arty: congrats to Indy on their regular season. GO BEAT PITT
wane.com
INDIANAPOLIS Colts fans not only got to see Peyton Manning tie the touchdown record.
They also got a little bonus today.
Marvin Harrison caught a 29-yard pass in the third quarter.
That makes the Colts the first team since the 1995 Atlanta Falcons with three 1,000-yard receivers.
Reggie Wayne entered the game with a career-high 1,059 yards.
Brandon Stokley joined the club late in the first half with a 30-yard reception.
That gave him 1,007 yards.
Harrison needed 31 yards against the Chargers for his sixth straight 1,000-yard season.
He got it on his first catch of the second half.
The reception helped set up Manning's record-tying 48th touchdown to James Mungro.
The Colts are the fourth team to achieve the feat.
The others are the 1995 Falcons, the 1989 Washington Redskins and 1980 San Diego Chargers.
INDIANAPOLIS Colts fans not only got to see Peyton Manning tie the touchdown record.
They also got a little bonus today.
Marvin Harrison caught a 29-yard pass in the third quarter.
That makes the Colts the first team since the 1995 Atlanta Falcons with three 1,000-yard receivers.
Reggie Wayne entered the game with a career-high 1,059 yards.
Brandon Stokley joined the club late in the first half with a 30-yard reception.
That gave him 1,007 yards.
Harrison needed 31 yards against the Chargers for his sixth straight 1,000-yard season.
He got it on his first catch of the second half.
The reception helped set up Manning's record-tying 48th touchdown to James Mungro.
The Colts are the fourth team to achieve the feat.
The others are the 1995 Falcons, the 1989 Washington Redskins and 1980 San Diego Chargers.
Dungy plans to use starters vs. Broncos
Colts +9, any thoughts? I bet it this morning, but I might have jumped the gun...
From the IndyStar:
Dungy plans to use starters vs. Broncos
Coach wants to continue win streak despite the team not needing victory
Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy didn't offer his game plan for discussion Monday, but he was clear about his objective.
"We're going out there to win," said Dungy, whose Colts (12-3) close the regular season Sunday at Denver (9-6). "I would like to win No. 13. We'd like to go (into the playoffs) with a nine-game winning streak. There are a lot of things that we want to do in terms of keeping that momentum and continuing to be sharp."
Dungy didn't say his starters would play into the fourth quarter, but he made it apparent that the game will not be a two-series shakedown for his No. 1 units.
It's quarterback Peyton Manning's preference to play against the Broncos.
"I'd like to keep our momentum going, so I'd like to go up to Denver and play and try to stay hot and try to get a win," he said during a halftime interview on ABC's "Monday Night Football" game between St. Louis and Philadelphia.
Manning recalled the 1999 season when the Colts, 13-2 and with a first-round bye wrapped up, took an 11-game winning streak to Buffalo. They lost 31-6, then fell to Tennessee 19-16 two weeks later in the playoffs.
"I think our momentum sort of died up there in Buffalo," Manning said. "I would like to keep this winning streak (of eight) alive."
The Colts locked up the AFC's No. 3 seed Sunday with a 34-31 overtime victory over San Diego.
What matters to Dungy is whether they play their wild-card playoff game with the No. 6 seed on Jan. 8 or 9. The NFL will announce pairings and schedules after qualifiers are determined by this weekend's games.
"From our past history, the last couple of years, I think it depends on when the Jets are going to be able to play," he said. "I would say if we end up playing the Jets, I'm pretty sure we'll play on Sunday."
The Colts' first-round possibilities include the New York Jets (10-5), currently fifth, followed by Denver, Buffalo (9-6), Jacksonville (8-7) and Baltimore (8-7).
James No. 2
One Colts starter who will have something meaningful on the line Sunday is running back Edgerrin James. With 1,550 yards, he trails Shaun Alexander, the NFL's rushing leader, by 66 yards. James leads the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,033.
Only three players have more than his three 2,000-yard seasons. Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk had four. Priest Holmes has three.
Injury update
Dungy expects linebacker Jim Nelson to miss the rest of the season after breaking his clavicle Sunday. The status of linebacker Gilbert Gardner (shoulder), cornerback Nick Harper (back), guard Rick DeMulling (rib cartilage) and tight end Marcus Pollard (ankle) will become clearer later in the week.
Dungy anticipates linebacker Gary Brackett (quadriceps) playing and safety Bob Sanders (knee) practicing. Sanders has missed the past four weeks.
"We'd like to get him in and get 10 or 12 plays before the playoffs start," Dungy said. "That would be our ideal plan but we'll see how he gets through practice."
Etc
The Colts have won 13 regular-season games only twice in 52 years of NFL membership: 1968, when they won the league championship but lost in Super Bowl III to the New York Jets; and 1999, when they lost in the AFC divisional round to Tennessee at the RCA Dome. . . . Only two teams have qualified for the playoffs five of the past six seasons: Philadelphia and the Colts, although St. Louis carried a chance of joining them into its Monday night game with the Eagles. . . . The Colts set a club record Sunday by running their season total to 6,275 net yards. The record was 6,141, set in 2000.
