A special request to Coach Dungy and the kickoff team

Our special teams are greatly improved. I say kick it to him! Vinatieri might even get a TB. He’s been kicking out the endzone all preseason. Kick it to Hester! We can stop him.

it didn’t end badly. we won that game if I remember rightly. let me do some research and find out if we won that game ;)

DONT DO IT!!!!

I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to adopt that kind of negative approach. It’s game one of the regular season, outside of our division no less… you put your team in a position to display its strengths and weaknesses before you kick away from a returner. That said, if Vinatieri kicks it out of the back of the end zone, that’s another matter entirely. Purposely kicking the ball weaker than you are capable is also altering your team in order to fix a desired result. Boot the ball… boot it like you would to anyone… where it lands is where it lands and cover the kick. What better opportunity to practice kickoff coverage ability than against Devin Hester? No wuss crap.

I say go for it what better way to see if ST has improved over last season, if they plant his ass shortly after he recieves it that will get the rest of the team fired up for a complete blow out.

I initially voted not to kick it to him, but reading the comments has changed my mind. Our ST is much improved, it’s the first game of the season, non-division, non conference, and Vinatieri’s been booming them. Plus, I think we’re good enough to spot them a TD if it gets to that. I just don’t want to see the first TD at The Lube being a Hester run back. Manning to Harrison is the way it should be. After that, anything’s game.

I want a recount! Somebody’s voting twice! Where’s the Supreme court when we need them!

Why should we kick it to the best player (that can score) on their team?

Without him, they stand a very small chance to win.
With him, they stand a much better chance to put points on the board if he runs one back or gets a long one into field goal range, therefore improving their chances on winning the game.

This isn’t about balls or being great, it’s about being smart.

Sure we might be able to cover him, but if we punt it out of bounds and avoid kickoffs to him I think it could only benefit the Colts chances of winning the game.

Who was it that caught up to Hester right when he was at the end zone?

Don’t you think if Dungy is going to allow a kick to him that he won’t have at least two players to only engage Hester in the event of a break through.

Any team that doesn’t force themselves to perform in the regular season and then expects to turn it on later in the year hasn’t watch the Colts rest starters in the final week or two of the regular season and/or get a bye in the playoffs. You play hard all year long… the regular season isn’t practice, that’s right, but it isn’t the playoffs either. If our special teams unit can’t stop Devin Hester, or other great returners, I want to know that now and not in the AFC Championship Game. On the other hand, if we can. I want to know that ASAP… I like heads to roll and if we can stop Hester now, there’s no reason to not continue developing as a coverage unit so that, come playoff time, we’re ready to pin opponents deep on a regular basis.

As for not throwing to Cromartie’s side because of last year… umm… it goes like this. If Manning or Sorgi or any other QB sees the best option on the field is the receiving option covered by Cromartie… he better thrown the GD ball to that receiving option. Throwing “away” from stars on opposing defenses allows defenses to do what we try to do with our pass rush and speed… force opposing teams to alter their offense, reducing the weapons available to it out of fear that a name embroidered on a jersey = certain death and an L on their regular season record. You don’t play football that way, you can’t. You play that crap and you’ll get lit up all year.

This fear BS has got to go. Play the game. If you don’t want to kick to Hester when you’re up by 3 b/c of a late field goal in the 4th quarter… great, that’s smart. But to not kick it off to him to open the game or after your first score because you’re afraid to let your coverage unit cover the kick or that Hester could fret score a TD… you’re just plain not ready to play, coach or manage in the NFL. PERIOD

Very good post!!!!

a comment about Cromartie. That is completely different, given we have the best QB and WRs in the league. Our special teams don’t have that reputation.

Are we also going to fall over ourself and throw up our hands because of him playing WR position too.