What should the Colts do if they have everything locked up yet are still undefeated?
by P0RKINS2 on Nov 30, 2009 7:10 PM EST
Email
PrintI'm torn on this issue.
I just want to get this out there. Winning the Superbowl is the only thing that matters. Period. That's all this team cares about and they've all been saying that since Training Camp and I for one agree with them. Yet, if the Colts are 13-0 and have home-field advantage locked up, what do you guys think the Colts should do: rest their starters for the last three games (a plan when implemented has resulted in a one and done showing in the playoffs in 2005, 2007, and 2008 with the lone exception being 2004 where the Colts won in the Wildcard Round.) or go for 16-0 and have everyone battle-tested for the Post-Season. (Also assuming you go 16-0, you would then be playing for a perfect season.) The two times the Colts have played the starters for all 16 games (since our first Division Title in 2003), in 2003 and 2006, our record in the Playoffs is 6-1 with a Superbowl Title and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. This decade when we haven't played the starters in all 16 games our playoff record is 1-6 with 5 one and dones. I know I sound like the media and in no way does that fact take away form the Colts' success. Yet it is a telling trend. However, we could end up resting our starters like the Broncos did in '98 and go onto win it all. Plz post your thoughts and remember that this is all hypothetical.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.
25 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'm suprosed the poll is so close.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
*suprised
spell fail
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
surprised*
double spell fail :P
"Peyton Manning feels no pressure, he applies it"
Damn.
I think I got that one.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
by P0RKINS2 on Nov 30, 2009 8:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Can't spell?
That supprizes me abowt ewe.
by coltsfanawalt on Dec 1, 2009 4:08 AM EST up reply actions
Love the snide comments
in both of the poll options. Funny….
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: What should you do if a hot dog vendor gives you a free hot dog? Why, throw it on the ground, of course.
Wow.
50-50. I would’ve thought that it would be one or the other.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
there's different ways of resting the starters
i’d be more for a mixed approach of resting banged up starters and taking out the rest after a few quarters instead of just one
damnit
I was getting ready to say that, but if I just +1 my brother it looks dumb.
But yeah, there’s a difference between playing starters for a quarter vs. 2 1/2. If it’s early in the 2nd half and we’re up, take them out. if we’re down, take them out. If if’s tied, tell Peyton to score a TD and when he’s done, take them out.
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
I was wondering about that.
The username similarities were leaving me very confused.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: What should you do if a hot dog vendor gives you a free hot dog? Why, throw it on the ground, of course.
I made mine first
he is clearly copying. If we lived in the same city I’d kick his ass
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
Go for it
No question
"Brett Favre was a man who thought he was retired, but he knew it wouldn't last."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk5sMHj58I
Never doubt Peyton Manning, he’ll make you look silly
Joseph Addai is a good running back.
Im a douchebag, an asshole, and I'm rarely right.
Ahh the great Herm Edwards rant...
Bill should take his advice up to the point about retiring…we need him to stay here lol
Bob Sanders does not play Hide-and-Seek, He plays HIDE and PRAY-HE-DOES-NOT FIND-YOU!
Polish has said that they will rest the starters once Homefield-Advantage is clinched.
What an idiot. If they have a chance to go undefeated they should take it. Even Dungy, when the Colts were 13-0 and had homefield rapped up, played all of his starters in the Chargers game and tried to finish 16-0. I understand that going undefeated is not the goal and that winning the Superbowl is , but I don’t see the point in basically throwing away a game.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
by P0RKINS2 on Dec 1, 2009 9:05 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Damn it my Iphone keyboard sucks!!
Polian will now be refferred to as polish.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
by P0RKINS2 on Dec 1, 2009 9:06 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
If we can learn anything from Belicheck
it’s that 16-0 means jack squat. Caldwell will rest his guys (“rest” is such a euphemism, “protect” is better), when your Superbowl chances rest on a half-dozen ACLs there’s no point in putting them out there in a meaningless game, and that’s the truth.
I don't consider a game meaningless
it if keeps our starters’ sharpness and killer instinct in tact. Obviously, it’s a risk anyway you slice it. Either risk injury by not resting, or risk losing your edge by resting. All those years the Colts rested started and lost in the playoffs, the edge was lost……we lost that risk. Let’s try it the other way for a change!!
And if Wayne or Freeney goes down
in a meaningless game, you can have all the edge in the world and you’re still gonna get beat.
It's all a matter of odds and risk
What happens if they don’t go down? It’s possible that we could lose them or even Peyton, and it’s also possible we won’t lose them, but I also have seen what happens when they get ‘rest’. Every year they’ve gotten rest, they’ve come out flat and lost. I’m ready to see them stay sharp, play every damn game, and have the ‘eye of the tiger’ till they’re holding the damn Lombardi trophy again!!!!!
I think it's obvious the majority
do not want to see a repeat of year’s past. We’ve tried the resting thing. It doesn’t work….plain and simple. Look at the giants a couple of years ago. They played hard until the end, even lost a few players in the final game of the season with the Pats. But, they kept sharp and won the superbowl. The Colts, on the other hand, have rested players for two or three games for several years under Dungy and they always came out somewhat flat. How often does that have to happen, before they try it the other way? Seriously? Obviously, from the poll above, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Why not at least try it the other way for once? If we rest and come out and lose the first game in the playoffs again, I’m going to go ballistic!
Polian said that the Colts would rest their starters once Homefield is Clinched.
Yet, it’s ultimately Caldwell’s decision and to be honest I have no idea what he will do. I agree with both Caldwell and Polian that going undefeated is not a priority. But Caldwell has done some things differently this season, so I hope, if the Colts are undefeated after clinching home-field, that he plays the starters all 16 games. Plus, even if we lose, I have no problem with resting the starters yet I hope that he plays them for at least a half instead of just a series like we did with Dungy. Then maybe we won’t be as rusty.
"Pressure is something you feel if you don't know what the hell you're doing."-Peyton Manning
by P0RKINS2 on Dec 1, 2009 12:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions
The Dilemma
Players risk injury every game, the question is if Colts locked up #1 in AFC after 13-0, due you risk (god forbid) season ending injury to Peyton, Reggie, Clark, Mathis or Freeney in mathematically inconsequential game? That is why I don’t think it is about resting the dinged up players, rather a risk of more serious consequence. It is a good problem to have which only great team face ( In our case, almost every year :-) ) and there is ‘no’ one answer regardless of playoff wins/losses.
What's best to make ourselves ready to play in the playoffs
When we’ve rested our starters, the Colts have looked flat in the first half of their playoff games. It’s pretty tough to win when we’ve spotted a playoff quality team the first half of the game. Dungy’s single biggest weakness as a coach was the historic pattern where the Colts didn’t seem to suit up until the last two minutes of the first half. Let’s not keep that up.
Peddle to the metal unless the weather is nasty in Buffalo.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
