Indianapolis Colts Blogs

Less than a month to go before the 2009 NFL Draft and the Colts still have tons of different ways they could go. That being said, for the first time in a long time, the Colts have multiple needs that really need addressing. WR, DT are the most obvious, but the Colts also have depth issues at LB, RB and offensive line.

Continue reading "Colts NFL Draft Update (4/3/09)"

With the Colts not re-signing Freddie Keihao and Tyjaun Hagler, should they start bringing in new ones in the draft?

Absolutely not!

Why bring James Laurenitis, like the NFL Network suggested in their mock draft, when they can bring back this important linebacker: Cato June?

Continue reading "Should the Colts Bring Back Cato ..."

This weekend, the Kentucky Derby preps are in Florence, Ky, next to Cincinnati, with the minor Rushaway and the major Grade 2 Lanes End, which veterans still call the Jim Beam Stakes, since the old sponsor is easier to remember than the new name. Both races look like insider picks. A lot of runners who come off short layoffs, and could run big, or could be brought around slowly. Unless you're an insider, and know you can trust your sources, you need to avoid anything smaller than 9-2 in either race. The Rushaway favorite should be SUMMER EMPIRE, who showed a bit of class in restricted races in Illinois as a 2 year old. His forward moves from last year puts him near the top, and any improvement gives him the win. On the down side, he already has 7 lifetime starts, and began in April of his two year old year. Too soon to race and stay healthy as a 3 year old. On the bright side, he has been working at Keeneland, where trainers stock only the best horses. FITZALSEW could easily go wire to wire. CLIFFYS'S FUTURE has some good moves. ZIEGFELD looks competitive off a maiden win, and should be in the superfecta fairly easy. NINTH CLIENT is the class of the race, but has 8 lifeftime starts already. TOCCET ROCKET also raced a lot, but pretty much rounds out the top contenders. NO INFLATION and SUNDAYS BABY GRAND-either one would have to run the race of his life to get in the money.

Continue reading "Will Mott Hold Me Back?"

On Sunday, the Cleveland Browns won their tenth game of the season against a San Francisco team in disarray. A season that started off so poorly in Week 1 resulted in expectations being surpassed for Browns’ fans.

Continue reading "Dream Season Over, Off-Season Begins ..."

This has been a dream season for Cleveland Browns’ fans. After watching a putrid product on the field for years, Browns’ fans were treated to high scoring, competitive football every weekend this season. The city embraced the “Believeland” moniker, and NFL pundits have openly stated that the Browns are the surprise of the NFL this season.

Continue reading "The Problem with Derek Anderson (December ..."

A week later I emerge from the darkness. I think I've made peace with the New England Patriots fate in 2007. It was a great season that came just short of being the greatest of all time. I can live with that. The Pats gave us more great wins than anyone else this season, just not the greatest. So it's time to reload. Here's the biggest questions for the off-season.

Continue reading "The Big 3 Questions of the New England ..."

    I understand that football's a rough game, I played it. But damn, can anyone that's good at it stay healthy? Take a look at the players missing this year's pro bowl, it looks like the 2015-2020 Hall of Fame inductions.

Continue reading "To Miss Pro Bowl: 2007-08 All-Pro Team"

Yes I'll admit it, the 2007 New England Patriots season has to qualify as the most disappointing in team history. Back when the Pats stunk you couldn't really be disappointed, you had to expect them to end the season with a loss. I don't think the loss to the Green Bay Packers in 1996 was more than a blip on my Boston Sports Misery Index. We were just happy to not get blown out like we did against the Chicago Bears ten years earlier. But after three Super Bowls your expectations change. Especially when you're playing a team that you've already beaten in the regular season. So yes, this 2007 season goes down as a disappointment in terms of the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. But what positives can we take as we start to pick up the pieces and refocus on 2008?

Continue reading "Always Look on the Bright Side (of ..."

First things first.. Congratulations to the New York Giants! They absolutely deserve full credit for knocking off the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Giants defenders were all over Tom Brady all day, Eli Manning came through in the clutch and they pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history.

