How will the Colts Approach Week 17?

[Arky]

Good research, Keith and it kinda proves one of the truisms I mentioned earlier: teams that clinch early, usually let down....

I know you just checked for the Super Bowl winners, but every year (as everyone knows) there are 12 teams that clinch a playoff spot. Some only clinch in the last game of the year but catch a team that clinches in say, week 15 and chances are they aren't going to be sharp in Weeks 16 & 17. Raise your hand if you thought New England was going to pummel Jax last week..... Who thought SF was going to get hammered like they did by Seattle?

Of course, Denver (33-12 over Cle) and Green Bay (55-7 over Tenn) steamrolled right along which does say something to the contrary... doesn't work all the time.....but I wouldn't be afraid to pick both their opponents this week KC @ +16.5 and Minn @ +3.5, respectively...

And.... the Colts clinched last week....

[WMH]

Stepping off the gas is one thing, but lack of execution is another. Playcalling aside, the O-Line was manhandled vs. MN. Abused may be a better word. Its one thing to go vanilla, its another to flat out get beaten. That's what concerns me the most. Kubiak's playcalling has nothing to do with Schaub being erratic, missed tackles by the secondary, or the O-Line getting demolished.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by WMH

Stepping off the gas is one thing, but lack of execution is another. Playcalling aside, the O-Line was manhandled vs. MN. Abused may be a better word. Its one thing to go vanilla, its another to flat out get beaten. That's what concerns me the most. Kubiak's playcalling has nothing to do with Schaub being erratic, missed tackles by the secondary, or the O-Line getting demolished.

Actually the two are directly related. We have never had an offense that just mauled teams with the running game when they knew it was coming. We were an NFL rarity, a team who passed and ran. And each of the two made the other better. I remember the Raiders game last year when we lost Andre and couldn't run it at all and got beat. And that was with the best run game this franchise has ever had.

Without running the bootlegs and creating run/pass confusion for the defense, we cannot run the ball. Without running the ball we cannot pass the ball. We are not a power run team or a straight drop back team. If we don't play the way the team is designed to play, we are not very good and most of the pieces don't work when you try to use them in other ways (like Eric Winston in KC... or most of our guys the last 3 weeks).

Kubs is going into a shell and it hard to say whether it is by design or just by his nature. Either way it is killing us and we won't win as long as we play this way.

[Nconroe]

I suppose both teams will be trying their best to win.

Texans should have the edge so expecting we will win for first time in Indy.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

I suppose both teams will be trying their best to win.

Texans should have the edge so expecting we will win for first time in Indy.

I also think we will win today, but for the wrong reason: I don't think the Colts will try their best to win because I expect them to pull their starters well before the game is over, actually they'd be very foolish not to.