Wednesday, May 25, 2016
THE BOSTON GLOBE (RED SOX DYNASTY REPORT)
FORT MYERS, FL - After a disappointing 2015 season the Red Sox return to spring training looking like a potential playoff team. It will be hard for them to be as bad as they were last year, especially with a shiny new Ace to anchor their rotation, but it isn't unreasonable to think they could fall short of the playoffs.
SPRING ANSWERS
Papi's Last Go : After looking like he might be done in 2012, and struggling to start 2013, David Ortiz has produced three very productive 30-100 seasons. It's looking like 2016 will be his last as the slugger announced that he will retire after the season. No matter how he plas this year, he will be on everyone's list as a potential Hall of Famer. He will be missed in 2017, hopefully he will walk away after a successful season.
Will Big Papi go out on top?
Outfield Starters : There was no question Mookie Betts would lock down a starting position, but it was the CF-LF starters that became a battle. Jackie Bradley Jr. managed to secure a starting position and will man CF with Betts sliding over to RF. It took some time, with Manager Jon Farrell waiting until the last weekend before Opening Day, for Rusney Castillo to get the nod over fan-favorite Brock Holt. Farrell has been putting some pressure on Castillo, and it looks like he's ready to give Castillo one last shot to show why the Red Sox paid so much for him.
SUMMER QUESTIONS
Who's On Third? : It didn't surprise anyone, but Pablo Sandoval came to camp out of shape and looking like a free agent signing that Boston would like to take back. He was almost a lock at 3B prior to the start of spring training, but he really opened the door for Sam Travis to take his job. Sandoval did enough to open the season as the starter, but he's a cold streak away from ceding the job to Travis. This is a position battle that will extend into the season.
Starters Not Named David : David Price is obviously the Boston Ace, but after that it drops off rather quickly and gets very scary from there. Clay Buchholz has shown that he can pitch at a high level, but he is so injury prone and will probably fail to start 30 games (a mark he has never hit in his career) that it's hard to depend on him for a full season. Joe Kelly and Rick Porcello might be serviceable, but they could also be hit so hard they get moved to the pen. Edwardo Rodriguez is untested and there isn't much in the farm system to replace him if he fails. FanGraphs has Boston projected for an 88-74 season, but that could fall apart very quickly if this staff doesn't come together in the brutal AL East.
Can Price recapture the magic of his 2012 AL Cy Young season?
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
Boston Red Sox Depth Chart - 2016
- Catcher
- B. Swihart
- R. Hanigan
- First Base
- H. Ramirez
- D. Ortiz
- Second Base
- D. Pedroia
- B. Holt
- Third Base
- P. Sandoval
- T. Shaw
- Shortstop
- X. Bogaerts
- B. Holt
- Left Field
- R. Castillo
- B. Holt
- Center Field
- J. Bradley Jr.
- C. Young
- Right Field
- M. Betts
- C. Young
- Starting Pitcher
- D. Price
- C. Buchholz
- R. Porcello
- J. Kelly
- E. Rodriguez
- Relief Pitcher
- R. Elias
- M. Barnes
- R. Ross Jr.
- C. Smith
- J. Tazawa
- Closer
- C. Kimbrel
- K. Uehara
- Designated Hitter
- D. Ortiz
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - The 2016 season could not have been much better for the Colts outside of a single loss, and it's hard to believe but this team could be even better. They sport the best QB in the league, the best offensive line in the league, and more offensive weapons than anyone could ever ask for. If things didn't look bad enough for the rest of the league, a free agency splurge has fortified an already formidable defense. Could the 1972 Miami Dolphins be giving up their annual ritual?
Despite everything they have, and everyone they already signed, the Colts had to fill some vacancies during OTA's. TE and DT were still a concern, so Indianapolis signed Dennis Pitta, Scott Chandler, Paul Soliai, and Glenn Dorsey on 1-year deals. The four got plenty of playing time during the preseason, along with most of the backups and rookies. Finish 3-1, with wins against the Chargers, Vikings, and Panthers is hardly an indication of anything. This team is loaded, and they could be right back in the Superbowl.
