First of all, sorry this post is a bit late. Week 6 for the Colts was a Sunday Night Football showdown against the Washington Redskins, and by now, we've all but forgotten that game. However, it's worth noting a few things as we press forward with this crazy NFL season.
The most obvious things to take away form the Redskins game are the injuries. This year seems to be the year for anyone in blue to get hurt, and Week 6 was no different. Dallas Clark - gone for the year. Austin Collie - out for several weeks. Joe Addai - out indefinitely with a really rare injury to the nerve in his neck. Whew, let's hope the second half of the season is better to us than the second half of last week's game.
On a football strategy note, before all of those injuries took place, the Colts were relatively back to their old selves. Early on, Peyton threw some passes that easily could have been intercepted by the Redskins, and they just flat out dropped the pass. But I'm a firm believer that even though that happened 3 or 4 times, if one of those had actually been picked off, it wouldn't have happened again. That's just how Peyton works. He'll play with fire sometimes as long as he's not getting burned, but if he does get picked off, then he settles down a little and plays more conservative. I wouldn't put too much stock in the recent argument that Peyton is starting to struggle and the whole Indy ship is going down. Overall, PM is still having one of his best years ever, and that's with tons of injuries to deal with. Can't ask for more than that.
In the actual game, early in the second quarter, the Colts gave us something we haven't seen in quite some time. They were in "hurry up" offense mode, ala 2003, when the Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Edgerrin James put the Colts on the map with a dynamic offense. Today's column will talk a bit about the Colts' offensive flexibility, and how they make it so difficult for other teams.
Over the last decade the Colt's offense has evolved, basically to be on whatever kick Peyton Manning is on. Early on, the Colts learned that they could go "no huddle" and attack opposing defenses with a rapid fire pace that usually was reserved for the end of games. Typically, teams would never line up and run plays without huddling up first, unless you were losing and time was running out. Then, it was panic mode..... But the Colts realized that even if they were not in panic mode, they could run that fast paced offense with no huddle, and it would keep the defense on high alert, and would not allow time between plays for players to substitute. So basically the Colts could practice a fast pace all week long, and then hit a team with it in the first half and completely wear them out, not to mention put up a lot of points fast. Then in the second half, the Colts would run the ball (see week 5 review) and take advantage of a tired defense, and just control the rest of the game. But after a couple of years of that, the NFL started to catch on, and became better at defending the no huddle offense by mixing up the defensive agendas. Defenses realized that if the Colts were in hurry up mode, the way to beat them was with random blitzes or weird coverages that surprised Peyton. If another team could throw something weird into the mix on defense, one or two big plays each game would result in horrible interceptions for the Colts, and sometimes those plays would frustrate Peyton so much that it would lead to further mistakes by the Colts. This is known as the "Patriot Years" by my brother and I. Teams like the Patriots found ways to make a few big plays that were so monumental, that it just felt like fate was on their side. It didn't matter if Peyton had made 100 correct decisions, the one bad one seemed to always cost the Colts the game. Enter, the Patriot Years, Volume 2.
The next phase of the Colts offense was to slow each play down, calling fake plays, changing plays before the ball was snapped and making defenses wait FOREVER, before they play actually started. By the time the ball was snapped, the Colts had called a play, changed it, called a different one (maybe fake) and seen how the defense reacted to all of the calls, pointing, moving and such. By that time Peyton had "learned" what the defense was hoping to do, and would just call the most safe, reliable, appropriate play for that situation. It was the exact opposite of the hurry up offense. It was the slow down offense, making the other team realize that they had no control over anything. In a twist of irony, the theory that you had to "get in Peyton's head" was now being turned around and used against every defense in the league. Thank you New England!
