Colts v. Bengals Preseason Review: It's Over!

by Colts Homer on Sep 3, 2009 11:54 PM EDT Comment 46 comments

Indianapolis Colts receiver Taj Smith celebrates after scoring against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts receiver Taj Smith celebrates after scoring against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

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Finally! The long preseason is over. Very soon we will see who gets cut and who makes the roster. If anyone watched the embarrassment of this game, they know how hard it is to try and find something good from this game. Obviously it needs to be said that almost all of the players that played today are in no way expected to contribute this season, but it was still ugly. It gave us a grim glimpse of life without Manning (and Addai, Brown, Wayne, Saturday, Freeney, Mathis, etc...). Now we know how Lions fans feel in the regular season. Here is a position-by-position rundown of today's "game".

QBs

~I thought both of them played well. Sorgi played the first half and Painter played the second. Both showed good accuracy and didn't make any big mistakes passing. A Sorgi interception got called back but that was mostly Tamme's fault for dropping the pass. Sorgi did lose a fumble. This game didn't show us anything knew. Sorgi is the second best QB on the roster and Painter is the future Sorgi.

RBs

~Simpson and Ball both played well to be honest for their situations. The guards didn't play very well today, but Ball was able to get 3.4 yards per carry (which would have been average on the team last year) and Simpson had 16 yards on 4 carries. Walter Mendenhall had one big run but did nothing to show he deserves to be close to a roster spot. This will be one of the most highly anticipated cuts. Will Hart or Ball make it? Will both of them be on the 53 man roster? I would guess when cut day comes that will be headline here at Stampede Blue.

WRs/TEs

~Taj Smith was pretty awesome today. His touchdown catch was a thing of beauty when he got the ball in tight coverage. He had 5 catches for 59 yards and was targeted an amazing 11 times. Jacob Tamme also got a lot of looks and did decent. His dropped pass which resulted in an interception was ugly though. John Matthews still sucks.

~Kyle DeVan and Tony Ugoh were good. Jaimie Thomas and Jamey Richard were bad. Ugoh was playing great at left tackle and had to compensate for the surprisingly awful performance by Richard. Richard looked like he didn't care and was very slow. Another reason why preseason is too damn long. DeVan should have clinched a roster spot tonight but Steve Justice could somehow keep a roster spot.

DL

~The way they handle the D-line shows that the Colts couldn't care less about the preseason. Honestly, the only way they could show how little they cared to an even further extent would be to not show up at all. They play 4 DTs and no defensive ends because the defensive end position is locked up. Adrian Grady proved to be a complete monster and I don't think he will get cut. I have a gut feeling that Daniel Muir could be on his way out. It depends on how the team would feel about cutting someone who was looking like he could be starting in Week One.

~This is the most confusing unit on the team. One week Mike Tauiliili looks like a star and the next he is a non-factor. Jordan Senn didn't play all that well tonight and Freddy Keiaho showed his uselessness with missing easy tackles. I think that Ramon Humber has to make the roster. I mean, there is no way they can keep someone like Keiaho over him, can they?

~For the corners, Jacob Lacey played well except on the first drive. He is practice squad bound, but he looks like a future Colt. He's great in man coverage.

~Jamie Silva played great. He led the team in tackles and had a sack. He was a stud today and I think he locked up a roster spot.

Special Teams

~Adam Vinatieri missed a field goal and Pat McAfee had a punt blocked and may or may not have been injured. Someone would need to clarify that for me. From a kicking standpoint, it was an ugly game.

~Jamie Silva is not a punt returner unless 5 yards a return sounds acceptable to you. Simpson wasn't as bad as usual at returning kicks, but he isn't making the roster because of it. That's for sure.

Roster prediction after the jump.

