Yep. The Colts. Sure. Uh huh...

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I hope the Steelers crush the Patriots again. Their fans are becoming very annoying.

Oh for crying out loud. All we've had to deal with is excuse after excuse about why such-and-such team lost that had nothing to do with the Patriots being a good team. Read the posts during the game yesterday and find all the people whining about missed holding calls.

Has a team with this much success ever had to DEFEND their success this much?

I just don't see all these gloating posts you're talking about, the most I've seen are New England fans (including me) asking Colts' fans to just shut up already. We were very gracious after both the Pittsburgh and Dolphins victories, congratulating the other teams on playing superb games. Or is it that we're so gracious that has you so annoyed?

[Franklinnoble]

If the Patriots win the Super Bowl this year, there'll be no living with Boston sports fans.

First, the Sox break the curse, and now, the Patriots (think about that for a minute... the PATRIOTS) are on the brink of becoming a bonafide dynasty.

/*cue R.E.M.'s "It's The End Of The World As We Know It"

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Mine too.

Which is why my immediate & opposite reaction to something else you said really jumped out at me:



Whereas I hope the Steelers beat them by 100 points.

Go figure.

I like the Patriots, but I wanted to see the Colts win one... finally. Either way, I would have wanted either team to beat the Steelers, who had a gift given to them by the Jets. - make that two gifts.

Now that the Rams are out, I really don't have a strong feeling about any team, but I would like to see a Patriots - Eagles matchup.


Todd

[miami_fan]

I know this is going to get my Florida residence revoked and my Dolphins fan club card burned but... but.....I was actually rooting for the Pats. I felt more anger towards Peyton Manning fans over the last two weeks than I have the Pats fans. Notice I did not say Colts fans but Manning fans. Yes he is a great QB. Yes he had a great season. But all the he is the greatest QB in the history of the game/he is the sole reason for the team success etc chat was rather nauseating

[miami_fan]

Oh yeah now that they have beaten the Colts, I could go back to hating, despising the Pats once again.

Go Steelers!

[cody8200]

The loss to thre Patriots yesterday absolutely killed me. I was more into Colts football this year than I have been in 10 years (although I have always been a Colts fan). I watched every second of every game until this one. I just couldnt keep watching. We called thed absolute most conservative game of fricking football ever imaginable. We are the fricking Colts and have one of the best offenses ever. We throw play action after play action and run the ball in between. I didn;t see a single pass for over 20 yards...why!! It doesnt make any frickin sense. We didn't even have play calls for over 20 yards on our passes. Your telling me that 2 of the best WR's in the whole fricking NFL couldnt destroy Troy Brown and Gay out there????? Who knows? We didn't even try. I blame Dungy and if this keeps up next year we will have to fire him.

No excuses for the loss. None worth saying. But I fucking HATE Tom Brady. Maybe its the pretty boy look he always has. Maybe its that he ALWAYS wears that black paint under his eyes. Maybe its that he passes for 5-10 yard passes and slows the game to a crawl. Needless to say I will be rooting for the Steelers as hard as I have been for the Colts now. If they lose I'm prepared to root for any other NFC team too. Ugh, I hate the NFC.

[SirFozzie]

Sorry miami_fan, this is a non-stop bandwagon trip... you know the old song lyric, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave....

Welcome to the Hotel New England Patriots

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by cody8200

But I fucking HATE Tom Brady. Maybe its the pretty boy look he always has. Maybe its that he ALWAYS wears that black paint under his eyes. Maybe its that he passes for 5-10 yard passes and slows the game to a crawl.

I believe the Patriots were among the league leaders this season in yards per attempt. Whatever else you may want to hold against Brady, passing for 5 - 10 yds is not valid.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

I believe the Patriots were among the league leaders this season in yards per attempt. Whatever else you may want to hold against Brady, passing for 5 - 10 yds is not valid.

Not true.

