Why's everyone gettin' all emotional about possibly playin' the Broncos in the Playoffs?

[chad72]

What you guys aren't thinking through is that teams and quarterbacks play differently in the post season. Once the wild card starts, all those 59 point beatings etc. are worthless. We got cocky in 2010 after laying a 45-3 beating on the Jets only to lose in the post season against them.

Look at Eli, he becomes an absolute monster in the post season. Peyton on the other hand looks awful. Brady historically has not played well in the AFCCG (2006, 2007, 2011). Mark Sanchez plays really well. Flacco was the best QB last year statistically in the AFC even with the dropped TD that would have sent them to the SB.

If you boil it down to which teams/qbs don't play well in the post season, the numbers and history point to Peyton. Yes Brady hasn't played all that well either but the difference is he advances his teams throughout the playoffs and eventually to the big game. Peyton has a knack of just going one and done.

Awful is not nearly the reality. His numbers would indicate different. But then, if you go one and done having held the lead in the 4th qtr. of a game the last 4 playoff games you lost, and then you watch Eli's Giants shut down the Pats after they go up 17-9 in the third quarter for the rest of the SB, it definitely boils down to team support to me.

I can tell you this much - team support is definitely better with his Broncos cast than the Colts cast of the last few years, that was not a slouch of a team he went to. The playoffs is where we will find out, I guess.

[Devildog]

The way I see it is that Manning will be facing a new Colts. This will be a new team to him since he's never played the Colts in his entire life.

[chad72]

The way I see it is that Manning will be facing a new Colts. This will be a new team to him since he's never played the Colts in his entire life.

True. But if it is like the hybrid Ds the Ravens have rolled out in the past with much less defensive talent, he has owned the Ravens with better talent on D??? But the Ravens teams he beat did have inferior talent on O than of course the Peyton led Colts. Ultimately, it is about the Luck led Colts' O matching up vs a particular D that will determine our chances of success in the playoffs.

Just something to think about.

[TKnight24]

No Comment.............

[Dudley Smith]

True. But if it is like the hybrid Ds the Ravens have rolled out in the past with much less defensive talent, he has owned the Ravens with better talent on D??? But the Ravens teams he beat did have inferior talent on O than of course the Peyton led Colts. Ultimately, it is about the Luck led Colts' O matching up vs a particular D that will determine our chances of success in the playoffs.

Just something to think about.

If I recall the last few games Manning had against the Ravens, I remember them being low scoring. Generally with the Colts scoring in the teens or low 20s at most. So I don't know if I would say he shredded them, although our Colts did come up with the "W." It's probably an apples to oranges comparison anyway though due to the personnel on both defenses being completely different. It would be interesting to see Manning throwing against the Colts defense though.

[chad72]

It would be interesting to see Manning throwing against the Colts defense though.

I would prefer to see that at Lucas Oil Stadium next year as opposed to Denver where he will have a quiet crowd???

[HungarianColtsFan]

Why's everyone gettin' all emotional about possibly playin' the Broncos in the Playoffs?

For a QB we used to know?

[fvantagio]

What you guys aren't thinking through is that teams and quarterbacks play differently in the post season. Once the wild card starts, all those 59 point beatings etc. are worthless. We got cocky in 2010 after laying a 45-3 beating on the Jets only to lose in the post season against them.

Look at Eli, he becomes an absolute monster in the post season. Peyton on the other hand looks awful. Brady historically has not played well in the AFCCG (2006, 2007, 2011). Mark Sanchez plays really well. Flacco was the best QB last year statistically in the AFC even with the dropped TD that would have sent them to the SB.

If you boil it down to which teams/qbs don't play well in the post season, the numbers and history point to Peyton. Yes Brady hasn't played all that well either but the difference is he advances his teams throughout the playoffs and eventually to the big game. Peyton has a knack of just going one and done.

It took Brady 3 years to win a playoff game after losing, bruschi, seau, harrison etc... Rodgers was 1 and done his first year, when hes defense was weak. But after Matthews and comp. improved it he wins a SB. Then last year their D was average aaannnd hes 1 and done. Brees won a SB with the top scoring D in the league. Since, hes 0-2, ironically hes D has struggled the last 2 years...Seems like every QB has a knack of going 1 and done when they dont have a defense...In fact its almost like...it takes a whole team to win a SB...huh who woulda thunked.

[Buck Showalter]

If the Colts get to the playoffs & face the Broncos I see it as a win, win situation... I already feel that the season is a success, so with that said making it into the playoffs and facing the broncos would just be the icing, so to speak...

