theebs
Believe!!!!
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Thats right your not alone, I have never heard of him either. IN fact reading the indy newspaper all this week, I realized I have never heard of any of their writers... Apparently though we dont have a chance...
By Phillip B. Wilson
phillip.wilson@indystar.com
COLTS 31, COWBOYS 24
There’s no way Peyton Manning would admit it, but the last thing the Colts quarterback would ever want to stomach is the sight of his former kicker, Mike Vanderjagt, beating the Colts on a last-second field goal. Does that mean Manning will be more motivated for this game than any other? Standard coach speak mandates a resounding, “No.” But I can’t help but believe Manning would get some added pleasure out of thumping Vanderjagt and his new team. The “idiot kicker” stuff will never die. It’s a part of history. Vanderjagt made national headlines when he called out Manning and Colts coach Tony Dungy for a perceived lack of intensity. Manning fired back with the “liquored up” and “idiot kicker” comments. Manning won’t be dwelling on that as he plays this game, but nobody can convince me it’s not a compelling subplot. Manning will be focused.
Manning is having another league MVP year. This would be three in four years. A visiting veteran writer at last week’s Buffalo game marveled at how Manning didn’t force the issue when the game got tight against the Bills. The Colts’ leader was his usual composed self, content to let the running game finish off the pesky underdog Bills 17-16. “If that were (Dan) Marino, no way,” the writer said of the retired Hall of Fame passer. “He would have taken his shots. He would not have accepted that.” But that’s what Manning does. He accepts what defenses give him. He still exploited a matchup with a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne in single coverage. Yet even in a tight game, there was never this sense that Manning acted as if he had to take control with his arm. He’s done that against the New York Jets, Denver and New England. But he rarely makes a mistake and costs his team with an ill-advised throw. He’s thrown 18 touchdown passes. Just three passes have been intercepted. His 104.5 passer rating leads the league.
The other juicy storyline, as it is every week in Dallas, is receiver Terrell Owens. How do the Colts match up with him? They don’t. He’s big and the Colts’ corners are small. But Owens, despite his 51-yard touchdown pass against Arizona on Sunday, has dropped a lot of passes this season. He may get his, but it will be against zone defenses designed to keep him in front of the coverage. And if Colts safety Bob Sanders suits up – he wanted to against Buffalo but reluctantly sat to rest his right knee – Owens will get hit. The Colts’ other safety, rookie Antoine Bethea, should get his chance to smack T.O., too. After getting four sacks against Buffalo in just 16 dropbacks, the Colts’ pass rush is primed to pressure Cowboys passer Tony Romo. If the Cowboys are smart, they’ll roll out Romo like Denver did Jake Plummer, but the Cowboys haven’t proven they can protect their quarterback. They’ve allowed 22 sacks. Granted, stationary target posterchild Drew Bledsoe took 16 of them, but I’m sure the Colts’ pass rushers will get their opportunities. The Cowboys allowed six sacks trying to block the New York Giants’ formidable front.
If the Colts’ offense plays as it has in the previous four road games, I foresee the visitors winning big. The Colts averaged 29.5 points in their four road victories. Dallas will be able to run the ball and Romo will make some plays when not under duress, but good luck trading scores with the Colts. Manning has been sacked 10 times in nine games. The only chance the Cowboys have is to drop him three or four times and continually force him to throw before he wants to. It’s proven to be an insurmountable task for nine opponents so far.
By Phillip B. Wilson
phillip.wilson@indystar.com
COLTS 31, COWBOYS 24
There’s no way Peyton Manning would admit it, but the last thing the Colts quarterback would ever want to stomach is the sight of his former kicker, Mike Vanderjagt, beating the Colts on a last-second field goal. Does that mean Manning will be more motivated for this game than any other? Standard coach speak mandates a resounding, “No.” But I can’t help but believe Manning would get some added pleasure out of thumping Vanderjagt and his new team. The “idiot kicker” stuff will never die. It’s a part of history. Vanderjagt made national headlines when he called out Manning and Colts coach Tony Dungy for a perceived lack of intensity. Manning fired back with the “liquored up” and “idiot kicker” comments. Manning won’t be dwelling on that as he plays this game, but nobody can convince me it’s not a compelling subplot. Manning will be focused.
Manning is having another league MVP year. This would be three in four years. A visiting veteran writer at last week’s Buffalo game marveled at how Manning didn’t force the issue when the game got tight against the Bills. The Colts’ leader was his usual composed self, content to let the running game finish off the pesky underdog Bills 17-16. “If that were (Dan) Marino, no way,” the writer said of the retired Hall of Fame passer. “He would have taken his shots. He would not have accepted that.” But that’s what Manning does. He accepts what defenses give him. He still exploited a matchup with a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne in single coverage. Yet even in a tight game, there was never this sense that Manning acted as if he had to take control with his arm. He’s done that against the New York Jets, Denver and New England. But he rarely makes a mistake and costs his team with an ill-advised throw. He’s thrown 18 touchdown passes. Just three passes have been intercepted. His 104.5 passer rating leads the league.
The other juicy storyline, as it is every week in Dallas, is receiver Terrell Owens. How do the Colts match up with him? They don’t. He’s big and the Colts’ corners are small. But Owens, despite his 51-yard touchdown pass against Arizona on Sunday, has dropped a lot of passes this season. He may get his, but it will be against zone defenses designed to keep him in front of the coverage. And if Colts safety Bob Sanders suits up – he wanted to against Buffalo but reluctantly sat to rest his right knee – Owens will get hit. The Colts’ other safety, rookie Antoine Bethea, should get his chance to smack T.O., too. After getting four sacks against Buffalo in just 16 dropbacks, the Colts’ pass rush is primed to pressure Cowboys passer Tony Romo. If the Cowboys are smart, they’ll roll out Romo like Denver did Jake Plummer, but the Cowboys haven’t proven they can protect their quarterback. They’ve allowed 22 sacks. Granted, stationary target posterchild Drew Bledsoe took 16 of them, but I’m sure the Colts’ pass rushers will get their opportunities. The Cowboys allowed six sacks trying to block the New York Giants’ formidable front.
If the Colts’ offense plays as it has in the previous four road games, I foresee the visitors winning big. The Colts averaged 29.5 points in their four road victories. Dallas will be able to run the ball and Romo will make some plays when not under duress, but good luck trading scores with the Colts. Manning has been sacked 10 times in nine games. The only chance the Cowboys have is to drop him three or four times and continually force him to throw before he wants to. It’s proven to be an insurmountable task for nine opponents so far.
