"NFL Football is Back!" 2011 Season Thread

[Al B. Sure!]

Kyle Boller sucks ass. He has more interceptions than completions on two possessions.

[Al B. Sure!]

They really should have flexed these primetime Colts games.

[Al B. Sure!]

Okay be honest... who here started the Colts defense in fantasy?

[Al B. Sure!]

62-7 Final


How long before Jim Caldwell is fired?

[Donegeal]

I said it ealier and I'll say it again:

Peyton Manning for MVP

[SlowwHand]

His being out is more a testament than his being in.

[Jaguar]

There are other examples of what happens when Peyton is out. Peyton leaving the game is almost literally the only way that the Colts will be blown out. The worst Colts games of the last ten years, by point differential. All games where they were outscored by 14 or more are in here. Games with Manning out are in bold.

(2011) Saints 62, Colts 7
(2006) Jaguars 44, Colts 17 (Maurice Jones-Drew: 303 all-purpose yards)
(2011) Texans 34, Colts 7
(2009) Bills 30, Colts 7 (Manning left with score 7-7, Colts were 14-1 and the #1 seed)
(2010) Chargers 36, Colts 14
(2008) Packers 34, Colts 14
(2004) Broncos 33, Colts 14 (Jim Sorgi game. Manning scores 49 the next week.)
(2002) Steelers 28, Colts 10
(2002) Giants 44, Colts 27 (Amani Toomer: 204 yards, 3 TD)
(2008) Bears 29, Colts 13
(2005) Seahawks 28, Colts 13 (Sorgi)
(2003) Broncos 31, Colts 17
(2009) Jets 29, Colts 15 (Painter)

That's it. That's every game the Colts lost by 14 points or more. I suspect that this list is going to get a lot longer this season.

[-Jrabbit]

62-7 Final

How long before Jim Caldwell is fired?

It's pretty hard to blame Caldwell for Peyton being out. But someone's got to take the rap for that "defense" -- which has pretty much sucked for years.

[Jaguar]

The 62 points allowed is, of course, the worst points allowed for the Colts in the last ten years. The second-worst game was against the 2004 Chiefs. 45-35. Manning passed for 472 yards and five touchdowns, and lost.

[Al B. Sure!]

It's pretty hard to blame Caldwell for Peyton being out. But someone's got to take the rap for that "defense" -- which has pretty much sucked for years.

It's one player. Yes, he's Peyton Manning and we've now established how he's a one-man team, but it's inexcusable that an NFL head coach with an NFL-caliber team littered with supposed Pro Bowlers could be this embarrassing. He's paid to run the team and make things work despite any adversity. What is Caldwell even doing? He seems completely incompetent.

[Ming]

He's paid to run the team and make things work despite any adversity. What is Caldwell even doing? He seems completely incompetent.

Who knows... maybe he's been told to go for the draft pick... in which case, he could be the best coach in the league and VERY competent

[Spaced Cowboy]

I don't think that losing can be healthy for the psyche of the team, even if on purpose.

[-Jrabbit]

Yeah, looks like they may have given up. Plus, New Orleans was really PO'd after losing to Tampa last week.

As for Caldwell, I imagine his leash grows shorter by the week. But I will give him props for getting 5 TD throws out of Curtis Painter (vs only 4 turnovers), which I consider pretty remarkable. The guy's kind of a stiff.

[rah]

I don't think that losing can be healthy for the psyche of the team, even if on purpose.

Yeah, I don't see how a coach that is told to lose wouldn't think that he'd be blamed for losing and fired.

[SlowwHand]

These days, no coach or player would tank games. With the proliferation of books authored by former athletes, it would never stay buried.