For one, you'll get to see Luck vs. Manning, the media will have its heyday, and at least the way I see it for the rookie Luck on this young Colts team losing to #18, won't seem to hurt so bad, so going one and done in the playoffs against the Broncos not such a horrible end to the season, or the other outcome, we face the Broncos & win, obviously that would be awesome too, and with a playoff win under Luck's belt, that would be a huge success, and somehow would make losing in the next round of playoffs a little less hurty also...

so either way, I see playing the Broncos as the perfect way to end this already awesome season...

just my two cents...

[Indyfan4life]

Peyton doesn't always play as dynamite in the playoffs as he does in the regular season. I think we would be more competitive than some people are giving credit for. With Mcgahee hurt, I don't think the Broncos would have very much of a running game. Of course that's not saying a whole lot because Peyton doesn't really need a running game. Peyton often takes a while to get going, and as the game progresses he warms up.

The Broncos would probably win, but I think Luck could put some points up on Denvers D. Give our team some credit for crying out loud. We were only down by 7 points to Tom Brady and the Patriots(#1 offense in the NFL) at half time, and some of the commentators felt like we had a real shot before the second half collapse. I don't know why people on this forum insist on saying we won't have a shot everytime the next Goliath is presented. We've already proven more than once we can play with anybody. If we lose it's usually based on some dumb mental errors or bad tackling. Not so much lack of talent......

I say this because even though our D scheme as changed since Peyton left, he still knows a lot of it based on players from last year.

[chad72]

This year, no matter who we face in the playoffs, we will be playing with house money. The pressure is mostly going to be on the other team.

The thing with a young team - either lights out or lights off.

But the fact that the expectations are low and any playoff win is gravy would make it at least exciting till a loss happens. Then next year, in year 2, expectations will be sky high, and for the first time, our guys will experience what it takes to fulfill high expectations and staying at the top which is harder than getting there.

So, roll the dice as long as we are rolling with Luck and this die-hard team this year. It is like a sweet dream one does not want to wake up from.

[Snowglobe]

It took Brady 3 years to win a playoff game after losing, bruschi, seau, harrison etc... Rodgers was 1 and done his first year, when hes defense was weak. But after Matthews and comp. improved it he wins a SB. Then last year their D was average aaannnd hes 1 and done. Brees won a SB with the top scoring D in the league. Since, hes 0-2, ironically hes D has struggled the last 2 years...Seems like every QB has a knack of going 1 and done when they dont have a defense...In fact its almost like...it takes a whole team to win a SB...huh who woulda thunked.

Right so what about the Colts defense in 2005? Manning didn't play well in that game. Neither in 2007 or 2008. All 3 times Manning had a top defense and still struggled. The excuses get really old. If Brady can lead a 31st ranked defense to the SB, I see no reason why Manning cannot.

[HtownColt]

Von Miller vs Castonzo/Justice.....that is all...

[Snowglobe]

Awful is not nearly the reality. His numbers would indicate different. But then, if you go one and done having held the lead in the 4th qtr. of a game the last 4 playoff games you lost, and then you watch Eli's Giants shut down the Pats after they go up 17-9 in the third quarter for the rest of the SB, it definitely boils down to team support to me.

I can tell you this much - team support is definitely better with his Broncos cast than the Colts cast of the last few years, that was not a slouch of a team he went to. The playoffs is where we will find out, I guess.

Brady deserves some of the blame for that 17-9 meltdown. The 4th quarter, he had two opportunities to score. Threw 1 interception and overthrew Welker on another drive. You won't find Patriots fans making excuses for that one.

Colts fans seem to blame everyone but Manning. I've heard it all. The pick 6? Not Manning's fault. In 08 against the Chargers, he threw a 72 yard TD to Wayne halfway into the 3rd quarter. For the REST OF THE GAME, the Colts do not score a single point. Manning has 4 more possessions, goes 3 and out on 2 of them and one of the drives was in the closing seconds of the game so essentially goes 3 and out on 2 of his last 3 drives.

Who is to blame for that? The Colts only allowed 3 points in the second half of that game defensively which unfortunately was enough to send it to OT. I fault the offense for that one and the offense goes through Manning.

In 2007, Manning scores a touchdown early in the 4th to give the Colts the lead. Chargers march down and score. Peyton gets the ball back, drives down the field and fails to convert a 4th down, has 3 straight incompletions to kill the drive AT the SD 7 yard line. Colts defense does its job and stops the Chargers. Peyton gets the ball back and throws 3 straight incompletions including a 4th down conversion to kill the drive AGAIN. So let's get this straight. Manning had two chances to score in the 4th Q with more than enough time left and he goes 1 for 6 on the last 7 passes. Who is to blame here? Surely not Peyton?

