Colts will win, 34-27 or 34-24.

I don't see the Pats pass defense being able to hold up.

I will of course then be rooting for the NFC team in the Superbowl.

There's a lot of crow piled up on the table for this week and the next 3 weeks.

I'm not going to predict a score, we'll see a football game like tons of others we've been watching over the week. I'll be rooting for the Colts, rather, against the Pats. It's not hard to see why most every other team's fans stand together on this.

For sure, the Pats are a great team, which is why I'll be watching all 4 quarters. If Tony Dungy's team wins, let all the praises the faithful reserve for Belichek fall on his shoulders... and all the praises reserved for Brady fall on Manning's shoulders.

Most people would say this IS the Super Bowl...

2: I do. The AFC was favored by 7 before the playoffs started, and I don't know why it would change now. I haven't seen anything inspiring out of the NFC teams, so I will consider them underdogs almost regardless of what happens in Indy (and Chicago).

The AFC clearly takes the Superbowl, especially, I think, if the Colts go forward. If the Garcia-to-Stallworth combination can burn a weak Saints cornerback, imagine what Manning-to-Wayne can do.

The Bears, on the other hand, have the crazy downward trending DVOA, which isn't good, and then they also have troubles defending against strong #1 receivers, which also isn't good for dealing with Manning and Harrison/Wayne.

They have trouble matching up against fast #1 WRs. That doesn't disprove your thesis, I'm just saying.

If the Colts and the Saints meet in the superbowl, we'd have a historic match up of the two worst defenses ever to make it. What would the over/under be on a game like that, 75, 80? Would it be the first 100 point superbowl? Could be lots of fun.

Polian's beginning his typical pre-emptive whining:

It seems Colts president Bill Polian is already planting seeds with the league regarding contact in the secondary. During an online chat on the Colts Web site, Polian said the following:
“I think (the Ravens game) is just apropos of the kind of officiating that has been going on. When you have blitzing teams and you allow that downfield stuff, such as what happened to Reggie Wayne, you’re going to limit offense. That’s the net of it. . . . I worry not so much about us - we can play any style - but I worry about what kind of game we’re getting (across the league) when we allow so much rough stuff down the field.�

Patsfan,
Do you know what he is referring to? There was a deep throw to Wayne, he was bumped down by Rolle. A flag was thrown. After conference Bill Leavy announced...
The flag was for illegal contact, however the ball was in the air, it was not enough for defensive pass interference. Therefore, there is no flag on the play.

Did you not notice MDS comment on it in audibles? I would've probably gone ballistic about it if I was watching the game live. Just look around the 5:10 pm mark in the open thread.

Pats injury report:

S Rodney Harrison (knee) -- doubtful
WR Troy Brown (flu) -- questionable
OT Ryan O'Callaghan (flu) -- questionable
DL Mike Wright (flu) -- questionable
QB Tom Brady (right shoulder) -- probable

(Harrison was upgraded from "out" to "doubtful")

Pats will win in the 4th and it will come down to a kick.

I here so many other team's fans against the Pats. But the Pats will make the great Payton Manning the Dan Marino of the 1st 2000 era losers.

Maybe all you Pats haters can watch your favorite team lose to us next year as well !!!

Mike

I hope Bill Watterson can keep Colvin & Hobbs under control on Sunday.

8: Bumped down is a bit of an exaggeration. I saw the play, it looked to me like the two were hand-checking and Wayne lost his balance and fell down.

11
[groan]

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of Bob Irsay's death.

Re: 11
Wayne was running straight, looking back for the ball and Rolle grabbed onto his right shoulder and went straight across his body, cutting him off. Wayne doesn't even make contact with him until after Rolle grabs him... and he loses his balance.

Grabbing him was the lesser foul, but you can't grab someone and also stand pretty much right in front of him.

I don't know how you can say they were hand-checking, as Rolle is playing way way off him the whole game, and especially that play.

I just watched the play about 10x this afternoon and 5 more times right now to make sure I got it right.

It even looks like Rolle intentionally tangled up their feet. Wayne makes contact, but that's not until he's gone way out of control and falling down, thanks to Rolle.

I don't think you saw what you think you saw.

Since this discussion is unmonitored............

Brady rules!!!! Manning.. ah never mind.

Perhaps I am being too kind to Polian, but my interpretation is his comments were really directed toward the future of the league and the competition committee. Essentially, right or wrong, he's saying "fans want more scoring and we have to nudge things along in this direction." (a 15-6 playoff game between teams whose average offensive ranking is about #8? Did the NFL just lose 100,000 potential fans?)

Now this does not mean that those nudges would NOT help his own team more than most--I call it enlightened self-interest.

It looked to me like Wayne was man-handled and still the refs' call was confounding. Past 5 yards it's illegal contact (or say "there was no illegal contact on the play--both players were hand-checking"). If the ball is in the air during contact it's PI on one side or ther other ("or say the ball was uncatchable, therefore no PI.") But they didn't say that, leaving us with a big question mark as to what's going on. I will assume the league either hasn't gotten back to Indy or did not explain it to them (immediately thereafter) to their satisfaction either. Ergo, it's a point of complaint and controversy.

As for Polian's commentary in general, I think you are cherry-picking to suit your bias and missing his one magnanimous gesture toward the refs as well (this on a play where the in-game commentary noted that it looked like grounding):

Q: "There also was a play on Saturday when McNair appeared to ground the ball. Was that a good call? "

A: "It was not grounding. There was a receiver in the area. He just dumped the ball. It did look bad, but there was a receiver in the area, which is the rule. "
(from the Polian Corner at colts.com)

Finally, injury reports: Come on, they are meaningless between these two teams. The only status that counts this week is IR or active roster. I think the Colts sign Bert Jones, just in case on Saturday, and the Pats sign Russ Francis, because lord knows they could use another TE ;-)

11 Sid, WAY over my head. Unless the T-shirts in Balt that I have read about were of the "pissing Calvin" variety and the recipient was Bob Irsay.....

PatsFan, I may have been off-base there sniping at you. Our two Polian quotes came from the same original place, but in retrospect, looks like yours is a quote from another source (meaning you may not have seen his "no foul" comment about McNair--which certainly supports his pro-offense agenda without purely favoring Indy); and you got it from a source that may have cherry-picked.

Sorry for triple-posting, but if anybody else in America was awake at 2 a.m. PST, I'm sure it would not be a triple.

