Colts losing

[CaptainHook]

It was all about attitude my friend....we're gunna beat you until you beat us.

The Colts PTB obviously lack that mentality and the disgust showed on the players faces.

This is NOT the time of year you wanna be playing soft.

 

When I saw the 50K passing flashed on the screen I felt the same way Czarina did.

That was bush......I smell trouble coming for the Colts.

It didn't exactly work out the way the Patriots did it either. . .

[cdrudge]

When I saw the 50K passing flashed on the screen I felt the same way Czarina did.

That was bush.

Oh please. Every NFL player has personal goals that aren't in direct opposition to team goals. Every year at the end of the season or even earlier in the season during career games, players remain in longer then what they really need to be in order to reach some milestone. Manning needed 159 yards or so before today's game to reach 50k. At the half he had 131 and I think just about everyone presumed he would play at least until the half. Was it REALLY that bush that he played one extra series after the half?

[CaptainHook]

Like Tom Brady throwing garbage time TD's in fourth quarters of blow-outs to get the TD record? Get off your high horse.

[Pope Flick]

That was a waste of a Sunday afternoon. Nothing like watching pre-season football in December.

 

 

<--- from me and my Dad.

[BeeR]

Anyone who thinks Manning stayed in to get to 50K needs their head examined. I'm pretty sure he's not retiring and so would easily get it next year. Also he cares nothing about such records. Not trying to glorify the guy, just stating what should be obvious.

 

Caldwell is still a putz riding Manning's coattails though.

[Ursa Majoris]

It didn't exactly work out the way the Patriots did it either. . .

They didn't win the Superbowl, true, but everyone will remember their perfect season regardless. You had better pray you win the SB now because otherwise you've got jack, unlike New England that year.

[Slim]

They didn't win the Superbowl, true, but everyone will remember their perfect season regardless. You had better pray you win the SB now because otherwise you've got jack, unlike New England that year.

 

they didn't have a perfect season. if they would have had a perfect season, eli manning would be where he belongs: on the list of forgettable quarterbacks who never won, nor deserved to win a superbowl. but whatever, i'm pretty sure that's just karma paying archie back for 100 years of purgatory in poopy town prior to the brees era.

 

the point being, neither brady, bellaCHICk, stupid ass new england fans (where is that ennyway) nor any other patriot has ever, or will ever, know what it feels like to enjoy a "perfect season". nice job getting crushed by the bears 1,000 to zeron back in 85, but way. that's what i think of when someone says "patties"....john stephenson v. walter payton ooooFFF

[Rovers]

They didn't win the Superbowl, true, but everyone will remember their perfect season regardless. You had better pray you win the SB now because otherwise you've got jack, unlike New England that year.

 

LOL.... perfect season? WHAT perfect season?!? You mean the year they lost as heavy favorites in the Super Bowl to the Giants? The only reason anyone remembers the Don Shula Colts at all is because the Jets kicked their azzez in the Super bowl. The Pats are a footnote. They lost the Super Bowl.

[peteteacher2001]

.I smell trouble coming for the Colts.

Yep!

[Ursa Majoris]

they didn't have a perfect season. if they would have had a perfect season, eli manning would be where he belongs: on the list of forgettable quarterbacks who never won, nor deserved to win a superbowl. but whatever, i'm pretty sure that's just karma paying archie back for 100 years of purgatory in poopy town prior to the brees era.

 

the point being, neither brady, bellaCHICk, stupid ass new england fans (where is that ennyway) nor any other patriot has ever, or will ever, know what it feels like to enjoy a "perfect season". nice job getting crushed by the bears 1,000 to zeron back in 85, but way. that's what i think of when someone says "patties"....john stephenson v. walter payton ooooFFF

 

 

LOL.... perfect season? WHAT perfect season?!? You mean the year they lost as heavy favorites in the Super Bowl to the Giants? The only reason anyone remembers the Don Shula Colts at all is because the Jets kicked their azzez in the Super bowl. The Pats are a footnote. They lost the Super Bowl.

I think you both know I meant perfect regular season.

[Jackass]

i think the colts pretty much wanted to lose this game. they felt it would've been a distraction not only this week, but next week all over again. And then all through the playoffs, it would've continued and added additional pressure. Time will tell if they made the right call or not.

[pig devilz]

The Colts took all the effort, hard work, 4th quarter come backs, Manning miracles,

blood, sweat (no tears cuz they hadn't lost a game) and threw it all in the toilet. In front of the home fans, I might add.

 

Just so happens that they lost in UGLY fashion. All done by a first year HC.

You can't tell me that the vets on that team are not second, third and fourth guessing that move.

 

I don't care that Manning towed the company line in his presser, it was written all over his face,

he was pissed and embarrassed. Rightfully so. The players had the opportunity of their professional life times

ripped out from underneath them. Horrible. All by a first year HC who has been pretty quiet all year.

Terrible time for a coming out party.....the seeds have been planted, at the wrong time of the year.

[BeeR]

I think you both know I meant perfect regular season.