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
| Indianapolis Colts Depth Chart - 2017 | ||||
| Regular Offense | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| WR | T.Y. Hilton | D. Rogers | T. Williams | |
| TE | D. Pitta | S. Chandler | ||
| LT | A. Castonzo | J. Mewhort | ||
| LG | J. Mewhort | K. Finley | ||
| C | K. Holmes | K. Finley | ||
| RG | B. Fusco | K. Finley | ||
| RT | W. Vega | B. Fusco | ||
| WR | K. Allen | C. Shorts III | K. Benjamin | |
| QB | A. Luck | J. Palmer | ||
| FB | S. Havili | |||
| HB | S. Ramsey | C. Harris (R) | R. Hillman | |
| Base 3-4 Defense | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| LDE | D. Browning | A. Jones | ||
| NT | P. Soliai | G. Dorsey | ||
| RDE | B. Vaughn | R. Duncan | ||
| LOLB | B. Werner | T. Farrell (R) | ||
| LILB | A. Dent | D. Jackson | ||
| RILB | M. Te'o | T. Farrell (R) | ||
| ROLB | V. Burfict | T. Farrell (R) | ||
| CB | V. Davis | A. Mims | ||
| SS | J. Cyprien | D. Cosby (R) | ||
| FS | B. Daniels | D. Cosby (R) | ||
| CB | K. Sampson | D. Miliner | ||
| Special Teams | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| K | T. Reyes | |||
| P | P. McAfee | |||
| H | J. Palmer | |||
| PR | R. Hillman | C. Harris | ||
| KR | R. Hillman | C. Harris | ||
| LS | K. Finley | |||
OTA / PRE-SEASON ANSWERS
Can Harris grab the #1 spot on the depth chart?
Charlie Harris, Marshall Faulk 2.0 : When the Colts took Harris they were looking for a pass-catching option out of the backfield, but now that he's in camp he looks like so much more. Pep Hamilton has basically changed his offense into a spread that looks more like Baylor or Oregon than his old Stanfurd offenses, and that suits Harris just fine. While Shayn Ramsey did everything you could ask of a HB, and he's still #1 on the depth chart, Harris is going to keep him looking over his shoulder all season. Many coaches have called Harris the next Marshall Faulk, so he might be pretty good.
No Fly Zone : The aquisition of Jonathan Cyprien turned a very good secondary into an absolute nightmare. With teams regularly taking to the air to try and catch up with the Colts they gave up a lot of yards and struggled to stop even the worst offenses. This year could be very different with the elite talent and depth they have. Vontae Davis is probably the best, if not one of the best, corners in the NFL and Branch Daniels elevated himself to elite status at FS. Kian Sampson is starting to look like the heir apparent to Davis, and back-up Aerion Mims isn't that far behind. The addition of Dee Milliner also sealed up this unit, so we should see marked improvement in pass coverage.
Luck & Associates, Offensive Juggernaut : Teams might be waving the white flag against Indianapolis this year. After the scheme change from a two-TE power run to a spread passing team that relies on package plays this team has morphed into a destroyer of defenses. One thing that teams are going to have to deal with is the Colts stunning ability to run out of the shotgun. After barely running from the shotgun in 2014 and 2015, the Colts ran 85% of their rushing plays from the shotgun and might push that to 100% if you don't count kneel downs. Having the best offensive line in the NFL helps you do that, but it also helps to have offensive weapons at every position on the field and few teams have the players or scheme to deal with it. The 2016 Colts offense was the best ever, finishing with the highest DVOA on record, and this unit could be even better.
FALL QUESTIONS
LB Depth & Pass Rush : The LB group has good to elite starters, and the starters aren't the problem. The depth at LB is probably the single worst position on this team. Making it worse is the total lack of a pass rush outside of Vontaze Burfict. Burfict has been a one man demolition squad working off the outside shoulder of Browning and Vaughn, but opposite him Bjoern Werner hasn't been able to produce. Teams are going to be able to make adjustments knowing where the heat is coming from, so there is going to be pressure on Werner to step up. Werner has been good, but he hasn't been good enough to keep the Colts from drafting someone to replace him. The interior is solid, but they aren't good at generating pressure in the passing game. This may be the only place to attack the Colts defense, so this unit is going to need to be on it's toes all year.
Tight End (Again) : Considering the options at WR and HB, this isn't a pressing need. Dennis Pitta is a real upgrade at TE compared to last year, but Scott Chandler behind him is just a blocking TE at best. Kelvin Benjamin may get some looks out of the TE spot, but his run blocking isn't very good so he can't be relied upon in an up-tempo no-huddle offense. Pitta gives the Colts a good option, but this is the weakest point of a powerful offense.
Will Hamilton be back for 2018?
Offensive Coordinator : The 2016 Colts offense was transcendant, and yes they had Andrew Luck, but teams were beating down the doors to interview Pep Hamilton for a head coaching job. Based on the vacancies there weren't any appealing options, and ownership offered Hamilton a respectable raise through the end of this season. Hamilton's contract expires at the end of this season, along with Pagano and DC Greg Manusky, so they team will need to lock them all up with an extension if they don't want him leaving after the season. This is going to hang over the team all season, it would be better for the team to resolve it as early as possible.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
ARLINGTON - The NFL Draft made it's trip to Dallas this year thanks to the gracious efforts of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The draft took place at AT&T Stadium, the first football stadium to host the event, and over twenty thousand fans made the trip. With the Colts crushing the season and free agency they headed into the draft with a short list of needs.
