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Its not just what he is doing, it is who he is doing it with and how they are doing it. It isn't that he is surrounded by bad players, indeed, the Jeff Saturday's and Reggie Waynes of the world are legitimate stars. The Dallas Clarks and Ryan Diems are very good. Shit, these guys played on scholarship. You know what I mean? But these guys just look great right now. His line is not fantastic. Charlie Johnson, Pollak, Lilja and DeVan are not superstars. But he doesn't let their shortcomings vastly impact the game. If he reads a blitz on a weak part of the line he makes the right adjustment and takes the pressure off. When the blitz comes and he is not necessarily ready for it, or if a guy gets beat bad, he gets the ball out to the hot route and forgetys about it. He does not take the sack, he does not let that guys mistake negatively effect the rest of the team. He does not let guys who slipup a little bit have the weight of their mistake kill the drive and hang on them. Does anyone realize how that effects the mindset of the players on the field? In 04 and 06 the Colts offense was a pretty confident bunch, but look at what they had. They had Marvin who, from 01 to 06, was the best in the game. They had Edge. They had Tarik Glenn, perhaps the most underrated left tackle to play the game in the last decade. They had better guards and healthier tight ends. They had more experienced receivers. BUT THIS OFFENSE IS A BUNCH OF CHILDREN! And yet they are a supremely confident unit. They trot to the bench and from the bench like Ali did in his tune up fights. It is over before it starts. If you took the time to watch the Colts play the Seahawks you would have seen something troubling for any opponent. The Colts took control of their third possession at the beginning of the second quarter, with the ball on the ten the Colts went down the field like killers, dyed-in-the-wool killers. Cold blooded, clean, methodical and thorough. Ninety yards in four minutes. The shots of the Seattle bench showed a bunch of guys who were beat fifteen minutes in. The next time the Colts got the ball back, there was a minute and twenty-two left on the clock after a Seattle field goal and the THE ONLY THOUGHT in the minds of every single person playing and watching that game was, "That is too much God-damned time to leave Peyton Manning."
Things I saw:
The Colts defense is playing with the bend-but-don't-break scheme and it has worked for the second week in a row.
Freeney was supposed to be hurt and only played situationally and he was still devastating. THE MOST ACCOUNTED FOR PLAYER IN FOOTBALL.
My greatest fear with Freeney potentially out was that, on third down, they liked to move Raheem Brock into DT where I really like him because he gets off the ball well and can command a double team from a guard and center simply by getting in there quick. I assumed that he would be moved to end if Freeney sat. Since Freeney played they still had that option and it created some penetration in the middle. That is key because the Colts don't get great penetration from their regular DTs.
I continue to believe that Joe Addai lack either 1:top end speed or 2: a second gear to get him there. When the play goes wide he doesn't get to his spot fast enough and he can't set up the defenders for blocks. This was a hallmark fo the Colts with Edge and a big reason why Edge was so great, he understood how to make a defender commit to one side of the block and then use it against them. Edge was a really special running back. Size. Speed. Brains. He spoiled us a bit and I think people forgot that.
Donald Brown hits the hole like he is shot out of a cannon. That guy runs Hell-bent for leather and I love it. If it is true that this really is a two back league, I am glad he is one of ours.
Our young receivers are different types of guys then we are specifically used to. Garcon and Collie are good down-field blockers. They are fairly physical. Garcon is really physical. That energizes and motivates veterans.
How big was keeping Jeff Saturday last eyar? HUGE
Freddie Keiaho is playing a serviceable mike backer for us.
Clint Sessions is not in the game enough
Things I think I am seeing.
Powers is playing a pretty good cornerback. Kelvin Hayden needs tog et back on the field and make a big splash or he could face a trade or release.
Bethea is playing great.
Polians draft this year, which we kciked the shit out of as a bad job, has produced Donald Brown, Austin Collie, Jerraud Powers and Pat McAfee. If another team is getting as much out of four rookies as the Colts are I want to know who the heck it is. Bill, I tip my cap to the Kenobi of the draft.
Pat McAfee is a great punter. I thought I saw him punt a ball about 70 yards with 5 seconds of hang time.
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2008 Cubs Preview
Good call on the rookies, but also look at all of the players that the Colts cut before the season started. Giordano, Howard, Hughes, etc.
It is a necessity that the young guys play now, because they are all that are left. The depth is gone and now they are rebuilding that depth with this group.