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi
Curtis Painter

RB
Joseph Addai
Donald Brown
Mike Hart
Lance Ball

H-B
Gijon Robinson
Tom Santi

WR
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Austin Collie
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme

LT
Charlie Johnson
Tony Ugoh

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Kyle DeVan

RG
Mike Pollak
Dan Federkeil

RT
Ryan Diem

LE
Robert Mathis
Keyunta Dawson
Marcus Howard

UT
Ed Johnson
Fili Moala
Eric Foster

NT
Antonio Johnson
Terrance Taylor
Adrian Grady

RE
Dwight Freeney
Raheem Brock

WILL
Clint Session
Ramon Humber

MIKE
Gary Brackett
Jordan Senn

SAM
Philip Wheeler
Tyjuan Hagler

CB
Kelvin Hayden
Marlin Jackson
Jerraud Powers
TJ Rushing

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Jamie Silva

SS
Bob Sanders
Melvin Bullitt

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Pat McAfee

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
RB Walter Mendenhall
WR Taj Smith
OL Jaimie Thomas
OL Tom Pestock
DL John Gill
LB Mike Tauiliili
DB Jacob Lacey

I like this roster and I really don't have very many problems with it. Usually I will be apprehensive about publishing a roster prediction because I just don't agree with all of it, but I like this one. Muir being booted is obviously the most controversial along with Jennings leaving, but if this team wants the 53 best players, this is probably the way to go.

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Comments

too thin at CB for my liking

though Gio isn’t a bad dimeback. I’d keep Jennings, boot Ball.

It's not just your perceptions that can be wrong. Even your memory is often incomplete or possibly flat out wrong.

by shake n bake on Sep 4, 2009 12:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Taylor hasn't shown much

I have Terrance Taylor on the practice squad in place of John Gill and Muir on the roster.

by go_blue on Sep 4, 2009 12:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

no way the colts put a 4th round pick on the practice squad.

by saintnixon on Sep 4, 2009 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he hasn't gotten enough opportunity

I think he will make the team and agree that Muir is a gonner.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

But I don’t see them putting a contracted draft pick on the practice squad – unfortunately.

by the_iowa_hawkeye on Sep 4, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

keep jennings boot howard.

~SHaFF!~
The Little Sports Blog That Could:
http://www.thelittlesportsblog.blogspot.com/

by SHaFF87 on Sep 4, 2009 1:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Howard????

he’s the only speed rusher left behind Freeney and Mathis. If either of them were to go down the Colts D would never get off the field on 3rd down again.

It's not just your perceptions that can be wrong. Even your memory is often incomplete or possibly flat out wrong.

by shake n bake on Sep 4, 2009 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you know how triskadekaphobia is the fear of the number 13?

A new phobia was recently classified. Fear of the number 38

Colt Brennan was the first known sufferer, but psych testing is ongoing

It's not just your perceptions that can be wrong. Even your memory is often incomplete or possibly flat out wrong.

by shake n bake on Sep 4, 2009 2:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it will soon be classified

as the fear of number 92

by metal_militia on Sep 4, 2009 2:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

to cut howard

is not only foolish, it falls lower than the level of retarded. If Howard is gone, the Colts have zero DE pass rushers behind Freeney and Mathis

by metal_militia on Sep 4, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HOWARD?!!!

man jennings should get the boot i mean have you seen Lacey and especially Powers? DId he play??? also i hope Pat isnt hurt i mean he is the future punter 4 da colts..

by Livemaxxx on Sep 4, 2009 2:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He is...

The punter for da Colts.

"Flying blind on a rocket cycle?" -Vultan, from the movie "Flash Gordon", for no particular reason...

by peytonsurdaddy on Sep 4, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jennings won't be cut,

but not because he’s any good. They won’t go in with only 4 CBs with both Marlin and Hayden less than 100% certain to be healthy.

Otherwise I think that could be it exactly (though I’d probably re-label some of the ends, as Brock plays right just as much as anything else). I think they’ll find a way to keep 4 RBs and 3 QBs just like that. The problem is having to carry Rushing just to be a returner. It sucks that noone with a spot elsewhere could step up into that role too and save a spot.

by willyduer on Sep 4, 2009 2:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree

I would rather have Jennings as backup than Painter as a 3rd QB.

I would rathat have Painter as backup QB over Sorgi

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Overall, I agree with most of it. But...

1) I don’t think we’ll carry more than 3 RB’s. Either Hart is IR’ed or Ball is cut. Possible cut day headline awaiting.
2) For some reason, I think Taj Smith makes the roster. It’s just a feeling. But most likely he’ll be shifting from PS and the roster throughout the season.
3) With the question marks on OL, I think we’ll keep 10, the 10th possibly being Justice (we usually don’t cut draft picks after just one season and he can’t go to PS) or from waivers.
4) Agree, the final 6th DT spot is between Grady and Muir. I’m leaning towards Muir and putting Grady on PS.
5) I think Humber and Tauiliili gets the final 2 LB spots – which could be only 1 spot. If it’s only one spot, the other guy will go to PS. Keiaho has to go. He HAS TO. Senn is out.
6) Jennings stays. Lacey gets a PS spot.
7) I could easily see Sanders starting on PUP, giving me an extra roster spot for someone else to play with.

