Recap Week Three: Jaguars 23-Colts 21

by BigBlueShoe on Sep 21, 2008 7:58 PM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 35 comments

Week three has come and gone, and we still have not seen the real Indianapolis Colts. We've seen a pale reflection, a shadow of a team we know is much, much better than a 1-2 start. And with the way this pale shadow of a team has played, a 1-2 start is enough to have me doing back flips. Consider this lovely, oh-so-beautiful stat that should have all of you saying the famous Yogi Bera quote, "It is like deja vu all over again." The Colts have surrendered an astonishing 598 rushing yards and 3 TDs in just 3 games.

I don't care who you are, folks. If you surrender that many rushing yards, you are going to lose 2 out of every 3 games.

We can point the finger at the one person whose job it is to make sure the Colts have the players necessary to stop the run: Bill Polian. We can bash him if we want. We can scream and curse his name. Bottom line with all this is with DT Ed Johnson playing now, the Colts likely would be 2-1. The media will say it is the loss of Bob Sanders. They're dumb and don't know the team. We saw this defense stone teams from running the ball last year without Bob. This run defense was stout last season with Ed Johnson at NT, and right now it is shredded wheat without him. I don't want to hear Tony Dungy's blah blah blah mantra about how we have the right guys now to do the job.

598 yards, Tony. You don't have the right guys. If you did, you wouldn't be surrendering nearly 200 rushing yards a game to teams with a combined record of 3-6.

Jaddaitdjags_medium

One of Joseph Addai's two TDs against the Jags? Why didn't Indy run the ball more?
Photo: Yahoo.com

We can make points about dropped balls, clock management, or why the Colts did not run the ball more even though they were averaging 6 yards a rush. All that is My Little Pony stuff when your defense surrenders 200 yards rushing. But like it or not, the Colts have a code. They have a system of player conduct and they enforce it, no matter what. Yes, Ed Johnson was the best DT this team had. Cutting him has cost this team a win. But I'll give Indy credit for sticking with their principles. Handing injuries, different story. Botching Peyton Manning's knee surgery, allowing it to happen in July when it should have happened in May, also cost this team a win. That's two games this team should have won, but didn't. It is indeed maddening.

This is why the bye week cannot come soon enough, and Bill Polian has his work cut out for him. Either Daniel Muir or LaJuan Ramsey can play DT for this team, or Bill Polian needs to trade for a DT who can. If not, this season is over. It is literally THAT simple. Peyton Manning is not healthy. He is having all kinds of problems throwing. Yet, in two games, he's led two of the greatest 4th quarter comebacks of his career. However, in those two games, the Colts are 1-1, and the reason the team is 1-2 is horrible defensive play. Today, the offense was 100% in the red zone (3 for 3). But two Manning INTs were a big reason the Jags won this game, and at least one of those INTs was a result of Manning's knee.

The comparisons to 2006 are scary, but unlike 2006 (which saw Indy start 3-0), this season's squad is limping out of the gate. It is almost comical how guys seem to get hurt literally EVERY DAY. I mean, is it too much to ask to have people on this roster who can play and not get hurt? I don't think it is toughness or softness or anything like that. We've seen this team play tough football many, many times.

Shockingly, the one bright spot has been special teams. THEY'VE BEEN GREAT! Who is this alien dopleganger and what has he done with special teams coach Russ Purnell? Kick and punt coverages look good. Adam Vinatieri is rejuvenated. Justin Forsett making strides as a returner, signed only a few weeks ago. Coming into the season, the special teams was the weakness.

Now, it is the best unit the Colts have.

So as mad and pissed off as many of you are right now, know that it probably should be worse. This has been about as bad a first 3 weeks I've seen for this franchise since 1997, when they started 0-3, and eventually went on to 3-13. Yet, here they are at 1-2 with a chance to get healthy, get focused, and start playing Colts friggin' football.

Many thanks to Chris at Big Cat Country for some nice cross-blogging. His Jags stay alive and, like our Colts, are limping. We, however, have the bye week to heal up while they get a 0-2 Houston Texans team next week. This bye week will allow us, as a community, to sit back and see if Bill Polian and Tony Dungy can fix this mess. If they do nothing, then they rsults post Week 4 better be different, or else the fan riots at Lucas Oil Stadium will bring new meaning to the phrase Make It Personal.