But as is the case with everything, other teams started learning from Colts, and many teams in the NFL began operating similar to Indy. Because of this, it wasn't quite as much of a novelty, and defenses all across the league began to get comfortable with this style. So basically, defenses disciplined themselves to not even bother with whatever Peyton was doing or saying. They just wander around, not really moving or lining up, and wait until the play clock winds down. Then after Peyton had done his call, fake call, real call, new call routine, the defense would actually line up and Peyton would be stuck running whatever play was the last one called. This concept actually works against the Colts, and basically concedes the fact that Peyton is the smartest player. But even if he's the smartest, other teams are waiting to line up, and making it so that Peyton can't even make any decisions. Then when the defense finally does line up in their actual formation, Peyton has about 3 seconds to communicate with the rest of the team and call the play.
All of this history of the Colts offense brings us back to the second quarter of the Redskins game. The Colts went back to the hurry up style, and it was faster than ever. After a successful play, Peyton would call out the next play while everyone was running down the field to line up. Then they would snap the ball and start the next play before the defense even lined up. They knew that most teams have started working very hard at disguising their defense by doing all that standing around and learning how to line up at the last minute. By going back to a hurry up offense, the Colts put the pressure back on defenses, and made Washington waste most of what they had worked on throughout the week. Brilliant.
Look for the Colts to continue with this on Monday night against Houston. I'm guessing that you'll see the usual offense with Peyton yelling and pointing and taking forever, and then BOOM - they'll go into turbo mode for a number of plays just to terrorize the Houston defense. And just when Houston get's used to the fast tempo, they'll slow it back down and make each play take forever again. Basically, anything to make sure that Indy is in control. That's how we like it, and as long as #18 is in blue, we'll get to see it.
Showing posts with label Weekly Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekly Reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 5 Review
Well, we won. Game 5 for the Colts was not exactly a display of "shock-and-awe", but then again, the Chiefs are a much improved team. I still think they are a bit young and won't be a major factor in the long term this year, but they played the Colts perfectly. For all you Blue fans out there panicking about the year, remember this - Games like the one against the Chiefs are the kind of games that good teams find a way to win. And the Colts found a way to win. Whew.
This is actually a great game to learn some lessons about football, and maybe next time you see the "Manning Face" you'll be able to explain to your friends what's going on. The Chiefs found a way to handcuff Peyton Manning, some by strategy, and also because they had the right athletes to pull it off.
Let's start with the beginning of the game. First of all, the Chiefs opened with an onside kick. It's a trick play, yes, and in most circles would be thought of as ridiculous. However, it was a strong signal that the Chiefs were calling the shots, not the Colts. From the opening kickoff, it was apparent to everyone in Lucas Oil Stadium that the Colts game plan (that they worked on all week) was second to the Chiefs game plan. Even though the trick play didn't work, and gave the Colts possession of the ball in great field position, the first punch had been thrown, and it was a big one. That call to start the game said, "you may be better than us, but we're going down swinging."
After the Colts recovered the onside kick and began their first drive, it was basically the Joseph Addai show. Lots of running plays, methodically moving the ball downfield. At first this may have seemed like the Colts just made some decisions to quit using Peyton Manning, and let Joe Addai take over the team. Don't let the fairweather Colts fans fool you. There was much more to the story than that. The Colts sputtered in the red zone (anytime you're inside the 20 yard line looking to score) and ending up kicking a field goal rather than coming away with the touchdown. Obviously everyone in Indy would have rather had a touchdown, but Peyton looked like somebody stole his bike. It's because he already knew what the rest of us would see throughout the game.
Peyton had seen in the opening drive what sort of defense the Chiefs were working out of, and he didn't like it. At all. There are many different formations that a defense can use, and out of those formations, you can run all sorts of plays to pressure the quarterback, or drop back and defend against a long pass. Sometimes the defense lines up and plays "man to man" where each of the receivers is covered by a specific defender. Other times the defense lines up the same way and then as the play starts, they all move to cover "zones" and cover a certain part of the field. None of this bothers Peyton, and he usually finds ways to make the defense overthink everything they're doing. Then they line up for the next play, and Boom! Peyton to Dallas Clark for the touchdown. Peyton is the master at reading defenses.