The Atlanta Falcons made Nebraska QB Ron Milliner the #1 overall pick, and the Buffalo Bills made Miami C Terry Brown the #2 pick. Indianapolis was trying to trade up for Brown, but ultimately the price was too high. The story of the Colts draft was trading out of the 2017 draft and into the 2018 draft with three separate trades that left them with only four selections. With no DT or TE with a 1st round grade left GM Phil Emery sent the 32nd pick to Dallas, who selected Missouri QB Khris Bloom, in exchange for a 1st & 3rd round pick in 2018. Emery also sent their 6th rounder to New Orleans for a 5th round pick in 2018 and their 7th round selection to Seattle for their 6th round selection in 2018.
While this draft was a snooze for Colts fans they will head into the 2018 draft with a whopping 13 picks thanks to the Donald Thomas trade with Pittsburgh. Their haul includes two picks in every round but the 2nd, if they can't fill their roster needs next year they might kick Emery out the door.
| 2017 NFL Draft - Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | Ht | Wt |
| 1 (32) | Traded to DAL | ||||
| 2 (64) | Tanner Farrell | Florida A&M | MLB | 6'-2" | 240 |
| 3 (96) | Charlie Harris | California | HB | 5'-11" | 220 |
| 4 (128) | Domonic Cosby | Rutgers | FS | 6'-1" | 195 |
| 5 (160) | Jamerson Ogeltree | Clemson | CB | 6'-0" | 190 |
| 6 (192) | Traded to NO | ||||
| 7 (224) | Traded to SEA | ||||
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Best Pick(s) : Trading the 32nd pick to Dallas, MLB Tanner Farrell
With all of the best OL and DT prospects taken the trade with Dallas nets a 1st and 3rd rounder for next year. Chances are the Cowboys will not be one of the top teams in the NFL next year, so the Colts are looking at two good 1st round picks next year. Farrell flew under the radar during the season, but he wowed scouts during the combine and interviewed well. After reviewing his game film more and more teams became interested in the Florida A&M player and Indianapolis made him the first FCS player taken in the draft. He has elite size and good speed, shows sound fundamentals and looks well above average in pass coverage. If Farrell had been a Power 5 player he could have made it into the 1st round.
Worst Pick(s) : FS Domonic Cosby, CB Jamerson Ogeltree
With the Colts playing more and more Dime/Quarters coverage grabbing some secondary depth seems like a good idea. The problem is that Cosby will be a backup at best with Branch Daniels firmly seated in the starter position, that pick could have been better used on a DT. Ogeltree certainly looks interesting on paper, with good size and elite speed, but his coverage skills and footwork aren't nearly as sharp as scouts had hoped. His time at Clemson was unremarkable, and his time with Indianapolis could be the same. He will start off 5th on the CB depth chart with little chance of seeing much playing time outside of special teams. Again, this pick would have been better used on a DT.
Sleeper Pick(s) : HB Charlie Harris
It might be a stretch to say that a 3rd round pick is really a sleeper, but the Colts expect big things out of the Cal running back. Scouts and team execs were all over the place on Harris, with one scout comparing him to Jamaal Charles and another worrying that he could be a system product. While Harris didn't crack 1000 rushing yards in the Bear Raid offense, his elite speed and soft hands helped him finish 4th on the team in receiving yards (553) and receptions (50). Ultimately the Colts are looking for more versatility out of the backfield, and Harris should give them exactly that.
Draft Grade : B
While the Colts managed to get some good players, they really whiffed on filling team needs. They failed to draft a TE or a DT, which means they are going to be looking for someone off the scrap heap during camp. They also needed to add OL depth, which they didn't do, but they did add some depth at secondary. After a massive wave of free agent signings this team won't have any glaring openings, so trading back so many times makes sense for the future. Charlie Harris could be a real steal and break the cycle of signing guys to short deals to fill out the HB depth chart. Ultimately this class is more about setting up the 2018 draft.
Friday, May 29, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - After basically taking a year off and saving on cap space GM Phil Emery came out swinging after putting together a Superbowl winning team. If the Colts could afford to do nothing and still win it all, again, it's frightening to think about what could happen in 2017 after making a huge splash in free agency.
PRE-FREE AGENCY NEGOTIATIONS
Technically the biggest signing happened before someone could become a free agent as Andrew Luck agreed to a massive extension that will leave Colts fans happy for years to come. Luck agreed to a 7-yes $225 million deal that should see him spend the rest of his career in Indianapolis, easily the best signing of the year.
Not to be overlooked, but Khalil Holmes also signed a long term deal, although for much less money than Luck, but 6-years for $35.9 million is a good deal for one of the best centers in football. With Indianapolis sporting the best offensive line in the league it made sense to lock up their leader and captain.
OLB Bjoern Werner also agreed to a long term deal, 4-years for $8.8 million, which seems to indicate that management is happy with him for the long run.
