And after 16 weeks the Colts have finally wrapped up the number three seed in the AFC! It sure as hell wasn’t easy. San Diego is a lot better team than I thought they were. The final, in overtime was 34-31 with a Vandy kick.
I’ll break down the game in a good, bad and ugly way.
The Good
Peyton Manning became the all time leader for TD passes thrown in a season when he hit Brandon Stokley for number 49 on the season. Earlier in the game he threw number 48 to James Mungro on a shovel pass. Peyton was good Sunday, not great. He did end up with 383 yards on 27 of 44 passing and his two TD’s. With his game he appears certain to break Steve Young’s passer rating of 112.8. Peyton is still over 120.
PM threw to 8 receivers in the game. Edge rushed for 86. The Rock was the real hero though. With the game hanging in the balance at 31-16, Rhodes returned the San Diego kickoff 88 yards for a TD which seemed to really deflate the Chargers. The score was 31-23 with 6 minutes to go and the game was truly on. The Colts got the ball back again and after P’s record setting TD pass, Edge ran the ball in for the two point conversion. In OT a 35 yard pass to Reggie Wayne set up Vandy’s 30 yard FG for the win.
One thing the game really showed was that the Colts are learning how to deal with the pressure and not fold. In the past this team may have wilted, but this week the team rose up, never quit and won the game. One beautiful byproduct of the game was that it rendered the Bronco game completely meaningless!!
Defensively Morris did have a pick that preserved the tie and Dwight Freeney got another sack. Other than those two things, the D falls in the next category.
The Bad
Defensively this was the worst game of the year for the Colts. Brees looked like Tom Brady out there. He was a surgeon. Problem was, he didn’t throw enough. Of course they were in the lead most of the way and let Tomlinson handle it; He ended up with 81 yards.
PM, for all of his yards had a pretty bad first half. He was off. Now, like the Chiefs game, I am not going to pin all of this on him, but he is the one making the big money and can’t have halves like he did Sunday.
The Ugly
We won, and that is good, but for three quarters Sunday we looked about as ordinary as I have seen this team in a couple of years. The Chargers came out loaded for bear and really took it to us. For 50 minutes we had no answer. Great teams will kill you do that. Look at what the Colts have done to teams who have done that to them. They kill them!
Anyway, a win is a win and the Chargers are a good team. My hat is off to them. But seriously, the comeback by PM and subsequent win were just storybook.
Here is a look at this weeks top 10:
1. Indianapolis (12-3) Gutsy call down the stretch against a good team that had the Colts on the ropes. The last 10 minutes is what makes the Colts number one and probably Super Bowl Champion.
2. Pittsburgh (14-1) Manhandled the Ravens 20-7 to clinch homefield. Big Ben and Bettis is a helluva combination.
3. New England (13-2) In big showdown with the Jets at the Meadowlands, the Pats just outclassed their division rivals.
4. San Diego (11-4) That is a good team in San Diego. Brees doesn’t make mistakes and they get decent pressure on the pocket. Tough loss for them Sunday.
5. Philadelphia (13-2) They looked pitiful last night without TO and without some starters who were resting. Still, I think their momentum might be gone.
6. NY Jets (10-5) Ten win season still has to be a disappointment the way they played against the Pats on Sunday. Are they coming apart at just the wrong time?
7. Atlanta (11-4) Vick didn’t play and they lost.
8. Buffalo (9-6) Bills have won 6 straight but need help to get in to the playoffs.
9. Baltimore (9-7) Back-to-back devastating losses have put the Ravens on the brink of not making the show.
10. Jacksonville (9-7) Inexplicable 21-0 skunking by the Texans at Alltel Stadium makes me wonder if this team has any heart.
As for the playoffs, they are nearly set. Denver can get in with a win over the Colts, who may or may not play many players on Sunday. Buffalo can get in if they win and Denver loses. JAX and BWI need lots of help to get in. In the NFC, Minnesota can get in with a win, everyone else need help. Seattle has a playoff spot, but the Rams could win the division.