Continue reading "Upsets are What Make Sports Great"

Part of me thought that Commissioner Goodell coming out today and answering a bunch of direct questions about "Spygate" would do something to cool off the conspiracy theorists. But alas it has not. I shouldn't be surprised. It is in our roots to want to take down the guy on top. It just so happens that my favorite team is on top right now and thus Spygate will never die. The facts are out there and the New England Patriots received a significant punishment, fans can believe what they want to.

Continue reading "Patriots Fans Embrace the Hate!"

First off let me say that I hate the way the word "blueprint" was thrown around this year. Some team would stick with the New England Patriots for four quarters, lose, and then suddenly everyone thought that team discovered a way to beat the unbeaten. I guess you could say they had a blueprint to ALMOST beat the Patriots because obviously no one has beaten them yet. What was that blueprint? Throughout the season the pundits suggested that the Patriots two biggest weak spots were A) a defense that could be scored on and b) lack of a running game. Clearly in the last two playoff games these myths were dispelled. So now what are the New York Giants to do? The blueprint has been burned. Here's what I would do:

Continue reading "A Patriots Fan's Blueprint to Beating the Patriots"

It seems like there hasn't been a single week this season for the New England Patriots where they haven't had to face some kind of controversy. Rodney Harrison HGH suspension gate (New York Jets). Handshake gate (Indianapolis Colts). Spygate (entire NFL). Run up the score gate (Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, etc.). Vince Wilfork fell into me on purpose gate (Buffalo Bills). It's been a never ending stream of media hype every week, with Skip Bayless on ESPN always vehemently arguing the asinine side every argument. So this week some girl in Florida files a restraining order against Randy Moss. At first people weren't sure if it was Patriots Star receiver Randy Moss. It might've been another Randy Moss. But no, it was in fact the wide receiver who holds the NFL record for TD grabs in a season, #81 in your program but #2 (to Tom Brady) in your heart, Randall Gene Moss.

Continue reading "Call me a homer, I believe Randy Moss"

Besides being an exceptional athlete, Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning is totally in on the fact that he can play a very believable dork. He may come across as a simple, laid-back country boy - but this guy is as smart as they come when it means marketing himself. Did you see him host Saturday Night Live? His United Way spoof was absolutely hysterical! Again, I am not an Indianapolis Colts fan by any stretch of the imagination. I just can’t help finding Peyton to be a truly side-splitting character!

Continue reading "The 5 Best Peyton Manning Commercials"

Much is being said this week that the San Diego Chargers are a different team than when they lost to the New England Patriots 38-17 in week 2. There's no question they were playing below their capabilities early in the season. They were still adjusting to a entirely new coaching staff and had to play a difficult schedule at the start (they had to go to Green Bay the week after they lost to New England and were beat 31-24). But now the Chargers have won six in a row, none more impressive than last weeks upset of the Colts in Indy. However up until that win they really hadn't been all that impressive.

Continue reading "How Good Are the 2007 San Diego Chargers?"

The Chargers may have been the only ones that believed in themselves going into Indianapolis, but that's all that it took. With every major setback, including the loss of LT and P-Riv, the Bolts stepped it up when it counted. Unlikely heroes, such as Billy Volek and Vincent Jackson, outplayed their counterparts (and future Hall of Famers) on the Colts against heavy odds.

Continue reading "Colts went down!"

Philip Rivers somehow managed to injure his right knee without being touched after throwing a touchdown screen pass to Darren Sproules last weekend against the Colts. He was escorted to the locker room with a huge stupid grin on his face, proclaiming to the Colts fans that he would be back. He didn't return to the game, leaving his backup Billy Volek to bring the Chargers back to win a huge game. After the game Rivers said he could've re-entered the game. So my question is, why didn't he?

Continue reading "If Philip Rivers Could've Played Why Didn't He?"