Some of Emery's spending was fueled by who the Colts decided not to bring back. A number of players were informed that they would not receive offers, and the Colts roster will look very different this year. FS LaRon Landry, DT Terrance Knighton, MLB Kelvin Sheppard, TE Jacob Tamme, OLB Erik Walden, DE Ricky-Jean Francois, HB Justin Forsett, and HB Marcus Lattimore were allowed to hit the open market.
FREE AGENCY
While Emery came out swinging, he didn't spend blindly or fight for the big names. In fact, the Colts landed a number of deal by laying low and seeing how the market played out. The first domino to fall was SS Johnathan Cyprien, mostly because the market was so overheated for pass defenders, and Emery managed to land him for 3-years and $15 million. That looks great considering that SS J.J. Wilcox (5-year $42 million) was scooped up by Buffalo, FS Tyrann Mathieu (6-year $43 million) went back to Arizona, and FS Kenny Vaccaro (5-year $56 million) landed a princely sum with Washington.
Indianapolis also landed MLB Manti Te'o on a very nice deal, 4-years for $8.5 million, that helped give the Colts one of the most solid LB corps in the NFL. The CB market also saw a number of teams fighting fiercely over big names, Darrelle Revis landed in San Diego for a whopping 1-year $10 million deal and Miami went all out on Desmond Trufant to the tune of $58 million over 5 years. This allowed the Colts to swoop in and sign Dee Milliner for a pittance at 4-years $8 million.
The final pieces came on offense near the end of the first week of free agency. With most teams out of cap space, the Colts were free to swoop in on some under appreciated players. The biggest grab was WR Keenan Allen (5-year $25 million), who will provide the Colts with a big body receiver to compliment T.Y. Hilton. Emery also added WR Terrence Williams, Kelvin Benjamin, and HB Ronnie Hillman on cap-friendly deal.
With so much quality spending going on, it looks like there won't be much pressure on management to find starters in the draft. While it would have been good to find a long term solution at DT, this team looks to be so good it won't matter.
Friday, May 8, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - January 31th, 2017
AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX
| Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Jan 31, 2017 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Philadelphia Eagles (#1 13-3, 7-1 Away) | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Indianapolis Colts (#1 15-1, 7-1 Home) | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 311YDS, 2TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 21CAR, 90YDS, TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 9REC, 118YDS, TD
ARLINGTON - The wait for this Superbowl could not have been more painful for everyone involved. From the media circus surrounding Chip Kelly to the looming scowl of Jerry Jones, this game had everything the fans and media could possibly want. A rematch of last year would feature the league's best QB, and arguably best player in Andrew Luck, and two of the best offenses in football.
Despite all of the speculation and chest beating on both sides, with the media making this game out as an even match, the gambling community was not sold. Indianapolis would come into the game a whopping 18.5 point favorite, just barely breaking the record set in 1994 during Superbowl XXIX. San Francisco went into their game against San Diego as an 18 point favorite and trounced the Chargers 49-26 to cover. Considering the way Indianapolis has been playing it's surprising that Vegas didn't go to 21 points or more.
Even though the Colts boasted a truly legendary offense and a very good defense, if not an elite one, they would come face to face with their biggest weakness; the receiving HB. LeSean McCoy might not burn the Colts on the ground, but he would definitely cause issues with underneath routes and matchups with their linebackers. Containing McCoy and limiting the deep passes would be the Colts' key to victory.
Luck was not going to lose this game.
As it turned out, and most expected it, the Colts didn't need to contain McCoy to win this one. The battle between Nick Foles and Luck was closer to bringing a knife to a gunfight for the Eagles. Right out of the gate Luck established himself and the Colts offense after the Eagles managed an opening drive TD run by McCoy.
Luck took his time and used the ground game to create easy pass completions, and the Eagles had no answer. From the start of the game the Colts sapped the clock, and the Eagles just couldn't do anything about it. Indianapolis used a FG and two 2nd quarter TD's, a run and a pass to Da'Rick Rogers, to head into halftime with a 17-7 lead.
Defensively, the Colts were suffocating, and it turned into an incredible game for Donavon Browning. Browning enjoyed one-on-one matchups off the edge as the Eagles focused on Vontaze Burfict coming from outside and inside blitzes. Browning knocked Foles down after pass completions and started turning those into sacks.
Indianapolis added an 8 yard strike to T.Y. Hilton to go up 24-7 before the Eagles could come back with a 42 yard Nick Novak FG. Philadelphia started off the 4th with a promising drive, but Chip Kelly rolled the dice once too many. Facing 4th & 1 on the Colts 35 they went for it and McCoy was stoned for a loss.
Daniels' 4th quarter INT ends the Eagles chances at coming back.
Foles came out gunning for the endzone, trying to make it more respectable, but Branch Daniels picked off a deep pass to close the door on Philadelphia's chances at covering. Indianapolis salted away the rest of the clock and clinched their second straight Superbowl victory.