On to the really important stuff, Indy has had a decent record past few seasons against QB's with model/celebrity girlfriends: Brady and Garcia both wins in the 2006 reg season (and Boller and Brady in 2005), but Romo a loss. Now with Gisele Bundchen apparently pursuing Brady, but her being Brazilian and all, not sure how that affects things....

Any historical FO data to help clear this vital piece of the puzzle up???

Essentially, right or wrong, he’s saying “fans want more scoring and we have to nudge things along in this direction.� (a 15-6 playoff game between teams whose average offensive ranking is about #8? Did the NFL just lose 100,000 potential fans?)

Are you kidding? We just had one of the most exciting divisional rounds ever.

Scott, I agree that these were very good games. (Well, exciting and close, but some sloppiness, which comes from closely matched teams.)

However, I imagine that the FO readership is not representative of the NFL's broad base of millions of fans. (How many of us are there: 10,000 who read FO including 250 who comment? The NFL needs to fill 16 stadia each week for about 1 million right there, and then their fat TV contract probably relies on about 50 million viewers across the world each weekend. We are a speck of a speck in that ocean of non-discerning humanity. I am willing to say that for every FOer who liked the 15-6 game in Balt, there were 20 casual fans who lost interest and went out to shovel snow.)

If the NFL increases its base (and revenues, which is the real goal) it will be through the casual fans, not somehow manufacturing more hard-core fans or stats geeks.

Now in order to get the casual fan, they tend to sell excitement. Do they need to? Not sure. They usually think they do, as indicated by the liberalization of rules to encourage the passing game over the past 40 years. And they've been successful as a business, so maybe they're right.

Wow, looks like Wrong Borges is really earning the nickname.

He picks the Pats this time, which apparently is counter to his history, but his argument is so full of holes. #1: Pats were not supposed to beat Indy in 2003 or 2004. Um, really? 2004, maybe, but 2003? You gotta be kidding me.

Also, Indy was probably rooting for SD? Not if they looked at the matchups. Not if they were sane. Not unless they wanted to visit some hot ex-girlfriends in Tijuana the night before the game...

Apparently RB's logic extends to this argument: Since NE is 3 for 3 in the AFCC, therfore every time they go there they will win. It's the trend, you see.

Gotta take Ron to Vegas some time: "Ron, you rolled the die and got a four seven times in a row, what's the chance of another four? 100%!"

22
That makes me feel a lot better about the Colts' chances.

#22-Funny, he picked the Colts on the radio just yesterday.

24: Well, that way no matter who wins, he's right.

25
AND wrong!

Okay, here's an interesting reason to root for the Colts and Saints (Mora/Manning connections aside): If these two teams play in the SB, there is a higher than average chance that a rookie could win the MVP.

Bethea with a timely pick and solid D, or Addai with some key runs and catches for Indy, and Colston and Bush sure have high potential with one or two game breakers for NO. (Bethea had arguably the biggest play for indy last week picking off McNair at the goal line, though Deuce was the Man for NO.) Just musing in my spare time.

Is it gametime yet?

borges is a tool

23-1 on artificial surface 10 -0 indoors i love the pats and it won't be close! 31-17 and borges is an assclown

re: 11

... Gee, where have I heard that one before?

re: 24

That's normal for Ron Borges, picking both teams on different media outlets so he can claim he was right. He did the same in 2004 for Indy/NE - predicted a NE loss in the Boston Globe and an NE win on MSNBC, if I recall.

mr. pink? Couldn't you have a cool name like mr. black? You certainly don't want mr. brown--just ask Steve Buscemi why.

Don't want to hear what an assclown is, but it is funny.

And don't go with silly streaks, please. NE's 10-0 indoors all-time roughly equals Indy's 9-0 at home this season. Actually, one would assume that the more recent trend is more valid than the one that spans 5 seasons--some of the Pats who won that first of ten dome games are probably not even on the team anymore, so how can it be relevant? I know Bethel Johnson, Law, and McGinest were in Indy and played significant roles in that 4 point win three years ago. All now gone.

Both streaks are relatively meaningless, IMO. One of them has to end this weekend. Does that make the other more valid? Hardly.

Digit,
I hear Borges does this at Thanksgiving dinner too: "Honey, the stuffing is great!" Then in an aside to the kids, "My God was that stuff poison or what?"

This way, if anybody comes down with botulism, he's covered as having called it.

RE: 30

No idea. ;)

Dear Colts fans,
Get over it, the losing will continue, like boomer said peyton manning is the new marino, will never win anything, that includeds against the Pats and the handsome tom brady. not only with the patriots win but it will be once again on a game winning field goal by Guston...so please just slet it go, pats win 3128 brady has 246yrs 1 int and is 21 for 40. Peyton has 198 yrs 3 picks and fumble and one loser family

It's funny that right after the introduction absolving responsibility for the behavior of commenters, I see an ad that says "GIVE INTO TEMPTATION".

34: Anybody remember when they used to say the same thing about Favre? Great regular season QB, but he'll never win the big one, never beat the Cowboys.

Speaking of Favre, what kind of media saturation can we expect of Manning if he actually wins? Clearly, he was intended to be the heir apparent to Favre to fulfill the country's need for a big, strong aw-shucks kind of country (read: wholesome white guy) quarterback. (Don't even get me started about Adam Morrison being on the cover of NBA Live...) Seriously, Marino was mostly an Isotoners guy... Manning hasn't even won anything thus far--how far might things go?

I'm thinking dreamcasting"...

And I'm scared.

hi,
I have a favor too ask.
I have really grown to dislike the whining about the calls.
There are two people who post on this site and never bitch.
One is Pat, the other is Will Allen.
I have never seen Pat complain about the refs once.
I have seen Will complain about one call, the hail mary in 1975(totally agree Will)
So if you are counting at home that's two of the more prominent posters here complaining about one call every thirty years.
I can live with that!
We all know there are gonne be some sketchy calls.
Maybe the Pats get screwed, maybe the Colts, just this once can we all agree to live with it?
Thanks.

I'm in favor of not bitching about calls, but I still want to be able to try and guess what the outcome of a challenge will be. Even though I'm almost always wrong.

thad,
Never.

I'll admit, I've been watching a ton of those NFL Films tapes on the Super Bowl. I'm convinced the officiating has been horrible all along, but its easier to notice now... and might have gotten better.