Offensive Passing Leaders
 	NAME	COM	ATT	PCT	YDS	YPG	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SK	SYD	RAT
1	Indianapolis	353	527	67.0	4732	295.8	8.98	80	51	10	14	109	119.7
2	Kansas City	370	561	66.0	4633	289.6	8.26	70	27	17	32	227	94.9
3	Denver	303	521	58.2	4089	255.6	7.85	85	27	20	15	90	84.5
4	Oakland	330	582	56.7	4019	251.2	6.91	63	24	22	30	161	76.1
5	Tennessee	356	589	60.4	3933	245.8	6.68	48	27	19	44	317	82.1
6	New England	293	485	60.4	3750	234.4	7.73	50	29	14	26	162	92.5
7	Houston	286	471	60.7	3547	221.7	7.53	69	16	14	49	301	83.0
8	Cincinnati	324	536	60.4	3520	220.0	6.57	76	23	22	31	219	77.0
9	San Diego	288	450	64.0	3506	219.1	7.79	79	29	8	20	139	102.0
10	Miami	309	586	52.7	3391	211.9	5.79	76	19	26	52	326	62.5
11	Jacksonville	305	513	59.5	3315	207.2	6.46	65	17	11	32	156	80.7
12	NY Jets	282	438	64.4	3231	201.9	7.38	69	19	11	31	181	90.5
13	Cleveland	251	439	57.2	3076	192.3	7.01	99	21	21	41	252	74.9
14	Buffalo	262	461	56.8	3032	189.5	6.58	69	21	17	38	215	76.7
15	Pittsburgh	228	358	63.7	2970	185.6	8.30	58	20	13	36	250	93.2
16	Baltimore	258	465	55.5	2559	159.9	5.50	57	13	11	35	247	70.7

The Pats were like (edit)* 6th in the AFC in YPA.

Not exactly a league leader, in my estimation.

*edit... the chart is ugly. See the source at: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statis...=2004&season=2

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Sorry miami_fan, this is a non-stop bandwagon trip... you know the old song lyric, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave....

Welcome to the Hotel New England Patriots

Fuck the Pats! Bastards! I feel so much cleaner now

[Mr. Wednesday]

6th in YPA by that table (I'm not sure how you got "like 11th" before the edit), but very close to #5 San Diego. The teams that were clearly ahead were Indy, KC, and Pitt, with Denver a bit ahead. It depends on where the NFC teams figure in, I'd be surprised if Minny weren't well ahead in that category, but I wouldn't care to guess on everyone else. Just in the conference, "among the leaders" might have been an overstatement, but they were also a bit above the "pack".

I think my point that they were above being a 5-10 yd dink-and-dunk offense stands, anyway.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

6th in YPA by that table (I'm not sure how you got "like 11th" before the edit), but very close to #5 San Diego. The teams that were clearly ahead were Indy, KC, and Pitt, with Denver a bit ahead. It depends on where the NFC teams figure in, I'd be surprised if Minny weren't well ahead in that category, but I wouldn't care to guess on everyone else. Just in the conference, "among the leaders" might have been an overstatement, but they were also a bit above the "pack".

I think my point that they were above being a 5-10 yd dink-and-dunk offense stands, anyway.

I edited the "11th" thing... I was sorting by the wrong category at first.

I think the Pats can certainly throw the long ball... they just didn't seem to do it yesterday. Then again, neither did the Colts.

Still, overall, I'd classify their offense as more of a "short, safe, high-percentage" approach than anything else.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I edited the "11th" thing... I was sorting by the wrong category at first.

I think the Pats can certainly throw the long ball... they just didn't seem to do it yesterday. Then again, neither did the Colts.

Still, overall, I'd classify their offense as more of a "short, safe, high-percentage" approach than anything else.

had they gone to the long ball yesterday, they'd have played into the Colts kind of game, shootout style. The kind of games the Chiefs would try to play against the Colts. They went conservative and killed the clock. How can Manning hurt them when he's on the bench...

I agree that they are mostly, and usually conservative, but not as much as many people picture them to be...

FM

[Alan T]

The answer is New England is 8th in the NFL in YPA.