This is what I am talking about when I say Peyton doesn't play well in the post season. Look past the stats and look at when quarterbacks make plays. Eli Manning's two incredible throws in both SBs, Brady's 3 game winning drives in 01,03,04, etc. That is what the difference is. The stats don't tell the whole story. Manning seems to play great in post season games until it matters the most i.e. 4th quarter.

I do understand where the frustration can be like in 2010. He actually did everything right but still lost. That doesn't erase his inability to make plays all the other times.

[Tsarquise]

Right so what about the Colts defense in 2005? Manning didn't play well in that game. Neither in 2007 or 2008. All 3 times Manning had a top defense and still struggled. The excuses get really old. If Brady can lead a 31st ranked defense to the SB, I see no reason why Manning cannot.

He actually played good in 2007... I would blame that on the defense.

[Tsarquise]

Brady deserves some of the blame for that 17-9 meltdown. The 4th quarter, he had two opportunities to score. Threw 1 interception and overthrew Welker on another drive. You won't find Patriots fans making excuses for that one.

Colts fans seem to blame everyone but Manning. I've heard it all. The pick 6? Not Manning's fault. In 08 against the Chargers, he threw a 72 yard TD to Wayne halfway into the 3rd quarter. For the REST OF THE GAME, the Colts do not score a single point. Manning has 4 more possessions, goes 3 and out on 2 of them and one of the drives was in the closing seconds of the game so essentially goes 3 and out on 2 of his last 3 drives.

Who is to blame for that? The Colts only allowed 3 points in the second half of that game defensively which unfortunately was enough to send it to OT. I fault the offense for that one and the offense goes through Manning.

In 2007, Manning scores a touchdown early in the 4th to give the Colts the lead. Chargers march down and score. Peyton gets the ball back, drives down the field and fails to convert a 4th down, has 3 straight incompletions to kill the drive AT the SD 7 yard line. Colts defense does its job and stops the Chargers. Peyton gets the ball back and throws 3 straight incompletions including a 4th down conversion to kill the drive AGAIN. So let's get this straight. Manning had two chances to score in the 4th Q with more than enough time left and he goes 1 for 6 on the last 7 passes. Who is to blame here? Surely not Peyton?

This is what I am talking about when I say Peyton doesn't play well in the post season. Look past the stats and look at when quarterbacks make plays. Eli Manning's two incredible throws in both SBs, Brady's 3 game winning drives in 01,03,04, etc. That is what the difference is. The stats don't tell the whole story. Manning seems to play great in post season games until it matters the most i.e. 4th quarter.

I do understand where the frustration can be like in 2010. He actually did everything right but still lost. That doesn't erase his inability to make plays all the other times.

I acually agree...

[Devildog]

True. But if it is like the hybrid Ds the Ravens have rolled out in the past with much less defensive talent, he has owned the Ravens with better talent on D??? But the Ravens teams he beat did have inferior talent on O than of course the Peyton led Colts. Ultimately, it is about the Luck led Colts' O matching up vs a particular D that will determine our chances of success in the playoffs.

Just something to think about.

Yup, I totally agree. But who knows, maybe we can pull an upset...and that would be awesome

[Tsarquise]

i would love for the Colts to face the Broncos... it would be the most entertaining game to me!

[Tsarquise]

Brady deserves some of the blame for that 17-9 meltdown. The 4th quarter, he had two opportunities to score. Threw 1 interception and overthrew Welker on another drive. You won't find Patriots fans making excuses for that one.

Colts fans seem to blame everyone but Manning. I've heard it all. The pick 6? Not Manning's fault. In 08 against the Chargers, he threw a 72 yard TD to Wayne halfway into the 3rd quarter. For the REST OF THE GAME, the Colts do not score a single point. Manning has 4 more possessions, goes 3 and out on 2 of them and one of the drives was in the closing seconds of the game so essentially goes 3 and out on 2 of his last 3 drives.

Who is to blame for that? The Colts only allowed 3 points in the second half of that game defensively which unfortunately was enough to send it to OT. I fault the offense for that one and the offense goes through Manning.

In 2007, Manning scores a touchdown early in the 4th to give the Colts the lead. Chargers march down and score. Peyton gets the ball back, drives down the field and fails to convert a 4th down, has 3 straight incompletions to kill the drive AT the SD 7 yard line. Colts defense does its job and stops the Chargers. Peyton gets the ball back and throws 3 straight incompletions including a 4th down conversion to kill the drive AGAIN. So let's get this straight. Manning had two chances to score in the 4th Q with more than enough time left and he goes 1 for 6 on the last 7 passes. Who is to blame here? Surely not Peyton?

This is what I am talking about when I say Peyton doesn't play well in the post season. Look past the stats and look at when quarterbacks make plays. Eli Manning's two incredible throws in both SBs, Brady's 3 game winning drives in 01,03,04, etc. That is what the difference is. The stats don't tell the whole story. Manning seems to play great in post season games until it matters the most i.e. 4th quarter.

