Colts hand away perfect season, lose to Jets
The Indianapolis Colts just answered the question of whether or not an undefeated season is more important than resting their starters: It’s not.
By benching Peyton Manning early in the second half on Sunday, the Colts surrendered their chance at a perfect season and subsequently lost to the Jets, 29-15. It was Indy’s first loss since October 27 of 2008.
After the game, head coach Jim Caldwell noted that a perfect season was never the Colts’ ultimate goal – a Super Bowl is. Some may argue that the Colts have an obligation to the fans (and to the Ravens, Broncos, Steelers, etc.) to leave Manning and the starters in, but what would have happened if Manning snapped his ACL in a meaningless (meaningless for Indy) game late in the season? What’s the point of going 16-0 or 15-1 and watching Curtis Painter lose in the Divisional Round of the playoffs?
I felt bad watching Manning on the sidelines, I really did. He’s a warrior and a competitor and the guy wants to be in every game. That’s why he wins and that’s why the Colts have had so much success over the past couple years.
That said, he can be mad on the sidelines all he wants because at least he’ll be healthy in three weeks when Indianapolis is playing for a chance at a Super Bowl. An undefeated season would have been great, but in one week nobody (not even Colts fans) are going to give a crap. This might be a story for the media, but it’s not to the Colts franchise. Again, in a week, nobody will care about this so hopefully the mainstream media doesn’t make an issue of it over the next week.
As for the Jets, they should send a belated Christmas card to Caldwell because if Manning stays in the Colts win this game easily. Manning was shredding the Jets’ usually outstanding secondary and if it weren’t for a 106-yard Brad Smith kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half (which was by the way), and a Marques Douglas 1-yard fumble return for a touchdown after a strip of Painter, then New York would have continued to struggle in the second half.
That said, give the Jets credit for coming to play today. They won when their backs were against the wall, which is more than the Giants, Jaguars and Dolphins (three teams that gave up after the freaking coin flip) could say today. A win next week over the Bengals and the Jets amazingly will be headed to the playoffs as a Wild Card. And ironically, the Jets could take advantage of another team resting its starters as Cincinnati has already clinched a playoff spot and will likely bench Carson Palmer and company.
Somebody tell Rex Ryan that his team is still in the playoff hunt. He gets confused sometimes…
Posted in: NFL
Tags: 2009 NFL Week 16, 2009 NFL Week 16 scoreboard, AFC Playoff Picture, Brad Smith, Colts blow perfect season, Colts undefeated season, Curtis Painter, Headlines, Indianapolis Colts, Jets Colts recap, Jets Colts Week 16, Jets playoff picture, Jets playoff scenario, Jets vs. Colts, New York Jets, Peyton Manning
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Sanchez rules… NOT! Thank goodness for the special teams, and defensive TD! So Rex, are we out of it, in the playoffs.. what the heck, a head coach that doesn’t know? But what is important is that Carol’s #12 (Broadway Joe jersey) was worn with pride as the JETS live to play another week — Let’s all hope that the Bengals play their starters so we can win with real pride.. not feel like we got in ‘the back door’ of the playoffs!
No point in even playing Peyton against the Bills after taking him out this game. So with perfection off the table, Colts go into the playoffs on a two game losing streak with a week off, they lose all momentum, lose all heart and get bumped off by a hungry team with an inferior record. Maybe even the Jets… The players will go along with this decision in public, but behind the scenes they will lose some passion. This game was much bigger than it was on paper… this showed the fans and the PLAYERS that the Colts are cowardly, and lack the true hearts of champions.
I hope those idiots lose again in the playoffs after resting Manning and the others. They’ve never won it when they pulled this shit. Let’s see if they choke again.
the only decision indys coach probly has made in the first 15 games, makes him o and 1 . the rest of the colts are 14 and 1 . The coach must be related to obama, make the decision and dont care about the rest. Why dont u loose the first few games and it will keep u working hard lol. the coach should be benched . For stupidity
ok FIrst off everyone is pissed the colts benched the starting line up but stop hating because all your teams suck fact is Manning IS the best Qb around the jets are a joke they got handed the game they atr 8/7 we are 15/1 while i dont like them giving up a perfect season the fact is the superbowl is more important and no the jets couldnt carry the colts jock strap TO the superbowl to play them let alone beat them with manning and the rest of the starting line up in the can still win the superbowl and i dont think a little rest will hurt them if anything when they get back in they are going to be ready to make up for the lost time
@ Steve… a superbowl is 100% not as important as a perfect season. a perfect season includes a superbowl, and to pass on a chance at perfection is pathetic and cowardly. even if they win the superbowl this year, they will be remembered for what they did on Dec. 27th more than any post season victories. It was a joke.
Sorry crabtree…you’re way off base. Losing a regular season game will mean absolutely nothing if Manning wins a 2nd Lombardi trophy in a 4 year span. Think about the 2007 Patriots. They will be remembered for their one loss only because it came IN the superbowl. Had they lost to the Giants in week 17 then went on to win the championship, would not achieving that perfect season matter to anyone? No.
This was pathetic! A let down for the team, fans and entire NFL. They will regret this idiotic move in the playoffs!
And if Manning got hurt in the 2nd half because the coach left him in, you’d all be the same guys screaming for the coach to be fired and asking why in the world Manning was still in the game when it really didn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
It was a no win situation for the coach, so go get out your playstations, throw in Madden NFL10, and you all can leave Peyton in the game to satisfy your ego.
Caldwell screwed up. He just turned the switch off in players who had a killer instinct to get out there and crush the jets. I feel he cost his team the Super Bowl by this move. Even if the Colts win the SUper Bowl, it will not be because the handed the game to the Jets. WHat a foolish notion that losing is a good thing. The Patriots didn’t lost to Giants because they were undefeated. They lost because they were slightly outcoached and slightly outplayed. How goofy to think losing is a good thing. I have no desire to watch the Colts now. This dumb move absolutley burned me up the entire time I was watching it unfold and it made me so sick, I hope they lose every game from here out. Maybe the next team in the NFL to undefeated late in the season will learn from the Colts turning out the lights too early.
The more crap I read about this, the more I want the Colts to win and the coach to tell everyone at the post game press conference to kiss his black ass.
Seriously…all you pissed off guys out there, break out the xbox 360 and replay the game on Madden and leave Manning in so you can all feel good about yourselves again. The superbowl is the goal, not a perfect season.
What the Colts did was cowardly. Whether they didn’t want their stars hurt or they didn’t want the pressure of playing as an undefeated team anymore, it was a lame and spineless move. They blew a chance at doing something historical. Did anyone think for a second in 2007 that the Patriots should have rested their stars? No! Why would anyone (but the Colts) even consider doing something so stupid! The Colts are a joke. They will never live this down. If they win the Superbowl, fans will always wonder if they could have been the only perfect 19 – 0 team in history. If they lose the SB then everyone will look back at this forfeit as the turning point.