Colts +9, any thoughts? I bet it this morning, but I might have jumped the gun...
From the IndyStar:
Dungy plans to use starters vs. Broncos
Coach wants to continue win streak despite the team not needing victory
Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy didn't offer his game plan for discussion Monday, but he was clear about his objective.
"We're going out there to win," said Dungy, whose Colts (12-3) close the regular season Sunday at Denver (9-6). "I would like to win No. 13. We'd like to go (into the playoffs) with a nine-game winning streak. There are a lot of things that we want to do in terms of keeping that momentum and continuing to be sharp."
Dungy didn't say his starters would play into the fourth quarter, but he made it apparent that the game will not be a two-series shakedown for his No. 1 units.
It's quarterback Peyton Manning's preference to play against the Broncos.
"I'd like to keep our momentum going, so I'd like to go up to Denver and play and try to stay hot and try to get a win," he said during a halftime interview on ABC's "Monday Night Football" game between St. Louis and Philadelphia.
Manning recalled the 1999 season when the Colts, 13-2 and with a first-round bye wrapped up, took an 11-game winning streak to Buffalo. They lost 31-6, then fell to Tennessee 19-16 two weeks later in the playoffs.
"I think our momentum sort of died up there in Buffalo," Manning said. "I would like to keep this winning streak (of eight) alive."
The Colts locked up the AFC's No. 3 seed Sunday with a 34-31 overtime victory over San Diego.
What matters to Dungy is whether they play their wild-card playoff game with the No. 6 seed on Jan. 8 or 9. The NFL will announce pairings and schedules after qualifiers are determined by this weekend's games.
"From our past history, the last couple of years, I think it depends on when the Jets are going to be able to play," he said. "I would say if we end up playing the Jets, I'm pretty sure we'll play on Sunday."
The Colts' first-round possibilities include the New York Jets (10-5), currently fifth, followed by Denver, Buffalo (9-6), Jacksonville (8-7) and Baltimore (8-7).
James No. 2
One Colts starter who will have something meaningful on the line Sunday is running back Edgerrin James. With 1,550 yards, he trails Shaun Alexander, the NFL's rushing leader, by 66 yards. James leads the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,033.
Only three players have more than his three 2,000-yard seasons. Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk had four. Priest Holmes has three.
Injury update
Dungy expects linebacker Jim Nelson to miss the rest of the season after breaking his clavicle Sunday. The status of linebacker Gilbert Gardner (shoulder), cornerback Nick Harper (back), guard Rick DeMulling (rib cartilage) and tight end Marcus Pollard (ankle) will become clearer later in the week.
Dungy anticipates linebacker Gary Brackett (quadriceps) playing and safety Bob Sanders (knee) practicing. Sanders has missed the past four weeks.
"We'd like to get him in and get 10 or 12 plays before the playoffs start," Dungy said. "That would be our ideal plan but we'll see how he gets through practice."
Etc
The Colts have won 13 regular-season games only twice in 52 years of NFL membership: 1968, when they won the league championship but lost in Super Bowl III to the New York Jets; and 1999, when they lost in the AFC divisional round to Tennessee at the RCA Dome. . . . Only two teams have qualified for the playoffs five of the past six seasons: Philadelphia and the Colts, although St. Louis carried a chance of joining them into its Monday night game with the Eagles. . . . The Colts set a club record Sunday by running their season total to 6,275 net yards. The record was 6,141, set in 2000.
I do not think Indy will cover this game. The word here is a first half for Manning at the most. There were several off the defense who will not play I seen on local TV. Bad spot to play Indy IMO. Denver needs a win and the Colts have to struggle with its starters on defense. I see no chance for Indy in this game. I wish you luck though and I hope I am wrong.
It is always tough to lay 9 in the NFL though. I cannot do it, so I would have to take points here if I were to bet it.
It is always tough to lay 9 in the NFL though. I cannot do it, so I would have to take points here if I were to bet it.
Colts finish 8-4 in AFC, 4-0 in NFC, 5-1 in AFC South, and 12-4 overall
2004 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
Fun year to be a fan. Wish the best to the Horse in the playoffs.
2004 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
Fun year to be a fan. Wish the best to the Horse in the playoffs.
Broncos give Colts 'soft' label indystar.com
The gauntlet has been boldly placed at the feet of the Indianapolis Colts' prolific receiving corps.
They've been called a four-letter word by members of the Denver Broncos' secondary.
Soft.
The best way to deal with the Colts' fleet of smaller, quicker receivers, according to safeties Kenoy Kennedy and John Lynch, is to rough them up. The Broncos' defensive game plan for Sunday's AFC wild-card playoff game in the RCA Dome apparently includes getting up close and physical with Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley.
"C'mon. I'm going to be there," Wayne said Wednesday, refusing to blink. "I'm not going to stay at home.
"I've been playing this game since I've been 7 years old, man. Ain't no coward in my blood. I'm going to be there to play Sunday. This team will be there to play Sunday."
So will Kennedy. The hard-hitting strong safety first addressed the "soft" disposition of the Colts' receivers in the aftermath of Denver's 33-14 win in Sunday's regular-season finale.