So why was Manning so upset after only the first series? He didn't get hit, sacked or throw a single pass, but you could tell that he was already frustrated. It's because the Chiefs showed their card, and it was a card that most teams can't or won't ever play. Kansas City was lining up with 3 and sometimes only 2 men rushing the quarterback, with everyone else dropping back to cover the pass. OK, big deal right? Let me put it this way, if Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Joseph Addai all ran routes to catch a pass, EVERY one of them would be DOUBLE COVERED. Yep. Two defenders on each guy. Manning saw this and knew that the Chiefs were not going to even let him play football. They wanted the rest of the Colts to beat them. OK, you say, why doesn't everyone in the NFL do that to every team in the NFL? If I was a defensive coach I'd double-team every receiver too! Well, because the antidote to that defensive strategy is good old fashioned running the football. Just like defenses can mix up zone and man-to-man coverages of the pass routes, offenses can mix up their play calling between runs and passes.
Running the football is original football. It's the stuff the old school guys like. Passing is for show-offs, but handing off and running is for classic, hard-nosed teams, or so the theory goes. But there is some element of truth to the fact that if you can run the ball, you can't be stopped. Follow me for a second here... If you are confident that your team can block, open up holes (running lanes) and your running back can gain 4 yards on each play, then your team is virtually unstoppable. Seriously. On first down, 4 yards. Second down, 4 yards. On third and 2, 4 more yards and now you've got another first down. It's low risk. No sacks, no interceptions. No receivers dropping passes. It takes time off the clock while you're team has the ball, which means the other team can't score. If you can run the ball well, you're unstoppable. This is why every time you turn on the game, the announcers are saying that such and such a team needs to "establish the run". What they mean is that even though the NFL has become more passing-oriented, you still have to prove that you can run. If you can't, teams will do what the Chiefs did to Peyton. They'll drop almost every single guy back to cover the pass and make the offense choose running plays, even if they don't want to. From the look on Peyton's face on Sunday, he wanted to pass, but was smart enough to know that he wasn't going to get the chance to.
So let's go back to Colts-Chiefs for a moment. That first drive was perfect. Forget what Petyon wanted to do, look at what he did. He handed the ball to Joe Addai. Again, and again and again. And Joe Addai had a nice drive and got us in scoring position before the drive died. Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal and we're up 3-0. Smart football by Peyton, but he knew that the Colts aren't built to run all day. And he's right.
By the time the game was in full swing, the Chiefs had started showing that same formation, but with every player on alert to stop the run. So basically, in order to make the smart choice, Peyton would call a play that wasn't a pass play, because he saw how many defenders would be allotted to pass coverage. But once he changed to a running play, the outcome was out of his hands. Just what the Chiefs wanted. They were willing to give the Colts a huge advantage on run plays, in order to make Peyton Manning choose to be a bystander. Some teams that are built to run the football would have taken that defense and rammed it down the Chiefs throats. If Chris Johnson of the Titans saw that defense, he'd run for 50 yards each play and score a touchdown. Then the Chiefs would change their defense pretty quickly. But that's not what the Colts are built for. Their offensive line is built to block on passing plays, not really to open up holes for run plays. So, all in all, it's the Colts' weakness.
The Chiefs have several outstanding defensive players that allow them to do some pretty exotic formations, like the one they threw at Peyton. Just like any sport, the strategy is only good if the athletes can actually perform the task. If I was a basketball coach, I'd tell my players to dunk over someone every time, because it's nearly impossible to miss. But of course, that's impossible for an athlete to do. You have to find the balance. The Chiefs had several cornerbacks that were skilled in pass coverage and had incredible speed to help cover different Colts receivers. They also had a lineman (Tamba Hali) that was able to get pressure on Peyton Manning and force him to make quick throws when the Colts did try and pass. Most teams rush 5,6, or sometimes even 7 men to try and force a quarterback to make a fast decision. KC was getting this result with 2 or 3 men, because they were just plain better up front. No offense, but Ryan Diem got worked. He was matched up with a really good defensive end and got burned most of the day. So Peyton knew this, he was rushing his throws, and all of his receivers were double-covered. You have to run the football. So the Colts did. Not very well, but that's what they tried to do all day long.