There are probably many New England Patriot fans out there that were happy to see the Colts go down in flames this past weekend. I was not one of them. I'm actually rather upset that Indy laid such a stink bomb against the depleted San Diego Chargers. If you want to be the best you've got to beat the best. Nothing against the Chargers, they absolutely deserved to win the game despite missing most of their offensive stars, but the Colts-Pats rematch was the game the entire sporting world wanted.

Continue reading "Chargers Upset Colts... WTF!?"

Today was another reason why the NFL playoffs, and the NFL overall is great theatre. 

I can't think of one person besides a few residents in Ocean Beach, or a spattering of communities north of Tijuana that had the Chargers winning today's game at Indianapolis.  "DVR-proof" I believe is the term that braodcasters use, and the NFL fits this to a Tee - you just cannot predict this stuff.  You have to see it live to belive it.  And thus,we are hooked.

Continue reading "I so had the Chargers in the Office Pool"

I knew they could do it! They had their number earlier in the year and they did it again today! The San Diego Chargers upset the Indianapolis Colts in a 28-24 victory that came down to the wire at the RCA Dome. Shawne Merriman and Antonio Cromartie were key in the defense against Peyton Manning, both making big plays when it really counted. I was truly worried when LaDainian Tomlinson went out of the game and even more pessimistic when Philip Rivers had to be sidelined – but the rest of the team made me a believer! I take back every less than flattering statement I have ever uttered about Norv Turner!  He really is an NFL coach that deserves respect.  

Continue reading "Go Bolts!"

Well, the Divisional playoffs are upoon us and I thought I'd tell you what will happen so you won't have to watch.

First up is Seattle and Green Bay, and a lot is being made about the weather being a big factor.  Well, I think it will be a factor for both teams, because, Ryan Grant's late season success notwithstanding, I think both teams will have to fling it.  I think Seattle has been playing well enough to habg close in here, and if you're looking for an upset this weekend, look no further.  (Don't let my Viking affiliation make you think I'm biased here.  Would it amuse me to see Mike Homgren getting the Gatorade shower in Lambeau?  OK, maybe just a little.)

Continue reading "NFL Divisional Playoffs"

"Each one of them (Bears' quarterbacks) played good football at some point in time." That from Chicago Bear's General Manager Jerry Angelo a few days ago.

Yeah Jerr, Grossman threw for 4 TDs and 7 interceptions, Griese had 10 TDs and 12 interceptions, while Orton topped the TD to interception ratio with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions. And the highest rating among them? Griese with a - wait for it - 75.6!! Wow! Alright Jerr. Yeah, we can see what you're saying.

Continue reading "We Now Have Proof Positive That Bear's ..."

Thank you to San Diego for bouncing back from the turd they laid in the first half of Sundays Wild Card match-up versus the Titans and thus keeping my previous post relevant. The Colts look like they just got a late Christmas present in the form of an Antonio Gates badly sprained toe. The chances of Philip Rivers winning at Indianapolis without his favorite target just got (in the words of Ben Stiller's stunt double Tom Crooze) a little but more impossibler. If the Colts shut down Ladanian Tomlinson (who I refuse to call LT since that nickname is already owned by one of the greatest linebackers of all time) it's hard to imagine the Chargers being able to pull off the upset with Rivers lobbing his weak ducks to Chris Chambers. Even if Gates somehow manages to play he's not going to be 100% and the Chargers won't be able to count on Peyton Manning giving them six interceptions this time around. All signs this early in the week point to the Colts exacting revenge for one of their three losses with relative ease. Still, San Diego's defense has been solid, it's just that the Indy D is going to eat Philip Rivers alive. No way Rivers can keep up with Manning, especially if Marvin Harrison is back.

Continue reading "Jaguars Up Next for Pats"

They say defense wins championship, but is that always the case. I looked over a couple of different teams recently and I would have to say it's true. When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had their magical run to the Super Bowl the main reason they made it was on their defense. The offense really couldn't get out of their own way so without the number one defense at the time they wouldn't have made it.

Continue reading "Does Defense Really Win Championships?"