I'll give 3 examples. One was in Super Bowl V. The Colts were driving at the goal line and ended up fumbling. Cowboys ended up recovering, but one of the Colt players was screaming, "White ball! White ball!" (Colts were in white), so the officials ruled it was the Colts ball.

Also, in the Hank Stram Super Bowl, the officials completely missed a call on a fumble recovered by the Chiefs. All 6 of them missed it... Stram has famous audio on this play, and I think it occurs right before the official tells him to get off the field.... and he says... "No! What?!".

Finally, in the Chargers-Dolphins game, there was a ball that was clearly incomplete (receiver had no control) that was ruled a catch and fumble and recovered by the defense.

I'm pretty sure there have been more... and I bet Will Allen has complained about the force-out that ended up knocking Minnesota out of the playoffs.

I'll leave my ref-complaining off the FOMB... but it will be on display in the IRC channel... I've given up on the officials especially getting calls correct on replay (for the most part). They take too long and are indecesive.

I am willing to say that for every FOer who liked the 15-6 game in Balt, there were 20 casual fans who lost interest and went out to shovel snow.)

I don't know what the ratings were, but for this year's playoffs in general, they have been quite good. One slightly less than stellar game is no reason to change the rules.

"We all know there are gonne be some sketchy calls.
Maybe the Pats get screwed, maybe the Colts, just this once can we all agree to live with it?"

I'm with you all the way there, thad. I try not to ever bitch about officiating because I used to referee soccer, so I know it's not easy to get all the calls right, especially when things are moving fast. I can't even imagine how bad it must be for NFL officials. I had a hard enough time keeping track of a bunch of 12 year olds.

"I’m convinced the officiating has been horrible all along, but its easier to notice now… and might have gotten better."

I think that's part of it, but even more than being easier to notice, the more recent officiating controversies are fresh on our minds. I remember seeing an interview of Joe Montana to accompany an ESPN Classic game from the 1983 playoffs: 49ers vs. Redskins, where they lost 24-21. Montana said that the "bad" calls that they felt had cost them that game motivated them the next season when they won the Super Bowl. Also, when another game was shown, 49ers vs. Packers in 1998, some of the Packers' players blamed a controversial non-call of a Jerry Rice fumble. When interviewed about this, Steve Young stated that lots of similar calls had benefited the Packers in previous matchups between the two teams, so they shouldn't complain. He then summed up his response to Green Bay players who still complain about it to him to this day: "Tough."

Sorry to be so long-winded, but my point is that there have always been officiating controversies, and there likely always will be, but we tend to forget most of them because they just aren't that important.

Andy #34, Wow. Why'd I waste my time reading all this other crap.

If you're starting a new religion, please count me in, as this whole rational thinking thing has become too burdensome.

Scott #41, I really hate to think they'd ever (ahem) make some sort of rule adjustment based on one game. (I'm serious, Pats fans. Stop laughing.) It's silly.

Sorry for the MBA-speak, but I assume they're long-range planning and looking to create a product that will sell today, tomorrow, and for decades, and to grow a loyal customer base too. I don't think ratings on that one game mean anything, but if that game had a specific quality (low score, high score, injuries, controversial ref calls, whatever might make people say "oh yeah, the boring game/the poorly reffed game/the great D battle") that affects THIS WEEK's game, that might get their attention and then they'll look through reams of data to see how other similar games affected subsequent viewing.

(Insane to think about it, but what if last weeks poor QB games in the AFC result in fans staying away in droves this week. It won't happen, but if it did, the NFL would have to say, hmmm, are we not meeting our customer's needs somehow? Maybe some skimpier costumes on the cheerleaders will solve it...)

I can only asume that after they started liberalizing the passing game rules circa 1978 or so (?)that attendance, merch sales, and TV ratings have all improved, making them think "hey, we got something here." If those economic indicators fell, then we'd be back to 3 yards and a cloud of the RB's teeth in no time. (but look where that's got hockey!)

Thad and Matthew, I'd love to join the no griping pact, but I am too realistic and weak to commit. Some calls suck. While the Polamalu non-INT call in last year's playoffs benefitted my team and I kinda think I understood what they were thinking in-situ (like you said, it's tough making those calls at game speed), it was horrible and if I were anybody but a Colt fan I'd expect a league-wide revolt. The Reggie Wayne knockdown last week is also a puzzler, perhaps only because they explained it poorly (but I have yet to hear an adequate explanation--"uncatchable ball" is really the only way that's not some sort of foul.)

I'll practice restraint--I think I already do--but another egregious call or non-call and the gloves come off. Unless there seem to be offsetting poor calls. I can usually clam up when I see both sides.

"White ball! White ball!" Really? I guess that's what they call "gamesmanship." The refs involved should be flogged annually on the anniversary. And the Colt should probably get a free pitcher every anniversary for pulling it off.

Do the Pats actually have a viable claim at the disrespect label this year. While people are saying some of the right things about their history and such, they are really treating this team as more flawed then it really is. Beyond that, national pundits have systematically chosen the colts. I saw an accumulation of expert picks of major sports media outlets. Of the 26 selections, 19 have chosen the Colts giving reasons like, "Its Peyton's time". Furthermore, there have been several 'we are sick of seeing the Patriots' articles that lead them to believe that nobody outside of NE is routing for them. I don't, for once, I think Rodney has a reason to be pissed off.

#44 - Maybe that had more to do with the teams playing then the rules. I thought that the officiating was pretty loose this weekend, meaning they let them play for the most part, and all but one were exciting. I also tend to think that this sudden move to calling a game closer is a result of the marketing concerns you speak of. I think there were alot more fan complaints about bad and/or ticky tacky calls then tere were about one game that was 15 to six. Think about how many bad calls were made in last year's playoffs games. We had already had 2 or 3 in the Indy-Pitt game alone. Not so this year. Of course you will have the fan tha thinks this call shoulld have been made or that call but it doesn't get the overall hue and cry that actual bad calls receive.

If the over officiating has truly gone by the wayside, well I am one fan glad to see it gone.

#45: Do the Pats actually have a viable claim at the disrespect label this year.

Call me clueless, but I really don't understand the Pats' obsession with respect. Being the underdog is supposed to make life easier for you, and it means that you get more praise when you win.

I'd rather be perpetually the underdog then have everyone yawning when you win a tough game.

Respect is important when you're trying to close a deal, or any other situation where there's no scoreboard. In a game, you want the opponent to treat you lightly.