He continued to provide bulletin-board material Wednesday.
"They don't like to be hit," Kennedy said. "They're small guys. Any time they can, they jump on the ground.
"You've got to be physical with them. They don't like it."
If history is a guide, the Broncos will have no qualms testing the mettle of the Colts' receivers, even if it's costly. Lynch was fined $75,000 for his jarring helmet-to-helmet blow against Colts tight end Dallas Clark on Sunday. Kennedy was fined $30,000 for a helmet-first hit on Wayne in last year's regular-season finale.
There's no question the Colts' receiving corps lacks a Terrell Owens (6-3, 226 pounds) or Plaxico Burress (6-5, 226). Wayne is the biggest of quarterback Peyton Manning's primary targets at 6-0, 195. Stokley is 5-11, 197; Harrison 6-0, 175.
The Colts' passing game is based on timing and precision. Receivers are quick off the line and quick into their routes.
Some players on other teams have echoed the "soft" label, though more often with the euphemism "finesse."
Colts coach Tony Dungy smiled as he considered both descriptions.
"These guys have done things that nobody in NFL history has done," he said. "I'll take about 10 more 'soft' guys just like this."
Harrison, Wayne and Stokley are the first trio to catch at least 10 touchdown passes in the same season. They are just the fourth trio to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark.
"It's hard to catch a lot of balls in the NFL if you're not tough," Dungy said. "We've got three guys that have caught a lot of balls and they've done it for a long time. I don't think you stay in the league being soft."
Stokley was irritated that anyone would pigeonhole the Colts' receivers as soft. He works from the slot and routes generally take him over the middle of the field. He's taken his share of hard hits.
But Stokley admitted there's nothing wrong with avoiding a collision when a play has been maximized and a defender with bad intentions is drawing a bead.
"I'm not going to stand over the middle and let somebody take my head off," he said. "After I catch the ball, I'm going to get what I can and I'm going to get down. That's just smart. I've learned that over the years."
Dungy has watched Lynch's style from both sidelines. They were together in Tampa Bay from 1996-2001.
Dungy said he doesn't consider Lynch dirty, "because I know what he's trying to do.
"But he's been a highly penalized player because that's the nature of the rules and he's right on the borderline."
Sunday's illegal hit was Lynch's second of the season and fourth since 2001, but he isn't inclined to alter his approach. He said being physical, even trying to intimidate an opponent, is part of a safety's job.
"To play it well, I think you have to be physical," he said.
But unlike Kennedy, Lynch indicated it will be difficult to intimidate the Colts.
"They get hit a lot and they continually get up," Lynch said. "I've got a lot of respect for their receivers for that."
The gauntlet has been boldly placed at the feet of the Indianapolis Colts' prolific receiving corps.
They've been called a four-letter word by members of the Denver Broncos' secondary.
Soft.
The best way to deal with the Colts' fleet of smaller, quicker receivers, according to safeties Kenoy Kennedy and John Lynch, is to rough them up. The Broncos' defensive game plan for Sunday's AFC wild-card playoff game in the RCA Dome apparently includes getting up close and physical with Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley.
"C'mon. I'm going to be there," Wayne said Wednesday, refusing to blink. "I'm not going to stay at home.
"I've been playing this game since I've been 7 years old, man. Ain't no coward in my blood. I'm going to be there to play Sunday. This team will be there to play Sunday."
So will Kennedy. The hard-hitting strong safety first addressed the "soft" disposition of the Colts' receivers in the aftermath of Denver's 33-14 win in Sunday's regular-season finale.
He continued to provide bulletin-board material Wednesday.
"They don't like to be hit," Kennedy said. "They're small guys. Any time they can, they jump on the ground.
"You've got to be physical with them. They don't like it."
If history is a guide, the Broncos will have no qualms testing the mettle of the Colts' receivers, even if it's costly. Lynch was fined $75,000 for his jarring helmet-to-helmet blow against Colts tight end Dallas Clark on Sunday. Kennedy was fined $30,000 for a helmet-first hit on Wayne in last year's regular-season finale.
There's no question the Colts' receiving corps lacks a Terrell Owens (6-3, 226 pounds) or Plaxico Burress (6-5, 226). Wayne is the biggest of quarterback Peyton Manning's primary targets at 6-0, 195. Stokley is 5-11, 197; Harrison 6-0, 175.
The Colts' passing game is based on timing and precision. Receivers are quick off the line and quick into their routes.
Some players on other teams have echoed the "soft" label, though more often with the euphemism "finesse."
Colts coach Tony Dungy smiled as he considered both descriptions.
"These guys have done things that nobody in NFL history has done," he said. "I'll take about 10 more 'soft' guys just like this."
Harrison, Wayne and Stokley are the first trio to catch at least 10 touchdown passes in the same season. They are just the fourth trio to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark.
"It's hard to catch a lot of balls in the NFL if you're not tough," Dungy said. "We've got three guys that have caught a lot of balls and they've done it for a long time. I don't think you stay in the league being soft."
