Tag: Indianapolis Colts (Page 8 of 45)

      What in the name of Archie and Eli is going on with Peyton Manning?

      December 5, 2010 /
      INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 28: Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts walks off of the field after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown during the NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Chargers won 36-14.(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

      Why, how, and why again? How did this happen? How did Peyton Manning turn into a combination of Jake Delhomme and well, Peyton Manning?

      How does a quarterback complete 36-of-48 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing four interceptions (two of which were returned for touchdowns) in the same game? What happened?

      Manning now has 11 interceptions in his last three games, four of which have been pick-sixes. After the Cowboys shocked the Colts 38-35 in overtime on Sunday, Indianapolis is now 6-6 on the year and one game behind Jacksonville in the AFC South.

      There no doubt will be plenty of theories on why Manning has struggled recently, but at this point you can’t pin it on one thing. First and foremost, the Colts can’t run the ball. Manning led the Colts to the Super Bowl last year without a running game, but he also had a healthy Joseph Addai available when he did need a couple of yards to keep defenses guessing. But Addai has been sidelined for over a month now and his absence is obviously having an affect on Peyton’s game. There’s just no denying it.

      His offensive line doesn’t appear to be giving him the same protection as they did earlier in the year and throughout his entire career. He’s being pressured well before he wants to deliver the ball, which is in part to blame for all the interceptions he’s thrown.

      Injuries have also been an issue. While Jacob Tamme has been a great replacement for Dallas Clark, you can’t replace years of cohesion and continuity in a month. It also hasn’t helped Peyton that Austin Collie has been in and out of the lineup, or that Pierre Garcon has had some costly drops throughout the year.

      But you know what? Philip Rivers is doing more with less. Hell, even Sam Bradford is doing more with less. All of the things mentioned above factor into how poorly Manning has played the past three weeks, but the bottom line is that Peyton just hasn’t gotten the job done. Many of his throws have been off the mark and there’s just no excuse to throw 11 interceptions in three games. None.

      Maybe he’s trying to do too much and this is the result. Who knows. Either way, we’re going to find out a lot about Manning and the Colts because they have four games to erase a one-game deficit in the AFC South and avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.

      External Sports, NFL

      Even Peyton Manning can’t win games on his own

      November 29, 2010 /
      INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 28: Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts looks to throw a pass while pursued by Kevin Burnett of the San Diego Chargers during the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Chargers won 36-14. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

      In terms of reading defenses, making adjustments at the line of scrimmage and putting the ball in a spot that only his receiver can make a play, Peyton Manning is the best. But if his performance Sunday night against the Chargers is any indication, then he’s at the point in his career where he needs more help around him.

      Indy deactivated six starters for their Sunday night matchup with the Chargers, who promptly crushed the Colts 36-14. Manning completed 31-of-48 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns, but he was intercepted four times, two of which were returned for touchdowns by San Diego.

      Among the key players that were out for the Colts were Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai and Austin Collie. And outside of Jacob Tamme, there hasn’t been any backup that has stepped up in the trio’s absence. (Donald Brown has been unimpressive and inconsistency continues to plague Pierre Garcon.)

      Try as he did, Manning was overmatched on Sunday night. Eric Weddle should have been called for pass interference on his interception-turned-touchdown, but take that play out of the equation and Peyton still struggled. He never seemed to get settled because he was taking hits inside the pocket and a lot of his throws sailed on him because he rarely had time to set his feet. Granted, he should have been better. He missed open receivers, he forced passes into coverage and even when he did make a competition, he wasn’t always on target.

      He was bad. But if the Colts were completely healthy I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that he wouldn’t have played as poorly as he did last night.

      The Colts have now lost three of their last four games but the good news is that they should start to get some players back next week. Addai seems to be getting closer to returning and Collie (concussion) should be medically cleared to play soon as well.

      For Manning’s sake, let’s hope that reinforcements are on the way. The AFC South is still the Colts’ division to lose but the Jaguars hung with the Giants on Sunday in the Meadowlands so they’re not likely to go away soon. Indy has a fight on its hands.

      External Sports, NFL

      NFL Week 11.1 MVP power rankings

      November 28, 2010 /

      Let’s face it, it’s hard not to include Thanksgiving Day games in this, so we will. And again, things change from week to week; and some things do not. Eli Manning fumbled himself off this list, and Philip Rivers continues to amaze on a consistent basis.

      1. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles—Not as dominating against tough Giants’ D (though two of his receivers dropped passes in the end zone), but led his team to what counts—a W.

      2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots—His team is 9-2, and to show he’s made it all the way back from 2008 knee surgery, Brady needs a big game against the Jets a week from Monday.