I started this post by saying games like this one are games that good teams find a way to win. In this game, Kansas City went completely overboard to make sure that the Colts had to run the ball to beat them. Even with Joe Addai injured late in the game, a backup running back named Mike Hart came in and sparked the team to a long drive and a touchdown. Good teams find a way to win, even if it's ugly. That's what the Colts did all last year, and it was good to see them pull it out again on Sunday.
Next up, the Redskins, with a bad run defense. I doubt they'll do the same thing to Peyton, because they don't trust themselves to stop the Colts run nearly as much as the Chiefs did. It's all about using your strengths and covering your weaknesses. Our strength is Peyton and Co. Although we may try to "establish the run" look for the Colts to throw it around more next week.
This is actually a great game to learn some lessons about football, and maybe next time you see the "Manning Face" you'll be able to explain to your friends what's going on. The Chiefs found a way to handcuff Peyton Manning, some by strategy, and also because they had the right athletes to pull it off.
Let's start with the beginning of the game. First of all, the Chiefs opened with an onside kick. It's a trick play, yes, and in most circles would be thought of as ridiculous. However, it was a strong signal that the Chiefs were calling the shots, not the Colts. From the opening kickoff, it was apparent to everyone in Lucas Oil Stadium that the Colts game plan (that they worked on all week) was second to the Chiefs game plan. Even though the trick play didn't work, and gave the Colts possession of the ball in great field position, the first punch had been thrown, and it was a big one. That call to start the game said, "you may be better than us, but we're going down swinging."
After the Colts recovered the onside kick and began their first drive, it was basically the Joseph Addai show. Lots of running plays, methodically moving the ball downfield. At first this may have seemed like the Colts just made some decisions to quit using Peyton Manning, and let Joe Addai take over the team. Don't let the fairweather Colts fans fool you. There was much more to the story than that. The Colts sputtered in the red zone (anytime you're inside the 20 yard line looking to score) and ending up kicking a field goal rather than coming away with the touchdown. Obviously everyone in Indy would have rather had a touchdown, but Peyton looked like somebody stole his bike. It's because he already knew what the rest of us would see throughout the game.
Peyton had seen in the opening drive what sort of defense the Chiefs were working out of, and he didn't like it. At all. There are many different formations that a defense can use, and out of those formations, you can run all sorts of plays to pressure the quarterback, or drop back and defend against a long pass. Sometimes the defense lines up and plays "man to man" where each of the receivers is covered by a specific defender. Other times the defense lines up the same way and then as the play starts, they all move to cover "zones" and cover a certain part of the field. None of this bothers Peyton, and he usually finds ways to make the defense overthink everything they're doing. Then they line up for the next play, and Boom! Peyton to Dallas Clark for the touchdown. Peyton is the master at reading defenses.
So why was Manning so upset after only the first series? He didn't get hit, sacked or throw a single pass, but you could tell that he was already frustrated. It's because the Chiefs showed their card, and it was a card that most teams can't or won't ever play. Kansas City was lining up with 3 and sometimes only 2 men rushing the quarterback, with everyone else dropping back to cover the pass. OK, big deal right? Let me put it this way, if Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Joseph Addai all ran routes to catch a pass, EVERY one of them would be DOUBLE COVERED. Yep. Two defenders on each guy. Manning saw this and knew that the Chiefs were not going to even let him play football. They wanted the rest of the Colts to beat them. OK, you say, why doesn't everyone in the NFL do that to every team in the NFL? If I was a defensive coach I'd double-team every receiver too! Well, because the antidote to that defensive strategy is good old fashioned running the football. Just like defenses can mix up zone and man-to-man coverages of the pass routes, offenses can mix up their play calling between runs and passes.
