Here we go, it's the annual regular season game of the year.
Let me preface my post by congratulating both teams on once again rising against adversity to be at the top of their league. I think that fans of both teams can agree that this has more to do with how these organizations continue to re-load year after year than it has to do with simply Brady and Manning. Indianapolis and New England are head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to managing their franchises.
On to the game...
There are so many stories within stories this week, the media should thank these two teams for giving them early x-mas gifts.
#1 - Indy should be favored on paper because they are at home but NE probably has a little more urgency to get the win being that they ONLY have a 2 game lead in their division (both teams should win their respective divisions regardless of Sun. night's outcome, in reality this is big-time playoff type football and nothing else should matter to these 2 teams)
#2 - Brady v. Manning 14, how can it not be mentioned (I'm not really sure how many times they have actually faced each other). It keeps getting better and better between these two all-time greats. Look at the last 2 times they faced each other, both were epic games.
#3 - Neither team can run and both are good at defending against the pass. Something's got to give.
#4 - Moss vs. rookie CBs. You know they are licking their chops, Indy's young corners have overacheived, this will be a tough test though.
#5 - Dallas/Welker - who will be a bigger factor?
#6 - Indy riding a 17 game winning streak. NE will try to keep their 2 records intact by taking matters into their own hands and putting an end to the streak Sunday.
These are just a few thoughts, there are so many more.
Here's my prediction - If Donald Brown doesn't play or isn't a factor, Indy has no chance of winning. They cannot keep getting by with ZERO threat to run the ball.
No matter what the outcome, I honestly hope for an injury free game. Let's keep these 2 great teams intact for the playoffs, I mean this is just another regular season game, (right?)
Good Luck fellow rivals.
GO HORSE
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I think it is plain to see that whichever teams defense does a better job will win this game.
It is the game of the season, as much as I despise the Jets this to me is our main rivalry and I am so disappointed we do not share a division anymore.
So, if Donald Brown does not play you have lost!!!!! Come-on get serious no game is ever lost when you have Peyton Manning under center. Perhaps I am biased but the Patriots have got some good plays out of their running game and although certainly for the first few games running lanes were not there they can run the ball to a certain degree, but like the Colts this is a team that is built on the pass.
It seems to me lots of Colts fans are down on Joseph Addai, I still think he is a good back especially for the Colts, you still have to account for him. I am already ready for the Reggie Wayne show, I have lost count how many comeback patterns this guy runs against the Patriots, the Dolphins ran the same play three times for first downs against us on Sunday in the firsdt quarter alone and that was with Chad Henne at QB!!!
Dallas Clark is a great H-back/Tight End/Slot Receiver probably the best in the league and he will be a huge factor. We always relied on Rodney Harrison to take care of him and he did as good a job as you could possible expect. That role will probably fall to Brandon McGowan and Adalius Thomas this week, it will be interesting to see that outcome.
With regards to your rookie backfield I don't recall the Patriots hitting the Colts on many deep routes ever maybe this will be the week they try. We have always tried to make Manning throw against a nickel or dime defense and not applied much pressure and frankly I think it will be that way again as we are unable to pressure the QB like you guys can with Dwight Freeney and Terrence Mathis (a very underrated duo and part of the Colts success!)
I am with you lets have an injury free game and may the best team win, but win or lose I have a feeling these guys are destined to meet once more this season, probably in Indianapolis and for a bigger goal than this game has!
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Donald Brown may be a big factor, but not the biggest as long as Peyton Manning under center. Colts have rookie corners but get a great pass rush by using just their front four. Dwight Freeney and Mathis always get it done.
The big issue for the Pats is to ...obviously block those two to give Brady time. and to get pressure on Manning with their pass rush. Because if they give him the time, that they gave Chad Henne, its going to be a long game.
Good matchups this week!
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I read your posts all the time INDY and I respect your insight. <br /><br />You mention Donald Brown</a> as a key to the Colts</a> success, but I think the ultimate key will be the health of Matt Light</a>. If Light can not go for the Patriots</a> at LT, Freeney and Mathis are going to be able to get pressure on Tom Brady</a> who wants to take advantage of a banged up Colts secondary. It will be interesting to see if Indy can play well against a formidable opponent, which I think they will. Other than Houston, they have not seen much competition and you have to admit that with the records of their opponents, but they have done their job and gone 8-0 so far. <br /><br />Seeing Brady vs. Manning will be awesome again and I wish your Colts the best of luck, but GO PATS !
