Game Recaps
Week 10: Inside the Numbers
by mgrex03 on Nov 17, 2009 11:00 PM EST
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I, much like shake, had already started the "This is why the Colts lost" edition of Inside the Numbers in my head. They had too many 3 and Outs. They turned the ball over twice. The drive stats, without actually seeing the numbers, felt bad.
I'm glad I didn't have to write that.
Instead, I get to write about how the Patriots "outplayed" the Colts, in terms of the Winning Stats, but didn't score more points than the Colts, and that's really all that matters in the end. Some notes from the game:
- NBC flashed a stat at the end of the game...This was the first time in Bill Belichick's career as a head coach he surrendered a 13+ point lead in the 4th quarter. The previous record was 12 points in 2000 against the Jets.
- They also flashed a stat that Tom Brady was 25-2 when throwing for 300 yards, which is well above average. Well, he's 25-3 now. Peyton Manning, for the record, is 34-21 in his career, and 8-0 this season. As an aside, if you want a historical look at all QB's records when they pass for 300 yards vs. 100 yard rushers, check out the PFR blog from today.
- Dwight Freeney's consecutive games with a sack ended at 9, one short of the NFL record. That rookie came to play, and on the couple plays he did get beat, he had some help. Thems the breaks, but I don't think Freeney is too upset today about it.
- The farther I get from the 4th and 2, the more I think Belichick was correct in his decision. The play call, however, was a classic Brady staple. Remember in 2007, when Brady went to Troy Brown on 3rd and 4, with just over 2 minutes to go? Bob Sanders knew (as did I) who Brady was going to, and what route he was running, as he almost picked off the pass and took it to the house. I had little doubt, when I saw Faulk motion out of the backfield, that that was where he was going with the ball, and the same route. Thankfully Melvin Bullitt was on top of things, and made the play of the game.
Let's get to those numbers...
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Recap Week Ten: Colts 35 - Patriots 34
by BigBlueShoe on Nov 16, 2009 10:48 AM EST
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Few games live up to pre-game hype.
Patriots v. Colts buck the trend.
Billed as the best game of the regular season, the thrilling come-from-behind win by the Indianapolis Colts, who were down 31-14 at one point in the second half, lived up to its expectations. This game had the feel and intensity of a playoff game. Hell, it had the intensity of an AFC Championship Game. Hats off to the Patriots for playing a great game, and to the community at Pats Pulpit, for blogging and commenting during the game.
We in the blogging community labeled this game The War of 1812, and both #18 (Peyton Manning) and #12 (Tom Brady) certainly came to battle. 702 combined passing yards for 7 TDs and three turnovers (one for Brady, two for Manning) for the QBs, who completed 66% of their combined passes.
All the respect in the world to Drew Brees, but there is a reason 18 and 12 are the best in football. Last night showed you the reason.
In the end, the game came down to some clutch play by both Peyton Manning and the Colts defense. There was also a rather arrogant, silly coaching decision made by someone we all know and loath; a decision that likely cost the Patriots the game. I am, of course, referring to Bill Belichick's erroneous decision to pull his punt team on 4th and 2 from his own 28 yard line and go for it with nearly 2:00 minutes left in the game.
But bigger than Belichick's decision was the clutch play of the Colts. Big media (aka ESPN, or ESPNBoston, whichever label you prefer) will hem and haw about how the Patriots "dominated" the game, and that the reason they lost it was because of Belichick's near-moronic decision.
Um, no.
The Patriots were dominant in the first half of the game, scoring 24 points while using a game plan that attacked Indy's injury-riddled secondary. But, as we Colts fans know all to well, it is not how you start. It's how you finish. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots disintegrated like wet tissue paper right in front of our eyes. The Colts outscored them 21-10 in the fourth, striking with TDs on two very quick drives. Also in the fourth quarter, with a 31-14 lead, the Patriots ran the ball only 6 times for 16 yards (2.6 a carry). And on the offensive drive following Joseph Addai's TD to cut the Patriots lead to 6, the vaunted Pats offense stalled after Jerraud Powers nearly (and likely should have) picked off Tom Brady's sideline pass and returned it for a TD.
It was after that third down play that Belichick opted to go for it, and the Patriots did not convert.