Which no one really remembers/cares about. ie when people talk about the 07 Pats, they talk about how they lost the SB and blew their shot at immortality. "Perfect regular season" is about as meaningful as "perfect home record." It's nice, but a BFD when you get down to it.

[whomper]

Somewhere out there lies the happy medium between the Pats keeping Brady in the game and throwing for TDs up 25+ when they made their run and the the weak display the Colts put on yesterday. Manning looked like he was about to cry. It would be much less of a distraction to have had the pressure to keep the perfect season in tact than it is to deal with the second guessing after what happened yesterday. The Colts had to beat The Jets and The bills . Then they had the same pressure as any other playoff team does. Win out or go home. They also altered the competitive balance of the playoffs. Manning hasnt been sacked since 2002. He would have been fine . I can see why Hook and others are so bitter and lashing out . I would be bitter too.

[Ursa Majoris]

Which no one really remembers/cares about. ie when people talk about the 07 Pats, they talk about how they lost the SB and blew their shot at immortality. "Perfect regular season" is about as meaningful as "perfect home record." It's nice, but a BFD when you get down to it.

To you, maybe, but you're the most miserable twat on these boards so BFD.

[fitzkek]

The loss was a long time coming. They really aren't that good of a team. They have weaknesses that unfortunately will be exposed in the postseason.

[paulzale]

Here lies the problem, the Colts fans and the country will view this as a poor choice if the Colts do not win the SuperBowl. Also, the Colts have won the SB in the past few years, so now they are just shooting for the best team of this season, while they had the chance to shoot for being the best team ever. Manning has been sacked the least amount of any QB over the past 2 years, likelihood of him getting hurt is slim. This really has no bearing on the playoffs, but just took a lot of opportunity off the board for them and set the bar even higher IMHO since the only way to measure success is with a SB win. Imagine the Colts winning the SB with only a loss this week and next!!!

[Caveman_Nick]

I thought the whole thing was strange until I read that Manning stayed in until he made his person achievement mark of 50k yards passing. Then it made me angry. I hate it when personal achievements are put above the needs of the team. Either he should be playing or not. What if he'd been hurt during that time they left him in just to make his yardage? Blah.

 

From the look on Manning's face when he was on the sidelines, he apparently agrees with you. No way he was okay with sitting.

[CaptainHook]

I do wonder how many people that wanted the Colts to go for the undefeated season were also hoping that in the process, the Colts would incur some injuries, making it easier for their team to advance. I know the thought crossed my mind during the Patriots run at 19-0. . .

[Caveman_Nick]

I do wonder how many people that wanted the Colts to go for the undefeated season were also hoping that in the process, the Colts would incur some injuries, making it easier for their team to advance. I know the thought crossed my mind during the Patriots run at 19-0. . .

 

I just wanted them to go for it and let what happens happen. If they lost, I wanted them to lose while laying it out on the field.

 

I never hope for injuries. Always thought that lacked class.

[MTSuper7]

Perfect season or not, resting players is ghey. Especially if you play them the entire first half and most of the 3rd quarter. Seriously, an injury can happen on any play. Why even put Manning, Wayne, Clark, Freeney, Mathis, etc. out there at all if you're worried they're going to get hurt. And if the point is to keep them from getting rusty before the playoffs, I would argue that playing them part of the game then taking them out will have a worse effect than not playing them at all. Caldwell claims this game was meaningless. This indirectly means that he thinks having momentum going into the playoffs is worthless. Talk about a pussified coaching strategy. I mean, I'm sure he would take some heat if one of his star players got hurt in one of these "meaningless" games, but who is going to really blame him for trying to win every game he coaches. Isn't that his job? Isn't that what the fans who paid tickets to be there yesterday want to see?

[electricrelish]

Perfect season or not, resting players is ghey. Especially if you play them the entire first half and most of the 3rd quarter. Seriously, an injury can happen on any play. Why even put Manning, Wayne, Clark, Freeney, Mathis, etc. out there at all if you're worried they're going to get hurt. And if the point is to keep them from getting rusty before the playoffs, I would argue that playing them part of the game then taking them out will have a worse effect than not playing them at all. Caldwell claims this game was meaningless. This indirectly means that he thinks having momentum going into the playoffs is worthless. Talk about a pussified coaching strategy. I mean, I'm sure he would take some heat if one of his star players got hurt in one of these "meaningless" games, but who is going to really blame him for trying to win every game he coaches. Isn't that his job? Isn't that what the fans who paid tickets to be there yesterday want to see?

 

+1

 

The opportunity to have an undefeated regular season is a rare thing, and to watch Jim Caldwell just throw it away was sickening. I have a feeling that the decision was not Caldwell's alone, but that Bill Polian also had some input due to previous comments. In the post game press conference with Peyton Manning, he said, ""I feel that this was our organizational philosophy that we stuck with."

 

I think it was a mistake. I think it messes with the psyche of a team when you quit.

[myhousekey]

Interesting article on December momentum.....

 

FBO: The myth that is ... momentum

 

As we watched Curtis Painter and company almost literally give the Indianapolis Colts' perfect season away, we were reminded of the futility of playoff performance narratives.