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thanks arth and every classy fan out there (I think there is a reason we all have 98 or 99 ratings). I have already seen a few threads out there, "Peyton is way better than Brady", or "Indy hasn't played anyone yet"...don't take the bait!
The point is, we are all now old gritty rivals and wise through our years of experience watching these 2 great franchises. Let's not pretend like we just started being good teams. We have been doing this now for what, 10 years, 12? It doesn't get any better than Colts-Pats. I only hope that Indy can become a great playoff team and match NE's dominance in the postseason. Brady/Manning is the modern version of Bird/Magic. We all would just love to see more of it.
As far as my point about this weekend's game, Donald Brown. That's Donald Brown PERIOD. Joseph Addai is a fine football player but he's a bad running back. I can best describe him as a poor man's Reggie Bush. Here's the point, if anyone thinks that Indianapolis can come out against NE and basically TELEGRAPH the fact that they are going to be completely one dimensional on offense...and win the game...that person would be crazy or uninformed about the rivalry. NE is too good for that. I truly think that Indy could be the most dominant team in the league and I think they actually have the personnel on their roster right now to be that team. They are a running game away from being untouchable. As good as Peyton looks with Dallas, Reggie, Collie, Garcon, etc. etc. he could look even BETTER if Indy could prove that they could beat you on the ground. Donnie Brown is the only one on the roster that has that ability to grind down another team while Peyton lulls you to sleep and torches you through the air.
I'm sure BB will be ready, but Donnie Brown is a new wrinkle that he has never seen and if Indy doesn't take advantage of that then they will need luck, miracles, and absolute FLAWLESS excecution out of every one of their players in order to have a chance to beat NE.
Think about this for a minute. How dominant would one team look if they won the game by having their respective RB rush for an over 20 carry, 100 yd, and 2 TD performance? Their respective QB could play an efficient game, yet appear to barely break a sweat. BOTH OF THESE TEAMS ARE CAPABLE OF THAT. Think about it, when was the last time Indy of NE has had that??? It's just so frustrating to see them not execute it. It seems like when they get in big games they act like Brady and/or Manning have to have an NFL films, game of the decade type performance. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I know how good they both are and they are certainly capable of that type of performance. But I'm the fan on the couch screaming, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SUPERMAN EVERY GAME!!! Both of these teams have excellent "other" players.
I'm saying that I believe Donnie Brown is Indy's only hope at the "other" player to help seal the win for Indy. NE could also look for a big game out of Maroney.
I'm getting carried away, I just get frustrated. How much easier could life be for Peyton and Brady if they had a top notch RB?
I'm afraid it's wishful thinking though. I wouldn't be surprised to see over 80% offensive production coming through the air for both teams.
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As far as Freeney/Mathis, by law of averages I would have to predict that they will probably at least get one on Tom but here's the problem. Tom Brady is alot like Peyton in this regard...he's too smart to let a sack affect the game. He takes total control of the QB position and when Mathis/Freeney are working 110% breathing down his neck, Tom will simply sidestep, not lose focus, and deliver a strike to his reciever.
Mathis/Freeney are great pass rushers and they can make life difficult on a more inexperienced QB. In order for Indy to have a shot at getting to Tom they are going to have to mix things up and show him some looks he's not used to. He knows Indy and he knows Freeney/Mathis will be coming around the outside. Don't be surprised if NE has already worked in a gameplan to minimize their impact on the game. I only hope Indy is countering in the film room and thinking of original ways to get Freeney/Mathis involved.
If anything this game is going to test how good this Jim Caldwell guy really is.
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If anything this game is going to test how good this Jim Caldwell guy really i Good point and I agree. It will also show what BB's been up to. Why, on Sunday, did NE commit to the long ball so many times even after getting picked off? What's NE's OL doing without Light? Is he ready to play or is he losing his spot to Vollmer (I hate the nickname Sea Bass)?
