[4FUN.AND$$]

I was watching Inside the NFL and the crew said taht Indy is done for the year with Freeney out. They seemed to think that Indy would not even win their division. Is anyone else thinking Indy is done for the year ? I have them losing in the AFC championship. It just struck me as odd that all 4 guys on the show were saying Indy is toast ....

[CrazyLou]

I do like the guys on that show, particularly Costas and Collinsworth, but their opinions mean jack here. Indy will be a contender, just not at full speed, still a number two in the AFC overall. They'll get a bunch of guys healthy by playoff time, obviously Freeney won't be playing, but they've rolled without key guys before. So long as its not 500 starters.

[etothep]

if harrison's injury is as serious as some people are saying (that it could hamper him into next year or even longer), then i see them as the 3rd best team in the afc at best...freeney gone for the season too & as we saw last week, wayne still isn't a true #1 wr yet, as was evidenced when he quit on a route when he didn't think it would be thrown to him & it led to a pick

dallas clark & bob sanders seem to rack up naggin injuries every year & the indy o-line can't seem to stay healthy this year either

if indy were healthy, i could be convinced that they're the best team in the nfl, but now i see them having to fight hard to fend off jax for the division title (assuming garrard can back shortly for the jags)

[buzzsawl]

Indy get guys to step up and they will win their division. I don't know if they will have enough to beat Pitt and I know they can't beat the Pats.

[jrcaces]

Indy will bounce back.

[travismcilrath]

Originally Posted by 4FUN.AND$$

I was watching Inside the NFL and the crew said taht Indy is done for the year with Freeney out. They seemed to think that Indy would not even win their division. Is anyone else thinking Indy is done for the year ? I have them losing in the AFC championship. It just struck me as odd that all 4 guys on the show were saying Indy is toast ....

i would have to disagree

[Dark Horse]

Depends on their health. If this type of injury bug hit the Pats they'd be considered done too, by the 'experts'. Marvin Harrison should be back before the playoffs. Bob Sanders as well. Right now it's a skeleton crew, and you can't judge them by it.

[dwaechte]

The Jaguars a very solid, well disciplined team that have always given the Colts trouble even when the Colts were at their best. Granted, they've got a better secondary than ever before, but still, other areas are lacking.

I'm predicting that the Jaguars win the division.

[slacker00]

A lot hinges on Marvin Harrison in my mind. I said it before, but it's amazing how this team takes a step back when Marvin isn't playing. Peyton has to get these other WRs to step up somehow. Gawd I wish we still had Stokley.

[cartay]

That is where team depth comes into play, and Indy was not built for depth. They have a lot of their cap tied up in the skill positions.

Note that it's not a bad strategy at all, as they won the Super Bowl last year and have challenged every year this decade.

But they also have to be held accountable for that strategy when it works against them, which now forces their hand when injuries occur.

[Mr Handicapable]

Jacksonville isn't winning shit!! Losing Freeney most likely killed any chance to beat the Pats but we should get the #2 seed w/Pittsburgh losing to the Jets! Indy gets back Anthony Gonzalez and Tony Ugoh for tomorrow supposedly? The defense is fairly healthy and has held up versus the run all year! We're in a little rut offensively due to O-Line problems but Peyton has enough weapons and the schedule is weak enough to go 5-1 down the stretch which should nail down the #2 seed easily! Marvin might be back before long but I'm not holding my breath? Obviously if Marvin comes back at a 1200 yd/10 TD level then we're a whole different animal!!

[slacker00]

Originally Posted by cartay

That is where team depth comes into play, and Indy was not built for depth. They have a lot of their cap tied up in the skill positions.

Note that it's not a bad strategy at all, as they won the Super Bowl last year and have challenged every year this decade.

But they also have to be held accountable for that strategy when it works against them, which now forces their hand when injuries occur.

Depth has nothing to do with it when a team has injuries to 3 of their top 4 receivers. No team could continue seamlessly with that kind of situation. When Peyton gets his weapons back, we'll see the "real" Colts again.

Losing Freeney is quite a blow, but we will see if the rest of the defense can step up or not. So far, it's "so far, so good".

[prop]

I believe the same was said about Indy last year.

[cartay]

[quote=slacker00;419641]Depth has nothing to do with it when a team has injuries to 3 of their top 4 receivers. No team could continue seamlessly with that kind of situation. When Peyton gets his weapons back, we'll see the "real" Colts again.
[quote]

Indy will be fine, especially the defense.

But does this mean Peyton is basically useless without his weapons?

[CrazyLou]

Indy is not done. In fact they are one of my big plays this week, I just started a thread about the game.

[Crutch]

i feel that the are gonna keep going down hill, they started out blowin people out and struggled in last 2 against sub par teams

[rugbybdyb]

that was a good win against a bad atlanta team, but at least they got something going thid shows steps in the right direction.....Indy has the best leading qb in the league and he will get his boys back in sinc....

[slacker00]

Originally Posted by cartay

Indy will be fine, especially the defense.

But does this mean Peyton is basically useless without his weapons?

Any QB is less effective when 3 of his top 4 WRs are out basically with a week or less warning. Especially going against some of the league's top teams such as San Diego & New England.

I think Favre had the same situation a couple years ago when he set his career mark for interceptions.

Still not convinced? Compare Brady in 2006 versus Brady in 2007. It's a completely different level. Don't tell me that Brady suddenly "gets it". It's his weapons.

So, no, Peyton is never "useless" as you state it. He is just less effective when Harrison, Clark, etc are missing from the lineup.

[travismcilrath]

they are always good and maY NOT GET FIRST BU WILL BE AT LEAST 2ND IN THE DIVISION

[McBa1n]

I don't know if the Jags are good enough to challenge for the division. They've had a bit of turnover on D (cough DT cough cough) - their D Line is a LOT different than it has been in the past... And their needed pass rush help probably won't arrive for another year or 2, if ever. Spicer and Heywerd are solid players, but not stallions by any stretch.

I'm also not sold on the receiver corps in Jacksonville. They made a lot of changes and they are going to need time to develop - so they go as far as Garrard can scramble and they can run the football.

Indy is impossible to cap right after the preseason. Manning is just too good - and they've also become more of a running team anyway. The team is now on Addai's shoulders, mostly. They really don't have a player behind him, though. Keith? He's not an answer. Hart? Cmon.

Now - here's where it gets tricky. Teams RESPECT Manning, allowing them to run the stretch very well and get lots of yards that way. However, Jeff Saturday is hurting - that's kind of a big deal.
I think if the injuries keep mounting on the Colts, they will have problems. But as long as Addai and Manning are healthy, they will win ball games - period. They're too good.

They can win ballgames without key guys, their playmakers are too good.. However, they are not as good as the lofty chalk spreads the books lay out.
Freeney is never healthy anyway. When he's healthy - they're lethal. When he's not - they're serviceable on D.

I think they're good for 11 wins, but if they keep getting banged up on the O line and their receivers aren't healthy and Addai gets hurt, they're going to be pretty mediocre pretty quick.