Stokley was irritated that anyone would pigeonhole the Colts' receivers as soft. He works from the slot and routes generally take him over the middle of the field. He's taken his share of hard hits.
But Stokley admitted there's nothing wrong with avoiding a collision when a play has been maximized and a defender with bad intentions is drawing a bead.
"I'm not going to stand over the middle and let somebody take my head off," he said. "After I catch the ball, I'm going to get what I can and I'm going to get down. That's just smart. I've learned that over the years."
Dungy has watched Lynch's style from both sidelines. They were together in Tampa Bay from 1996-2001.
Dungy said he doesn't consider Lynch dirty, "because I know what he's trying to do.
"But he's been a highly penalized player because that's the nature of the rules and he's right on the borderline."
Sunday's illegal hit was Lynch's second of the season and fourth since 2001, but he isn't inclined to alter his approach. He said being physical, even trying to intimidate an opponent, is part of a safety's job.
"To play it well, I think you have to be physical," he said.
But unlike Kennedy, Lynch indicated it will be difficult to intimidate the Colts.
"They get hit a lot and they continually get up," Lynch said. "I've got a lot of respect for their receivers for that."
Broncos must force Colts off-balance
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - The Denver Broncos began preparing for the Indianapolis Colts on Monday and Tuesday, days the Broncos players had off.
When the players returned to work Wednesday, they had a plan waiting for them. The coaches spent two days putting it together, hoping their offensive and defensive plan would be creative enough to overcome being a 10-point underdog at the RCA Dome.
That's what happened in Super Bowl XXXII.
In that game the Broncos were double-digit underdogs to Green Bay, as they are Sunday against the Colts. But Denver's offensive plan took Packers defensive end Reggie White and safety LeRoy Butler out of the game by running the ball away from them, and the defensive game plan to blitz Brett Favre worked. The Broncos upset the Packers, 31-24.
"I'd say the Super Bowl was all coaching, nothing to do with the players," coach Mike Shanahan joked this week.
Denver's plan has worked for Shanahan and Denver's coaching staff at times, and sometimes it has fallen flat. In last year's playoff loss to the Colts, two weeks after the Broncos won at Indianapolis during the season, Denver was caught off guard by some Colts adjustments.
Offensively the Broncos, who had dominated the Colts running the ball in the season win, often lined up in an empty backfield and motioned the tailback to his position. Clinton Portis, who was Denver's starting running back, said after the game he thought the Broncos should have kept it simple.
"I don't think we ran downhill early in the game and pushed them like we did in the last game," said Portis, who was traded in the offseason. "We were doing a lot of things to be fancy instead of just playing smash-mouth football."
The Colts were effective on defense by ditching most of the blitzes and line stunts from the first game and playing a basic strategy.
Defensively the Broncos were planning on the Colts changing the play at the line of scrimmage - something quarterback Peyton Manning loves to do. On Indianapolis' first two drives, however, after which the Colts led 14-3, Manning pulled up from under center and barked signals to apparently call an audible only once.
By running the play that was called, the Colts caught Denver off guard.
"They didn't care about the (defensive) shift the second game (last season)," defensive end Trevor Pryce said. "They were snapping as we were shifting.
"They just ran their plays. They didn't care what we were in. We're not going to let that happen to us again and get caught in between."
Shanahan's job is to make sure the Broncos get the Colts off balance Sunday.
Shanahan has come under heat lately. The Broncos haven't won a division title or a playoff game since the 1998 season.
The challenge of preparing for big games hasn't gotten old for Shanahan.
"It's one of the reasons why you coach because you enjoy the game plans and enjoy the competition," Shanahan said. "These are the games you look forward to. You work for these type of opportunities as players and coaches."
Shanahan has never faced the same opponent in back-to-back weeks. Denver beat Indianapolis, which rested many starters because it couldn't improve its playoff position, last Sunday. Denver had to put together a normal plan last week because it had to win the game to make the playoffs, which makes formulating a second plan for Indianapolis a challenge.
"It's a little interesting," Shanahan said.
Two teams have played in consecutive weeks 12 other times in NFL history. Five times a team won both games.
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy downplayed the difficulty of preparing a game plan against for the same opponent two weeks in a row. Of course, Dungy was able to use a simplistic game plan last week because the game meant nothing to the Colts.
"For me, it's just like playing a doubleheader in baseball," Dungy said. "You go out in the second game and it starts out 0-0 and the team that plays the best wins."
Shanahan's plan will be an important factor in Sunday's game, but the players will need to execute it well to give the Broncos a chance to win.
"You try to simplify your game plans a little bit (in the playoffs)," Shanahan said. "You want players to play. Players step up in these situations. The great ones do. They look forward to these opportunities."
mercurynews.com
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - The Denver Broncos began preparing for the Indianapolis Colts on Monday and Tuesday, days the Broncos players had off.
When the players returned to work Wednesday, they had a plan waiting for them. The coaches spent two days putting it together, hoping their offensive and defensive plan would be creative enough to overcome being a 10-point underdog at the RCA Dome.
That's what happened in Super Bowl XXXII.