Running the football is original football. It's the stuff the old school guys like. Passing is for show-offs, but handing off and running is for classic, hard-nosed teams, or so the theory goes. But there is some element of truth to the fact that if you can run the ball, you can't be stopped. Follow me for a second here... If you are confident that your team can block, open up holes (running lanes) and your running back can gain 4 yards on each play, then your team is virtually unstoppable. Seriously. On first down, 4 yards. Second down, 4 yards. On third and 2, 4 more yards and now you've got another first down. It's low risk. No sacks, no interceptions. No receivers dropping passes. It takes time off the clock while you're team has the ball, which means the other team can't score. If you can run the ball well, you're unstoppable. This is why every time you turn on the game, the announcers are saying that such and such a team needs to "establish the run". What they mean is that even though the NFL has become more passing-oriented, you still have to prove that you can run. If you can't, teams will do what the Chiefs did to Peyton. They'll drop almost every single guy back to cover the pass and make the offense choose running plays, even if they don't want to. From the look on Peyton's face on Sunday, he wanted to pass, but was smart enough to know that he wasn't going to get the chance to.
So let's go back to Colts-Chiefs for a moment. That first drive was perfect. Forget what Petyon wanted to do, look at what he did. He handed the ball to Joe Addai. Again, and again and again. And Joe Addai had a nice drive and got us in scoring position before the drive died. Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal and we're up 3-0. Smart football by Peyton, but he knew that the Colts aren't built to run all day. And he's right.
By the time the game was in full swing, the Chiefs had started showing that same formation, but with every player on alert to stop the run. So basically, in order to make the smart choice, Peyton would call a play that wasn't a pass play, because he saw how many defenders would be allotted to pass coverage. But once he changed to a running play, the outcome was out of his hands. Just what the Chiefs wanted. They were willing to give the Colts a huge advantage on run plays, in order to make Peyton Manning choose to be a bystander. Some teams that are built to run the football would have taken that defense and rammed it down the Chiefs throats. If Chris Johnson of the Titans saw that defense, he'd run for 50 yards each play and score a touchdown. Then the Chiefs would change their defense pretty quickly. But that's not what the Colts are built for. Their offensive line is built to block on passing plays, not really to open up holes for run plays. So, all in all, it's the Colts' weakness.
The Chiefs have several outstanding defensive players that allow them to do some pretty exotic formations, like the one they threw at Peyton. Just like any sport, the strategy is only good if the athletes can actually perform the task. If I was a basketball coach, I'd tell my players to dunk over someone every time, because it's nearly impossible to miss. But of course, that's impossible for an athlete to do. You have to find the balance. The Chiefs had several cornerbacks that were skilled in pass coverage and had incredible speed to help cover different Colts receivers. They also had a lineman (Tamba Hali) that was able to get pressure on Peyton Manning and force him to make quick throws when the Colts did try and pass. Most teams rush 5,6, or sometimes even 7 men to try and force a quarterback to make a fast decision. KC was getting this result with 2 or 3 men, because they were just plain better up front. No offense, but Ryan Diem got worked. He was matched up with a really good defensive end and got burned most of the day. So Peyton knew this, he was rushing his throws, and all of his receivers were double-covered. You have to run the football. So the Colts did. Not very well, but that's what they tried to do all day long.
I started this post by saying games like this one are games that good teams find a way to win. In this game, Kansas City went completely overboard to make sure that the Colts had to run the ball to beat them. Even with Joe Addai injured late in the game, a backup running back named Mike Hart came in and sparked the team to a long drive and a touchdown. Good teams find a way to win, even if it's ugly. That's what the Colts did all last year, and it was good to see them pull it out again on Sunday.
Next up, the Redskins, with a bad run defense. I doubt they'll do the same thing to Peyton, because they don't trust themselves to stop the Colts run nearly as much as the Chiefs did. It's all about using your strengths and covering your weaknesses. Our strength is Peyton and Co. Although we may try to "establish the run" look for the Colts to throw it around more next week.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Week 4 Review
For the casual Colts fan, week 4 are the games to hate. The kind of games that leave you mumbling to yourself about how bad the team has always been, about how they never win the big one, about how you can't trust anyone named Wayne, Freeney, or Manning.