There you have it folks, it was a close one, but in the end all we can walk away with is improvement and a eagerness for next season. As a Browns fan one can only feel disappointed however. Cleveland did have the chance to go to the playoffs without question, but blew that with a loss to Cincinnati, but the disappointment comes in after watching the poor performance by the Colts.

Continue reading "Lake Erie Weeps"

Anyone see the Colts-Titans game last night? Atrocious game, infuriatingly boring to watch, except for one moment, when a Colts special teams player delivered an absolutely devastating hit on the Titans kick returner. Al Michaels and I both had the exact same reaction to the blow: a prolonged, incredulous "OHHHHHHH!!!" John Madden said it was one of the most vicious hits he'd ever seen in his life, and I have it on good information that he's seen a lot of football in his day. I was more surprised that the guy even got up after that. I would have died instantly.

Continue reading "FOOTBALL AND THE WRITERS STRIKE"

When it comes to the playoff crunch, the end of the season, the stretch run, the last lap, all a team wants is to "control their own destiny."  Simply put, win and your in.  The Cleveland Browns marched into Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, or should I say 5-9 bungals.  Not only did they have a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win, they had a chance to put the pressure on the Pittsburgh Steelers for who claims the division crown.  On the opening kickoff the Bengals' kick returner Glenn Holt almost gift wrapped it for the Browns with a fumble in his own territory.  However, he was able to recover his own fumble, thus setting the tone of bad breaks for the Browns.  The Browns didn't play horrible on offense, their obvious strength of the team.  Jamal Lewis seemed to be running faster than ever, Derek Anderson was hitting his underneath receivers and the offense was moving the ball through a fierce wind.  The second bad break or bad bounce for the Browns was when Dave Zastudil couldn't handle the snap on a very makeable field goal that would have put the Browns up in the first quarter.  After Kenny Watson shredded the defense for runs of 7 and 9 yards back-to-back, Carson Palmer was picked off by Leigh Bodden and returned 22 yards.  The Browns found themselves with a fourth-and-one deep in Cincinnati's side of the field.  This time on a clean snap, Jamal Lewis was stuffed straight up the gut and gave the ball right back to the Bengals in a scoreless game.  Fast forward to only 1:13 left in the first half and the Browns found themselves only down 6-0 with the ball.  Well although that doesn't sound like a bad scenario it was.  Derek Anderson's next two passes were picked off and returned into the redzone which set up to touchdowns (one missed two-point conversion) and a 19-0 halftime score.  The second half was dominated by the Browns on both sides of the ball.  Behind two Braylon Edwards TD receptions (setting a new franchise record with 15) the Browns crept back to a 19-14 deficit.  However a last second chuck to the end zone from the Cincy 29 yard line to Kellen Winslow was incomplete and so was the Browns' playoff berth.  With one game left the Browns completely lost control of "their own destiny" when the Tennessee Titans knocked off the New York Jets.  The Browns now find themselves rooting for the Indianapolis Colts who will play host to the Titans this Sunday.  The problem for those rooting for the Browns: the Colts have absolutely nothing to play for.  Aside from contributing an extra digit in the W column, there is nothing else.  They already hold the number 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and speculation right now is that Peyton Manning should see no more than the first 15 minutes - if that during the game.  The Browns basically could forfeit (not that they ever would or should) because a win or a loss means nothing as well.  The Titans now control both "their" and the Browns' "destiny."  Win and

Continue reading "Indianapolis' Biggest Fan: The Cleveland Browns"

I was working on the computer when I heard the sound. It was that unmistakable sound that a football game was about to start. That wonderful feeling of excitement flushed over me and I mused that I am much like a subject in Pavlov’s experiments. Play that music and I salivate.

Continue reading "Random NFL Rumblings…"

The Patriots tied NFL history Sunday with a hard fought victory in inclimate weather against the New York Jets. New England became the second team in NFL history to start 14-0. Freezing rain and swirling winds grounded the Pats vaunted passing attack for much of the day, but second year back Laurence Maroney went for 104-yards with a touchdown to lead the Pats to a 20-10 win.

Continue reading "Pats Dispatch Jets: Move to 14-0"