I’ll break down the game in a good, bad and ugly way.
The Good
Peyton Manning became the all time leader for TD passes thrown in a season when he hit Brandon Stokley for number 49 on the season. Earlier in the game he threw number 48 to James Mungro on a shovel pass. Peyton was good Sunday, not great. He did end up with 383 yards on 27 of 44 passing and his two TD’s. With his game he appears certain to break Steve Young’s passer rating of 112.8. Peyton is still over 120.
PM threw to 8 receivers in the game. Edge rushed for 86. The Rock was the real hero though. With the game hanging in the balance at 31-16, Rhodes returned the San Diego kickoff 88 yards for a TD which seemed to really deflate the Chargers. The score was 31-23 with 6 minutes to go and the game was truly on. The Colts got the ball back again and after P’s record setting TD pass, Edge ran the ball in for the two point conversion. In OT a 35 yard pass to Reggie Wayne set up Vandy’s 30 yard FG for the win.
One thing the game really showed was that the Colts are learning how to deal with the pressure and not fold. In the past this team may have wilted, but this week the team rose up, never quit and won the game. One beautiful byproduct of the game was that it rendered the Bronco game completely meaningless!!
Defensively Morris did have a pick that preserved the tie and Dwight Freeney got another sack. Other than those two things, the D falls in the next category.
The Bad
Defensively this was the worst game of the year for the Colts. Brees looked like Tom Brady out there. He was a surgeon. Problem was, he didn’t throw enough. Of course they were in the lead most of the way and let Tomlinson handle it; He ended up with 81 yards.
PM, for all of his yards had a pretty bad first half. He was off. Now, like the Chiefs game, I am not going to pin all of this on him, but he is the one making the big money and can’t have halves like he did Sunday.
The Ugly
We won, and that is good, but for three quarters Sunday we looked about as ordinary as I have seen this team in a couple of years. The Chargers came out loaded for bear and really took it to us. For 50 minutes we had no answer. Great teams will kill you do that. Look at what the Colts have done to teams who have done that to them. They kill them!
Anyway, a win is a win and the Chargers are a good team. My hat is off to them. But seriously, the comeback by PM and subsequent win were just storybook.
Here is a look at this weeks top 10:
1. Indianapolis (12-3) Gutsy call down the stretch against a good team that had the Colts on the ropes. The last 10 minutes is what makes the Colts number one and probably Super Bowl Champion.
2. Pittsburgh (14-1) Manhandled the Ravens 20-7 to clinch homefield. Big Ben and Bettis is a helluva combination.
3. New England (13-2) In big showdown with the Jets at the Meadowlands, the Pats just outclassed their division rivals.
4. San Diego (11-4) That is a good team in San Diego. Brees doesn’t make mistakes and they get decent pressure on the pocket. Tough loss for them Sunday.
5. Philadelphia (13-2) They looked pitiful last night without TO and without some starters who were resting. Still, I think their momentum might be gone.
6. NY Jets (10-5) Ten win season still has to be a disappointment the way they played against the Pats on Sunday. Are they coming apart at just the wrong time?
7. Atlanta (11-4) Vick didn’t play and they lost.
8. Buffalo (9-6) Bills have won 6 straight but need help to get in to the playoffs.
9. Baltimore (9-7) Back-to-back devastating losses have put the Ravens on the brink of not making the show.
10. Jacksonville (9-7) Inexplicable 21-0 skunking by the Texans at Alltel Stadium makes me wonder if this team has any heart.
As for the playoffs, they are nearly set. Denver can get in with a win over the Colts, who may or may not play many players on Sunday. Buffalo can get in if they win and Denver loses. JAX and BWI need lots of help to get in. In the NFC, Minnesota can get in with a win, everyone else need help. Seattle has a playoff spot, but the Rams could win the division.
posted by mm at Tuesday, December 28, 2004
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