Superbowl MVP Browning celebrates the Colts victory.
Foles wasn't terrible, though he was very accurate in finishing 24/26, but when you line up against Luck you need to be great or you're going to lose. Foles was not great and Luck was, but it wasn't helpful having Browning in his face all game. The Eagles' offensive line could not cope with the aggressive attack dialed up by Pagano, and when Foles wasn't being sacked he was getting hurried. This helped the Colts keep the Eagles from throwing the ball deep, allowing Indianapolis' corners to play press coverage and keep an eye on the bubble screens.
LeSean McCoy did exactly what you might expect, finishing with 8 receptions for 61 yards to go along with his 66 on the ground, but he was overshadowed by the punishing Colts run game.
Even with Luck and the offense having a great game, the NFL couldn't ignore Browning's 5 sack game and named him Superbowl MVP. Indianapolis are the first back-to-back Superbowl winners since the 04-05 New England Patriots and get to join the elusive group of repeat winners that includes Denver (98-99), Dallas (93-94), San Francisco (89-90), Pittsburgh (79-80, 75-76), Miami (73-74), and Green Bay (67-68). Now the task turns to being the first to win three in a row.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
HONOLULU - The Pro Bowl returns to Hawaii, and boy do the Colts need the time to rest. With a match up against Philadelphia looming, and practically the entire Colts offense here, they wouldn't have too much time to have fun.
OFFENSE
QB Andrew Luck
HB Shayn Ramsey
WR T.Y. Hilton
WR Cecil Shorts III
WR Da'Rick Rogers
LT Anthony Castonzo
LG Jack Mewhort
C Khalid Holmes
RG Brandon Fusco
RT Wayne Vega
DEFENSE
DE Donavon Browning
DT Terrance Knighton
OLB Vontaze Burfict
P Pat McAfee
The usual suspects for Indianapolis with Andrew Luck the top vote getter in the NFL. The offense has been beyond dominant all season, perhaps even transcendent, and every position but TE is represented.
Browning and Burfict were expected, they have really risen to the challenge this year, but Knighton was a bit of a surprise for a team with DT issues. He earned the trip, but it's doubtful he'll be back next year.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - January 17th, 2017
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Jan 17, 2017 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Denver Broncos (#2 14-2, 6-2 Away) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Indianapolis Colts (#1 15-1, 7-1 Home) | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 278YDS, 3TD
Rushing : J. Forsett (IND) - 19CAR, 123YDS, TD
Receiving : D. Rogers (IND) - 6REC, 105YDS, TD
INDIANAPOLIS - After thumping the Ravens the Colts turned their attention to getting back to the Superbowl, but more importantly they were looking for revenge. After starting the season 0-1 with a loss to the Broncos, followed by 16 straight wins, this team was very motivated to show Denver this wasn't the same team they beat in Week 1.
The Broncos would come into this game pumped up as well, they did finish 14-2, but if they had any idea how hard the Colts would punch them in the mouth they might have been a little less enthusiastic. This game was an outright beating almost from the start, and the Broncos defense would be left flat on their back begging for mercy.
Indianapolis made it 14-0 after the 1st quarter on two Shayn Ramsey TD runs, and boy did the Colts run today. Ramsey and Justin Forsett teamed up to steamroll the Broncos for 223 yards combined. Andrew Luck hit Jacob Tamme, Da'Rick Rogers, and T.Y. Hilton in the 2nd quarter to head into the break up 35-0.
Luck didn't have to do much to win this one.
Denver really should have stayed in the locker room, but there was still another half of football to play. The Broncos offense was just about as bad as their defense, with Zac Dysert being accurate but unable to move the ball down field. John Fox stuck to his game plan and kept running Montee Ball, but despite having a decent outing (14 carries for 71 yards) they just couldn't get a 1st down.
Indianapolis made it 42-0 with a Forsett TD run on their first possession of the 2nd half, and the game was pretty much over. Dysert showed some life when he hit Demaryius Thomas for a 58 yard TD, but by that point it was much too late.
The Colts hit coach Chuck Pagano with a bucket of blue Gatorade midway through the 4th quarter as most of the starters stood around looking pleased on the sidelines. The Colts would wait patiently for the Eagles-Seahawks score to see who they would face in the Superbowl.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - January 10th, 2017
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Jan 10, 2017 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Baltimore Ravens (#4 11-5, 5-3 Away) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Indianapolis Colts (#1 15-1, 7-1 Home) | 14 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 44 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 292YDS, TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 26CAR, 146YDS, TD
Receiving : T.Y. Hilton (IND) - 7REC, 100YDS
INDIANAPOLIS - The Ravens took care of business at home last week, and the media played up the 'Nobody believes in us' angle along with the players, but it didn't take long to see why nobody believed in them. Despite being a balanced team with an excellent coach, the Ravens were almost literally run out of the building.