#47-I don't know, it just seems like a motivational tool to me. I'd imagine it's pretty tough to avoid complacency and keep working as hard and enduring as much pain when you've already achieved most of your goals, as many of them have. And why would they stop doing something that works for them? There's always something to find if you go looking for it, it doesn't have to be rational, it just has to be enough that they still feel they have something left to prove. I'd imagine it might be interesting to look at if you're into group psychology or something.

I have two thoughts as per respect and disrespect:

1) At this point, there are so many different outlets, that they are both respected and disrespected; there is no contradiction here. Did some commentators say this team had finally gone too far and weren't the same class of the league that they were in the past? Sure--heck, even Schottenheimer said it. (He needs to go rewatch "Bull Durham"...) So it can always be found;

2) Bellicheck definitely uses it to form an "in-group" society for his team. People like being insiders and it motivates them. People always say Bellicheck doesn't do the motivational stuff that Parcells did. It's not true, he just does it differently. Remember, his dad coached at Annapolis; he understands that solidarity and esprit de corps stuff. It may seem silly from the outside, but the stuff works; if they use it to get people to risk their lives for one another, why would it be any less effective (even if less important) to a football game?

Guys, Pats CAN'T win, because Indy is a team of destiny...just like they were the past three years.

43: Seriously. Sign me up for that religion, too. This guy already knows (apparently) that the Pats kicker will suffer some sort of traegdy before game time, prompting the Pats to sign somebody named Guston.... Remarkable stuff.

It also seems sort of biblical to be talking about the 246 yrs Brady has and the 198 yrs Manning has. I'm not really sure, though, why Brady's being 48 years older makes him more likely to win. The extra experience might help, but at some point the sheer brittleness of those old bones just has to get in the way.

Harrison, R., didn't make the trip to Indianapolis.

Hmm...methinks that Harrison will not be with the Pats next year.

Hmm...methinks that Harrison will not be with the Pats next year.

So, we have 54 comments (well, 55 with this one) with a little under 24 hours to go before game time. The New England - San Diego game thread had 734 comments last I checked.

I'd say the over/under for comments on this thread is 1,000. Any takers? Might be a little high with crashes to the sever being taken into account.

Well, the Week 9 game discussion thread (with NE/Ind as the Sunday Night Game) had 1112 comments, which I think is the record for most comments in a game open discussion thread.

I think we can beat that.

The flu thing sucks. I was hoping for a dogfight. If 3 are on the injury report over it, I bet a dozen have it. Cest le guerre.

There's two reasons that I can point out why the two coaches know their business.

The Colts offense is utterly predictable. But from game to game, you never know what you're going to see on defense. Dungy makes up in scheme what is sorely lacking in personnel.

On the flip side, I watch all the Pats games and follow the team closely. Nobody, and I mean --No. Bod. Dee -- can tell what the hell we're gonna see on either side of the ball for the Pats tomorrow.

PatsFan (52) I said on the AFCC thread that this just means Harrison is driving himself incognito and will burst forth from the visitors'tunnel with blue tights and a red cape tomorrow. Just you wait and see.

55/56 I think the chances for breaking records are diluted since this game also has other threads on this site--the AFCC thread is getting commentary from all of us still (the article is 2.5 days old). Who knows? 1,112 really? That's awesome! Think we'll hit 150 before kickoff?

Sippican, that's a traditional diff between these two teams: Dungy preaches (in addition to "it's just another game," which may not be all that successful a strategy) that they "just do what they do," few changes, and it's all a matter of execution. That was a frustrating mantra to hear regarding the D all season. The O playbook is quite limited in # of plays, it's just the situational tweaks that make it complex. And the D never blitzes--they just do what they do.

Whereas the Pats seem to reinvent themselves from week to week. It can't go on forever, can it? Seriously... if BB wins the next 3 SBs, how much longer does he coach? 5 yrs/ Ten? Into senility? He's youngish, and apparently lives for the 18-hour work days, but how long can it go on? The good thing about retirement is nobody tells you what to wear.

Speaking of BB, interesting insight into his football coaching youth with the Colts at the article linked at my name.

Cheers!

I meant AFCC preview thread. duh.

Hey Bobman- I think the Indystar is a good newspaper. I often read out of town newspapers before games, and they're one of the best. The Boston papers are awful.

I'm old enough to remember all those guys, sorta. The Colts are always a Baltimore team to me, like the Rams are to LA, and Cards to St Louis. Art Donovan used to be on Letterman alot a long time ago. He was hilarious.

Belichick seems young, but he's been coaching for a long time. You wonder if he'll get bored. I'm told that he is not one of those sleep on a couch in your office guys; he is very efficient and gets his work done quickly.

This is a stat site. I think that stats are useful, but require analysis, of course. Look at drive stats. Indy #1 offense. Indy dead last defense.

Net #1? Pats.

Many fans long for a powerhouse, teams like they were when players could be stockpiled. In a way, Indy has done the only version of that you can; load up on one side of the ball. Other teams try all defense.

That's why the Colts against the Pats is such an interesting match to me. Can an unbalanced team beat a balanced one?

It's less interesting to see it like Colts/Ravens, as the strengths of the two teams sorta cancel one another, and the weaknesses line up against one another and thrash. The Colts defense against the Ravens offense was like short bus teams.

It means a great deal to other teams who watch and wonder who to emulate. The Ravens got teams to sit up and pay attention by winning the SB with all defense. If The Colts win, teams might try that approach more.

If the Pats win, someone's going to try it with 53 Randall Gays.

If The Colts win, teams might try that approach more.
I meant to write "their" approach more.

Re 230: That'll move the chains!

Sippican, Art Donovan was a wicked pisser on Letterman and I generally figured he was tanked at the time. With what I now know of brain injuries... maybe not. Then again, in 20 years that will be Tony Siragusa making those appearances and we'll know it's just Fat Tony being Fat Tony.

What was that, about 20 years ago? Why the hell was HE on? I know Dave is a big Indy fan, but not sure where Art falls on the Balt/Indy divide.

Whatever. I had to explain to my college room mate who the hell Donovan was.

I think Donovan was drunk, myself. Lord knows I would have bought him a beer.

He told a story I still remember. It was about some old bastard like himself, tough guy. The guy is a rb. He runs into the line, and butts heads with a lineman, then clonks heads with the linebacker, then runs head down into the goalposts, then stumbles through the endzone and runs into the wall behind it, head first.

The guy goes back to the opponent's huddle, and stands next to Donovan. He's kinda dizzy looking.