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No more Tim Jennings.

I’m tired of Jennings at corner on the nickel package. Teams target him on those downs, and he gets abused every time. I’ve seen it enough. Either leave Marlin at corner or bring in Hughes, but Jennings has got to go.

The Shogun of Harlem

by shonuff on Sep 21, 2008 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jennings has to stay

on special teams, maybe that’s where all the improvement the coaches were talking about was from. He made one dumb mistake, but has mad several fantastic plays.

"I'm not racin', I'm just sprintin'
Cuz I don't wanna finish
they diminish, I replenish"
-Lil Wayne "Let the beat build"

by shake n bake on Sep 21, 2008 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big Cat Country Writer here.

You guys played a great game offensively… forget Peyton’s 2 ints, he’s a bonafide star and will get it together quick… Your problem is on the D-line… too small, you were bullied this week and still almost won thanks to poor decisions by Del Rio. The Titans are our mutual nemesis this season.. you must crush them!!

-Collin (silencecs)

by silencecs on Sep 21, 2008 8:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for posting.

You earned that one. We didn’t deserve to win it with that kind of defense. Congratulations.

by coltsfanawalt on Sep 21, 2008 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what a joke

The game I saw the colts won. I can understand the refs missing a call they didn’t see but when refs just start making up PI calls when there obviously isn’t one on the most crucial play of the game is ridiculous(besides the fact that it was a late late late call).

Were was the call from upstairs? Were they busy calling there bookies? When will they hire refs that can see? The NFL should be looking for new refs and could find better refs working in your local McDonald’s restaurant; They are at least a little more accurate.

If you took away the horrible calls at least then I could say I watched a good game even if the outcome didn’t change. This type of stuff seems to be getting far far too common. I know it doesn’t just happen to the Colts.

by fireal on Sep 21, 2008 8:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Your issue should be with the NFL using a bunch of part-time employees as refs...

All refs have another Day job… they are only refs on the sundays. That’s inexcusable… The league needs to have full time employees who hone their craft everyday… not just part-timers. Don’t bitch about the calls, or bitch all you want I don’t care. The point is every team deals with this stuff… Your D-line blew the game hard… you were bullied and it was clearly a smash mouth game, the colts D is all about finesse. Which is fine when Peyton scores all the time and teams have to pass, but when teams can run you down… finesse doesn’t work.

-Collin

by silencecs on Sep 21, 2008 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BBS - Don't BS

This game was lost due to poor offensive play calling and a lackluster performance by an inaccurate Manning. Take a look at the numbers… a real close look. And check out my fan post for the real reason this team has struggled to beat teams this year.

by bamock on Sep 21, 2008 9:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No, bad D

by coltsfanawalt on Sep 21, 2008 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Peyton's knee

he couldn’t have had surgery earlier because it was an infection not structural damage. It wasn’t there in any appreciable way in May. If Peyton had walked around with the infection for 3 months he probably wouldn’t even have a left knee right now.

"I'm not racin', I'm just sprintin'
Cuz I don't wanna finish
they diminish, I replenish"
-Lil Wayne "Let the beat build"

by shake n bake on Sep 21, 2008 9:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hang in there!

Trust me, as a Titans fan i have seen these days come and go. Peyton is a champ and will bounce back. He is the type to carry this team limping or not into the playoffs. Injuries dont last forever. Hang in there guys.

Someone once said "Vince Young bleeds two toned blue!" But I disagree, because The Great One Doesnt Bleed!!

by Vincanity on Sep 21, 2008 9:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, Vincanity.

I taped your entire game and look forward to watching its entirety soon. Your team looks bona fide. Congrats.

by coltsfanawalt on Sep 21, 2008 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Make that Hemlock a double, bar-keep!