So, while mindless drones debate Belichick's silly decision to go for it on 4th and 2, the real reason the Patriots lost the game is because they folded in the fourth quarter. It's as simple as that. Imagine if the tables were turned and the Colts had lost the game in the exact same fashion the Patriots did. The talking heads would not be yacking about 4th down coaching decisions. They'd be talking about how "clutch" the Patriots are. How their quarterback "finishes" ballgames. How they "rise to the occasion" when they face adversity.
Yet, when the Colts play clutch football, all we hear about is Belichick, Belichick, Belichick.
I'm not reading any of "OMG! The Colts are so amazing!" stories this morning, and that's unfortunate. If that story is good for the Patriots in victory, it should be for the Colts. Indy has proven for ten years they are the equal to the Patriots. Since 2005, the Colts have a 5-1 record over their rivals, and they have won those games mostly by coming back to beat the Patriots in the fourth quarter. Yet, despite yet another resilient performance by a Colts team that simply refuses to quit, even when some of their "fans" were leaving Lucas Oil Stadium 10:00 minutes into the fourth quarter (side note: If those were season tickets holders, their tickets should be revoked; no "fan" leaves a Colts game with 10 minutes left), I'm not seeing a national media scene lauding the "clutchness" of our beloved team. Hell, even Indy's local columnist thought they had no chance to win, and knowing him he probably had is story written up and spell checked by the end of the third quarter, sitting back in his press box chair with a smug told-you-so look on his face.
And that, my friends, is why blogs like this one exist. After the jump, we start breaking it down the best game of 2009 thus far.
136 comments | 1 recs |
Believe! Quick Recap: Colts 35 - Patriots 34
by BigBlueShoe on Nov 15, 2009 11:52 PM EST
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Best. Game. Of. 2009. Thus. Far.
There have been a plethora of great comebacks during Peyton Manning's legendary career as quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. From the Monday Night Football miracle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 to the amazing 2006 AFC Championship Game.
This one might be one of the best one ever.
Peyton had help to pull out this improbable win, and the help came in the form of poor coaching by Bill Belichick. With roughly 2 minutes left in the game and facing a 4th and 2 in their own territory, Belichick opted to go for it instead of punting the ball and letting his defense ice the game. The Patriots did not convert, with Tom Brady hitting Kevin Faulk for only one yard. The Colts then took the ball at their own 29 yard line and scored a TD with just 13 seconds left. The winning score was a one yard TD pass from Peyton to Reggie Wayne, who had two TDs on the night. Matt Stover's extra point gave the Colts the lead.
The Colts are 9-0. They are 5-1 against the Patriots since 2005. Absolutely amazing win. Amazing game. This is the best rivalry is all of sports right now. Hats off to the Patriots for being so damned good and playing a great game.
Unreal. Talk away.
Go Colts!
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Bow before the Gods of Clutch, Peyton and the Colts D
by shake n bake on Nov 15, 2009 11:50 PM EST
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"I'm just so goddamn clutch"
Just for kicks and giggles, after the jump is the quick recap I had halfwritten for a loss in the final 5 minutes.
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Week 9: Inside the Numbers
by mgrex03 on Nov 10, 2009 6:09 PM EST
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Two weeks in a row now the Colts have taken a lead down to the wire, coming out victorious. This week, a missed field goal by Kris Brown sent the Colts to 8-0, giving them a commanding 3.5 game lead in the AFC South. The game started out great for the Colts, but slowly started to slip away when Peyton Manning threw an INT late in the first half. The defense then struggled to get the Texans off the field until the 4th quarter, when they stepped up when they were needed.
A few notes from the game:
- Manning threw 40 passes in the first half, the highest number of passes in the first half since Rich Gannon threw 41 in 2002 against the Steelers. It was also a career high for Manning in the first half. (Elias)
- The Colts have been great in close game as of late. From Ned Macey of Football Outsiders:
- It didn't take long for Dwight Freeney to extend his streak of consecutive games with a sack to 9, sacking Matt Schaub on the very first play of the game. That means he had sacks on consecutive plays, as he sacked Alex Smith on the 49ers' last offensive play last week.
- Dallas Clark set the franchise record for catches in a game by a TE with 14. This was third highest reception total for a TE in NFL history (
can't find the record or who owns it) Thanks to skywalker, the record is held by Jason Witten and Kellen Winslow, Sr with 15. I'm guessing we won't see Brian Cushing trying to cover him at the end of the month. - Seventeen games and counting...