      3. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers—On pace for 5083 yards, 37 TDs and 14 picks, without Vincent Jackson (who comes back today) and with a gimpy Gates.

      4. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons—Not reaching 100 yards against the Rams will ding you a couple spots here.

      5. Arian Foster, Houston Texans—Regardless of what his team does, Foster keeps putting up numbers.

      6. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons—253 and 2 TDs against Rams, which isn’t huge, but the fact that Falcons only have two losses so far is.

      7. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers—On pace for 21 sacks, but he’ll have to get to the guy right above him on this list today if he wants to remain here.

      8. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints—Don’t look now, here come the defending champs led by #9.

      9. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers—Putting up 301/4/0 in Minnesota against his former mentor Brett Favre was a thing of beauty. And in case anyone hasn’t noticed, the Packers have three losses, all by 3 points and two in OT. Look out.

      10. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—Put up almost 400 yards against New England last week with 4 TDs, but the three picks, including one at the end of the game, are hard to ignore.

      External Sports, NFL

      In rare outcome, Peyton Manning costs Colts a potential victory

      November 21, 2010 /
      FOXBORO, MA - NOVERMBER 21: Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts walks to the huddle against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

      As he drove the Colts down the field in the final minutes at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, you got the sense that Peyton Manning was on the verge of silencing an already stunned Foxboro crowd.

      The Colts, who trailed the entire game, were down 31-21 with roughly 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But Manning found Blair White on a 5-yard touchdown pass to cut the Pats’ lead to 31-21 midway through the quarter and then he hit White again on an 18-yard touchdown with just under five minutes remaining to put the Colts within a field goal.

      After his defense shut down Tom Brady and New England’s offense, Manning methodically began to drive the Colts down the field. Facing a 1st and 10 at the New England 24-yard line, Manning dropped back to pass but the pressure caused him to shift his feet and his pass sailed on him. Patriot cornerback James Sanders then leapt into the air and snagged the interception to preserve a huge win for the Patriots.

      It’s rare to see Manning cost the Colts a potential victory. Granted, even if Indy tied the game they still would have had to play the Patriots in overtime. But they had stolen the momentum and if they had won the coin toss, there was a good chance Manning would finish the Patriots off in the extra frame.

      But Manning never gave them that opportunity and while legions of Colts fans will give him a mulligan, it was a disheartening outcome to say the least.

      And it wasn’t Manning’s first interception either. He was picked off a total of three times on the night and despite throwing for 396 yards and three touchdowns, those three turnovers proved costly for the Colts. Now Indy is tied with the Jaguars (who have already beaten the Colts this year) atop the AFC South.

      As for the Patriots, this win was huge because the Jets apparently have no intentions on losing another game the rest of the year. Both teams are 8-2 and jockeying for position not only in the AFC East, but for the No. 1 spot in the conference. With six games remaining, it’s going to be a thrilling finish in both conferences.

      External Sports, NFL

      NFL Week 10 MVP power rankings

      November 21, 2010 /

      Well, this sure got interesting, didn’t it? Michael Vick had an MVP type game, maybe the greatest game statistically for a quarterback in NFL history on Monday night against Washington. There is no argument here — Michael Vick is the MVP, and he’s going to have to have a total collapse in the next few games for anyone to claim that perch. Injury? Even if he’s injured Sunday and misses the rest of the season, Vick is still the MVP, because of this past game and because of his entire body of work this year, which is absolutely sick.

      1. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles—In just six games, Vick has thrown for 1350 yards with 11 TDs, 0 interceptions; and 44 carries for 341 yards rushing with 4 more rushing scores. Most of all, he makes the Eagles a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

      2. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons—He hasn’t played a game since we last did this, so why penalize him except to let Vick take the top spot?

      3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots—Did you see Brady screaming at his offensive linemen in the middle of a rout of Pittsburgh on the road? Dude is not messing around.

      4. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers—Quietly has his team contending again, despite guys off the street to throw to.

      5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—Like Rivers, Manning is getting it done without a strong receiving corps.

      6. Eli Manning, New York Giants—Little brother deserves love too. Why? The Giants are 6-3 and he has 19 TD passes. And half of his 13 picks were not his fault.

      7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons—Yeah, we’re QB heavy, but aren’t the real voters?

      8. Arian Foster, Houston Texans—On pace for 2202 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns.

      9. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers—Off last week, so we’ll let Matthews and his 11 sacks hang out here some more.

      10. Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos—Really? 48 catches for 968 yards? That’s a ridiculous 20.2 yards per catch

      External Sports, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