Our defense does suck Bamock. Your argument is not entirely compelling.The Jags have major problems on offense and played within their gameplan the entire game. They wanted to run, and keep Manning off the field. They succeded. They had taken it into consideration that it would be low scoring…..they don’t have any recievers. For that reason alone, we were dominated on defense. Had we anyone takling or defenseing the middle, it would have been a different game. If they were a passing team (if they could pass) , they would ahve thrown more and continued to convert on 3rd down. Our defense lost the game for us this time.
The play calling is Manning’s responsibility. From what I have read and heard, he “plays what they give him.” If they are blitzing or mainly in the box, he’s going to pass, and look deep. Hence all of the passing today. It works, and has worked. You have to accept that Manning is going to see it diff staring that defense down, and he sometimes is going to get it wrong. But most of the time he doesn’t. And he REALLY wants win. Even more than all of us here on Stampede Blue. How could we have plyed any differently at the end of the game? We weren’t down a field goal but a td, and you just have to get in the endzone as well as you can. Its hard to get in there in the red zone. You have to trust the D to win it after you go ahead.

by peterbones on Sep 21, 2008 10:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You're very right.

by coltsfanawalt on Sep 21, 2008 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I obviously have done a poor job of expressing my disdain for the defensive performance in this game. Allowing the rushing yards we have allowed to this point in the year and the yards we allowed in this game is not something to be proud of or something worthy of “defending.” However, ball control works two ways, ask the Jags. The Jags grinded out first downs. That was their game plan from the start. We need to get first downs as much as possible in order to keep Peyton and the Colts offense off of the field. What was the Colts offensive game plan?

Anyone?

It appears as though our game plan for much of the game was to score quickly or punt. Which means, if we are unable to convert on long passes, unable to make catches or turn the ball over on offense, we play into the Jags “T of P” game plan.

Had the Colts sustained offensive drives by balancing the offensive attack with runs and passes, utilizing a running game that was succeeding throughout the entire game, we keep our defensive unit off of the field longer (allow them to rest) and force the Jags defense to stay on the field longer (wear them down). Instead, we chose the former strategy of push the ball up the field early and often and failed in doing so a majority of the time.

Can you honestly not see how important the turnover was after our defensive INT? Do you realize how significantly different the game would have turned out with a different offensive game plan? Instead of throwing long to Harrison (he was open but underthrown), we could have taken our great field position (credit to the defense for it) and moved the ball down the field with a steadier and more sustained drive, ending it with a score (likely a TD), and putting the Jags offense in a position to SCORE or “die” so to speak with a lot of time remaining in the fourth. Instead, we turn the ball over, allow them to stick with their “grind it out” offensive game plan, and give up a FG, placing our backs against a wall, forcing us to score a TD as quickly, allowing the Jags another chance to win the game.

That offensive possession in particular was the most important possession in the game and had it not be so poorly mishandled, had we not failed so miserably, the outcome of the game would reverse. Instead, we bailed out the Jags, allowed them to stick to their game plan and put a tired defense back on the field.

The defense? Lousy. Too many first downs allowed on third and long. Way too many rushing yards surrendered. Lousy management of substitutions to keep guys fresh. Lousy tackling for much of the game. Lousy.

The fact still remains, the offensive turnover killed the game. So… am I “blaming the offense?” I think more responsibliity lies on their shoulders, yes. Am I giving the defense a “pass” no. I simply stated that the points surrendered by our defense was respectable and that a different offensive game plan or play calling would have resulted in a different outcome. That’s how I feel about it and I feel that our offense has been a HUGE contributor to our lousy defensive performances.

Our defense is made to 1) play with the lead and 2) not allow big plays. For much of the second half, the majority of the time the defense spent on the field, they limited big plays (lots of yards) and held the Jags to FGs. The defense took a stand on the Jags initial long drive and handed the ball back to our offense and it failed. Then the tired D took the field and had to do the same. They limited the Jags to a FG. Our offense scores but leaves over a minute on the clock. The Jags are forced to a 4th down and fail to convert… but wait a bogus call on KO for PI breaths life into the Jags. They get far enough down the field to attempt a FG. They hit a 51 yard FG to win. Defense… shame shame. Offense… shame shame more. That’s all I’m saying.

by bamock on Sep 22, 2008 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Respectfully disagree

3 for 3 in the red zone, and it’s Manning’s fault the team lost?

