***OFFICIAL AFC TITLE GAME pats @ COLTS ***

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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The Colts are nowhere near the cap situations faced by the Titans and Jags. They have Peyton, Marv, Reggie and Addai all locked up for at least 2 more seasons. The teams you mentioned had nothing close to that.

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that's how you win baby!! with 4 superstars and a bunch of no-names!!

[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I keed I keed

I think another issue is that fact that Peyton will turn 31 this offseason. I don't think he has more than 1 or 2 transcendent years left - after that he is going to need a whole team around him. then again, that's probably a good thing for the Colts.

and btw Edge, in the predictions thread 3 weeks ago, I picked the Colts to win the SB!

[Richard Tanner]

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The most intriguing part of this game that isn't talked about is the fact that this might be the Colts last shot at the SB. The CBA helped them out a whole lot this year, but their salary cap situation is looking grim this upcoming season. A huge hit is going to be Freeney, he will most likely be due 7.8 million next year at the DE position, it's either that or he's gone. McFarland is their 2nd round pick this year as well.

I doubt that the players look into these situations, but Manning might be looking at a bad situation for the next few years and might not be back in an AFC Championship game. Don't believe me? Ask the Titans and Jaguars how worrying about today hurt them.

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THe only really tough call facing the Colts this off seasons is who to keep: Freeney of June. They've already given the greenlight to making Freeney the highest paid D player in football, which means some lucky team out there is gonna get Cato June.

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I think another issue is that fact that Peyton will turn 31 this offseason. I don't think he has more than 1 or 2 transcendent years left - after that he is going to need a whole team around him. then again, that's probably a good thing for the Colts.

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Huh? Until Peyton (or hell Marvin)loses a step, I'm pretty reluctant to belive they will, or that they're mortal.

Cody

[Richard Tanner]

Anyone else here about Bill Polian (the Colt GM) already talking about the need for good officiating this weekend, specifically tight Illegal contact and Pass interference calls.
Now after that AFC title game where the Colts got man handled and there was a grand total of 1 post snap penelty, it was ok to say "something needs to change", but two years after that game, and with several rule changes, this seems a little out of line to me.

Cody

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Bill Polian H-A-T-E-S the Patriots

[CharlieDontSurf]

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the 2 teams were very close this year. same records, very similar DVOA, and the Vegas odds say they are even on a neutral field.

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yeah but they are in Indy and missing both starting safties...colts should def win this game but I'm rooting for the Pats.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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the 2 teams were very close this year. same records, very similar DVOA, and the Vegas odds say they are even on a neutral field.

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yeah but they are in Indy and missing both starting safties...colts should def win this game but I'm rooting for the Pats.

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Rodney practiced today!!

Eugene Wilson has unfortunately been a tease since his awesome rookie regular season, mostly b/c of bad luck/injuries. he went down in BOTH the 2003/4 Super Bowls, and is out for the year now.

Rodney is great and you want him in there for this game, but theres not much left in that tank.

[TheNoodleMan]

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Now after that AFC title game where the Colts got man handled and there was a grand total of 1 post snap penelty, it was ok to say "something needs to change", but two years after that game, and with several rule changes, this seems a little out of line to me.

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There is nothing wrong with asking the officials to call the rules as they are written. There weren't actually any new rules after that game, the NFL just told the refs to call them.

[RunDownHouse]

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Mike Smith(Jaguars D-Coordinator, remember they are in the same division so he see's them twice a year) talks about the Colts better defense

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The ESPN spooging all over the Colts' defense is really sickening. They played the Chiefs and the Ravens. Not exactly offensive powerhouses, and the Chiefs' o-line is falling apart and way past its prime of a few years ago. What's turned around the Colts defense? I dunno, the alignment of the planets? Finding a penny on the street? Breaking off a wishbone for the win? Nobody knows anything except that the players haven't magically transformed into beasts when they were wimps for every game of the season.

Its as if everyone thinks that there were 16 games of underperformance and two games of returning to form instead of 16 games of true performance and two games of overachieving. I'm not a fan - or hater - of either team, but to talk up this Indy defense as if they've finally figured something out, after 8 months of practice/play and god knows how many seasons of experience, is ludicrous. Its pretty simple: the Colts' defense sucks, and any success on their part is reaching above their level.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

it's fine to believe that they're mortal and will never get worse, until you consider every other person who has ever lived [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[TheNoodleMan]

either that or playing with 2 good safeties instead of your 5th and 6th safeties makes a big difference.

I've heard plenty of talk about Bob Sanders but the fact that Bethea is healthy makes a pretty big difference as well.