"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi

by gizzardfanny on Sep 4, 2009 5:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with all of that except for Justice and I think Grady is on the team for sure.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Grady cut

shows how much I know…..

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 5, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

... making my roster prediction:

Offense (25):
QBs:
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi
Curtis Painter

RBs:
Joseph Addai
Donald Brown
Mike Hart

WRs:
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Pierre Garcon
Austin Collie
Taj Smith

TEs:
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Gijon Robinson
Tom Santi

LTs:
Charlie Johnson
Dan Federkiel

LGs:
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

OCs:
Jeff Saturday
Kyle DeVan

RGs:
Mike Pollak
Steve Justice

RTs:
Ryan Diem
Tony Ugoh

Defense (25 + Sanders):
REs:
Dwight Freeney
Marcus Howard

UTs:
Ed Johnson (Moala in the 1st game)
Fili Moala
Eric Foster

NTs:
Antonio Johnson
Daniel Muir
Terrance Taylor

LEs:
Raheem Brock
Robert Mathis
Keyunta Dawson

MLB:
Gary Brackett
Mike Tauiliili

WLB:
Clint Session
Tyjuan Hagler

SLB:
Philip Wheeler

CBs:
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Jerraud Powers
T.J. Rushing (PR)
Tim Jennings

SSs:
(Bob Sanders (PUP))
Melvin Bullitt
Jamie Silva

FS:
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano

Special Teams (3)
P + holder: Pat McAfee (muligvis også kickoffs)
K: Adam Vinatieri
LS: Justin Snow

Practice Squad:
OG Jamie Thomas
OT Tom Pestock
WR Sam Giguere
RB Lance Ball
TE Jamie Petrowski
DT Adrian Grady
CB Jacob Lacey
LB Ramon Humber

by gizzardfanny on Sep 4, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh...

with my mixed Danish/English notes

by gizzardfanny on Sep 4, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nice work

the two guys I like that aren’t on your roster are Lacey and Taj but who knows.

At DT, you’ve got Anthony Johnson instead of Antonio Johnson. I figured I’d look up the name Anthony Johnson to see if there was anyone I could make a funny joke about for being on the Colts. There’s been a ton of famous Anthony Johnson’s, and oddly enough there is a guy with that name who not only played for the Colts but is actually from Indy. And of course there’s the former Pacer’s PG. Anyways…

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Sep 4, 2009 8:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Anthony Johnson

My mind triggers to the old Pacers point guard. I make that mistake every time I type his name. I will fix it.

"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg

by Colts Homer on Sep 4, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Roster

I would keep Jennings and drop Senn. I would also consider Taj instead of Rushing but probably keep Rushing. We need to find a MIKE on the open market because what we have as backups is not good enough.

Tauiliili is best for the practice squad and that would leave us with ZERO backup at MIKE and that is really bad. I am still shaking my head about the release of Seward.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 8:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Senn and Silva

I’m not sold on either of these guys.

Senn missed a ton of tackles in his only significant preseason action against better players and he was out of position on almost every play. I thought the Cover 2 was the easiest defense to learn but evidently it is too hard for these guys to maintain their gaps and not overpursue. Missed tackles are the biggest thing though. If he is going to be on special teams, Senn has to at least be able to tackle or we will be horrible again.

Silva seems alright as a backup, but something is missing with him. He is young and hopefully will learn, but is also out of position on most plays. I haven’t formed a solid opinion about him because I just never really liked him for some reason so I expected him to be cut. We do need special teams help though so I guess he could make it.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ugoh - is terrible

I appreciate your analysis, but have a major beef with you saying “Ugoh played good”. We must have been watching different games. The game I saw Ugoh let a no-name DE for the Bengals go by him like he was Dwight Freeney, sack Sorgi, force a fumble and recover it. This was just one of MANY bad plays I saw from Ugoh.