Gee, after the INT, why didn’t we then resort to Sorgi?

by N Colter on Sep 22, 2008 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just saying

I think there’s plenty else on this team to criticize before you point a finger at Peyton.

by N Colter on Sep 22, 2008 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but

You make it sound so easy to just control the game. To just march down with long sustained drives, using both the run and the pass. Have you not watched the first two games of the year? How easy has it been for us to move the ball? Why would we not take shots down field at open targets? All for management? We played them the same way we always play them. We try and score as much as possible to make up for the fact that they’re gonna run all over us. Fred Taylor usually puts up huge numbers against us. The way our offense works is a little different from the Jags. Our offense takes what is there, their offense runs and throws short passes because they can’t do anything else. It is up to our defense to get off the field, yes we are built to stop the big play, but we are also built to stop the other teams offensive possession, which is the point of a defense. Time after time ours could not stop them. The offense cannot carry the pressure of having to hold the ball because the defense can’t do there job. Yes it is good for long drives, for resting the defense, but we can’t tackle at the beginning of the games either!

by Scooty4422 on Sep 22, 2008 2:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting...

QB Peyton Manning:

On the Colts limited second-half time of possession:

"It works both ways. Obviously we need to stay on the field. It’s a double-edge deal. We had the ball twice before that and I think had a turnover and a three and out. We got to do our job to stay on the field."

by bamock on Sep 22, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defense

Mathis needs to take the place of Sessions. The Colts have to have him on the field at all times. Wrap up boys, if you can’t stop the run up front, at least tackle.

by kpetty82 on Sep 22, 2008 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mathis for Sessions?

I think you have Mathis or Sessions position wrong. Playing LB in a Tampa-2 is hugely demanding coverage wise and they blitz less than any team in the league. Mathis at SAM would be a disaster as anything more than a gimmick. If they were going to blitz LBs regularly and sacrifice coverage for size and pass rushing they would be starting Phillip Wheeler, one of the best blitzing LBs in college football last year.

"I'm not racin', I'm just sprintin'
Cuz I don't wanna finish
they diminish, I replenish"
-Lil Wayne "Let the beat build"

by shake n bake on Sep 22, 2008 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't spell ......

by peterbones on Sep 21, 2008 10:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

As a Pats fan, can I just say, "Misery loves company?"

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Sep 21, 2008 11:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Bye week comes perfectly for both teams

And, it gives both of our fanbases two weeks to stew and gnash teeth until we play again. Yippee.

by mgrex03 on Sep 21, 2008 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As I like to say (especially this year): "Bye"

The Washington Generals of the NFL.

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Sep 21, 2008 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

FUNNY

Sad but true Misery loves company, but if you look our misery is caused all by problems that can be fixed. At least is expected to seeing as at this point no one is done for the season for the Colts

by Scooty4422 on Sep 22, 2008 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Luke

isn’t jinxed, is it? Just kidding. Actually, in my humble opinion, the Colts were one or two missed deep throws away from breaking this one wide open. However, it didn’t happen and the offense continues to score more points each week. Peyton, again, proves he’s a master at leading a comeback, even though the Colts foolishly let the Jags have way too much time at the end to score a field goal. Why didn’t they run a play or two??? I believe, at some point, they’ll light it up again. On a not so positive note, Dungy still hasn’t been able to get a grip on the Sander-less Colts defense. They play well for a couple of plays, but can’t put three together in a row. First it’s 3 yards, then 1 yard, then 24 yards surrendered. I think his philosophy of smaller, quicker players is flawed. Maybe I’m wrong, but something is really broken defensively. It needs fixing. Can Dungy do it without Sanders? I’m not sure. It hasn’t happened yet. Maybe he’s in denial, but no team gives up the real estate running the Colts do.

by Ayrshire on Sep 22, 2008 8:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HELLO BYE

by igougoh on Sep 22, 2008 8:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

At least you guys lots to a good team

We got crushed by the…ack…DOLPHINS!!

Blogger at SBNation's New England Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Sep 22, 2008 9:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

But...

The Dolphins are the team that’s easy for you guys to overlook, yet somehow come up w/wins on occasion. Weren’t the Dolphins the last team to beat you in the regular season? And weren’t the Dolphins the team that beat you during one of your 14-2 seasons where they were horrible and you were great, yet they managed to pull one out. Division games are always tough. No shame in losing to them. Now, if you were to lose to Detroit, that might be a different story…

by TouchdownMonkey on Sep 22, 2008 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All True

No shame is right. Outplayed and outcoached. I’m not sure if we underestimate them or what, but they routinely give us fits, even with a Brady led offense.