Donovan says: You all right?

That last guy hit me pretty hard.

58
I don't suppose he'd forfeit the game out of graditude?

Wishful thinking...

Minor bit of trivia, but an important one to Pats fans:

21 January 1994 -- Robert Kraft closes on the purchase of the New England Patriots.

It's funny, but the first time I heard about Donovan was on the Nickelodeon show, "Pete and Pete". The main character is wondering about the broadcast of some Unitas game, and wonders whether aliens might be hearing it for the first time.

So he finds Donovan, who is quite skeptical. Finally, Pete says, "Don't you think it means something that the first three letters of Unitas, are the same first three letters in Universe?!?"

He replies, "Hey, the first three letters of my name are the same as in Donut, but you don't hear me bragging!"

heheh. I still laugh everytime I think about that.

Fellow Pats fans, (and I realize not all of us have this, but for those who do), why the urge to disparage the quality of the Patriots' opponents? Doesn't it make the two playoff wins vs. Indy more impressive to acknowledge that the 2002-present Colts have been a remarkably/historically good team, with a qb & wr who will each end their careers in the top 5 all-time (at least) at their positions? Doesn't that mean much more than beating a team of "chokers" or "losers" or whatever other nonsense?

Let's lose the bile. I admire the Colts, I love the Patriots, and I am fricking stoked for this game.

They just put Jaws and Steve Young on the same segment in NFL Match-up. It was actually...nice.

I think we can all agree who the two most important players are in this game...

Troy Brown or Adam Vinateri: Who will be the first to get a 4th ring?

FO Staff / Readers - HELP:

It's believed an indoor NFL stadium in New York would host the games, meaning the matches would be played on a synthetic pitch. But Brown had his own doubts. "I'm not even sure whether they would have a suitable ground in New York," he said.

This extract is from a news article that there are plans to have a 7 match CRICKET series between Australia and India in New York

Does anyone know if there is an indoor NFL stadium in New York. I thought that the Jets and Giants play in NJ and that is also a outdoor stadium.

Moreover cricket needs a 350 - 400 feet oval ground to play and a non-synthetic area for the place where the pitcher-equivalent operate.

STOMPS & DOMINATES:
NE - 7
IND - 5
CHI - 7
NO - 6

Looks pretty even. NE has the slight edge on IND though.

Does anyone know if there is an indoor NFL stadium in New York. I thought that the Jets and Giants play in NJ and that is also a outdoor stadium.

The proposed West Side stadium is a dome I think. It depends how far out this is being scheduled.

73: Like between June-Sep 2007 ???

I love Joe Buck's comment on the FOX pregame show saying how good Strong Safety Bob Sanders is...Let's just hope that Tony Dungy plays Bob at Free Safety where he's always played...

I just wanted to point out that Joe Buck is picking the Patriots to win. Joe Buck.

The Apocalypse is now!

Did Joe Buck mention anything about Babe Ruth while he was at it?

Also, as far as how good the Colts are? They're great. They're right there with the Chargers as best team of the league.

That's why I love this rivalry. I'm scared of them but confident in our guys. Makes it all the better if we win. :)

"The proposed West Side stadium is a dome I think."

I believe the West Side staduim was going to have a retractable roof. But it's a dead deal now. Jets and Giants have already signed papers for new joint-stadium in Jersey.

You know, that Diet Pepsi ad may have overtaken Our Country as my least favorite ad on TV right now.

Okay here's what I think, not that anyone asked. Watching the previous Indy/Pats game the Pats seemed at the time to be totally dominating Indy with running plays in the first half. My memory says there were a lot of turnovers, but it seemed pretty clear that the Pats running game was unstoppable.

Comes the second half and Bill B stopped the running attack and went to the air. One of the many weird Tom Brady games, the Pats kept giving the ball back to the Colts. The final was close but the game was VERY strange to watch.

For me it was Deja Vu. I remembered (I am getting a bit old...) when John Wooden let Bill Walton's team play the final two minutes of a semi-final game against NC State without calling a time out as the Bruins cranked up long jumpers, defended badly and ignored the clock. Wooden sat calmly and watched the best college team I ever saw piss away a sure win.

I thought at the time he must be losing it. Then the next year, with a MUCH weaker team, Wooden took another championship. Only years later was this collapse explained. Turned out Wooden was not happy with his team's unwillingness to do what he asked them to do, so he let them play--knowing they were likely to lose.

In the Pats/Colts game I think that Bill B was setting up THIS game. He did not want to show Indy all that his team could do to them. But he WILL want to show them today. I truly think that the Pats will thump the the colts by at least two TD's, though I would have felt better with Rodney playing...

Keep those posts coming!

I see the teams this way:

Patriots are better at defensive line, linebacker, secondary, offensive line, tight end, fullback and running back.

Colts are better at WR and QB.

Patriots are better at special teams and at coach.

In reg season, Manning played as well as a QB can play and Brady was pretty bad. Yet, Colts only won by 7. After that game, the Pats got better as the season progressed. The Colts got much worse.

I just don't see Brady being that bad again or Manning playing that well again.

On balance, if Brady and Manning play their normal games, Pats' talent and coaching advantage means they win by 10 points. Colts only win if they get +2 in turnovers.

Wild card -- Is the Colt defense as good as it "appeared" in the first 2 playoff games? If that defense is real and not a function of poor play by their opponents, the game becomes a toss-up.

"Colts are better at WR and QB"

really stan?
Are you sure?

82,

Galen, I'm sure that's what I believe based on what I have seen. If you are "sure" of what you think in terms of the relative talent of the various positions, why don't you post your opinions?

Re: 83

I think it was a reference to the other irrational thread, not really a dig at you.

I realise this may be a little premature (and God knows, I hope I’m wrong) but :
Superbowl XLI Colts vs Bears. Prince at halftime. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms announcing. Anybody else think TO forsaw this and that’s why he took the pills.

If anyone has NFL field pass, I strongly recommend checking out the Colts radio broadcast right now...

#85
Paul, don't despair. SKY will have the alternative commentary again, so instead of Simms & Nantz, you can have Shaun Gayle and Nick Halling.

That's bett.... Oh.

Paul in London: Think of it this way... it could have been Madden/Michaels.

Re: 87

I think the commentary with the fans might be more entertaining. I never get to listen to it (only get Sky in a bar), but it's got to be better than the other choices, right?

Does anyone know somewhere where I can get a radio broadcast of the game over the internet?

Or, if you want to be really masochistic, the FanZone commentary!

Wow lots of money came in late on the colts. It was 50/50 as of a day or so ago and now its almost 60/40 in favor of the colts.

Re: 90

You can watch it over the internet with TVU player. This website has links to the download and channels.

"Wow lots of money came in late on the colts. It was 50/50 as of a day or so ago and now its almost 60/40 in favor of the colts."
That happened in 03 and 04 as well. It didn't go well for the late money. The Patriots actually went from favored to underdogs in at least one of the games based on wagers within 12 hours of the game IIRC.

THROUGH the night, not to the night.

Re 87
Okay James, fair point. A few years back, Sky gave us one commentary for the Superbowl, Nick Halling and Brian Baldinger when the rest of the World had Pat Summerall and John Madden.In a fit of pique, I wrote to Sky to complain and they actually tried to defend the decision. It was at that point that I realised that both Matt Millen and Nick Halling worshipped the Devil and had compromising photographs of William Clay Ford and Rupert Murdoch respectively.

92 I'd guess that people are (over)reacting to Rodney Harrison's absence from the lineup

Re: 87 and 96

One year, I was forced to watch on Channel 5. Then we got the NFL International commentary, where everyone is treated like they are a doofus. "There's a salary cap and a draft to kinda even things out". And explaining what the QB was, too. I never thought I'd say it, but I would have loved to have had Halling commentating that game.

I wish the NFL was hire us all to do the commentary instead of Nantz-Simms. We could have like a 1000-person booth and no one would any idea who was saying what and who was who. It would a huge upgrade over Nantz-Simms.

Do we know who's the ref yet?

Please let it be Ed Hochuli

#98

I think ITV carry it now. Brian Moore does the play-by-play with Ron Atkinson doing colour.

Looking around at the crowd, I have a question. I was watching "The Catch" a few weeks ago, and no one had a 9ers jersey on. Now, it seems like the entire crowd wears a team jersey. When did that trend start? Was it a fanbase that started it or was it pretty much everywhere?

Bill Carollo is the ref according to the Fox blog.

Boomer talking about what Brady needs to do: "Get rid of it quickly, because time is a factor."

I really want to know what he means by "time is a factor" before the game even starts. People say that at the end of halves, but before the game?

103

Thanks!

100: Bill Corrolla and the his All Stars.

The Hulk will be doing the SB

Smart for the pats to open with play action, even though it didn't work.

That'll move the chains!

And now doing two draw plays in a row. The Pats definitely know which plays work against the Colts.

apparantly Belichek, unlike Edwards and Billick, actually watched some colts game tape.

I feel like I'm watching the Seahawks' offense.

No team that allowed 360 points in the reg season belongs in the Super Bowl

Re 98

Thank whoever that Channel Five now use the official US feed (sometimes good, sometimes bad) plus they had the good taste to employ the Sainted Mike Carlson. There's never a good reason for wanting to hear Nick Halling.

Re my original post of 85, I was despairing of all three items, not just the commentary team.

In reference to the referee, Carollo--for those of you who didn't read the blog post about him--called the fourth least penalties and hardly any false starts. Let 'em play, Bill!

Haha the jump pass?

Did Flutie sneak out there in a #12 jersey?

ugh, 3 underthrown passes already...looks like Bad Brady today.

Re: 85/113

I'm a Pats fan, but I gotta ask: You'd really rather see the Pats against the Bears than the Colts? Are you a Pats fan too?

That's the guy the Pats can least afford to lose besides number 12, imo.

113 Yes, Mike Carlson should be elected to the Hall of Fame, no question.

Seymour is limping. I hope we'll still be able to seymour of him in this game! Get it? Haha!

Good stand and a decent ST play. It looks like the Colts playoff team has turned up. Does that mean bad Manning tonight?

Wow. If Addai catches that he scores. Big drop.

15 yard swing on a careless Colt penalty during the punt. Could be significant.

Nobody mentioned this so far, but apparently Eric Alexander is playing ILB for the Pats, moving Vrabel to OLB and Banta-Cain to the bench. Interesting...

Re: 122

Well, if he caught it as he did, he would have fallen and been downed. If the ball was a little closer to him and he could have caught it in stride, then he could have got the TD, but the drop didn't prevent that.

Yes Reche! Way to stay in bounds this time!

I guess it's not only Denver who cut blocks. If both Freeney and Seymour are out for any significant amount of time, it really changes the game.

Re117 Not Saying
This is slightly (i.e.completely) irrational
I'm English so I obviously hate the French...except I don't. I'm supposed to hate the Germans.. except I don't. But I genuinely dislike Peyton Manning. He seems like such a phoney plus he appears to pass the blame whenever possible despite taking more money than the rest of his team. We don't get his adverts over here so that has probably cut my therapy bill.

#104: "Boomer talking about what Brady needs to do: “Get rid of it quickly, because time is a factor.�

I really want to know what he means by “time is a factor� before the game even starts. People say that at the end of halves, but before the game?"

I think he means that Brady will face heavy pressure from the defense, so he'll only have a very short time to throw before the pass rush gets to him.

Maybe it's just me, but I swear whenever I see a QB really exaggerate audibles, it's always a draw play.

COREY!!

Crap. Looks like it's the regular season defense that turned up.

That's what the #1 power running offense against the #32 power running defense looks like.

That's the Colt run defense we know!

Indy really packed it in inside. Nice playcall there.

It looks like the Pats saw something in the Colts run defense the past couple games they liked.

Yep, this is the Indy run defense I remember.

I think they sold out on a Brady sneak. I liked how stupid it made Simms look.

Colts run D looking like their old selves again,knew it was just a matter of time.

That was such a cheap shot by Light on Freeney. He should be suspended for a year for a deliberate attempt to injure like that. What a classless team.

How did the Colts not get that fumble?

What - the - f...?

JUST FALL ON IT!!!!!

Wow, how did the Colts not get that?

HOLY COW!

138: Yes, that made the play doubly sweet.

Speaking of sweet! Logan Mankins with the TD!

Re: 129

I thought about that after I posted. I just think it's a really stupid way to express that idea.

Holy Shit! How does that happen?

Pats are fated to win this.

What the heck.

I give up. God loves the Patriots.

Belichek is a genius!!! no one else draws up plays like that!!!

Oh... god... that was by far the least likely fumble recovery in the history of football.

Awesome clutch fumble. Go Pats!

Holy crap.

NO ****************************************** wayyyy!!! this is bleeping ridiculous.

Oh, for the love of... watching Patriots games is so frustrating.

That's called Pats football.

Can anyone doubt that Belichick sold his soul?

Looks like the bag of magic beans isn't empty just yet.

belicheck's deal with the devil alive and well.

If anyone wants to claim the Patriots aren't lucky, well, then I give up.

They just win, baby.

Hey look, it's the Patriots NOT getting lucky again. They just make plays.

the pats really must have some type of arrangement with a higher power. how in the hell does this crap keep happening?

Tom Brady told Maroney to fumble the ball, knowing that the Colts wouldn't recover and then an OL could recover in the end-zone.

That's why he's a winner and Peyton stinks.

Obviously, Brady is a better QB than Manning because he used his glare to keep the Colts from recovering that fumble.

I hate New England. Bastards.

Forget about trolling the Pats fans about their luck or whatever.

Just let this play stand as an example of how fumble recoveries are definitely luck and the people who always fuss about that in DVOA threads are idiots.

Wow. Those bastards really are snakebit.

I think you've all got it backwards. Maybe God doesn't love the Pats. Maybe he just hates the Colts.

That's 26 posts in about 45 seconds. Yow.

One of the all-time great "YEAH... NO!" plays I've ever seen.

You see how lucky the Colts are? The get opportunities to get unforced turnovers, and muff them.

Throwing away good luck with both hands.

Brady is so clutch. Only he could have fumbled like that. Kill me now.

Well, I think the OL was getting jealous after all the attention Vrabel was getting in previous playoffs, so Belichik drew up a play to get them a score. They're not elligible receivers, so it had to be something like this.

Watching the replay, you can see the Colts start celebrating while the Pats play to the whistle.

167: Amen to both.

Belichik is Palpatine.

#147:
I agree, it is a dumb way of putting it.

That fumble recovery was all Tom Brady's clutchness.

Nice quick pass to Wayne. For a no-name schlub, James Sanders has actually played okay since taking over for Harrison/Wilson.

Another hundred thousand for Samuel right there.

It's NOT luck.

It's fortuitousness.

Having said that, random, non-predictive events didn't get the ball down to the 2 YL. The Pats did.

And God, in this little "knee in Bob's groin" game that He plays, scored.

Why does Manning keep throwing to the Harrison when Samuels is covering him? Doesn't he realize how bad Chad Scott is?

New England Patriots: The Pope's favorite team.

Why didn't Marvin jump?

Holy crap! What a perfect pass to Clark!

The Colts really like that stretch play, don't they?

Another two hundred thousand.

And Colts players are dropping like flies with injuries and the 1st quarter aint even over.

181: If Hobbs can get on the field usually he'll play over Scott.

Sorry to bring a degree of rationality to the thread but there's still 3 minutes left in the first..that's the FIRST quarter.

It just seems like this playoff run, the ball always bounces the pats way. The backwards pass in the Jets game, the Fumbled pick in the chargers games, and now this. It's just frustrated for the fans of 31 other teams to watch them seemingly win titles by catching every break.

181.

Marvin has a bad habit of disappearing in these playoff games with the Pats and Steelers. I'm sure Peyton desperately wants him to get started on a good game.

I don't understand how the side judge is always the one who spots the ball. On that 2nd down play, the player was turned to the inside, with the ball not at all visible to the side judge, but he gets to make the decision on the inches.

189: I think you meant "watching them win titles by seemingly catching every break." That would make a lot more sense, given that you're trying to disrespect the Pats. How do you "seemingly" win a title?

192: My bad

Well, there you go. Hobbs is better than Scott.

Gus:

By winning one in Division I-A college football of course :)

#180: "Having said that, random, non-predictive events didn’t get the ball down to the 2 YL. The Pats did."

Agreed. I think if that play had never happened, the Pats would've scored anyway on the next few plays.

#174: "Watching the replay, you can see the Colts start celebrating while the Pats play to the whistle."

I don't know, but it seemed like there were three or four Colts on top of the ball. 99.9% of the time, one of them would've recovered it. But yeah, the rest of them should've paid attention just in case.

Why doesn't Reggie go up for that ball?

You go meet the ball at the highest point. Neither Marvin nor Reggie made any effort to go make a play.

I miss Chad Scott and Hank Poteat. They were so much more fun, what with the not playing defense and all.

If the Pats continue to cover Indy's receivers 1-on-1 like this, it could be a long day for Indy

193: Yeah, sorry, I'm nitpicking.

Ellis Hobbs with a great play in the end zone, Adam Clutchiteri with the FG. 7-3.

199,

Especially if the Colt WRs play like they don't care.

195: Very true. I wish Boise State had got it's shot.

man the patriots are clearly the better team today

Thats the least confident that I have ever seen Vinatieri look.

203... and you know what THAT means!

I hate it when they have a score, commercial, kickoff, commercial, two players, end of quarter, commercial. Ugh.

being a pats fan there is no question i'd rather have adamn vinteri tahn gostkowski with the game on the line

That being said SG has been kicking great since thanksgiving and he has been great on kickoffs. last year vinterri was awful

By any normal standards, Harrison and Wayne have NOT been open on any of these deep shots. Combine that with the fact that niether of them are good at winning the ball against close coverage, and Manning has to be incredibly accurate to complete those passes.

Nick Harper out with an ankle sprain. Damn, he played pretty well this year, too. It's not like his wife stabbed him in the leg last night or anything.

That was an incredibly athletic play by the guy in sweats on the sidelines to avoid getting ploughed by Watson (I wish it had been Belichick).

#196: That's kind of what I was getting at. The Pats linemen closed on the ball even though the Colts appeared to have recovered. They weren't assuming anything. But Colts players saw blue shirts dive toward the ball, assumed they would recover it, and ran for the sidelines with their fool fingers in the air. If the ball had squirted out the other way, they'd have been running away from it. Ye just can't do that.

Gus, Clearly you're watching outside the box.

208,

Actually, Wayne had his guy beat a step. If he goes up for the ball, the Pat DB can only interfere. That is just fundamental WR play that gets taught to kids in HS.

212: If I was recording this game, I'd post it online. It was kind of amazing.

212: If I was recording this game, I'd post it online. It was kind of amazing.

stan, get off of wayne. you are wrong

The Patriots are going to win this game. I feel it.

Watch the Pats DBs tackle. Then watch the Colts DBs "tackle". Marlin Jackson just sucked out the ...

Just reading the nfl.com feeds, has Brady gone to WR's at 10-15 yds more already than McNair did all last week, or is it me?

i agree, Stan you have no idea what you are talking about

"You hear the phrase "game management" all the time. Well, what does that mean? . . . It means doing the little things."

Thanks for clearing that one up, Simms.

Well, we're well on the way to the Super Bowl nobody outside of Boston wanted to see.

Worst of all, if the Pats win it all this year, Vinnie T gets a ring - would have been much better last year when Flutie was still on the team.

Who was griping about my "quoting non-sack stats" regarding Freeney yesterday?

That play was a microcosm of his season. Hit caused an errant pass, but no sack. Still valuable.

216,

As a former WR and college coach, I know what I'm talking about. What credentials do you bring to the discussion?

stan watch the play again hobbs made a great play. wayne was running at nealy full speed he could have come back to that ball.

Even money TMQ mentions that Nantz referred to his maroon zone as "that grey area"

Looking at NE's passing game today, this appears to be one of those games they better run it 45 times to win.

222, Shit, if Vinny T gets a Ring, then he's a guaranteed HOFer, right? It was the only missing component of his resume, no?

That was a great play by 79 to slow Faulk down enough to stop the first on the 3rd down play.

stan is someone who bet on the Colts and is now realizing he is a moron

224: I just love when people start bringing up credential issues...have any of the Outsiders made the NFL? Other than Aaron's brief and sad career on the Pats, no. Do they have better things to say than 95% percent of NFL "analysts" like Simms? Yep.

TROY BROWN!

CLUTCH!

Yep. Never a doubt about it.

one to a billion that he mentions those idiots blitzing

one to a billion that he mentions those idiots blitzing

what balls...

That's going to end up on the Sweet and Sour Play for TMQ, I'll bet on it.

Sweet: Going for it on 4th and 5 in opposite territory.

Sour: Blizting on a 4th and 5.

That play is gonna be on TMQ.

225, Engage the logic part of your brain. The DB was behind the WR. If the DB gets his hand on the ball from a position behind the WR, the WR obviously did not go to get the ball at its highest point.

too easy. this looks bad

That's just too easy.

And Dillon takes a stroll to the end zone.

4th and 6 try... and a dagger in the heart! Sweet play. How does Troy Brown keep doing it?

Stan,
We're on the same side, but I have to interject a line from the old sitcom "Soap":

Credentials? You want credentials? How 'bout five tousand years of suffering, how's that for credentials?

Or for a Colts fan, make that 35 years of suffering.

TMQ: Game Over.

Man. I'm getting the feeling this game won't even be close. Hopefully the Bears can make a better game of it than what we're seeing right now.

Re 224 Colts vs Pats
If you're going to be sensible, you shouldn't be on this thread.

sweet,sweet 4th down conversion! Belichick is a coach who understands game theory

Corey Dillon with a juke? He can barely juke the buffet table! That's terrible.

this is a dynasty

Well this postseason is all about the go-for-it on 4th logic.

Nick Harper out with an ankle sprain. Damn, he played pretty well this year, too. It’s not like his wife stabbed him in the leg last night or anything.

that was funny!

I could hear the giant sucking sound of the air coming out of the RCA Dome from here in upstate New York. Even the clouds here moved backwards.

This is usually when things get ugly with the Colts. Peyton is undoubtedly thinking "I'm going to need 72 points to win". Cue Pats INT.

Do Colt's fans hate seeing Manning's commercials at a time like this?

Well, it certainly looks like a bit of historical research by FO on defensive spikes in the postseason is being borne out so far.....

This is the offense a lot of us were expecting last week out of a certain team in Baltimore. Too bad it wasn't called.

Well I'm starting the Grossman QB rating in the SB over/under at 10. I'm taking the under.

Oh, for crissakes, Indianapolis. Get your heads out of your asses. I can't take watching the $%^&* Patriots in another %^%^& Super Bowl.

Can defensive futility be described as an un-dynasty?

im converting

If the man to man coverage stays good this is going to be a tough road for Manning the rest of the game. I like what NE is doing on both sides.

254 Yes, Craig.

*blink*

who called it?

game over

Game over.

Game over?

Asante is a beast

Perhaps it's a bit early, but...

Game over.

Oh my God, unbelievable.

JOHN T

OH DEAR GOD! The ghost of Ty Law has possessed Asante Samuel!

237 - GMTA

253 - Good call.

johnt, 253, you called it man, get yourself a beer and turn off the set.

253 nice call

Damn it, Marvin, come back for the ball you freakin asshole.

Come badk for the freakin ball!

Marvin you freakin suck.

PAY THAT MAN HIS MONEY!

Cue the discussion about a rematch of Super Bowl XX.

It's Deja Vu all over again. UGH

thats some awfully soft WR play for supposed hall of famer.

So does the RCA Dome crowd start filing out now?

Ah, SHIT. What did I just say? Cripes. Is "The Simpsons" on yet?

we need to break this team up trade harrison cut manning i dont give a fuck. im can take this shit anymore. FUCK THE PATS

Simms nailed it, that was pure Champ Bailey.

Well, this game just got a lot less interesting. At least we got to see another comercial for 300 though.

Peyton ought to take his G D receivers back to the locker room and shoot the SOBs for lack of support.

brady is a genius!! he knew that the ball would slide into the endzone and the pats would win. He is the best ever!!!!

I wonder if Manning realizes that Asante Samuel is the good corner.

If Simms refers to SAMUELS one more time I'm taking a hostage. It's SAMUEL, darn it!

If the Patriots let Asante Samuel go, there's something wrong with them.

Stan, he had no chance to come back.
Horrible pass.

The negatives for the NE organization to not getting Samuel signed has to be worth it for the fire in his gut for these games.

... and TMQ (along with the rest of the free world) wrote "Game over" in his notebook.

disband the team

Re: 253

Just as I was posting to say that that was what someone said about Grossman on the other thread right before he threw a TD, Samuel made himself another million.

260 Crate, I like what they're doing as well, just not the unis they are wearing.

How about teams switch unis at halftime and play to a draw? Just to keep the suspense up.

Man if that was Randy Moss he'd be getting skewered for not trying hard by the media.

Not game over... remember last year vs Pittsburgh; Indy had to erase an 18 point deficit, and very, very nearly did.

253: your lips to gods ear.

'300' is an abomination.