 

That is to say: Most explanations of why a team succeeded or failed in the playoffs are ridiculous, filled with hindsight-laden explanations that don't hold up. They're excuses that get applied upon failure and ignored upon success. The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers used their experience from the 2005 run to calm their nerves late and beat the Arizona Cardinals, but the 2006 Colts and the 2007 New York Giants had no more than a small handful of players that had ever participated in a Super Bowl.

 

Some narratives are created to explain variance. When a 14-win team loses in the second round of the playoffs after a bye -- no matter what happened in the game itself -- it was because they're rusty. Never mind that a team of that caliber loses to a 10-win team a fair amount of the time in the regular season. If they win, rusty doesn't come up. Teams that lose after a couple of playoff games on the road were too exhausted physically and emotionally, but when those same teams win and head on to the Super Bowl, they managed to remain healthy and happy.

 

What recent results have showed, though, is that the idea of momentum -- of teams "peaking at the right time" -- is a crock. The past three years provide enough fodder to kill the idea. The 2006 Colts went 2-3 in December, losing by 27 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and by three to a 6-10 Houston Texans team before narrowly beating a 6-10 Miami Dolphins team to finish the year. They then won four straight games en route to the Super Bowl.

 

In 2007, the Giants supposedly picked up momentum when they played the undefeated New England Patriots to an extremely close game, losing by three before starting off their hot streak. That's reasonable, but it was preceded by a 3-3 stretch in which the team lost to the Minnesota Vikings by 27, the Washington Redskins by 12 and narrowly pulled out victories over mediocre teams in the Detroit Lions (six points), Chicago Bears (five points) and Philadelphia Eagles (three points). The idea that the Giants' near-win over the Patriots had given them momentum didn't come until they actually made it to the Super Bowl, and their "momentum" consisted of one game.

 

Last year's Cardinals took the cake, though. After virtually locking up the NFC West with a 7-3 start, Arizona took the rest of the season off. Finishing 2-4, the Cardinals lost to the Giants by eight and the Eagles -- the same team they'd beat in the NFC Championship Game -- by 28. It got worse in December. Playing two playoff-caliber teams, the Cardinals lost by 21 to the Vikings and the Patriots by 40. The idea that they had momentum is absurd; time will not produce a better example of a team limping into the playoffs for decades.

 

Of course, the flip side of the "momentum" idea is fallacious, too; there are plenty of examples of teams sweeping December after an uneven first three months, only to disappear in the playoffs. The 2007 Redskins won their final four games after burying Sean Taylor, pushing them into the playoffs after a 5-7 start, but got annihilated in Seattle when Todd Collins started throwing interceptions. Last year's San Diego Chargers went 4-0 in December to sneak into the playoffs, and beat the Colts with a great performance at home in the wild-card round, but were summarily dispatched in Pittsburgh a week later. The Atlanta Falcons finished 5-1, winning their final three, and lost to the Cardinals in the wild-card round. The Dolphins did them one better -- going 5-0 to end the year, and 9-1 overall -- and got stomped 27-9 by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round. These are the most recent of many such examples in the past.

 

The point of all this is that what happened in December doesn't mean squat once the playoffs roll around. Each year, fans and media alike try and parse meaning out of small samples and natural variance. How many people get excited for the first preseason game of the year? By the time Week 1 of the regular season rolls around, only a month later, the preseason's been totally forgotten about. While the Colts lost their chance at an undefeated season, their decision to rest their stars won't have any effect on when they're "peaking" or their momentum heading into the playoffs.

 

Bottom line: Teams win in the playoffs because they play well and breaks go their way, the same way they do in the regular season. And if teams really can peak, the right time to peak isn't the end of December. It's the end of January.

Edited December 28, 2009 by myhousekey

[Rovers]

I understand Colts fans, and NFL fans in general being disgusted.

 

I don't know if I have any company, but as a Jets fan, I also feel like my house has been broken into and ransacked. Everyone seems to think the Jets had NO chance if the Colts left their starters in. How many people took TB over NO this week? Chit happens.

 

Now I have to listen to all this B-S about how the Jets "backed in". I'd have rather won or lost playing Iny's starters, not just half of them. Maybe this was the game Sanchez could have finally done something to WIN a game. Not likely, but we'll never know. Talk about "bad wins", yes Dorothy, there is such a thing, and it was no fault of the team I root for. They are now victims of Polian and Caldwell too. And it sucks for me as a Jets fan too.

[MTSuper7]

+1

 

The opportunity to have an undefeated regular season is a rare thing, and to watch Jim Caldwell just throw it away was sickening. I have a feeling that the decision was not Caldwell's alone, but that Bill Polian also had some input due to previous comments. In the post game press conference with Peyton Manning, he said, ""I feel that this was our organizational philosophy that we stuck with."

 

I think it was a mistake. I think it messes with the psyche of a team when you quit.

 

Yeah, you make a good point here. Polian was the one likely pulling the strings on this. Caldwell was just doing what his boss told him to do. I retract my comment about it being a pussified coaching strategy. Instead, it is Polian's management strategy that is pussified.

Edited December 29, 2009 by MTSuper7