While Andrew Luck has an easy day, going 28/30 with only one TD, the Ravens front seven lived out a four quarter nightmare. Shayn Ramsey and Justin Forsett split carries pretty evenly, and at one point it seemed like anyone could run behind the Colts offensive line. If it wasn't for a surprising 99 yard kickoff return by rookie CB Chris Lindley the Ravens would have gone into the half down 27-0 with little to no hope of winning.
The Ravens couldn't stop the run at all.
The Indianapolis defense just ate the Ravens alive, and they couldn't get 1st downs to keep drives going. Joe Flacco only attempted 12 passes and failed to pass for over 150 yards. The sad Ravens offense, with Ray Rice getting destroyed, only managed 33 yards on the ground. Thanks to 7 sacks, 3 by Terrance Knighton, the Ravens totalled 84 passing yards. When the dust had settled Ramsey and Forsett combined for 246 yards and 3TD on 48 carries.
Top to bottom, this game was a beating, and whoever gets to play the Colts in the AFC title game is going to have their hands full.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts are once again waiting it out during the first round of the playoffs with a well deserved BYE. The time off allowed the Colts to celebrate a little bit more once again as the awards and accolades rolled in.
Nobody was surprised, even though he was humble enough to say that he thought Aaron Rodgers would win, but Andrew Luck brought home his third straight MVP award. Luck finished the season with a new NFL record in passing yards, 6756, beating his own record set in 2015. He also threw 54TD passes, another record that bested his mark of 44 in 2015. It really couldn't have been anyone else, he has truly taken the reigns as the best player in the NFL.
Luck's assault on the record books will be going for years and years.
Not to be overlooked, but Chuck Pagano won his second Coach Of The Year award and puts himself in a position to get a hefty contract extension. While the offense got most of the headlines, the Colts defense held it's own as one of the best in the NFL. Pagano and DC Greg Manusky have done quite a job with a very talented unit.
Indianapolis also landed the Offensive Player Of The Year (Luck), Offensive Rookie Of The Year (HB Shayn Ramsey), Defensive Rookie Of The Year (CB Kian Sampson), and the Defensive Lineman Of The Year (Donavon Browning).
Wildcard Scores
#3 New England 29 - #6 Houston 23
#4 Baltimore 25 - #5 San Diego 22
#3 Seattle 31 - #6 Arizona 28
#4 Tampa Bay 19 - #5 San Francisco 26
Aside from the 49ers upset of Tampa Bay every game was close. The Ravens earn the honor of traveling to Lucas Oil Stadium and trying to stop the most prolific offense in the history of the NFL.
Friday, March 6, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - October 30th, 2016
Paul Brown Stadium - Cincinnati, OH
| Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals | |||||
| Oct 30, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (15-1, 8-0 Away) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (6-10, 3-5 Home) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 342YDS, 4TD
Rushing : J. Forsett (IND) - 19CAR, 116YDS, TD
Receiving : C. Shorts III (IND) - 5REC, 138YDS, TD
CINCINNATI - The final week of the regular season is finally here and the AFC playoffs race is coming down to the wire for just about every team involved. Thanks to the Colts opening week loss to the Broncos, they would be under pressure to win this week. Every single team, even ones that had already clinched a spot, could change seeds with a loss today. With four teams in the running for the wildcard slots, there would be an enormous amount of pressure to win today.
| NFL Standings - Updated: Oct 30, 2016 | |||
| AFC EAST | W | L | T |
| Y-New England | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| AFC NORTH | W | L | T |
| Y-Baltimore | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| AFC SOUTH | W | L | T |
| Y-Indianapolis | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| AFC WEST | W | L | T |
| Y-Denver | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| AFC WILD CARD RACE | W | L | T |
| Cleveland | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| NY Jets | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| San Diego | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| Houston | 8 | 6 | 1 |
The Colts don't really do second gear, and even though they just had to win they blew out the hapless Bengals. The few Colts fans that braved the trip to Cincinnati could be seen waving 'Bungles' signs in the stands, and Indianapolis certainly made them look right.
The Bengals secondary just killed them today, allowing Andrew Luck to pass for 342 yards and 4TD on a simple 20/26. Their weakness was giving up massive amounts of yards to Cecil Shorts III and T.Y. Hilton, who combined for 13 receptions and a whopping 275 yards. Indianapolis opened the scoring with a 77 yard TD to Shorts that started as a 5 yard out, and the Bengals just couldn't tackle him.
The Colts poured it on in the first half with three TD passes, one to Shorts and two to Hilton, before Cincinnati could get on the board with a 9 yard strike to TE Tyler Eifert. The Bengals went into the locker room with their heads down, and they probably should have just stayed in there for the second half.