Sure.
Granted, this week in Colts history is a gloomy one. There are some serious question marks on the Colts defense, some due to injuries (Melvin Bullitt-out for the season) and some due to all of us fans freaking out and wondering if the coaches know what they're doing. I for one, believe that they still do.
Jacksonville has always played the Colts very tough. It's no excuse for getting beat by them. They always play Indy down to the wire. Any true Colts fan knows that every year, the teams in the Colts division (Jax, Tenn, Houston) find out how to give the Colts fits. For a while, Indy has been able to find ways to win. But its hard to beat a team over and over, especially when they're gunning for you. Jacksonville needed this game badly. The Colts still hadn't truly gotten on track this year, especially defensively. And so Jacksonville did the same thing that Houston did in week 1, ran the ball, made a few big plays, and counted on some luck. A late Reggie Wayne fumble and a questionable call from the Colts coaching staff, and they felt that luck was on their side. So they kicked the 59 yard field goal to win the game. That's life in the NFL.
The facts are these: The Colts are 2-2, which isn't running away the NFL, for sure. But plenty of other good teams are 2-2. The only undefeated team in the NFL is the Kansas City Chiefs (who meet Indy in week 5). In case you don't know, the Chiefs aren't that good. They're getting better, and I'm happy to see them have some success, but they won't start 10-0. I suspect that Indy fans will get a healthy scare from a rookie named Dexter McCluster in week 5, but other than that, the Colts will assert themselves from the beginning and win easily.
Sure.
Granted, this week in Colts history is a gloomy one. There are some serious question marks on the Colts defense, some due to injuries (Melvin Bullitt-out for the season) and some due to all of us fans freaking out and wondering if the coaches know what they're doing. I for one, believe that they still do.
Jacksonville has always played the Colts very tough. It's no excuse for getting beat by them. They always play Indy down to the wire. Any true Colts fan knows that every year, the teams in the Colts division (Jax, Tenn, Houston) find out how to give the Colts fits. For a while, Indy has been able to find ways to win. But its hard to beat a team over and over, especially when they're gunning for you. Jacksonville needed this game badly. The Colts still hadn't truly gotten on track this year, especially defensively. And so Jacksonville did the same thing that Houston did in week 1, ran the ball, made a few big plays, and counted on some luck. A late Reggie Wayne fumble and a questionable call from the Colts coaching staff, and they felt that luck was on their side. So they kicked the 59 yard field goal to win the game. That's life in the NFL.
The facts are these: The Colts are 2-2, which isn't running away the NFL, for sure. But plenty of other good teams are 2-2. The only undefeated team in the NFL is the Kansas City Chiefs (who meet Indy in week 5). In case you don't know, the Chiefs aren't that good. They're getting better, and I'm happy to see them have some success, but they won't start 10-0. I suspect that Indy fans will get a healthy scare from a rookie named Dexter McCluster in week 5, but other than that, the Colts will assert themselves from the beginning and win easily.
Week 3 Review
Ok, now things are looking better. Week 3 for Colts Nation was a big victory in Denver. The Mile High City has always been a place where the Colts seem to come away with a win, regardless of the circumstances. This week was no different.
In case you didn't realize it, Denver QB Kyle Orton is currently tearing up the league. During the Colts / Broncos matchup, Orton set a team record for yards passing in a game, passing the legendary John Elway. That's nothing short of exceptional for the former Purdue star.
However, as this game would show, the Colts are a machine. When wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez were declared inactive for the game, Peyton used other options to lead the Colts to a big win. Austin Collie had the best day for a receiver in the entire NFL. Blair White (who?) was pulled up from the Colts practice squad, learned the plays on the fly, and caught an important touchdown for Indy. Just goes to show, when a team is coached correctly, and each individual is responsible for their part, great things can happen, regardless of who is wearing the uniforms on gameday.