Blogger at SBNation's New England Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Sep 22, 2008 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hope on defense.

One thing i noticed… our run defense did improve in the second half… and part of that may have been because Ramsay came in more in the second half. You could clearly see his size on the line in the second half, and it certainly seems to have made an improvement…

Maybe with a bye week, he will be worked into the line up more, and our front 4 will be shored up. Missing bob hurts, but we got gashed against the run with the vikings even with him …

As for our defense, I don’t hang this loss on them.. They were out there WAY TOO LONG.. especially in the 3rd quarter. It is our offense that was anemic and I think Peyton was trying too hard on both picks to get the ball to marvin. There timing isn’t right with the lack of a preseason and not being out there together…

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Sep 22, 2008 9:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Loss of Words

I’m really struggling to express how I’m feeling at this point. I hate to play the blame game in such a team sport, especially when I’m about to blame the defense, but I think they are the reason we lost this game, plain and simple. Yes Peyton threw two untimely picks (though there was a PI non-call on one), but he was the one that brought them back in final minutes to score a TD for the short-kept lead. All the defense had to do was stop the Jags for 4 downs or come up w/a fumble or INT.

The Colts had all of what, 3 possessions in the entire second half. Any true fan that watched the end of the Vikings game and the beginning of this game should have gotten a “We’re ba-ack” feeling as far as the offense goes. They were clicking and things were starting to feel normal. If we had a few more possessions, this game would have been blown wide open. Here’s what the Jags did on those 2 long drives. Run it on 1st down. Run it on 2nd down. Throw it to Coke-phene Jones on 3rd. One of their drives was 18 plays long. 18 frickin’ plays! How hard is it to stop somebody when you know exactly what they’re about to do? The defense allowed the Jags to eat up most of the 3rd and 4th quarters with long drives, we still manage to take a lead, and all the D had to do was stop them with 1:07 remaining.

I’m just so frustrated at this point. All I can hope for is that the team gets their crap together and we turn things around after the bye. Congrats to the Jags fans. It was a hard fought and well deserved victory for you guys. For any asshat Jags fans that feel the need to do any excessive trash talking (some is expected), I can only say that Pey-back’s a Bitch. See you on 12/18.

by TouchdownMonkey on Sep 22, 2008 9:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Peyton's INTs

He does try too hard when he feels he is the only who can do anything. When he is playing like he has to carry the team, he makes mistakes – we all know that. The lack of defense has me upset, I can’t imagine how he feels. I mean, you can’t hold somebody for 1 freaken minute to save the game? WTF!!

The offense isn’t as great as we’re used to, but the denfense is absolutely horrible right now. I, for one, do not believe that it has anything to do with Sanders. These guys need to start earning their freaken paychecks or hit the road!

April in CA

by peytonsthebest on Sep 22, 2008 10:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can we all just agree that both sides of the ball were BAD

I think it’s silly to say the offense or defense was MORE responsible. They both FAILED to do what they are suppose to do. The coaches FAILED to do what they are suppose to do. As BBS said the only bright spot has been the Special Teams. Peyton as a key part of the offense is not playing well or calling good plays. The running game was working yesterday yet he avoided it too often. WR’s are dropping WAY too many balls (this has been a problem through 3 games now). O-Line was better but still not giving Peyton much time, but the rookie Guards did play much better this week then the last 2. TE’s were non-existent after the first series or two. Having the stretch play back was nice but maybe Manning didn’t call it after the first two series because his knee still isn’t 100%. What’s happened to the pump fake, once a staple of Peyton’s, I don’t recall having seen one in any of the 3 games. I wish we’d dump those wide come back routes too because every 3rd game someone is squatting on those and taking them for 6 the other way. Basically the Colts are not a playoff caliber team right now. They have the talent and the vetern moxie to get back to that level but it’s not injuries that keeping them from getting there right now…

by Rob-Westside on Sep 22, 2008 11:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs