his opponents though? I 'll chalk it up to him but I think Maroney looked alot better vs a supposed shutdown run defense. Probably the best 1-2 punch but Barber -Jones isnt to bad either. yeah Julius can be soft but if Drew aint breaking a big one he is getting 2 yards. Any team who over relies on one aspect usually does it to hide a weakness.

Garrard wiggled away a few times but one defender is only going to take down a statue pocket QB. With feely he made some excellent throws in tight spots. The guy played like he had nothingto lose cause he didnt . Thats what made Philly and Balt so dangerous vs NE. teams who knew how toplay football with nothing to lose at that point.

Manning does have happy feet but is familiar with NE by now and the longer the season goes the more run down that aging defense gets or it seems.

Very true that is somewhat forgotten that Jax coughed that ball up for a short field. I guess the falling down TD pass and the lob of his back foot TD pass made me feel like Jax did everything right....

NE did get one big break early with that turnover....

Also Indy was shorthanded when they played NE who was on a real roll at the time . NE was trailing to start the 4th quarter and need two TD to pull out the win down 10...Its all on the elements but I really didnt like NE gameplan at all here...

Also no one mentions Randy Moss 1 catch!!! I couldnt see what Jax did to take him out of the game plan but at least one time I am suprised they didnt go downfield....
 
I guess the falling down TD pass and the lob of his back foot TD pass made me feel like Jax did everything right....
Ugh, that throw. Really, pretty much every QB outside of Hasselbeck deserves a lot of praise today, they all played great games and even Hasselbeck didn't play horribly, he just didn't get much help after the first quarter.

What I was impressed with regarding Jax was that they committed to forcing Brady to be very Manning-esque today. They played deep, making sure they were covered over the top, so what I think NE did, likely not on purpose at first, was to run Moss deep a lot, to make sure they took two guys out of the play and left underneath open. What I imagine they didn't count on was Brady being able to look more Manning than Manning himself and just kill them underneath. When Watson is scoring multiple TDs on you there's really not much you can do.

The one problem Indy would have in doing something similar, sort of mimicking NE mirroring an Indy Cover Two--and again this is all supposing they can win tomorrow--would be that Indy's LBs are small. They compensate on this by having big corners and a bad ass in Sanders, but if NE wants to, I'm not sure why they couldn't run at least one of those corners off using Moss the way they did tonight and taking a safety with him.

That would leave it up to basically Sanders to have a huge game and the corner not on Moss to be able to handle Stallworth and/or Welker one-on-one all day.

That's a tough matchup.

However, one thing that Jax did that was very smart, and again, this is the way teams have handled Manning in the past, is to make that offense drive the field in small chunks.

People say that keeping them off the field is the best way to defense them, and it might be, but second to that is making them take forever to finally score. It limits their touches, and gives you a better chance to stay in the game--particularly if NE decides to bend and not break themselves.
 
Its just a fact that going 16-0, having to get up every week, takes a lot out of you, no matter how good you are, its gonna wear you down. And that defense is worn down. And they have potentially two much harder games to go yet.

Their offense rescued them today, they wont win 3 straight games running on offense alone. There'll come a time when that defense is asked some questions, like it was last year in the RCA dome. It failed then....
 
The Colts can beat the Patriots. I was at the Colts - Patriots game earlier this season in Indy and I really thought Indy had that game locked up. Props to NE for coming back, it was awesome.

That said, I do think NE will win. You don't come this far and lay an egg at home where you haven't lost with your head coach and quarterback. Indy will give them the best test but NE I think will prevail.
 
I'm jealous you were at that game, Goop.

It's tough to see Indy winning if they get there, but I think you're right, they could give 'em a game. And I agree that it would be the real SB.

Although, outside of Giants and Charger fans, doesn't pretty much everybody want to see GB vs. Dallas and NE vs. Indy?
 
I guess really what are we saying is the offense is what has made this a magical team. Clearly no news flash but you can really feel confident looking at the 2nd half of the season NE can be scored on. I think the trick with NE is forget how to defend them. They will score and at least 28 pts probably 30 pts every time they play . The key is to try and at least hold them to FG opps cause Gostkowski is not automatic and momentum can shift on missed FGs. The real key is maximazing your offense vs that defense. First two times maybe some of it was luck and all but they found ways to score TDs. After that they were deep inside the red zone and settled. Essentially trading TDs for FGs...

Somehow I saw alot of NE games this year and this really was one of the worst defensive performances I saw from them. Philly and Feely scored on them but I recall a ton of tight throws Feely squeezed into places that maybe on another day dont get caught or make it there. Now Garrard made 3 excellent throws on both TDs and the 4th and 1 but the rest were easy. WIDE OPEN guys w/o facing a serious pass rush. It was to easy for Jax IMO...They converted a 4th down late in the game which could have given NE prime Field position late. They also drove 95 yards on the second score...

Seattle scored 17 meaningless points because they barely constructed a drive and that wasnt the case with Jax.

Also did Roosevelt Colvin loss hurt that much? It seems since his injury the defense numbers spiked...

With Maroney running well I dont see a way to stop that NE offense. Someone always gets open cause there is to much time in pass protection. So they will score but even w/o running the ball Jac succeeded in keeping the ball away from NE with just 3 1st H possessions and 6 overall.

Thats what you love about NE as well. Maybe Watson catching 2 TDS is the way to go from a def coordinator stand point but the fact remains no matter who they plug in offense they have some sort of success Kyle Eckel to Sammy Morris to Kevin Faulk to Maroney or Mike Vrabel....

Good point about them failing @ RCA last year thats what made me willingly to lay the heavy wood. I figured this was step #1 to getting to the promised land and that wanted to make a statement( play 4 solid quarters). I was dead wrong on that you are correct in saying NE has to be mentally worn at this point...

I dont really want to talk schemes ( think it tends to be a guessing game)but whatever Indy did at the RCA Dome seemed to work till the 4th quarter...to long ago for me to remember though......

Indy should win tmrw and really interested in that total ...
 
As far as the New England defense not playing well...consider a couple of things.


-Jacksonville came into this game with 11 straight games scoring at least 24 points. Streak was broken tonight as they scored 20.

-Jacksonville came in as the #2 rushing team in the NFL with 149.4 yds/game. New England held them to 80 rushing yards on 22 carries.

-David Garrard committed only 5 turnovers in 12 starts this season. New England forced him into 2 turnovers just tonight.


You guys are making their defense sound like it's one of the worst in the NFL. The Patriots take away your main option and want you to beat them with something you rarely do and Jacksonville wasn't able to come within double digits of beating them by passing the ball.

With all of that said, I do think Indianapolis CAN beat New England in Gillette Stadium and will most likely take the points in that game.
 
The problem is stats can lie.

Before the run they failed to score 24 in 5 of 6 . In 2 of the first 3 away games they scored 24 pts on 100 yds passing. In either game they did not avg 4 YPC. They played Oak , Car and Buffalo at home who were 3 poor road teams and who had poor offenses leading to turnovers and / or wearing there own defenses down. Twice on the road the scored 25 + while allowing 40 + . The played some easy games and the tough ones they got to 25 on the backdoor @ indy , the playoff game vs Pitt they probably had 200 yds of offense...this is not a good offense. They found ways to score mostly due to inferior competition .

The RBs are good but they also run the ball the most( say 35 carries) and thats why they are #2 as well. Here they came out throwing and it wasnt like a tactical switch to throw it was there pregame plan. So NE didnt frce them to throw they decided to do it own there own. Which means I cant say NE stopped there running game cause it Was Jax focus tonight.

Funny how when the competition improves so do the amount of turnovers piling up.
 
The premise of this was can Indy beat NE and the answer is simply yes. NE defense stepped it up in the 2nd half with adjustments allowing only 6 pts. This D is decent, they are a bend, don't break D. Lets not compare though you're talking about Garrard and not Manning. And you're talking about limited receivers in Jax. At the goal line, Wayne, Harrison, Clark or Gonazalez do not drop the ball Northcutt did which would have made a huge difference last night. And the biggest thing here is we are talking about the DEFENDING SB CHAMPS, the INdianapolis Colts. I say they have a great shot.
 
Pepsiman said:
The premise of this was can Indy beat NE and the answer is simply yes. NE defense stepped it up in the 2nd half with adjustments allowing only 6 pts. This D is decent, they are a bend, don't break D. Lets not compare though you're talking about Garrard and not Manning. And you're talking about limited receivers in Jax. At the goal line, Wayne, Harrison, Clark or Gonazalez do not drop the ball Northcutt did which would have made a huge difference last night. And the biggest thing here is we are talking about the DEFENDING SB CHAMPS, the INdianapolis Colts. I say they have a great shot.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. :cheers:
 
Once again, what sucks is the top 3 teams in the niffel are pats, colts, jags; but of course they will have to beat each other to get to the big game rather than playing in the big game.

... but to answer your question, this pats team will not be beat this season. we are watching a team that will go in the history books as arguably the best ever (imo, they are the best ever).
 