I hate to say it, but his body language tells me he could care less about playing football. To quote the Bad News Bears “he is just lolly gagging around out there”. I specifically remember a play when the DE pushed Ugoh straight back into Sorgi, forcing a sack. Tony then proceeded to help the D-lineman up off the ground instead of giving a hand to Sorgi to help him up!!! WTF?! Ugoh’s head is definately not in the game. The only reason he wont be cut this year is because we are already on the hook for most of his salary in relation to the cap. I will eat my words if he is still on this team in 2010.

by Don Booza on Sep 4, 2009 10:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You'll be eating them

Look, you have to look at O-linemen in context. Jamey Richard was exactly as BBS said – lazy and apathetic, this made Ugoh play double duty trying to protect the B and C gap on the left side all night. Now I did miss the sack/strip play, so I can’t comment on it. It might have been a bad play – Tarik Glenn had his fair share as well But the line works like a machine, and if one gear refuses to turn, it mucks up the whole thing. Jaimie Thomas needs a season on the PS to get his mind straight and his conditioning up. Running off left tackle seemed to be the only way we gained yards on the ground. That was because of excellent run blocking from Ugoh.

Maybe Ugoh isn’t THE answer at LT, but he is far more serviceable than CJ. Maybe in the end, we will see Ugoh moved to RT if we stumble upon a stud LT in the draft next year. But he has all the tools, he just needs to gather himself up and realize that only his mental state is holding him back from being the perennial starter the Colts need.

I also wish I had time and motivation to blog at Speed Blue Nation

by Bullard47 on Sep 4, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ugoh

yes Ugoh let that guy around a bit too fast and he got Sorgi, but part of that is on Sorgi for not GETTING RID OF THE FOOTBALL within 5-6 seconds of dropping back. C’mon Jim, just throw it buddy. I appreciate your 40 time, but you aren’t a running QB so just get rid of it, even if you are throwing it away. There’s nothing wrong with throwing it away!

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

O line problems

Are going to dominate this season.

by MasterRWayne on Sep 4, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ugoh's attitude

Ugoh looks like a shell of the player he was in his rookie year. Watching him closely I see a guy who is NOT enjoying playing the game. He looks like he would rather be doing anything else except play football. He has some good physical skills, but they are worthless unless he shows a desire to play. I just don’t see this happening.

by Don Booza on Sep 4, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Here is my roster

QB (3)
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi
Curtis Painter

RB (4)
Joseph Addai
Donald Brown
Mike Hart
Chad Simpson

TE/H-Back (4)
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi
Gijon Robinson

WR (4)
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Pierre Garcon
Austin Collie

OL (9)
Charlie Johnson
Ryan Lilja
Jeff Saturday
Mike Pollak
Ryan Diem
Jamey Richard
Tony Ugoh
Dan Federkeil
Kyle DeVan

DE (4)
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Marcus Howard
Raheem Brock

DT (6)
Ed Johnson
Antonio Johnson
Fili Moala
Terrence Taylor
Adrian Grady
Eric Foster (DT/DE/FB)

LB (7)
Clint Session
Gary Brackett
Philip Wheeler
Tyjuan Hagler
Ramon Humber
Mike Tauiliili
Jordan Senn

CB (5)
Kelvin Hayden
Marlin Jackson
Tim Jennings
Jerraud Powers
T.J.Rushing

S (4)
Bob Sanders*(starts on PUP)
Antoine Bethea
Melvin Bullitt
Matt Giordano
Jamie Silva

ST (3)
Justin Snow
Adam Vinatieri
Pat McAfee

PS
RB Lance Ball
WR Taj Smith
WR John Mathews
OG Jamie Thomas
OG Tom Pestcock
DT John Gill
CB Jacob Lacey
CB Nick Graham

I am going out on a limb and including John Mathews on the PS since I think he is still a serviceable project, he at least does not have hands like Aaron Moorehead.

by chad72 on Sep 4, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not bad

I nodded with most of that. I don’t like Senn though. If you can’t tackle, you are worthless to me as a football player.

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Peyton Manning can't tackle a lick

lol ;)

by bamock on Sep 4, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Neither can Vinatieri

I laugh at replays of him trying to dive and tackle the return man as he whizzes by….Vinny’s arms get soooo short right before he tries to make the tackle!!

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 4, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have you forgotten the tackle where he licked his fingers before making the tackle? Epic :)

by gizzardfanny on Sep 4, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

"Put him on the board. Houshmazilli....got it. CHAMPIONSHIP!"

by AceOfSpades on Sep 5, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is my roster prediction