Undefeated????
Can Peyton Manning and his high flying Indianapolis Colts go undefeated? They are 10-0 and face a tough conference opponent tonight against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's their remaining schedule to achieve perfection
Tonight - Pittsburgh (7-3)
Dec 4 - Tennessee (3-8)
Dec 11 - @ Jacksonville (8-3 but Leftwich is out atleast 4-6 weeks)
Dec 18 - San Diego (7-4)
Dec 24 - @ Seattle (9-2)
Jan 1 - Arizona (3-8)
What are your thoughts on this matter? Can they or can't they - give us reasons!!!!
posted by Steve at 7:41 AM
16 Comments:
What a difficult thing to predict, especially since we are truly seeing a powerhouse team but in the back of your mind...on any given Sunday...
Here are my thoughts - I don't think the Colts will go undefeated. As much as I would like to live in an era where this phenomenon happened, history shows us that the chances of achieving this are next to impossible. There are just too many factors going against this team right now to clearly come out and say they are going to match the 72 Dolphins. I’ll be the first to say that I kind of doubted the Colts as they stampeded their way to an 8-0 record, mainly because they only played 1 team with a winning record during that stretch, but if they can beat Pittsburgh tonight, I will be sold.
However, 16-0 I don’t think will happen for this team, though it appears fate is coming to their side. I do believe they will get past the Steelers tonight with no problem (Big Ben is back and that team is a better team with him there, but not enough offensive weapons to score 30 against the Colts) – they will manhandle the Titans and beat Jacksonville (especially now that the Jags are Leftwich-less) but I think the Champaign will pop for the Charges from Nick Buoniconti. San Diego is in the fight of their lives to reach the playoffs, especially in a division where 3 teams have a good possibility of reaching the post season. At that point, the Colts should have home field wrapped up, have a first round by wrapped up and maybe even the #1 seed. Sure an undefeated season is something to strive for, but I think it’s hard to entirely motivate an entire organization (53 players + practice squad players, coaching staff, office staff, etc) to give it their all knowing they have the #1 seed, first round bye, etc – mentally players want to rest, especially if their goal is the Super Bowl. San Diego came in their last season and took a huge lead, but forgot how to play defense and ended up losing the game. From a coaching perspective, do you play your starters, risking injury, KNOWING you have home field wrapped up? The key there is risking injury – how much of a horses ass would a coach feel if he played someone in a situation where it wasn’t necessary and a serious or even not to serious injury happened to a starter like Manning or James? I think the Colts can overcome an injury to a receiver, because Manning is making those receivers shine.
Here is my final thought – if the Colts do get past the Chargers (very much a possibility), they will go undefeated. I don’t think the Seahawks have it in them to beat the Colts (or any team in the NFC including the Bears) and Arizona would lose if the starters just played for 1 half.
The last undefeated team to go deep into the season was the Broncos and they lost to a Giants team that season that wasn’t very good, but went on to win the Super Bowl. I see the Colts as a terrific team all around who are going to win the Super Bowl this year unless something drastic happens (i.e. major injury)
I don't think they go undefeated. I mean, I'd love to see it, and I think they're definitely Super Bowl bound, but I don't think it happens. Their schedule is too tough the rest of the way. I think they lose two out of these three games against Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and San Diego. In fact, I think JAX and SD beat them. Those are just two games where they should win, but the opposing teams have strong D, good running games and solid (if not conservative) coaching.
Then again, for all I know, they go 16-0. But that's what I think. 14-2. In fact, it might be better for them if they do lose. Do you want Peyton going on Week 17 against the Cardinals? Of course not.
Reading Peter King's article today which included Dungy's quotes, you have to think Manning and the boys will be spending some serious time on the bench. This could equal a loss. or two.
Yeah, I was hearing these comments on NFL Prime Time, but if there is a SERIOUS chance of going 16-0 during the regular season, don't you think Payton has a little too much political power in that organization to sit?
I think they will play for a half, if the Colts go up by 2 TD's or more, they will pull themselves and hope the 2nd team hangs on for the win.