Marcus Lattimore made it 28-7 with a 1 yard TD run, and then the Bengals really lost their motivation. Gio Bernard went down with a high ankle sprain and left the game, clearly draining the Bengals of their spirit. Things only got worse in the 4th when the Colts made it 42-7, and then Andy Dalton left the game with a chest injury. Rookie QB Kain Jackson came in and hit Eifert for his second TD of the game, but it was too little too late.
Ramsey had a short day, but he had an incredible rookie season.
It wasn't all that surprising to see Dalton get injured, Indianapolis totalled nine sacks during the game. Dalton could barely snap the ball before Vontaze Burfict and D'Qwell Jackson were in his face, both players nabbed three sacks. To add insult it injury, Hilton was swamped on the sidelines in the closing minutes as teammates and coaching staff congratulated him on a stunning record breaking season. Hilton would walk out of the game with 2107 receiving yards, crushing Calvin Johnson's record of 1964.
The win clinches the #1 seed in the playoffs, and with so many of the wildcard teams playing night games the Colts will have to sit back and see who their potential opponents will be in two weeks.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - October 23rd, 2016
LP Field - Nashville, TN
| Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans | |||||
| Oct 23, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (14-1, 7-0 Away) | 14 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 56 |
| Tennessee Titans (2-13, 2-6 Home) | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Top Performers
Passing : R. Fitzpatrick (TEN) - 358YDS, 3TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 16CAR, 163YDS, 2TD
Receiving : J. Kearse (TEN) - 8REC, 120YDS, 2TD
NASHVILLE - With a playoff spot already in hand it all comes down to style points with only two games left. Thanks to Denver's 12-2 record coming into this week Indianapolis will have to keep it's foot on the pedal to grab that #1 seed. The Titans are probably happy to be on the wrong end of the Colts playoff run, the top pick in the draft would really help them rebuild.
There wasn't all that much in terms of entertainment today, unless you like seeing a superior team completely demolish a weak opponent. Andrew Luck barely had to throw the ball, going 20/25, to rack up 300 yards of passing. This game was all about the Colts punishing ground attack, and it certainly punished the Titans.
Ryan Fitzpatrick did his best, throwing for over 300 yards with 3TD, but the Titans couldn't run the ball themselves and spent most of the second half suffering through three-and-out possessions. Despite putting 24 points on the board, a worrisome sign for the Colts defense, the Titans were never really in this game.
A brick wall couldn't stop the Indianapolis ground game.
Shayn Ramsey and Justin Forsett combined for an eye popping 291 yards on 33 carries, and at no point did the Titans seem like they could stop them. Part of the problem was stopping the run while covering the Colts wideouts. This issue helped T.Y. Hilton join Luck in the history books with a modest 58 receiving yards. Hilton ended the game with 1970 receiving yards on the season which passes Calvin Johnson's record of 1964. With one game left a 2000 yard receiving season isn't out of the question.
The Colts head to Cincinnati for the final game of the regular season, a win would clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Monday, March 2, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - October 16th, 2016
Lambeau Field - Green Bay, WI
| Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers | |||||
| Oct 16, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (13-1, 6-0 Away) | 10 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 41 |
| Green Bay Packers (10-3-1, 6-1 Home) | 3 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 401YDS, 3TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 29CAR, 91YDS, 2TD
Receiving : D. Rogers (IND) - 10REC, 166YDS
GREEN BAY - Heavy winds and an early winter cheer did little to lessen the Colts' spirits this week. With Houston's tie in Week 14 the Colts clinched the AFC South and yet another division title. After weeks of soft opponents that seemed to melt in the face of Indianapolis' red hot offense, playing the 10-2-1 Packers would be a real test of their title mettle.
The teams traded long field goals to open the scoring before Andrew Luck extended his own record with a 10 yard TD pass to T.Y Hilton. The swirling winds proved to be an issue all game, and the Packers seemed to know it. Green Bay did it's best to halt the Colts' running game, hoping that the wind would act like a 12th man against the passing game.
Aaron Rodgers tied things up with a 5 yard scramble in the 2nd quarter, but the Colts took over and asserted themselves as usual. Two TD passes, including a 45 yarder to Cecil Shorts III, and a short TD run by Ramsey put Indianapolis up 31-10. Green Bay managed a scoring drive before the end of the half, but they were clearly reeling on defense.
Both head coaches did their homework, with Mike McCarthy getting the slight edge by attempting a 47 yard FG, but neither team put up any points during the 3rd quarter.
Luck continues his run at a third MVP trophy.
Indianapolis tried to rely on the running game to close things out, but the Packers really made it hard to move the ball on the ground. Ramsey did find the endzone early in the 4th, but it was nearly all Green Bay going forward. Rodgers was deadly, but he continued to run the ball which gave the Colts defense problems all game. Two straight drives ended in TD runs, one of them Jonathan Stewart's second of the game, and suddenly the Packers were only down by a TD.