In that game the Broncos were double-digit underdogs to Green Bay, as they are Sunday against the Colts. But Denver's offensive plan took Packers defensive end Reggie White and safety LeRoy Butler out of the game by running the ball away from them, and the defensive game plan to blitz Brett Favre worked. The Broncos upset the Packers, 31-24.
"I'd say the Super Bowl was all coaching, nothing to do with the players," coach Mike Shanahan joked this week.
Denver's plan has worked for Shanahan and Denver's coaching staff at times, and sometimes it has fallen flat. In last year's playoff loss to the Colts, two weeks after the Broncos won at Indianapolis during the season, Denver was caught off guard by some Colts adjustments.
Offensively the Broncos, who had dominated the Colts running the ball in the season win, often lined up in an empty backfield and motioned the tailback to his position. Clinton Portis, who was Denver's starting running back, said after the game he thought the Broncos should have kept it simple.
"I don't think we ran downhill early in the game and pushed them like we did in the last game," said Portis, who was traded in the offseason. "We were doing a lot of things to be fancy instead of just playing smash-mouth football."
The Colts were effective on defense by ditching most of the blitzes and line stunts from the first game and playing a basic strategy.
Defensively the Broncos were planning on the Colts changing the play at the line of scrimmage - something quarterback Peyton Manning loves to do. On Indianapolis' first two drives, however, after which the Colts led 14-3, Manning pulled up from under center and barked signals to apparently call an audible only once.
By running the play that was called, the Colts caught Denver off guard.
"They didn't care about the (defensive) shift the second game (last season)," defensive end Trevor Pryce said. "They were snapping as we were shifting.
"They just ran their plays. They didn't care what we were in. We're not going to let that happen to us again and get caught in between."
Shanahan's job is to make sure the Broncos get the Colts off balance Sunday.
Shanahan has come under heat lately. The Broncos haven't won a division title or a playoff game since the 1998 season.
The challenge of preparing for big games hasn't gotten old for Shanahan.
"It's one of the reasons why you coach because you enjoy the game plans and enjoy the competition," Shanahan said. "These are the games you look forward to. You work for these type of opportunities as players and coaches."
Shanahan has never faced the same opponent in back-to-back weeks. Denver beat Indianapolis, which rested many starters because it couldn't improve its playoff position, last Sunday. Denver had to put together a normal plan last week because it had to win the game to make the playoffs, which makes formulating a second plan for Indianapolis a challenge.
"It's a little interesting," Shanahan said.
Two teams have played in consecutive weeks 12 other times in NFL history. Five times a team won both games.
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy downplayed the difficulty of preparing a game plan against for the same opponent two weeks in a row. Of course, Dungy was able to use a simplistic game plan last week because the game meant nothing to the Colts.
"For me, it's just like playing a doubleheader in baseball," Dungy said. "You go out in the second game and it starts out 0-0 and the team that plays the best wins."
Shanahan's plan will be an important factor in Sunday's game, but the players will need to execute it well to give the Broncos a chance to win.
"You try to simplify your game plans a little bit (in the playoffs)," Shanahan said. "You want players to play. Players step up in these situations. The great ones do. They look forward to these opportunities."
mercurynews.com
<!-- end body-content -->
Colts 9-4 in AFC, 4-0 in NFC, 5-1 in AFC South, 1-0 in Playoffs, and 13-4 overall
2004/2005 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
18 1/9 Denver Broncos W 49-24
2004/2005 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
18 1/9 Denver Broncos W 49-24
Manning not the same superstar in Foxboro
slam.canoe.ca
(AP) - The weather report for Foxboro, Mass., next Sunday is partly cloudy with freezing temperatures. Yes, Peyton Manning is great, the best active NFL quarterback and moving up the list of the best ever. But beating a flawed Denver team 49-24 at home in a cozy dome in Indianapolis in the first round of the playoffs Sunday is not the same as going into frigid Foxboro against the winner of two of the last three Super Bowls.
So far, road teams have fared better than ever before in the playoffs. Three of the four winners in the wild-card round were road teams. The Colts were the only home team to win and they'll be the best of the second-round road teams.
They will need all the skill they can muster because they have lost to the Patriots five straight times, including in last year's AFC championship game and on the opening night of this season, both times in Foxboro.
Indianapolis-New England will be the final game of the quarter-finals, which will begin with the other AFC semifinal, the New York Jets at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Patriots are favoured by three points and the Steelers by nine.
In the NFC, Minnesota will be at Philadelphia early Sunday after upsetting Green Bay 31-17, joining St. Louis as the first 8-8 teams to advance in the playoffs. The Rams, who beat Seattle 27-20 on Saturday, now go to Atlanta for a Saturday night game.
As with the AFC games, these are rematches. Philadelphia beat the Vikings 27-16 in the second week of the season, a day after Atlanta beat St. Louis 34-17 in the Georgia Dome.
The most interesting game will be in Foxboro, matching Manning and the other record breakers in the Colts offence against the defending champs.
They also have the home weather advantage.
Of Manning's record 49 touchdown passes, 32 were indoors - 26 at home and six more at Detroit's Ford Field.