I certainly believe Dungy, but it's hard for me to fathom a team benching their starters when they have an opportunity to do something special in this league, especially with all the salary caps, speed/size of the players, etc.
Coach Mike Ditka said it best on ESPN Prime Time, he said, "nobody remembers who won the Super Bowl 5 years ago, but people still talk about how special that 72 Dolphins team was." Being an NFL fan, I remember the Super Bowl 5 years ago, but amazingly enough, my wife who isn't very football knowledgable sure as hell knows there have been only 1 team who went undefeated.
Also Greg - I agree about the SD team (though their defense has been really inconsistent), I just don't see the Jags beating the Colts. Leftwich gave them an opportunity and I'm just not sold on on Gerrard. He doesn't have a lot of playing experience and won't have any more than 2 games before he squares off against them. Plus, Taylor hasn't been healthy lately. Plus, it appears the Colts are going to win tonight (4th qtr) and will win next week which leaves a clinching opportunity for home field @ Jax if the Broncos should lose @ KC (which I think they will - winless @ Arrowhead in Dec).
The Colts players would certainly petition Dungy for a chance to play hard in week 15-16 in order to go down as the best team in history, every playr will have that forever. If they played the Chargers in SD it may be different, but ythe Colts will not want to end the streak in their own building!! I epect a 19-0 season witha superbowl win of something like 36-17.
For the Colts sake, I hope they win the Super Bowl - I don't believe in a "best team of all time" but they certainly would be regarded as big time chokers if they didn't win the Super Bowl. But only time will tell - right now, I certainly hope the Titans are the main focus and not going 19-0.
Wow. Peyton Manning was here.
The Colts will fail to do it. Either Jacksonville or San Diego will defeat them. Why? 'Cause it will soon become a distraction to the team, but more importantly- every team from here on out would LOVE to be the team that kept them from going undefeated.
Cosmic, you bring up the most interesting thing that people fail to realize - The longer a team goes undefeated, the more aggresive and hard faught their games become later in the season. Why? Because it's those teams who are out to give that team the 1 defeat. Now the intensity becomes playoff like every game because the steaks are high and the Colts are going to see teams be extremely motivated and intense - sure a regular game is, but as I said above, it now becomes like a playoff game.
I think the Steelers had that mentality - who in the right mind would have kicked that on-side kick to start the 2nd half? A veteran coach who knows what is at steak is who...the intensity is peaking in games vs the Colts and that's why I don't think it'll happen - but this will only make this team THAT much better when it comes time for the playoffs which makes them an easy Super Bowl pick.
I don't think they can do it and it's really to early to say. They have not even won there division yet with jacksonville on there heels. The Jags might be the ones to put this undefeated crap to rest and if they dont do it the Hawks, Chargers or Cards will. The Cardinals have been playing good ball and I'm sure they can beat the 2nd string Colts if it came to it in the final week. Broncos will go 14-2 and if the Co9lts slip they come to Denver . oh yeah!
The Colts WILL NOT be going to Denver, the worst the Colts will be is 15-1, and Denver will not be 14-2 ! Denver loses to KC this week and will lose to Chargers in week 16 as Denver will have the division clinched and rest a few people. Bronc's will be 12-4 and will lose to Cinncy in their first playoff game and take their usual one and done!
One and done my ass. not this year pea body. The Broncos have a superbowl team this season that will get past the 1st round and would mop up Cincy if they were to play them. Cincy is weak and they played a weak scheadule.
Hi Steve, I am enjoying some idle time and looking to see what green will bring up. Undefeated???? is certainly interesting and informative. green is a good word to bring into the conversation. Great post. Enjoy your day!
As I predicted , Denver lost to KC, Broncos suck on the road, they have ZERO shot at the SB, and the snake is showing his true form now,,,
wow Peyton, I think your moronic comments just solified my opinion regarding your NFL knowledge - congratulations :-)
Yeah Peyton ya fucking Jack Ass!
Damn I hate being right...they lost to the Chargers...a quote from a previous message on this post, "but I think the Champaign will pop for the Charges from Nick Buoniconti. San Diego is in the fight of their lives to reach the playoffs, especially in a division where 3 teams have a good possibility of reaching the post season"
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