New England is back in the Super Bowl Mix
As one team's dream season ends, another has a chance to still see their's fulfilled....
What we witnessed on Sunday afternoon was nothing less then a complete meltdown on the part of the Super Bowl favorite Indianapolis Colts. Confused as to whether to play his starters, Coach Dungy dithered, sending signals that not only did he not care about perfection, but was deeply concerned about injuries. For a team that has lost the past two years in the snow in Foxboro, such concern clearly resonates. In addition, anyone watching the Philadelphia Eagles season unravel, knows that teams have a window of opportunity--at most 5-6 years--to win it all, before the gap closes due to injury, free agency losses, or sheer exhaustion.
Not to take anything away from the Chargers, but the Colts' effort was lackluster and showed no urgency or improvisation. In fact Dungy had the worst of both worlds--no win and his starters were pounded on for over three hours. Don't expect a comeback next week. San Diego has effectively ended the Colts regular season. With Chicago's victory Sunday night and not playing until next Sunday, the Seahawks are still fighting for home field advantage on Saturday. Expect a Seattle victory, with Manning and company making a brief appearance, if at all.
In all the silly spin about whether the Colts should play their starters, no one mentioned the most obvious reason, or the most recent example of what can occur if you do not--5 weeks is a lot of time to kill. Just ask the 1996 Denver Broncos, who after thirteen weeks, with a 12-1 record had locked up everything, and then slapped through the next month plus while waiting for their next meaningful game, which happened to be against the surging Jacksonville Jaguars. Of course no one will accuse the Colts of overlooking any playoff opponent, especially if it is their bete noir, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Patriots have quietly and impressively found their footing in the second half of the season. The Pats were all the rage the first half of the season, playing no division games until October and colliding with the Panthers, Steelers, Chargers, Falcons and Broncos in back to back weeks. If the NFL schedule makers' goal was to knock the Pats down, they succeeded. The second half of the season was crammed with weak AFC East opponents, and critics will contend the Pats were shallacked by both the Colts and Chiefs. But no one can be anything but impressed with how the Patriots have manhandled their last two opponents. With the Jets and Dolphins remaining on their schedule, the Pats will finish at 11-5, the same record they held in their first Super Bowl year. If the offensively challenged Jags win out, they will travel to Foxboro for the Wild Card. Barring a sixth seed upset, that means the Colts first meaningful game in over a month will be against New England, and we all know what happens when these two teams meet in the playoffs.
What we witnessed on Sunday afternoon was nothing less then a complete meltdown on the part of the Super Bowl favorite Indianapolis Colts. Confused as to whether to play his starters, Coach Dungy dithered, sending signals that not only did he not care about perfection, but was deeply concerned about injuries. For a team that has lost the past two years in the snow in Foxboro, such concern clearly resonates. In addition, anyone watching the Philadelphia Eagles season unravel, knows that teams have a window of opportunity--at most 5-6 years--to win it all, before the gap closes due to injury, free agency losses, or sheer exhaustion.
Not to take anything away from the Chargers, but the Colts' effort was lackluster and showed no urgency or improvisation. In fact Dungy had the worst of both worlds--no win and his starters were pounded on for over three hours. Don't expect a comeback next week. San Diego has effectively ended the Colts regular season. With Chicago's victory Sunday night and not playing until next Sunday, the Seahawks are still fighting for home field advantage on Saturday. Expect a Seattle victory, with Manning and company making a brief appearance, if at all.
In all the silly spin about whether the Colts should play their starters, no one mentioned the most obvious reason, or the most recent example of what can occur if you do not--5 weeks is a lot of time to kill. Just ask the 1996 Denver Broncos, who after thirteen weeks, with a 12-1 record had locked up everything, and then slapped through the next month plus while waiting for their next meaningful game, which happened to be against the surging Jacksonville Jaguars. Of course no one will accuse the Colts of overlooking any playoff opponent, especially if it is their bete noir, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Patriots have quietly and impressively found their footing in the second half of the season. The Pats were all the rage the first half of the season, playing no division games until October and colliding with the Panthers, Steelers, Chargers, Falcons and Broncos in back to back weeks. If the NFL schedule makers' goal was to knock the Pats down, they succeeded. The second half of the season was crammed with weak AFC East opponents, and critics will contend the Pats were shallacked by both the Colts and Chiefs. But no one can be anything but impressed with how the Patriots have manhandled their last two opponents. With the Jets and Dolphins remaining on their schedule, the Pats will finish at 11-5, the same record they held in their first Super Bowl year. If the offensively challenged Jags win out, they will travel to Foxboro for the Wild Card. Barring a sixth seed upset, that means the Colts first meaningful game in over a month will be against New England, and we all know what happens when these two teams meet in the playoffs.
posted by Slomatch | 10:27 AM
1 Comments:
Once again, Josh shows signs of overindulgence in holiday spirits. It is truly baffling how a coach who sits at 13-1 is still the subject of such dismissive comments. The team did not win 13 straight games to start the season (something the Pats have never done) with a dolt for a coach. The job he has done with the Colts defense was nothing short of genious, and that without any gloried coordinator to help him. (Note the difference between a battered defense with Crennel vice one without him). Dungy should still be a lock for Coach of the Year (with all due deference to Marvin Lewis and Lovie Smith, who also deserve glowing praise for their performances), and anyone who dares suggest the honor will be the result of sympathy for his son's tragic passing is as classless as they are senseless!!!!
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