Ugh

[CaptainHook]

I do think part of the lack of Edge use had to do with the Steelers doing a pretty good job of stopping him but really they should have stuck with it more. 

 

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Yeah, but it's not been just this one game. When the Colts get into a close play-off game, they panic. They throw the ball WAY more than they need too. They don't keep the other team honest. And let's be serious, the only running play the Colts ran all day was the stretch, which is just dumb. To run against a 3-4 D you have to run between the tackles. The Colts didn't even attempt it. That is what is assinine.

 

In the end not pounding him in there to pick up a few more yards for that FG attempt is phucking asinine, IMHO.

 

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A completely retarded play. Like I said, I agreed with taking a shot for the win on second down. But on third down, you need to go with something more high percentage. Jeez, Wayne wasn't even running the route that Manning threw. So stupid. So incredibly stupid. Makes me want to

[Chavez]

Well, you know I like to see Manning suffer whenever possible...but I do feel for their fans. This really should have been the Colts' year.

 

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I was thinking about this this evening, and the only parallel I can draw is when it's "your' teams year, it's one of those things you can feel in your bones; your team is good, it's got the coach, the offense, the defense, the special teams in place, has had some playoff success, and just seems to be in that magical, caught-lightning-in-a-bottle zone.

 

Now imagine how Chicagoans would've felt if the Bears had been one-and-done in the playoffs in '85, or New Yorkers in '86, or Skins fans in '91, or Packer fans in '96, or Denver fans in '97; or imagine that feeling that, say, Bears fans had in '86 or Viking fans had in '98 when a team that seemed to be something REALLY special came up short.

 

If Green Bay hadn't won the '96 SB I would've been devastated (relatively speaking).

[LooGie]

Man, Hook i feel for ya bud. I was rooting INDY, but mostly because I dont like Peyton getting the rep of the choke artist. I think (thought?) it is undeserved, and I wanted to see him/them succeed.

I think the blame should fall first and formost on Dungy. Why you don't use Edge in this one, I'll never ever know.

If you use Edge, there's less incomplete passes, theres less happy legs...theres even less "protection problems". Dungy choked it hard.

 

Manning had happy feet, but showed severe brilliance. Especially when Dungy calls out the punting unit, and Manning waves them back, and GETS IT! I was jumping around like a homer. (on a side note Dungy said "no, it was the punting team who got it wrong, not me." which is complete garbage. he called it, and was mad to see Peyton wave them back. he threw his special teams under a bus)

 

Anyway, I think this team can win. Just so long as they stick with what got them there. Edge. They didn't. PIT came to ball, IND came to finesse, and it backfired. Probably a month at the house that did it

 

But anyways, I truly feel for you and to your manning up(no pun intended either)..what sucks is nobody came in here and roasted you

 

cheer up, if you can.

[Grits and Shins]

I honestly don't think the Colts came out rusty.  I think the Steelers were taking it to the Colts defensively.  The offensive line played horrible.  The worst I've seen in several years.  The Colts defense played very, very well, IMO.  They forced a first quarter turnover, they were stuffing the Steelers running game, but Roeth and the Steelers were making great plays in the passing game in the first half.  In the second half the Steelers predictably tried to protect a lead too early, which they do on a regular basis.  And in a game between two teams defined by their choking, the Steelers did just enough to hold on.

 

As for Manning.  The numbers do not reflect how poorly he played.  When he did have time, he did not make plays.  He does not seem to understand that you cannot go for the long pass on every play in the play-offs.  Sometimes you have to take what the defense gives you.  His long pass to Wayne on third and two with 25+ seconds left and 2 TO's left is just brainless.  And the Colts continual disdain for using the running game in the play-offs is mind-boggling.  The play calling and the game plan were terrible.

 

THIS was the Colts year.  Best record.  Home field advantage.  No excuses.  They choked it away.  Saying it that way does not give the Steelers credit for a great performance and game plan, which they worked brilliantly for three and a half quarters.  Congrats to the Steelers and their fans.  I will be self-imposing a sig-line for myself shortly.  And I'm taking a break from football for a while.