Edit: For those curious ...

Indy 8.98
Minn 8.61
Pitt 8.30
KC 8.26
St. L 7.96
Denver 7.85
San D 7.79
New E 7.73

[mgadfly]

An entire discussion about Dome teams (old & new) and not one word about the Seahawks... The world doesn't end at the Rockies.

[Franklinnoble]

My prediction: When the Cardinals move into a dome in 2006, they'll still suck.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by cody8200

No excuses for the loss. None worth saying. But I fucking HATE Tom Brady. Maybe its the pretty boy look he always has. Maybe its that he ALWAYS wears that black paint under his eyes. Maybe its that he passes for 5-10 yard passes and slows the game to a crawl. Needless to say I will be rooting for the Steelers as hard as I have been for the Colts now. If they lose I'm prepared to root for any other NFC team too. Ugh, I hate the NFC.

The man likes to dress well, but I don't think he looks like a pretty boy anymore than Peyton Manning does. Unless you penalize someone simply for being born good looking. And I didn't see the Colts exactly torching the Pats secondary yesterday with long bombs. If my memory serves correctly the Pats threw the only attempted bomb yesterday by either team.

And if you're not a fan of dink and dunk and clock control, what do you think you'll get with Ben R. and a power running game?

[korme]

Originally Posted by LloydLungs

Didn't Esiason quarterback the Bengals in the '89 Super Bowl?

That was funny that Marino was getting pissed, but Boomer is the man, he had a way better season than Marino in '88...

(I got nothin'.)

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I was with you until Cincinnati.

And kill yourself. Fuck you.

[cody8200]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

And I didn't see the Colts exactly torching the Pats secondary yesterday with long bombs. If my memory serves correctly the Pats threw the only attempted bomb yesterday by either team.

And if you're not a fan of dink and dunk and clock control, what do you think you'll get with Ben R. and a power running game?

Yes you say my point exactly. Where the hell were the colts plays that we have used all damn year long. 30, 40 yard passes in the air. We didnt even TRY one. Its not like the secondary was too amazing. We didnt even fricking try. And I've watched a lot of Steelers games...I know they work much the same way...but I dont hate them, just hate the Patriots. You see I a huge fan of Antwaan Randle El (the only good thing about IU football) and his presence alone makes me like the Steelers.

[cody8200]

[quote=Desnudo]The man likes to dress well, but I don't think he looks like a pretty boy anymore than Peyton Manning does. QUOTE]


The pretty boy comes with his haircut...what the hell is that? The same thing David Carr is going with. QB's should have short hair... Anyway guys cant be accurate judges of pretty boyness. Ask a woman, my gf says he is a definite pretty boy (of course she hates Brady too) .

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by cody8200

Yes you say my point exactly. Where the hell were the colts plays that we have used all damn year long. 30, 40 yard passes in the air. We didnt even TRY one. Its not like the secondary was too amazing. We didnt even fricking try. And I've watched a lot of Steelers games...I know they work much the same way...but I dont hate them, just hate the Patriots. You see I a huge fan of Antwaan Randle El (the only good thing about IU football) and his presence alone makes me like the Steelers.

Ditto. Randle El is my favorite WR in the NFL, and I will watch a Steelers game merely to see him play. He is the Anti-Crouch.

[Desnudo]

[quote=cody8200]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

The man likes to dress well, but I don't think he looks like a pretty boy anymore than Peyton Manning does. QUOTE]


The pretty boy comes with his haircut...what the hell is that? The same thing David Carr is going with. QB's should have short hair... Anyway guys cant be accurate judges of pretty boyness. Ask a woman, my gf says he is a definite pretty boy (of course she hates Brady too) .

Not a pretty boy.



Pretty boy.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by cody8200

Yes you say my point exactly. Where the hell were the colts plays that we have used all damn year long. 30, 40 yard passes in the air. We didnt even TRY one. Its not like the secondary was too amazing. We didnt even fricking try. And I've watched a lot of Steelers games...I know they work much the same way...but I dont hate them, just hate the Patriots. You see I a huge fan of Antwaan Randle El (the only good thing about IU football) and his presence alone makes me like the Steelers.

