Adam Shefter is reporting that Tom Brandstater has been cut by the Colts.
Obviously, this is a dumb move by Jim Caldwell and Bill Polian. Maybe they know more here.
Maybe.
But, it was pretty obvious, even to the people who supposedly 'don't know,' that Brandstater out-performed Curtis Painter. Considering that Brandstater had roughly two months to learn the offense and had to work with third and fourth string players, his numbers and overall production dwarfed Painter's. The Colts cut the better of the two quarterbacks. The numbers prove it. The tape proves it. Everything proves it.
As I suggested yesterday, this move wasn't about football. It's about pride, I guess.
Remember this line from Bill Polian?
You can get something from the practice field, but not everything. They don't keep score at practice. They only keep score when the lights go on.
Yep, it's a pretty meaningless statement.
With 'the lights on,' Brandstater pretty effectively smoked Painter. On the practice field, Brandstater pretty effectively smoked Painter. Yet, Painter is still employed and Brandstater isn't. Makes you think.
Why keep Painter? I don't know. He's isn't more talented and he isn't more effective. He is, however, a living symbol of Bill Polian's bullish handling of Week Sixteen last year. Is he keeping Painter just to stick it to the media? The fans? God, I hope not. But, with Polian, nothing surprises me.
In the end, it doesn't really matter because Peyton Manning is a robot. However, when Polian makes his often ridiculous claim that good back-up QBs never want to play in Indy because Peyton never gets hurt, remember that he and Jim Caldwell cut a pretty decent back-up option in Tom Brandstater for a pretty worthless back-up option named Curtis Painter.
Hopefully, Brandstater makes it to Indy's practice squad (if he's eligible).
Cue the screamers who complain I 'bash' Polian, even when he and his coach make head-scratching moves not many people can justify.
[UPDATE]:
Preseason 2010
Tom Brandstater
18-31, 212 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 1 Fumble
Curtis Painter
29-56, 372 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs, 3 Fumbles
Yep, total 'football' decision.