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osk
StatFox Hall Of Famer
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 4175
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Al McMordie
Indianapolis Colts--3*
"Don't give up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" --Jimmy Valvano
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12-18-06 10:05 PM |
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osk
StatFox Hall Of Famer
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 4175
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Wayne Root
Indianapolis Colts--Millionaire Club
"Don't give up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" --Jimmy Valvano
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12-18-06 10:26 PM |
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osk
StatFox Hall Of Famer
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 4175
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Ron Meyer
Indianapolis Colts--Monday Night Football GOY
"Don't give up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" --Jimmy Valvano
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12-18-06 10:26 PM |
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osk
StatFox Hall Of Famer
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 4175
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Marc Lawrence
Indianapolis Colts--5* Playbook GOY
"Don't give up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" --Jimmy Valvano
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12-18-06 10:30 PM |
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osk
StatFox Hall Of Famer
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 4175
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Phil Steele
Indianapolis Colts
Okay, this one bothers me because I hate being on the same side as Phil Steele. He's been awful this season!
"Don't give up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" --Jimmy Valvano
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12-18-06 10:32 PM |
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cisco
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 8898
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30 DIME
Cincinnati Bengals
10 DIME
Oklahoma State
Note:
Wow. If's and butt's, if they were candy and nuts, we would all have a merry christmas.
Sometimes this business will break your heart and bring you to your knees and other times it will give you a high that will take you to the heavens.
Yesterday, I experienced both.
My top play as you all know was the Bills, a complete domination as perfectly analyzed. As soon as they went up 14-0, I was on cloud 9 and quickly switched over to pull in the Ravens.
Well, I was quickly brought down to earth when the Browns tied it at 17 only to watch the Ravens go deep and make it 24-17. Ok, may have a shot here.
Then, with just over 3 minutes to go and 1st and goal at the Browns 6, they run Jamaal Lewis to the 1, setting up 2nd and goal at the 1.
They run him into the line for no gain on 2nd down and try a QB draw with Boller on 3rd and goal from the 2 and settle for the field goal.
I knew right then, it was not destined to be my day yesterday.
In the afternoon, we saw what happened to the Cardinals, just flat out the wrong side, no qualms about that.
The icing on the cake was what happened in the Chiefs game down 7-3 early in the 2nd quarter. KC blocks the punt at the Chargers 10 yard line and the ball carrys past the line of scrimmage.
Instead of falling on it, the KC player tries to pick it up and run it in, he fumbles, the Chargers recover and get a new set of downs and LT reels off an 85 yard TD run on the very next play and for all intense and purposes, the cover, regardless of all the squandered opportunities KC had the rest of the way.
All told, a 1-3 day that could have very easily been a 3-1 day, a 5th straight winning week and all is well in the world.
However, somethings just aren't meant to be and you have to accept that and just move forward. If you came on board the last few days I understand your frustration, believe me, you have no idea how frustrated I feel from Sunday.
I guess "unsatisfied" would be the best way to explain it.
The best analogy would be you won the lotto along with 25 other people but were 1 number away from 100 million.
So that is all I have to say about Sunday. As I said on the outside, you can never be unhappy with back to back winning days with #3 in a row staring us in the face tonight.
Oh, but what could have been.
BENGALS
Now, I am not a head coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL, although I should be considering the stupidity I witness on a consistent basis.
So with that said, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize what the key is for Cincy to win this game tonight.
RUN THE FOOTBALL - MOVE THE CHAINS - WIN TIME OF POSSESSION
KEEP INDY OFFENSE OFF FIELD - LIMIT THEIR OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES
The Colts just gave up 375 yards on the ground in Week 12 of the NFL. Their run defense is getting worse as the season is progressing, not getting better. That is what happens when you are last in the league at stopping the run.
You see, teams are supposed to improve as the season wears on, not get worse. That is the case with these two teams tonight.
Then Bengals have gotten healthy and have been getting progressively better the last 5 weeks.
I actually take you back to the Charger game at home, a game they jumped out to a 28-7 lead only to get caught up in the helter skelter comeback of San Diego in the 2nd half and lost a shootout.
They didn't stay down about blowing that 3 touchdown lead in that game. Instead, they came away with a renewed confidence and it has shown.
They have reeled off 4 in a row in all dominant efforts. At New Orleans 31-16, at Cleveland 30-0, Ravens at home 13-7 and the Raiders 27-10 in a game that should have been 45-10.
I want you people to really understand something right now. You can't be an elite team in the NFL if you can't stop the run. It is not going to happen.
Indy is bottoming out and that is the exact reason why. They can't put teams away because they don't have the ball. That is the reason why in their last 5 games, they were lucky to win 2 of them.
They struggled to beat Buffalo 17-16, lost to Dallas 21-14, beat a Philly team that can't stop the run themselves, then lost the last 2 weeks to Tennessee and Jacksonville, both of whom did exactly as I stated above, ran the ball right down their throat and beat them.
Indy is in trouble folks. Big trouble and there is nothing they could have possibly have done in the last 7 days since the J'ville game to correct their problems.
Seriously, let me put into perspective what happens to a team that gives up 375 yards on the ground in week 12 of the NFL. You are done.
You are not going to all of a sudden find new players to stop it. You are not going to go down to the beach and find a Genie bottle, rub it and Barbara Eden is going to pop out and grant you 3 wishes, one of which you will use to have her help you stop the run.
I have been calling Indy out all year saying to anybody who would listen that if you can't stop the run, eventually that is going to destroy you. It is happening right before our very eyes.
Lastly, I know about the statisitic that Cincy has the worst pass defense in Pro football. Yes, that may have been true early on folks, but in the last 3 ballgames they have gotten people healthy and it has shown.
One more thing about Cincy's pass defense. This entire year you know how many times they have given up over 300 yards passing? Twice in 12 ballgames. Only twice.
So them being last is not as last as that statistic would lead you to believe.
I am all over Cincy tonight and don't be suprised to see them win this game outright.
30 Dime Bengals
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12-18-06 11:47 PM |
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