The Colts ability to win close games is uncanny, except that it seems to disappear in the playoffs. They've won 15 of their last 16 meaningful regular season games decided by one touchdown or less but are 0-2 in the playoffs in games by one touchdown or less in that same streak. Actually, counting the playoffs, three of their last four losses by less than one touchdown are to San Diego.
Overall, it didn't look like one of the Colts' best games this season, but what do the numbers say? Find out after the jump...
10 comments | 3 recs |
Recap Week Nine: Colts 20 - Texans 17
by shake n bake on Nov 9, 2009 12:18 PM EST
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A week after the 49ers contained the Colts offense by refusing to show their alignment or tip their scheme until the final seconds of the play clock the Colts countered, with their opening drive coming at a frantic pace running 9 plays in barely over 2 minutes to move from their 20 to the edge of field goal range.
The Colts D came out strong holding the Texans to 7 yards with a turnover on 3 drives in the first quarter and not allowing a first down until midway through the 2nd quarter. Unfortunately the Colts offense, despite crossing the Texans 40 on each of their 6 1st half drives they only converted it into 13 points (Downs, TD, FG, FG, Punt, INT).
After dominating the Texans O for a quarter and a half the tables were flipped with the Texans mounting three 80+ yard drives in addition to knocking in a field goal before the half to score 17 unanswered (which would have likely been 24 if not for Powers' heady fumble recovery for a touchback). At the same time the Colts O went 3 and out, and ended a promising drive with a Reggie Wayne interception on a terribly called and even more disastrously executed trick play (on which Pierre Garcon picked up his requisite penalty a game, again for OPI which was declined as he was unable to prevent the pick).
With the Colts trailing in the 4th quarter again both units stepped back up, with the D forcing a 3 and out despite having been on the field for 13 of the 17 minutes elapsed in the 2nd half and the O launching a 61 yard TD drive to retake the lead with 7 minutes to play.
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Quick Recap, Colts 20- Texans 17
by shake n bake on Nov 8, 2009 4:24 PM EST
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The Colts closed another 4th quarter deficit to hold on for a win after Kris Brown's game tying FG attempt as time expired sailed wide left.
The Colts dominated the first 28 minutes of play, but starting with a Manning INT while in FG range the Texans scored 17 unanswered to take a 4 point lead going into the 4th quarter aided by Caldwell icing what turned out to be a blocked FG (2nd attempt was made) and a end around pass by Reggie Wayne being picked off.
Peyton Manning went 34 for 50, gaining 314 yards with a TD and an INT. Dallas Clark was the primary target picking up 14 receptions for 119 yards and an additional first down from a defensive holding call on 3rd and short. After some early struggles the Colts running game picked up with Joseph Addai averaging 4.5 yards a carry and scoring the winning TD on a powerful goalline run.
Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis teamed up for a combined 2 sacks off Matt Schaub's 45 dropbacks. Jerraud Powers picked off his first career pass and made a veteran play to recover a fumble for a touchback likely saving Indy a TD). Clint Session recorded 13 tackles and picked off a 4th quarter pass that very nearly ended the game.
The Colts move to an undefeated 8-0, the Texans drop to 5-4, but appear to be a playoff caliber team (if they play more disciplined football than they did today).
UPDATE: redid the poll since I neglected Powers and Addai's great days.
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Week 8: Inside the Numbers
by mgrex03 on Nov 3, 2009 11:41 PM EST
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What a game on Sunday. It's been a while since we all had to sweat 60 minutes of Colts Football. Here's some notes from this weekend:
- From Elias: The last RB to throw a TD pass for the Colts was in 1984, when Curtis Dickey threw a 63 yard Touchdown pass to Tracy Porter. This was the 2nd game as the Indianapolis Colts. The last time a non-QB threw a TD pass? Ken Dilger in 2001, a 39 yarder to Marvin Harrison. I guess the Colts don't do this very often, huh?
- Also from Elias: A record the Colts set in 2006 was broken last night by the Saints. The Saints have allowed 154 points this season, which is the most points allowed for a 7-0 team in NFL history. The previous record was 153, by your Super Bowl Champion Colts. Elam's late field goal did more than just
coverbeat the spread! - In the middle of the 4th quarter, Dwight Freeney recorded a sack of Alex Smith, setting the franchise record by getting a sack in 8 straight games. Only 2 more to tie the NFL record.
- Manning threw his 2nd most passes in a game without throwing a TD pass, with 48. His record? 50 passes in this very forgettable game.
- That's now 16 straight wins. Let's keep the train rolling!
Let's get to the numbers...
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