Moss can stretch out a D backfield like no other. Showing a new trend to go deep that many times will give Caldwell something to think about along with young DB brains (as good as they are). On Sunday, Vollmer owned Porter in ways Light couldn't have. We all know he'll do better than Light against Freeney. Anybody else see the Pats D pass rush with better success this month than their first few weeks? Yet BB still plays the pass rush with reserve. As the season progresses I think NE will go only 3/4 D with more LB blitzing (just a hunch)
I think BB plays the season and not just the siingle games. He doesn't like to show his team's assets too much too soon even as those assets morph.
This will be a good coaching match-up. I don't know what's in BBs head but I'm sure Caldwell is scratching his head right now. I wonder if Peyton is too.
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I'm sure BB will be ready, but Donnie Brown is a new wrinkle that he has never seen and if Indy doesn't take advantage of that then they will need luck, miracles, and absolute FLAWLESS excecution out of every one of their players in order to have a chance to beat NE. Indy, did you see the Peter King article this morning in SI, MMQB, King goes on and on about the Colts-Patriots matchup and had this to say about it and Peyton Manning:
The Peyton vs. Tom angle is always good, and that'll be played up all week. Both survived 2008 knee injuries and are playing superbly again. But in preparing the Manning story, I got this from Qadry Ismail, the former receiver (he played one year for the Colts, 2002, before retiring with a neck injury) who was one of a few people I reached to try to dissect why Manning was playing so well with a new cast of characters this year. Ismail's delightfully opinionated, and the matchup he loves in this game is Manning-Belichick, not Manning-Brady.
"Peyton Manning and Bill Belichick are twins from another lifetime,'' Ismail said. "They both have the same mom and dad. [Writer's Note: That would surprise Archie and Olivia Manning, and Jeannette Belichick.] When I read about Belichick's life, it's Peyton to a T. No matter who you put around Peyton with the Colts, the beat goes on. No matter who you put on Belichick's team, the beat goes on. They don't allow anything to interfere with winning.''
It's an interesting comparison. Belichick grew up idolizing the football team -- particularly Roger Staubach -- at the Naval Academy, where his dad, Steve, coached. Manning grew up idolizing his dad, the quarterback of the Saints. Both hung around the game from age 6 on, Belichick riding to the Baltimore airport with his dad to pick up game films when they arrived from next week's opponent, then watching them with the team when his dad allowed. Manning watched film at home in New Orleans when his dad brought his work home. Not much has changed. In training camp this year, former Patriots DB Ellis Hobbs told me it wasn't rare for Belichick to call him into his office and put on tape of the receiver he'd be facing that week, then sit there watching the player's tendencies for 45 minutes. In Indianapolis last week, I learned rookie receiver Austin Collie and Manning sit together every Thursday, alone, to watch video, apart from the endless meetings where the team and positions groups watch game and practice tape.
"I can never repay him for what he taught me about football,'' Hobbs said of Belichick.
"I'm getting a football education from Peyton,'' Collie said of Manning.
Both will be in full CIA mode for this one. Belichick always is. Manning's usually a great storyteller, but he zipped it pretty tight last week, amiably declining my request for a one-on-one. We spent five minutes after his weekly media scrum at his locker Wednesday, and these were the only things I learned: He wears a Timex digital watch with a Gatorade logo that's set 11 minutes ahead of real time; and he has a ridiculously vivid memory of everything he's ever done in this game. He remembers the formation, the cornerback and the play from Ismail's first touchdown in the 2002 season-opener. He's like one of those golfers who can recite hole-by-hole club selection and shot distance in his sleep
indy horse- ease up big-fellow,you are going to give yourself a stroke and its monday. although i do agree that having brown in the backfield will increase the chances of indy winning. i think defenses are creeping up a bit and stopping them in the red zone.. between the 20's they move up and down the field but struggle without a strong running attack... i t should be a great game.. the pats,or how neilp like me to refer to them as the "chowds", are playing the best they have all season.brady seems to have found his timing and now appears to be confident in planting with his knee. both teams have played well on'd' but definately have some ? marks going in. the key as many having alluded to is the pressure on the qb's, who is going to get the most on a consistent basis. i predict that the winning side will have a big sack towrd to end a game tying drive to end the game
neil p-disagree on the deep balls with moss. i think it is a big concern for rookie db's... remember your 16-0 season when you wre down 10 with 8minutes to go . brady hit moss deep for one score then hit another (maybe caldwell) deep to set up the next score to register that come from behind win and keep your streak alive.. moss is a deadly weapon good throw or not when it is thrown deep due to his b-ball background gaining position and out jumping or reaching a corneback..
work suffers every year when these two play... it is called pride in your franchise..these 2 teams with maybe the inclusion of the Steelers are simply the most consistent win machines in football the last decade.. since 1999 during the regular season the Colts and pats are tied with 108 wins a piece... doesn't get any closer then that..colts go to 109..