In the five losses to New England dating to 2001, Manning has thrown only nine TD passes along with nine interceptions. Once again, he will be facing Tom Brady, who doesn't have Manning's numbers but has the title - two, actually - that Manning lacks.
So, Foxboro will be a different story, though it probably will be more like this season's opener, a 27-24 New England victory, than last season's title game, a 24-14 Patriots win that wasn't really that close.
Manning threw four interceptions in the title game. He had just one in this season's matchup - in the end zone by the Patriots' Tedy Bruschi on a pass thrown from the New England 6 on the Colts' first possession.
The end of that game was also indicative of why the Patriots have won those two Super Bowls, had a 21-game winning streak over two seasons, and are just the third team with back-to-back 14-2 regular seasons. With the Colts in position for a game-tying field goal, Manning was sacked by Willie McGinest for a 13-yard loss, a typical big play by one of the many big-play guys for the Patriots.
Mike Vanderjagt of Oakville, Ont., forced to kick from 48 yards after the sack, missed a field goal and New England won.
But the Colts seem confident they can keep their prolific offence going - even in Foxboro in January.
"When the playoffs come around, you definitely want be hitting on all cylinders," said second-year tight end Dallas Clark, who had six catches for 112 yards on Sunday. "I think we are, and the team keeps getting better every game."
slam.canoe.ca
(AP) - The weather report for Foxboro, Mass., next Sunday is partly cloudy with freezing temperatures. Yes, Peyton Manning is great, the best active NFL quarterback and moving up the list of the best ever. But beating a flawed Denver team 49-24 at home in a cozy dome in Indianapolis in the first round of the playoffs Sunday is not the same as going into frigid Foxboro against the winner of two of the last three Super Bowls.
So far, road teams have fared better than ever before in the playoffs. Three of the four winners in the wild-card round were road teams. The Colts were the only home team to win and they'll be the best of the second-round road teams.
They will need all the skill they can muster because they have lost to the Patriots five straight times, including in last year's AFC championship game and on the opening night of this season, both times in Foxboro.
Indianapolis-New England will be the final game of the quarter-finals, which will begin with the other AFC semifinal, the New York Jets at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Patriots are favoured by three points and the Steelers by nine.
In the NFC, Minnesota will be at Philadelphia early Sunday after upsetting Green Bay 31-17, joining St. Louis as the first 8-8 teams to advance in the playoffs. The Rams, who beat Seattle 27-20 on Saturday, now go to Atlanta for a Saturday night game.
As with the AFC games, these are rematches. Philadelphia beat the Vikings 27-16 in the second week of the season, a day after Atlanta beat St. Louis 34-17 in the Georgia Dome.
The most interesting game will be in Foxboro, matching Manning and the other record breakers in the Colts offence against the defending champs.
They also have the home weather advantage.
Of Manning's record 49 touchdown passes, 32 were indoors - 26 at home and six more at Detroit's Ford Field.
In the five losses to New England dating to 2001, Manning has thrown only nine TD passes along with nine interceptions. Once again, he will be facing Tom Brady, who doesn't have Manning's numbers but has the title - two, actually - that Manning lacks.
So, Foxboro will be a different story, though it probably will be more like this season's opener, a 27-24 New England victory, than last season's title game, a 24-14 Patriots win that wasn't really that close.
Manning threw four interceptions in the title game. He had just one in this season's matchup - in the end zone by the Patriots' Tedy Bruschi on a pass thrown from the New England 6 on the Colts' first possession.
The end of that game was also indicative of why the Patriots have won those two Super Bowls, had a 21-game winning streak over two seasons, and are just the third team with back-to-back 14-2 regular seasons. With the Colts in position for a game-tying field goal, Manning was sacked by Willie McGinest for a 13-yard loss, a typical big play by one of the many big-play guys for the Patriots.
Mike Vanderjagt of Oakville, Ont., forced to kick from 48 yards after the sack, missed a field goal and New England won.
But the Colts seem confident they can keep their prolific offence going - even in Foxboro in January.
"When the playoffs come around, you definitely want be hitting on all cylinders," said second-year tight end Dallas Clark, who had six catches for 112 yards on Sunday. "I think we are, and the team keeps getting better every game."
Patriots hoping success against Manning continues Sunday
FOXBORO Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning.
That is all Tom Brady has heard since before it was even definite Manning and the Indianapolis Colts would be coming to Foxboro this coming Sunday. The nice young man that Brady is, his comments to the media have described a Manning far greater than even the otherworldly statistics suggest Manning is.
Tom Brady. Tom Brady. Tom Brady.
That is all Peyton Manning is hearing. The aura of Brady hovers over Manning like the ever-present threat of snow in Foxboro.
And it must be annoying as hell for the reigning two-time league MVP. Manning in so many words has politely acknowledged the screaming obvious that it would be much better to own two Super Bowl MVP awards as Brady does.
Those Patriots fans who feel their quarterback is being overshadowed by the other quarterback leading up to Sunday's AFC Divisional playoff game are not paying close enough attention to what all the Manning talk is about. The theme is familiar; that until events outdoors in the cold prove otherwise, Manning is this generation's Dan Marino, the great ringless passer whose single-season record for touchdown passes Manning broke by chucking 49 this season, to Brady's ultimate-winner Joe Montana.
"People ask me how I want to be remembered and defined," said Manning yesterday. "To me that's something you ask a player in his 15th or 16th year when he's thinking about retiring. For me, here I am in my seventh year. We're in the playoffs. We got a game in New England. I'm not really looking for a definition of my entire career right now.
"Right now I'm just trying to win football games. I have so much on my plate every single week, trying to make audibles, trying to get guys in the right position, and then you can throw in the New England Patriots, arguably the best defense in the league. There's plenty to think about besides who you're being compared to."
Manning has not proven he can handle all the complications (the weather, Bill Belichick, etc.) that get piled on his plate in Foxboro, where the Colts are 0-5 with him as their quarterback, including a 24-14 loss in the AFC championship game last January when he threw four interceptions.
"I can't argue with what's happened in the past," he said. "But I don't really dwell on it. There is really not much point in talking about last year's game."
As hungry to win as Brady always is, Manning might be the hungrier quarterback this week. The greatest quarterback according to the stats must despise being considered less than the greatest quarterback according to the diamond rings, whose head coach is that defensive genius who is always messing up the wiring inside Manning's light-bulb head.
"When I got here, it was, '(Manning) is a good quarterback but he can't win a playoff game,' " said Colts coach Tony Dungy. "Now that he's won some playoff games, it's, 'Hey, he's a good quarterback but he can't win the Super Bowl.' And if he wins the Super Bowl, it will be, 'Yeah, he's a good quarterback but he can't win two or three Super Bowls like Montana and some of those guys.' "
"So it's always going to be that way," said Dungy. "A lot of great players have had that. Barry Bonds has had that. Barry Sanders has had that. Do we look back and say, 'Barry Sanders was really an OK player but he never really took his team to the Super Bowl?' I don't think that, having coached against him. But there might be some people who will, and especially with a quarterback, that happens."
Most of the great playoff quarterbacks (Brady, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw Troy Aikman, etc.) have been blessed with one thing Manning lacks an outstanding defense. The Colts' defense during Manning's tenure cannot really be described as outstanding, though its 36 forced turnovers led the AFC this season.
Had Manning been the Patriots' starting quarterback instead of Brady the past three years, the Patriots might very well have still won two Super Bowls.
But there is no way of proving it.
Dick Butkus is widely considered the greatest middle linebacker in history and he never even appeared in a playoff game. Quarterbacks and coaches are the only individuals in football with won-lost records and championships weighing on their legacies.
"There is no point in trying to hide from it," said Manning. "But there's no question it's a team game and that's how it's always been.
"But facts are facts and we haven't won a Super Bowl since I've been here," he added. "Obviously that's something I would like to change."
---
Just in case Belichick's schemes and the Patriots' defense are not enough to slow down Manning on Sunday, the tarp was left off the Gillette Stadium field as rain poured down early yesterday afternoon.
"We'll be out there on Sunday and I'm sure the field will be the same condition for both teams, whatever it is," said Belichick when asked about the uncovered field. "My job is not to pull weeds. I got a lot of little things to do."
The Patriots practiced indoors yesterday, as did the Colts, who opened up their doors in Indianapolis to let in some cold.
---
Patriots strong safety Rodney Harrison smashes into legends like Manning for a living and grew impatient with pre-game diplomacy while responding to the millionth-and-one inquiry into how the Patriots hope to possibly contain the Colts' immaculate quarterback.
"I don't really care anymore. It's time to play football," Harrison said, looking ready to strap it up four days before kickoff. "I'm not here to assess Peyton Manning. He's the MVP of the league, deservedly so. He's the best quarterback in the league. That's it."
Harrison did not sound as enthused about the "deservedly so" part as he did about the "it's time to play football" part.
--- No word yet on whether Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour's knee injury is healed enough for him to play Sunday. He was listed as "questionable" on yesterday's injury report.
lowellsun.com
FOXBORO Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning.
That is all Tom Brady has heard since before it was even definite Manning and the Indianapolis Colts would be coming to Foxboro this coming Sunday. The nice young man that Brady is, his comments to the media have described a Manning far greater than even the otherworldly statistics suggest Manning is.
Tom Brady. Tom Brady. Tom Brady.
That is all Peyton Manning is hearing. The aura of Brady hovers over Manning like the ever-present threat of snow in Foxboro.
And it must be annoying as hell for the reigning two-time league MVP. Manning in so many words has politely acknowledged the screaming obvious that it would be much better to own two Super Bowl MVP awards as Brady does.
Those Patriots fans who feel their quarterback is being overshadowed by the other quarterback leading up to Sunday's AFC Divisional playoff game are not paying close enough attention to what all the Manning talk is about. The theme is familiar; that until events outdoors in the cold prove otherwise, Manning is this generation's Dan Marino, the great ringless passer whose single-season record for touchdown passes Manning broke by chucking 49 this season, to Brady's ultimate-winner Joe Montana.
"People ask me how I want to be remembered and defined," said Manning yesterday. "To me that's something you ask a player in his 15th or 16th year when he's thinking about retiring. For me, here I am in my seventh year. We're in the playoffs. We got a game in New England. I'm not really looking for a definition of my entire career right now.
"Right now I'm just trying to win football games. I have so much on my plate every single week, trying to make audibles, trying to get guys in the right position, and then you can throw in the New England Patriots, arguably the best defense in the league. There's plenty to think about besides who you're being compared to."
Manning has not proven he can handle all the complications (the weather, Bill Belichick, etc.) that get piled on his plate in Foxboro, where the Colts are 0-5 with him as their quarterback, including a 24-14 loss in the AFC championship game last January when he threw four interceptions.
"I can't argue with what's happened in the past," he said. "But I don't really dwell on it. There is really not much point in talking about last year's game."
As hungry to win as Brady always is, Manning might be the hungrier quarterback this week. The greatest quarterback according to the stats must despise being considered less than the greatest quarterback according to the diamond rings, whose head coach is that defensive genius who is always messing up the wiring inside Manning's light-bulb head.
"When I got here, it was, '(Manning) is a good quarterback but he can't win a playoff game,' " said Colts coach Tony Dungy. "Now that he's won some playoff games, it's, 'Hey, he's a good quarterback but he can't win the Super Bowl.' And if he wins the Super Bowl, it will be, 'Yeah, he's a good quarterback but he can't win two or three Super Bowls like Montana and some of those guys.' "
"So it's always going to be that way," said Dungy. "A lot of great players have had that. Barry Bonds has had that. Barry Sanders has had that. Do we look back and say, 'Barry Sanders was really an OK player but he never really took his team to the Super Bowl?' I don't think that, having coached against him. But there might be some people who will, and especially with a quarterback, that happens."
Most of the great playoff quarterbacks (Brady, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw Troy Aikman, etc.) have been blessed with one thing Manning lacks an outstanding defense. The Colts' defense during Manning's tenure cannot really be described as outstanding, though its 36 forced turnovers led the AFC this season.
Had Manning been the Patriots' starting quarterback instead of Brady the past three years, the Patriots might very well have still won two Super Bowls.
But there is no way of proving it.
Dick Butkus is widely considered the greatest middle linebacker in history and he never even appeared in a playoff game. Quarterbacks and coaches are the only individuals in football with won-lost records and championships weighing on their legacies.
"There is no point in trying to hide from it," said Manning. "But there's no question it's a team game and that's how it's always been.
"But facts are facts and we haven't won a Super Bowl since I've been here," he added. "Obviously that's something I would like to change."
---
Just in case Belichick's schemes and the Patriots' defense are not enough to slow down Manning on Sunday, the tarp was left off the Gillette Stadium field as rain poured down early yesterday afternoon.
"We'll be out there on Sunday and I'm sure the field will be the same condition for both teams, whatever it is," said Belichick when asked about the uncovered field. "My job is not to pull weeds. I got a lot of little things to do."
The Patriots practiced indoors yesterday, as did the Colts, who opened up their doors in Indianapolis to let in some cold.
---
Patriots strong safety Rodney Harrison smashes into legends like Manning for a living and grew impatient with pre-game diplomacy while responding to the millionth-and-one inquiry into how the Patriots hope to possibly contain the Colts' immaculate quarterback.
"I don't really care anymore. It's time to play football," Harrison said, looking ready to strap it up four days before kickoff. "I'm not here to assess Peyton Manning. He's the MVP of the league, deservedly so. He's the best quarterback in the league. That's it."
Harrison did not sound as enthused about the "deservedly so" part as he did about the "it's time to play football" part.
--- No word yet on whether Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour's knee injury is healed enough for him to play Sunday. He was listed as "questionable" on yesterday's injury report.
lowellsun.com
Colts 9-5 in AFC, 4-0 in NFC, 5-1 in AFC South, 1-1 in Playoffs, and 13-5 overall
2004/2005 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
18 1/9 Denver Broncos W 49-24
19 1/16 @ New England Patriots L 3-20
Better Team won the Game tonight
Congrats New England Fans
2004/2005 Colt Schedule/Results
1 9/9 @ New England Patriots L 24-27
2 9/19 @ Tennessee Titans W 31-17
3 9/26 GREEN BAY PACKERS W 45-31
4 10/3 @ Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-17
5 10/10 OAKLAND RAIDERS W 35-14
6 10/17 BYE
7 10/24 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS L 24-27
8 10/31 @ Kansas City Chiefs L 35-45
9 11/8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 31-28
10 11/14 HOUSTON TEXANS W 49-14
11 11/21 @ Chicago Bears W 41-10
12 11/25 @ Detroit Lions W 41-9
13 12/5 TENNESSEE TITANS W 51-24
14 12/12 @ Houston Texans W 23-14
15 12/19 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 20-10
16 12/26 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS W 34-31
17 1/2 @ Denver Broncos L 14-33
18 1/9 Denver Broncos W 49-24
19 1/16 @ New England Patriots L 3-20
Better Team won the Game tonight
Congrats New England Fans
