If you were the Colts owner or GM . . .

[CaptainHook]

Remember, you're the GM or owner. Not a fan. What would you do?

[whomper]

The poll is flawed. My answer would be number 1 but not because 19-0 is most importnant. Its because it is a special acheivement that comes once in a lifetime and they could have done it with ease. Manning never gets touched. They would have been fine for the playoff run.

[giantsfan]

What the Colts did was disgusting IMO.

 

It was week 16. I have NO issue with a team with no bye (NE and Cincy come to mind) pulling starters in week 17 after a quarter or so (basically using week 17 as their bye). BUT to pull starters in week 16 WITH A BYE is a joke.

 

You really think it is good for these players to not really play for 3-4 weeks or so?

 

And they don't learn. When they do this they lose. When they won the SB they played through week 17 vs Miami.

 

Now they will win their 1st game because I don't have much faith in NE, Cincy, NYJ, Balt winning in Indy. But I think SD takes them in the AFC title game.

 

So my biggest issue isn't hey they will lose because of this in the playoffs this year (remains to be seen though) because I think SD beats them either way. My bigger issue is it's just disgusting to be pulling players in week 16 when you don't play a meaningful game for 3-4 weeks.

 

And to see Polian talk about 16-0 isn't a goal or doesn't mean anything is even worse. And what's even worse to me if I am a Colts fan, is he THEN proceeds to say how most regular season wins in the decade WAS a goal for them??? If that doesn't explain what the Colts have been the past 8-10 years I don't know what does.

 

The Colts have been a GREAT regular season team, and have ONE RING for all their dominance. And shocker the one ring came after playing through week 17.

 

So I'll leave it like this. I can not say they will not wuin the SB because of this, but I can say it is disgusting what they do every year, and doubley so when they had a great shot at 16-0. And it was WEEK 16 not even week 17.

Edited January 1, 2010 by giantsfan

[cdrudge]

The poll is flawed. My answer would be number 1 but not because 19-0 is most importnant. Its because it is a special acheivement that comes once in a lifetime and they could have done it with ease. Manning never gets touched. They would have been fine for the playoff run.

+1. There have been 43 previous Superbowl winners. Only one has had a perfect season. And none have gone 19-0. Winning the superbowl is important, but so is being THE team that sets greatness.

[giantsfan]

The poll is flawed. My answer would be number 1 but not because 19-0 is most importnant. Its because it is a special acheivement that comes once in a lifetime and they could have done it with ease. Manning never gets touched. They would have been fine for the playoff run.

Agreed 100%.

 

Your # 2 choice:

 

I would have rested the starters, just like the Colts did. The Super Bowl is most important.

 

Almost makes it sound like they had a choice. Go for 16-0 and NOT win the SB. OR rest starters and go for the SB.

 

You should have added a choice. Go for 16-0/19-0 AND still win SB.

 

You can do both, and they should have period.

 

I'm sorry, but Polian looked like a complete tool in that interview on the NFL network. And to me showed exactly the mentality the Colts have had all these years, and why despite numerous dominating regular seasons have 1 SB ring to show for it.

[CaptainHook]

Manning never gets touched. They would have been fine for the playoff run.

Why does everyone think that Manning is the only player they rested? While he's the most important, he's not the only player the Colts will need if they are to make a SB run. Addai, Wayne, Clark, Saturday, Freeney, Brackett, and Bethea were all pulled from the Jets game. If any of them gets hurt, the Colts chances take a hit.

Edited January 1, 2010 by CaptainHook

[Czarina]

The poll is flawed. My answer would be number 1 but not because 19-0 is most importnant. Its because it is a special acheivement that comes once in a lifetime and they could have done it with ease. Manning never gets touched. They would have been fine for the playoff run.

Agreed. It's not because 19-0 is so important, it's because your team needs to continue building into the postseason. The last time the Colts went into coasting mode prior to the playoffs it hurt them tremendously. I'm surprised they didn't take that into account this year.

[CaptainHook]

Agreed. It's not because 19-0 is so important, it's because your team needs to continue building into the postseason. The last time the Colts went into coasting mode prior to the playoffs it hurt them tremendously. I'm surprised they didn't take that into account this year.

The Colts spin on this is that the last time they rested, Dungy's son also committed suicide, and their starting CB got knifed in the thigh days before the game. Polian feels those incidents were bigger problems than attributing it to "resting". They still had a shot to tie that game with Vandy's errant FG.

 

Polian also likes to point out that in 1999, they did not rest starters, and Cornelius Bennett got hurt, which hampered the defense.

Edited January 1, 2010 by CaptainHook

[whomper]

Why does everyone think that Manning is the only player they rested? While he's the most important, he's not the only player the Colts will need if they are to make a SB run. Addai, Wayne, Clark, Saturday, Freeney, Brackett, and Bethea were all pulled from the Jets game. If any of them gets hurt, the Colts chances take a hit.