It was very windy and couple that with the Pats playing 2 deep in the secondary and the play is all underneath stuff. That's how you are supposed to attack it.

Remember, the Colts choose the wind in the 3rd quarter and had the ball for only like 2 minutes of the whole quarter.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Not a pretty boy.

What is with Brady's hair these days?

[Desnudo]

I think it's the Hollywood influence from his girlfriend. He need to find a nice conservative New England girl and settle down. His playing stats always go in the dumper whenever he's dating one of those actresses. I swear the Dolphins game was probably because he had an argument with her the night before.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I swear the Dolphins game was probably because he had an argument with her the night before.

I hope they get married.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

If my memory serves correctly the Pats threw the only attempted bomb yesterday by either team.

I don't care one way or another on this (not a fan of either team or of either QB), and I understand what you're getting it, but did you even read the parts of his post (i.e. almost all of it) that WASN'T about Brady?

He spent some serious time bitching about the Colts not choosing to throw the ball long at all. While, yes, there is then some tremendous irony that he ripped the Pats for conservative calling themselves (or for being more successful at it), I mean, seriosuly, how the heck did you miss that? Obviously, he is very aware the Colts didn't throw long.

Read the whole post. Not just the stuff you want to respond to.

CR

[Chief Rum]

dola,

I think someone pissed in my Wheaties, cuz I don't know why I feel that passionate about Desnudo's post. Lots of people on this board don't read entire posts, and make even more egregious errors. But I guess I am not in a forgiving mood right now. Weird.

CR

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

dola,
Wheaties,

CR

I like Wheaties. What? oh sorry didnt read the whole post I guess

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I don't care one way or another on this (not a fan of either team or of either QB), and I understand what you're getting it, but did you even read the parts of his post (i.e. almost all of it) that WASN'T about Brady?

He spent some serious time bitching about the Colts not choosing to throw the ball long at all. While, yes, there is then some tremendous irony that he ripped the Pats for conservative calling themselves (or for being more successful at it), I mean, seriosuly, how the heck did you miss that? Obviously, he is very aware the Colts didn't throw long.

Read the whole post. Not just the stuff you want to respond to.

CR

"Maybe its that he passes for 5-10 yard passes and slows the game to a crawl."

That was the specific comment I was responding to. I thought it was hypocritical to say that when the Colts tried to execute exactly the same strategy. No need to get pissy about it, especially when it wasn't you who was involved in the discussion. Maybe you should change your title to "Post Critic?"

[Chief Rum]

Post Critic. I like the sound of that.

Sorry, Desnudo. I do get pissy about stupid things, though, like when people don't take into consideration an entire post when responding to a specific person.

Maybe next time you rip into codypunk, you could include a sentence that showed you actually read the rest of the post at least.

CR

[Glengoyne]

I really don't think it was the weather that defeated the Colts yesterday. In my estimation it was the Patriots. The Patriots are a better team than the Colts, and it really hasn't mattered where the games were played. Peyton has been equally inadequate against that defense, even when he is at home in the dome. A big part of that is he really doesn't get the ball all that often. The Pats are able to grind the ball along and control the ball with their running game. The Colts defense is much more to blame than Peyton.

As for the conservative passing game...well maybe that was the result of the weather. It was windy, although I don't know how windy. I am sort of assuming that since neither team really aired it out yesterday, and we have established that both teams are among the league leaders in YPA, that the wind might have been the reason.

[Chief Rum]

When was the last time the Pats played the Colts in Indy? I think all three of the last meetings have been in Foxboro.

CR

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Post Critic. I like the sound of that.

Sorry, Desnudo. I do get pissy about stupid things, though, like when people don't take into consideration an entire post when responding to a specific person.

Maybe next time you rip into codypunk, you could include a sentence that showed you actually read the rest of the post at least.

