Tag: Indianapolis Colts (Page 18 of 45)

Super Bowl XLIV Preview: How will Saints defend Manning?

February 2, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

Over the next two weeks, Saints’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has the unenviable task of trying to do something that not even Rex Ryan could accomplish: Stop Peyton Manning.

Actually, “stop” isn’t the best term to use here, seeing as how nobody can actually stop Peyton Manning. “Contain” would be a better word, although that doesn’t make Williams’ job any easier as the Saints prepare to take on the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

Thanks to Ryan’s guidance, the Jets had the No. 1 defense in the league this year and if there were any team that could contain Manning, many thought it would be New York. Instead, the Colts racked up 30 points and 461 yards of total offense on the NFL’s best defense, as Indy beat New York 30-17 in the AFC Championship Game last Sunday. The Colts also finished with 19 first downs and even rushed for 101 yards despite having the league’s worst ground attack.

Ryan’s game plan was simple: Shut down Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark and force Manning to use his other weapons. And, much as they’ve done all season, the Jets executed Ryan’s plan by holding Wayne to only three catches for 55 yards and Clark to four receptions for 35 yards.

The problem was that Manning did use his other weapons, which then went on to torch the Jets’ secondary. Pierre Garcon hauled in 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Austin Collie caught seven passes for 123 yards and a score. Ryan forced Manning to beat him with Garcon and Collie and that’s exactly what he did. That also freed up Clark to reach the end zone in the fourth quarter and pretty much put the game out of reach.

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Super Bowl XLIV Preview: If healthy, Shockey could play key role for Saints

February 2, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

In safeties Antonie Bethea and Melvin Bullitt, the Colts have two players in their defensive backfield that are steady, underrated and are strong against the run.

But the takeaway from the above sentence is “strong against the run.” That doesn’t mean that Bethea and Bullitt are key factors in pass coverage and in fact, they’re not. They’re adequate against the pass at best, which is why some teams have had success attacking the seams of the Colts’ defense with their tight ends.

The Saints have a playmaker at tight end in Jeremy Shockey, a player that, when healthy, is a mismatch in coverage because of his size, speed and pass-catching ability. He would definitely be a mismatch in coverage against Bethea and Bullitt, especially considering that the two safeties also have to defend the run and the rest of the weapons that New Orleans has in its arsenal.

But the problem is that Shockey can never stay healthy and at least for the moment, he isn’t healthy now. Over the past month, he’s battled toe and knee injuries and hasn’t been 100%. In fact, head coach Sean Payton said that Shockey was on a limited snap count in last Sunday’s NFC Championship Game and that’s why the tight end caught just one pass for nine yards.

If Shockey can get healthy over the next two weeks, he could be the kind of X-factor that the Saints will need to beat the Colts. David Thomas is a fine replacement at tight end of Shockey is limited again, but he’s not the type of game-changer that Shockey is when he’s playing at full strength. If he’s at 100%, Drew Brees might have success attacking the middle of Indy’s defense with Shockey being the main weapon in the Saints’ passing game.

But if he resembles the one-legged man again like he did last week, then the Colts will catch a break and will likely turn their attention to stopping Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and the rest of New Orleans’ outside pass threats.

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How will Freeney’s injury affect the Super Bowl?

February 2, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney has a torn ligament in his injured right ankle, which means he could wind up missing Super Bowl XLIV.

This is the biggest game of the year and the Colts could be without their top pass rusher. This is devastating news for Indy to say the least and even if he does tough it out and play, he probably won’t be at 100%.

Freeney led the Colts with 13.5 sacks and along with Robert Mathis, gave the team a fierce pass rush – one that is supposed to keep Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees on edge. The best way to disrupt an opposing team’s offensive game plan is to get in the quarterback’s face and make him throw the ball sooner than he intends. That same notion can be applied to Brees and the Saints, who looked like a completely different offense in a Week 14 loss to the Cowboys, thanks to DeMarcus Ware and Dallas’ explosive pass rush.

If Freeney is limited on Sunday or misses the game entirely, then Brees should be more comfortable in the pocket, which is a scary thought for the Colts. In Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson and Jeremy Shockey, the Saints have a plethora of weapons for Brees to use to attack Indy’s secondary. And if he has all day to throw, then Brees should be able to strike for big plays and keep the Colts on their heels the entire game.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if Freeney can’t play, then the Saints won’t have to keep extra blockers in to keep protect Brees. With Freeney and Mathis both on the field, teams usually have to keep an extra blocker in (usually a running back) to help keep their quarterback upright. But with just Mathis to worry about, the Saints can roll their backs into the flats or over the middle, and we all know what Reggie Bush can do in open space. Obviously the Saints are at an advantage when Bush is on the field, compared to a blocking back like Pierre Thomas or Mike Bell.

Granted, it’s a ridiculous notion to suggest that one player (outside of the quarterback) can change the course of an entire game, but it would be a mistake to dismiss how vital Freeney is to the Colts’ defense. He’s a game-changer who relies on his speed to disrupt the flow of an opponent’s offense and if he can’t play, Indy will be limited in what it can do in its game plan come Sunday. Obviously this injury has no affect on Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense, but given how explosive the Saints are, Freeney is the one player Indy can’t afford to lose.

The best-case scenario for the Colts would be if Freeney doesn’t practice all week and his ankle feels better by Sunday. But if he does have a tear, then it’s going to take longer than six days for the injury to heel. He has already admitted that the injury hasn’t improved over the last week and he has yet to practice.

With that in mind, I’m sure the Colts are already preparing for the inevitable: That they might be without their best defensive player for Super Bowl Sunday.

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Contract extension coming for Manning?

February 2, 2010 / Anthony Stalter

It’s highly unlikely that the Colts will ever allow Peyton Manning to hit the open market (especially if they win the Super Bowl this Sunday), but it’s interesting to note that his contract does void after the 2010 season.

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Manning’s contract, which he signed in February 2007, will void after next season. Every move the Colts make from a fiscal standpoint revolves around what they intend to do for Manning.
His current deal averages $14 million. However, in the last year, quarterbacks Eli Manning of the New York Giants, Philip Rivers of San Diego, Jay Cutler of Chicago and Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh all have shot past Peyton Manning.
On an average-per-year basis, Eli Manning leads the quarterback pay scale at $16.25 million. Rivers averages $15.3 million, Cutler averages $14.668 million and Roethlisberger averages $14.664.

I would imagine that if Manning wins owner Jim Irsay another Super Bowl, then the Colts will lock Peyton up with a contract in the $20-mil range. And even if Indy doesn’t win this weekend, Manning is worth every penny that he’ll eventually sign for.

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