Despite relatively close offensive stats, in the end it was Luck's passing and a clock eating final drive that put this game away. A short FG with less than a minute left put Indianapolis up by 10, and it would finish that way.
With a playoff spot already locked up and two sub .500 teams left, including the league's worst team (Tennessee), a #1 seed is firmly within grasp.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
| NFL Standings - Updated: Oct 16, 2016 | |||
| NFC EAST | W | L | T |
| Philadelphia-Y | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| NY Giants | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Dallas | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Washington | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| NFC NORTH | W | L | T |
| Green Bay | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Chicago | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Detroit | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| NFC SOUTH | W | L | T |
| New Orleans | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Carolina | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| NFC WEST | W | L | T |
| Seattle | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| San Francisco | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Arizona | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Toronto | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| AFC EAST | W | L | T |
| New England | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| NY Jets | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Miami | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Buffalo | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| AFC NORTH | W | L | T |
| Baltimore | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Cleveland | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Cincinnati | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| AFC SOUTH | W | L | T |
| Indianapolis | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Houston | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Jacksonville | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| AFC WEST | W | L | T |
| Denver | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| San Diego | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Oakland | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 3 | 9 | 0 |
Monday, February 16, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - October 9th, 2016
Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City, MO
| Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs | |||||
| Oct 9, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Indianapolis Colts (12-1, 5-0 Away) | 14 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 52 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (3-10, 3-4 Home) | 0 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 456YDS, 4TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 31CAR, 174YDS, TD
Receiving : D. Rogers (IND) - 7REC, 165YDS, 2TD
KANSAS CITY - The excitement in Indianapolis started well before their trip to vaunted Arrowhead Stadium. The team announced early this week that Khaled Holmes had been signed to a 5-year $25 million contract extension which further solidifies the Colts offensive line. The week would end with Andrew Luck shattering an NFL record that many thought could not be done, and the hapless Chiefs did little to stop him.
The Chiefs did not come in to this game with much chance of winning, but they do sport a solid Home record despite being 3-9 with all three of their wins coming at Arrowhead. Unfortunately for them, poor CB Marcus Cooper would be on the spot all game long. Shayn Ramsey would start the scoring with a 1 yard TD run, and then things started to get out of hand. With Indianapolis pinned on it's own 7 yard line, Cooper would get burned by Cecil Shorts III for an 88 yard pass that would turn into a 5 yard TD pass to T.Y. Hilton.
Rogers' big day helped Luck on his way to history.
Kansas City would show some life in the 2nd quarter with both teams trading off long TD passes. First Dwayne Bowe turned in a 44 yard TD, then Da'Rick Rogers bested him with a 69 yarder for his second TD of the quarter. The Chiefs followed up with a 55 yard TD pass to rookie T.J. Landry and suddenly Alex Smith was looking pretty good.
The Colts did their thing in the 2nd half, almost completely shutting down the Chiefs defense while running them over and putting more points on the board. Though victory seems to have come with a price as FS Branch Daniels left the game with a shoulder strain. Early reports are positive, but he did not return to the game.
When the clock hit 0:00 at the end of the 4th Luck was now holding an NFL record 5688 passing yards, which easily eclipsed Peyton Manning's mark of 5477. It's even more frightening considering that there are three more games left in the season which should give Luck a chance to put that record out of reach. The Colts offense has been more like a nuclear option this season, with the team regularly putting up unthinkable amounts of yards and points. There is already chatter of Pep Hamilton being a top head coach candidate at the end of the season.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR (COLTS DYNASTY REPORT)
1:00PM ET - November 29th, 2016
Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
| Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts | |||||
| Nov 29, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Tennessee Titans (2-10, 0-6 Away) | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Indianapolis Colts (11-1, 7-1 Home) | 7 | 21 | 10 | 21 | 59 |
Top Performers
Passing : A. Luck (IND) - 504YDS, 6TD
Rushing : S. Ramsey (IND) - 22CAR, 167YDS, TD
Receiving : D. Rogers (IND) - 6REC, 166YDS, TD
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts fourth straight home game would also be their last before the playoffs, it's starting to look more and more like Indianapolis will be in the running for a #1 seed. The Titans are terrible, and things aren't helped by starting a rookie under center, but Indianapolis put on a scoring clinic today.
Andrew Luck only needed to complete 28 passes to rack up 504 yards and 6TD. The Titans defense gave up long TD pass after long TD pass. Luck hit TD passes of 24, 25, 31, 44, and 78 yards which helped put Tennessee away and get them closer to the top pick in the draft.
Luck eviscerated the Titans' secondary.
The Titans didn't help themselves, even though rookie QB Dillon Kitchens went 22/28, the Colts tallied a whopping 13 sacks. Donavon Browning put himself on the map with 5 sacks as the right side of the Titans line just didn't have an answer for him. Tennessee managed to pass 300 yards of offense, but it mostly came in the 4th quarter when they were throwing the ball on every down.
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