 

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Maybe we saw different games.

 

I'd say the offense did look out of sync ... kind of like they hadn't played in a couple of weeks :doah:

 

Additionally, how can you say the defense played well given how easily PIT moved the ball down the field starting on the very first drive? It is irrelevant that they did it through the air instead of on the ground.

 

If the Colts couldn't do it this year with the cards stacked in their favor I doubt they ever get it done.

[GhostFace]

The way they used Edge this year was what I thought was really going to make a difference in the playoffs. Totally inexcusable to go back to their same old ways.

 

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Hey Dave, the Indy offensive line got their asses handed to them. The Steelers came to play, and slammed Indy in the mouth, so to speak, from the first snap of the game. Don't think for a second that Indy's game plan didn't include Edge. I seem to remember him running the ball several times.

 

What? no one has considered that the problem could be Manning? He can't take the pressure!!! Edge and Wayne are not the problems, nor is their defense or offensive line. Sure Manning was pressured, look at Brady, when he gets pressure he moves to the outside by a couple steps to buy some time and then hits a short one to move the chains. Manning just can't do that. He is like a deer in the head lights in big defensive games. Manning will probably never win the big one and yes it is just like Marino.

 

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First of all, give all the credit to the Steelers defensive line. And the problem was the Indy offensive line. Manning was getting killed out there. And the Brady comparison is lame, considering that awful pick he threw to Champ Bailey, when he could have thrown it away and allowed the Pats to get 3. IMO, Manning is the best qb in the game, and it's not even close.

['canes2004]

Nice post CH. I'm sure it must of been a hugh let down especially when you were there in person. You'll be ok though. Your Colts still have a good team and will be a force for a few more years.

 

Hey CH, were the few Steeler fans at the game really that loud? Man it seemed like they were just really into it and even forced a false start on the Colts on the 2 point play. See any fights?

[giantsfan]

I think the blame should fall first and formost on Dungy. Why you don't use Edge in this one, I'll never ever know.

If you use Edge, there's less incomplete passes, theres less happy legs...theres even less "protection problems". Dungy choked it hard.

Anyway, I think this team can win. Just so long as they stick with what got them there. Edge. They didn't. PIT came to ball, IND came to finesse, and it backfired. Probably a month at the house that did it

 

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While I agree with your premise here, Dungy is/was questionable, and they should have ran more draws and screens to Edge to throw off the pass rush, what you are missing is MANNING CALLS THE PLAYS so he is the one who went pass, pass, pass and didn't use Edge not Dungy. Now you want to say hey Dungy has to overrule and tell Manning run more okay and I agree, but that would go against their whole O all year when Manning made all the calls at the line. At any rate even if you feel that way Manning still has to get most of the blame for no running IMO not Dungy.

Edited January 16, 2006 by giantsfan

[Hugh 0ne]

That white kid and his rap song are what gave you the kiss of the death.

[Front Row]

There is always next yr. Dallas beats Indy in next yrs SB.....

Typical ... :

 

Peyton Manning has solidified himself as the big game choker, if there was ever any doubt it should be gone now. As a Giant homer I must say I am also concerned about this "family" trait. Hats off to the Steelers for a gutsy performance. They made some big pass plays when needed and the D came up large when needed. One more thought.. does Vanderjagt come back in a Colts uni next yr?

[msaint]

Nice original post, Hook. Gave the Steelers the credit they fully deserved and ranted about the Colts utterly asinine reliance on the HR ball come playoff time when, in yesterday's case, they should have just gotten VJagt as close as possible with 2 timeouts and a safe/high percentage yardage-eater like Edge.

 

I sort of equate Peyton's calls down the stretch to the Reggie Bush bungled lateral in the Rose Bowl: Bush was like, "Screw it, I'm the Heisman winner and #1 pick, I'm tossing it" and I think Peyton just thought "Screw it, I'm the best QB in the NFL" and let it fly (not so much on 2nd down, which was the right call, IMO, but on 3rd down, which was mindless). Admirable that he believes in his considerable talent, which every successful person has to do especially in a world as competitive and elite as the NFL -- that's what makes the great ones great -- but he shouldn't have flown so close to the sun yesterday.