Anyone else like the UNDER with these defenses in Indy. Colts had the number three overall D, and with Norv's game plan - I'm sure San Diego will struggle to move the football. I'm already locked into a big bet on Indy, so I'm passing on the number. But it certainly looks like a lot to ask with these two
 
IMO there are only two teams that can realistically beat the Pats, Indy and Green Bay. I really like Green Bay's physcial secondary and that could give them some problems. Plus they have the offense that can put up the amount of points to keep them in the game. Indy we know can do it because of the previous game they played. There is just something about Indy that makes me feel like they can't get it done at Foxboro. Plus, I don't want to start some conspiracy but a Pats vs. Packers with Brady vs. Favre would on paper look like one of the greatest superbowls ever.
 
Instead Of Just Starting A New Thread, I Think San Diego Could Beat New England. I Know Were Talking Indy Here, But What If San Diego Wins...
 
Joe Public said:
Am I the only one who thinks they can beat this NE team?

It wouldn't surprise me if I am. And I'm very interested to see if Indy is truly in playoff form. But watching Jax tonight, I look at that NE defense--as I have for weeks--and something's just not right.

They keep giving up yardage, like a lot of it. And they're giving up a ton of points, too.

Now, Indy will have to go to NE if they beat SD tomorrow, and their results have varied wildly. That said, if they're healthy, and they play well tomorrow--that is, if they look like they're on the same page, etc.--I'll be very excited for the AFC Championship Game, because I think they could have a shot.

(Ugh, God help me, I just realized I'm rooting for the Colts. Damn you, Bill Belichick, damn you all to hell.)
Click to expand...

The Pats gave up the 4th least amount of point during the regular season. They do play somewhat soft (giving up some yardage which you said) but there red zone D has gotten much better towards the end of the season. And people say they're healthy, which they are definitely getting most of their guys back. However, a HUGE point is no Dwight Freeney. He killed the Pats during the regular season match up much more so than anyone. And I think that loss might be more devastating with the Colts than Harrison's gain.

All this being said, should be a great game and I am already nervous thinking about it.
 
Lots of great points by everyone here....but my heart and wallet will be with the COLTS assuming they get past SD. They exploited NE before and they will do it again. The Colts should have one earlier this year by they blew a lead and without Harrison to boot. As old as he is, that man is a difference maker on the field.

I can't recall who mentioned it saying "the Colts can't go score for score with the Pats"....sorry but you are dead wrong my man. They've already proved they can and let's be honest...NE defense has some serious holes. MANNING WILL EXPLOIT.

All the best guys.
 
"They've already proved they can and let's be honest..." how did they prove this and lose the regular season match up?
 
It's not like that game was a blowout. They had opportunities to win the game obviously. Plus, the Pats are the best team in the NFL but they are not invincible. I believe that they are going to do this but a lot teams could show up and beat them. I'd doubt it though.
 
The Colts are the only team to beat the Pats at least once in the last 3 seasons. No other NFL teams shares this stat. As previously mentioned....this year, they had them on their heels and wound up blowing a nice lead. A loss is a loss...I understand. But up until NE came back to win, the Colts were in complete control of that game - W/O Harrison.

I understand NE's offense has improved dramatically with key additions. However, their D has only declined with their aging players...and this has already been proven by a few of the leagues mediocre teams this year.

The COLTS are above average on boths sides of the ball....this seasons stats also show this. I personally beleive that the Colts have improved enough on Defense to deal with NE's high-powered attack. As the gentleman above mentioned the Pats didn't exactly blow them out earlier this year. And again...throw Harrison in the mix, I have no doubt in my mind the Colts can beat New England any given Sunday, as long as they seal the deal this afternoon.

BOL to all whatever you decide.

:cheers:
 
Everyone keeps saying "add Harrison into the mix this time around" which yes obviously he's an awesome WR. Two points though...
1. It remains to be scene at what level he can play and
2. The loss Freeney on the other side of the ball is just as big, if not bigger, as a loss than Harrison is as a gain (vs New England anyway)
 
Guys weather will be a huge part in this one. Whether its Sunny San Diego or the domehome Colts, neither will be very comfortable in Foxboro when it is 10 degrees above freezing at gametime...
 
Indy has already won in the cold in Foxboro. And weather here in the NE Region is seasonably warm and the Farmers Alamanac says a warmer Jan and Feb. Of course we are going to get 6-12 inches tomorrow but I think weather will be a non-factor next weekend.
 
Indy doesn't look like they can compete with the Pats. With or without Harrison. In the regular season game, did the Pats make the needed adjustments to outscore the colts 17-7 in the second half, or did the colts "blow" it? The same question could be asked about last nights game, did the jags "blow" their opportunity to win, or did the pats adjust their game plan to outscore them 17-6? Same question in the giants game. Do most people really believe teams blow their chances to beat new england? I think New England's ability to fix problems and adjust their game plan is what makes them a superior team, thus winning games many people thought they should have lost.
 
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 20.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6.


Don't mess with me, I'm a weatherman dammit.
 
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