 

 

Manning is the only irresplaceable person that you mentioned

[CaptainHook]

Manning is the only irresplaceable person that you mentioned

If Manning was all you needed, the Colts would have a lot more Super Bowl trophies.

[Chief Dick]

My big problem is this. These guys are in the entertainment business. They charge people hard earned money to watch their games. They go to watch their team win.

 

As competitors, we are taught in sports to go win the game. And in any sport, you need to maintain a mental edge in order for you to win. "Giving" away a game brings a team down off of that mental edge they need to win games.

 

So in this situation the Colts management cheated 2 entities here:

 

1. The fans. They clearly had NO pulse or regard for the very people that pay their salaries. And I'm so tired of sports management copping the attitude of "We know more than you. You have no idea how to run a team...blah blah blah." It's insulting.

 

2. Their own players. They cheated their very players out of the one thing that drives all of us to play sports--to win the damn game. And you play sports your whole life for the opportunity to do something only one other team has ever done, and NO team has done in the modern scheduling era.

 

And the way they did it is totally contrary to competitive fairness, because they ultimately screwed a lot more teams in the process. The whole thing just makes me sick, and is one more hammer stroke in the wedge between me and professional sports.

[whomper]

If Manning was all you needed, the Colts would have a lot more Super Bowl trophies.

 

 

Didnt say he was all you need just that he is the one you would be most concerned with and he rarely ever gets touched. He is the franchise and you are never truly out of game if he is on the field no matter who the supporting cast is.

[CaptainHook]

I was also disgusted with how they treated the fans. We all went there expecting the team to go for 15-0. Instead we were treated to a glorified pre-season game. That's what bothers me the most. If the Colts had been up front, said, "winning this game is not a priority, and we will pull starters" then I could have made the decision to go or not. I think this is what I'm so upset about. And the fact Polian said the "most wins in a decade" and "consecutive regular season winning streak" were somehow more important than 16-0.

[CaptainHook]

Didnt say he was all you need just that he is the one you would be most concerned with and he rarely ever gets touched. He is the franchise and you are never truly out of game if he is on the field no matter who the supporting cast is.

I disagree wholeheartedly. There are a lot of important guys on the Colts, all of whom are critical to a post-season run. Manning is the most important, and they could not reach the Super Bowl without him. But other guys will be vital too. They also were pulled and protected.

[WaterMan]

Basically the Colts like to take time off because they aren't gridiron tough like some QBs currently playing.

[ebartender]

This puts so much more pressure on the Colts to win the SB.

[CaptainHook]

This puts so much more pressure on the Colts to win the SB.

I don't know that it does that. The pressure at 18-0 would have been tremendous.

 

But I do think it puts more pressure on them to win their first playoff game.

[giantsfan]

And the fact Polian said the "most wins in a decade" and "consecutive regular season winning streak" were somehow more important than 16-0.

I agree with this 100%. It is actually quite ridiculous that Polian said that. And again to me gives you some interesting insight into the Colts mindset. Maybe that mindset has something to do with the post season failures of the Colts?

[Riffraff]

[DMD]

+1. There have been 43 previous Superbowl winners. Only one has had a perfect season. And none have gone 19-0. Winning the superbowl is important, but so is being THE team that sets greatness.

 

Precisely. It is the difference between being the good team one year and a great team of all-time.

 

By now there are thousands of players who have played in Super bowls. 106 more every year (discounted repeaters).

 

No one has ever had 19-0. The Pats saw it and wanted it. Can you tell me who won the Super Bowl in 1971 or 1973? I can't. I know who won in 1972.

[Big John]

Can you tell me who won the Super Bowl in 1971 or 1973? I can't. I know who won in 1972.

1971 - Dallas

 

1973 - Miami again.

[DMD]

1971 - Dallas

 

1973 - Miami again.

 

But did you have to look that up?

[Big John]

But did you have to look that up?

nope

[whomper]

I disagree wholeheartedly. There are a lot of important guys on the Colts, all of whom are critical to a post-season run. Manning is the most important, and they could not reach the Super Bowl without him. But other guys will be vital too. They also were pulled and protected.

 

 

Well I doubt a good percentage of the guys you listed were all suddenly going to go down in the 2nd half of that Jets game . I am sure the game plan would have been a consevative one. Yes, anything is possible but Manning is the main guy you needed to protect and if history serves they wouldnt have laid a finger on him

[CaptainHook]

Well I doubt a good percentage of the guys you listed were all suddenly going to go down in the 2nd half of that Jets game . I am sure the game plan would have been a consevative one. Yes, anything is possible but Manning is the main guy you needed to protect and if history serves they wouldnt have laid a finger on him

You don't need a "good percentage" to go down. One would have been bad enough. And it wasn't just the second half of the Jets game, but also this week against the Bills you have to worry about. The Colts have had horrible injury problems all year. And Manning had been drilled a couple times against the Jets.