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here we go again pats vs. indy always one of the best games of the year i really dont think u can say the game is gonna come down to one player or one aspect of the game but for me i would say like always whoever protects the ball and makes the least amount of turnovers will have the advantage i think the Colts know there gonna have to blitz alot to win because of the injuries in there secondary and if we can give brady time we will have a hell of a chance to come away with a win this is a huge game for the pats because we need to win a big game on the road and untill we do that were not gonna be talked about like the Saints,vikings,and colts. I never wish for ANY player to get hurt on any team and anyone that does is not only classless but a coward as well,when we play the colts i want to play them at full strength to see where we are as a team and ive always respected the colts for there success and how thay go about there business just because fans of other teams were happy to see brady go down last year doesnt mean we should do the same u have to beat the best to be the best and if u beat the pats without brady or the colts without manning its just not the same when there playing OBVIOUSLY anyone that says otherwise is an idiot and doesnt have a very high iq. With all that being said i am extremly confident New England will win this game i say final score 38- 28 i know that sounds arrogant but this game is going to be a statement game for brady and the pats look out, Ill be the guy saying i told u so
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I actually have confidence in this defense to get big stops, which they did after Miami took a 17-16 lead in the 3rd quarter. New England's D despite the lack of playmakers has only given up 13 PPG over the past seven games, which is always a plus and they have kept the offense around to make big plays. They will get after Manning even though Peyton will make some big plays. Look for Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie to have solid games for Indianapolis to complement Wayne and Clark. I think 31-27 Pats.
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do pats fans realize that in the last 7 weeks our defense has averaged 13 points a game thats pretty good considering the fact that were still jellin and comin together. We have gotten younger and faster. i thought thats what we all wanted,anyway i know that stat is a little misleading but y all the hatin our D is not too shabby if u ask me and against the Colts our new infusion of youth and speed will be extemly evident, more so than playing any other team besides maybe the Saints
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I think a guy who doesn't get enough credit this year is Ben Watson, and I think that'll change some this week. He's obviously put in work to fix the dropsies and it's worked wonders; I could be wrong but I don't remember seeing him drop ANYTHING that he should have caught this year. With the youth in the Colt's secondary and the fact they're likely to be unnerved by facing Moss and Welker, I could see him having a big impact or at least a play or two of 20+ yds in a key situation. Anyone know if Kevin Faulk is dinged up or if they're just monitoring his workload? Seems we used to see alot more of him; and being biased I'd say he's easily in the top 10 underappreciated players of ALL TIME (by the casual NFL fan at least). Every time he runs a draw it seems to go for 6-10 yds, and what a receiver! I think our O-line's play will be the key to who wins the game. I have enough faith in our defense to come up with some stops; I mean Houston held the Colts to 20, right? I love me some Seabass; and I hope they don't play Light even if he's healthy enough to go. He's been out a few weeks and has always struggled some with speed rushers, no reason to plug him in and let him get raped while trying to get up to speed. If Brady gets time he'll pick that defense apart, although that's a big IF. I hope Koppen can go; haven't heard too much other than him not practicing Wednesday. The Colts will win if Brandon McGowan can't handle Dallas Clark; although I like his chances better than Brian Cushing (WHAT were the Texans thinking????). He held Gonzales to 13 yds on 1 catch against the Falcons, and he's been the best pick up out of what was a great offseason for us. (Anyone see the fumble he forced on the 'phins that went out of bounds? Punched it out like he was making a how-to video, he's got a nose for the ball.) Also the pass rush MUST get some heat!!!!! It's been looking better of late but they need to make a statement in this game; it would help if the corners would play closer than 7 yds to the receivers to eliminate the friggin' curls that we seem to give other teams.