CR

"codypunk, having read the earlier part of your post, I am deciding to ignore it in favor of paying attention to the part that interests me."

How does that sound? No worries, but I still stand by my original comments, having read the first part (again). I don't think I exactly "ripped" into him either.

[McSweeny]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

When was the last time the Pats played the Colts in Indy? I think all three of the last meetings have been in Foxboro.

CR

they beat them last year in Indy

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

"codypunk, having read the earlier part of your post, I am deciding to ignore it in favor of paying attention to the part that interests me."

How does that sound? No worries, but I still stand by my original comments, having read the first part (again). I don't think I exactly "ripped" into him either.

Yup, that would work.

Although failing to mention that he himself pointed out what you so astutely want to "point out" to him still seems pretty odd.

I would instead note the irony of his contrary viewpoints on the two offenses, rather than telling him something he clearly already knows.

CR

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by McSweeny

they beat them last year in Indy

Hmm, even as small a difference as that, I think, is significant. I don't think this year's Colts team is the anywhere near the same as last year's.

Of course, the Pats also improved with Dillon, so who knows? Would love to see the Pats try and beat them in Indy, though, with the cxurrent teams. Pretty sure the score wouldn't end up 20-3 (for either team).

CR

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by mgadfly

An entire discussion about Dome teams (old & new) and not one word about the Seahawks... The world doesn't end at the Rockies.

Don't be silly. Everyone knows it ends at the Mississippi

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Hmm, even as small a difference as that, I think, is significant. I don't think this year's Colts team is the anywhere near the same as last year's.

Of course, the Pats also improved with Dillon, so who knows? Would love to see the Pats try and beat them in Indy, though, with the cxurrent teams. Pretty sure the score wouldn't end up 20-3 (for either team).

CR

My guess it would be something closer to the 27-24 game earlier this year when it was 73 degrees outside. Out of all the games these teams have had recently, this was definitly the one that was the most of a blow out. The previous ones all seemed to have gone down to the wire with some fluke play making the difference.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Yup, that would work.

Although failing to mention that he himself pointed out what you so astutely want to "point out" to him still seems pretty odd.

I would instead note the irony of his contrary viewpoints on the two offenses, rather than telling him something he clearly already knows.

CR

I'm crazy like that.

[primelord]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I don't think domes have anything to do with it. What I do think is a factor is the inability of "warm weather" teams to consistently win in the elements. Dome teams qualify as warm weather teams. Tampa Bay was notorious for that until they won the Super Bowl. I remember some stat where they had never won in their entire team history, playoff or otherwise, when the temperature was below 42 degrees. See the Dolphins in Foxboro in December every year, which is why they switched the games up.

Anyone who ever played any kind of sport in adverse conditions, peewee football or whatever, knows that you adapt to your environment.

Again I don't completely agree with this though. While the dome teams and warm weather teams do tend to play worse in the cold weather there is another common theme aside fromt he weather. They are all road games. And not surprisingly ALL teams play worse as whole on the road. It's just as easy to go point out that on a whole teams who don't play in a dome don't play as well when they are in a dome compared to whent hey are at home.

Again I think the bigger factor here is teams playing on the road compared to teams playing in the elements.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

I will respond only to some of what I have seen:

1) Indy simply does not have the personnel (over a 53 man squad) or the coaching to beat the Pats, but on a very few occasions. And this will not change because Indy has decided to put their entire payroll into Manning, Harrison, and probably James (faced with blowing a Kajillion on Manning and sacrificing the rest of the team, I would have let him walk into free agency);

2) Defense ALWAYS wins championships (which does not bode well for Indy's future -- see #1 above)

3) If you think the Pats of the last 2 years (especially this year) is a dink and dunk offense, you have no clue. They throw deep (and mid-range) and often. Anyways, when did throwing the ball 5-10 yards get a bad name anyways?

4) The Pats probably have the best 5 receiver squad (depth wise) in the NFL (I threw that one as a bonus)

5) The winner of the Pats/Steelers game will win the turnover battle (not too original, but key to this game)

That's it.