In case you didn't realize it, Denver QB Kyle Orton is currently tearing up the league. During the Colts / Broncos matchup, Orton set a team record for yards passing in a game, passing the legendary John Elway. That's nothing short of exceptional for the former Purdue star.
However, as this game would show, the Colts are a machine. When wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez were declared inactive for the game, Peyton used other options to lead the Colts to a big win. Austin Collie had the best day for a receiver in the entire NFL. Blair White (who?) was pulled up from the Colts practice squad, learned the plays on the fly, and caught an important touchdown for Indy. Just goes to show, when a team is coached correctly, and each individual is responsible for their part, great things can happen, regardless of who is wearing the uniforms on gameday.
Week 2 Review
Week 2 in the NFL seemed to bring a sense of normalcy. In Indy, we saw the Manning Bowl II, which Peyton gladly dominated. Colts fans were relieved to see the team they expected take the field. The matchup between the Colts and Giants in week 2 truly showed the importance of playing to your strengths. In the NFL it is impossible to have the perfect team. The league is built for equality in order to keep all games competitive. In order to overcome that, each team must choose how to build their team, around their assets, and to cover for their weaknesses. In the Colts organization, the team is obviously at it's best when Peyton & Co. are on the field and having their way.
However, if you recall from week 1 against Houston, the formula for beating Indianapolis is pretty simple: Keep Peyton & Co. on the sidelines looking bored. If another team can run the football, control the clock, and basically waste the game away while slowly marching down the field, they can limit the Colts from scoring points. But the Colts are built to try and avoid this scenario. The Colts are built to come out firing, get a lead early, and as a result, force the other team to start passing the ball and trying to play catch-up in a more hurried manner. This plays right into the Colts defensive philosophy, where Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis tee off on the opposing quarterback. This is what we saw in week 2 against the Giants. Because they were behind early, the Giants couldn't use the Texan's formula for beating the Colts from week 1. They had to play faster, and more aggressive to catch up. The Colts defense is built to feast on that.
However, if you recall from week 1 against Houston, the formula for beating Indianapolis is pretty simple: Keep Peyton & Co. on the sidelines looking bored. If another team can run the football, control the clock, and basically waste the game away while slowly marching down the field, they can limit the Colts from scoring points. But the Colts are built to try and avoid this scenario. The Colts are built to come out firing, get a lead early, and as a result, force the other team to start passing the ball and trying to play catch-up in a more hurried manner. This plays right into the Colts defensive philosophy, where Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis tee off on the opposing quarterback. This is what we saw in week 2 against the Giants. Because they were behind early, the Giants couldn't use the Texan's formula for beating the Colts from week 1. They had to play faster, and more aggressive to catch up. The Colts defense is built to feast on that.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Week 1 Review
Week 1 in the NFL was full of injuries and provided several upsets. Very few of the high ranked teams performed at a high level. Teams like the Colts, Cowboys and Chargers found themselves sputtering out of the gate. Look for these teams, along with the Saints, Patriots and Ravens to play at a high level in Week 2.
With the Colts, the root of their troubles in Sunday's game against the Texans was a lackluster offensive line. Complimented by several dropped passes in key situations, and the result is that the defense was on the field too long. Especially early in the year where athletes do not have their full-game conditioning yet, this can wear a defense out fast. In the first half, the Colts defense did a relatively good job at stopping the Texans from running the football. In the second half, the Colts D tanked, and gave up 200 yards rushing. It's a team game, and when too much pressure is on one unit, they can crack, and then make life more difficult for the entire team.
With the Colts, the root of their troubles in Sunday's game against the Texans was a lackluster offensive line. Complimented by several dropped passes in key situations, and the result is that the defense was on the field too long. Especially early in the year where athletes do not have their full-game conditioning yet, this can wear a defense out fast. In the first half, the Colts defense did a relatively good job at stopping the Texans from running the football. In the second half, the Colts D tanked, and gave up 200 yards rushing. It's a team game, and when too much pressure is on one unit, they can crack, and then make life more difficult for the entire team.
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