 

Dungy also deserves boatloads of blame. He was not a leader yesterday. He was just "some guy" letting his QB completely run the show for him and pleading for non-existent pass interference calls to save his hindquarter. As always, I have tons of respect for Dungy as a coach and a person, but he didn't show me a darn thing about being a leader yesterday. Disappopinting. Tough loss, but bottom line, Pitt came to play and overcame countless obstacles in that game.

 

 

BTW, I'd love to see Reggie Wayne catching passes from Brady next season (Brown likely gone, Givens a possession WR, Davis gone....we need a big target alongside Branch and Reggie would be an ideal fit.)

Edited January 16, 2006 by msaint

[T-Scorp]

Captian and the rest of the Indy fans, I know your pain. Being a Vikings fan has given that feeling on many occassions, 1998 loss to Atlanta and 2000's loss to Giants just to name a couple recent kicks in the groin.

 

As I watched that game I could not help but see Dungy slowly turning into Denny Green.

[Fantasy Jesus]

Very classy post CaptainHook after a tough day for the Colts.

 

I was so sure they were going to win. I lost so much money at -9.5 it has made me physically sick. I might have to sell half of all my stuff to cover it.

 

Heath Miller in the 1st quarter was unstoppable.

 

Words can't describe how much I despise the Colts today.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Fantasy Jesus

[Gdawg]

Right there with ya FJ. Picked everything right EXCEPT the Colts this weekend. Too bad I had most of my $$$ on the Colts

 

Oh well, cant win 'em all.

[Bill Swerski]

Yeah, but it's not been just this one game.  When the Colts get into a close play-off game, they panic.  They throw the ball WAY more than they need too.  They don't keep the other team honest.  And let's be serious, the only running play the Colts ran all day was the stretch, which is just dumb.  To run against a 3-4 D you have to run between the tackles.  The Colts didn't even attempt it.  That is what is assinine.

 

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True dat. The play-calling was awful. Then again, the Colts were struggling mightily to run early on and were really only successful on that drive in the 2nd quarter... and then couldn't pound it in from the two. The Colts secondary, which couldn't cover my dead grandmother, also put them 14 points in the hole in the first quarter, which no doubt influenced the play-calling. Indy's problem last year in Foxoboro was their inability to run the ball early on... and that same problem carried over into yesterday.

 

A completely retarded play.  Like I said,  I agreed with taking a shot for the win on second down.  But on third down, you need to go with something more high percentage.

 

Agreed. I couldn't believe that they didn't run it on 3rd and 2. I'm not sure who to pin that on... Manning, Moore, or Dungy. Did Peyton audible out of the run?

 

Perhaps it's time to stop giving Peyton complete control of the play-calling. He knows what works, but is also biased because he has complete confidence is his abilities.

 

I still can't believe that Howard Mudd and Tom Moore didn't game-plan for constant blitzes from a 3-4 defense after the SD game. I'm sure that some of it was a lack of execution, but it seemed like some guys were getting to Manning untouched. And what was the deal with Dungy wanting to punt at the end of the 3rd while down 21-3? That's just terrible.

[LooGie]

While I agree with your premise here, Dungy is/was questionable, and they should have ran more draws and screens to Edge to throw off the pass rush, what you are missing is MANNING CALLS THE PLAYS so he is the one who went pass, pass, pass and didn't use Edge not Dungy. Now you want to say hey Dungy has to overrule and tell Manning run more okay and I agree, but that would go against their whole O all year when Manning made all the calls at the line. At any rate even if you feel that way Manning still has to get most of the blame for no running IMO not Dungy.

 

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You are 100% correct. Never even thought about it like that. Manning did and does call all the plays. So no matter how you look at it, it has to fall (majority anyway) on Manning's shoulders. :doah: Good points from you, for sure