I do understand where the frustration can be like in 2010. He actually did everything right but still lost. That doesn't erase his inability to make plays all the other times.

Actually in that 07 game, the Colts were about to score multiple times but turned the ball over in the red zone many times due to marvin Harrison and Kenton Keith.

[Snowglobe]

Actually in that 07 game, the Colts were about to score multiple times but turned the ball over in the red zone many times due to marvin Harrison and Kenton Keith.

But that was much earlier in the game. Manning has TWO chances to score in the 4th and failed to convert 4th downs both times. Once was at the SD 7 yard line. I can't fault anyone but the offense for that one. He finished 1/6. Think back to the AFCCG, Manning throws a pick 6 but it's irrelevant because he has a brilliant 2nd half and one of the best 4th quarter drives I've ever seen. You can always overcome early mistakes later in the game.

[Snowglobe]

He actually played good in 2007... I would blame that on the defense.

Defense allowed 3 points in the second half. Offense cannot move the ball for 1 1/2 quarters. You can fault the defense in OT but when the offense can't move the ball, that puts a lot of pressure on the D.

[Tsarquise]

Defense allowed 3 points in the second half. Offense cannot move the ball for 1 1/2 quarters. You can fault the defense in OT but when the offense can't move the ball, that puts a lot of pressure on the D.

You're talking about the 08 playoff season game.

I'm talking about the 07 season playoff game.

And I agree with you about the 08 game.

[BOTT]

good god...could you guys the brady vs manning thing a rest? that horse looks like a pile of goo by now...

[Tsarquise]

But that was much earlier in the game. Manning has TWO chances to score in the 4th and failed to convert 4th downs both times. Once was at the SD 7 yard line. I can't fault anyone but the offense for that one. He finished 1/6. Think back to the AFCCG, Manning throws a pick 6 but it's irrelevant because he has a brilliant 2nd half and one of the best 4th quarter drives I've ever seen. You can always overcome early mistakes later in the game.

You're right but it also doesn't help when your top rated defense can't stop Billy Volek from marching down the field for a touchdown.

[The Fish]

I swear there is no other forum like this forum. It's like reality is frowned upon or something

no offense, but people like you were telling us Colts fans to grin and bear inevitable defeat, and you and many other were wrong.

[luck and wayne]

The Colts beat the packers,miami and detroit,and maybe i am crazy but i see them defeating the texans .Houston has already played it's best football of the season going into overtime against the jags and the lions.Does anyone remember what the packers did to the texans?As far as playing the broncos i am all for it ,We have fourteen years of film on the guy,he didn't go to denver and completly reinvent himself.It was a sad day for me when mark sanchez beat the colts in the afc championship two years ago but if sanchez could do it why not luck?Denver has a great defense no doubt,but if you limit peyton the colts have a great shot.

[BOTT]

no offense, but people like you were telling us Colts fans to grin and bear inevitable defeat, and you and many other were wrong.

especially when many texan fans were counting their lombardi trophys when the biggest accomplishment in team history is beating the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs.

[Vance]

The Colts beat the packers,miami and detroit,and maybe i am crazy but i see them defeating the texans .Houston has already played it's best football of the season going into overtime against the jags and the lions.Does anyone remember what the packers did to the texans?As far as playing the broncos i am all for it ,We have fourteen years of film on the guy,he didn't go to denver and completly reinvent himself.It was a sad day for me when mark sanchez beat the colts in the afc championship two years ago but if sanchez could do it why not luck?Denver has a great defense no doubt,but if you limit peyton the colts have a great shot.

Lollerskates at the CONTINUED effort to bring up SINGLE games in a 16-game season to try and define a team. Friggin' hilarious. Well you know what, if we're gonna do that I'm going to define the Colts by what the JETS did to them earlier on. Seems fair.

[Jim H.]

Yeah...just what we want. A mid-winter playoff game in New England.

[IndyBarb]

Lollerskates at the CONTINUED effort to bring up SINGLE games in a 16-game season to try and define a team. Friggin' hilarious. Well you know what, if we're gonna do that I'm going to define the Colts by what the JETS did to them earlier on. Seems fair.

Lollerskates...that was a new one for me...had to look that one up!

[MR. Blueblood]

Lollerskates at the CONTINUED effort to bring up SINGLE games in a 16-game season to try and define a team. Friggin' hilarious. Well you know what, if we're gonna do that I'm going to define the Colts by what the JETS did to them earlier on. Seems fair.

Can't believe I'm gonna actually agree with you on something, but trying to use the whole Team A beat Team B and we beat Team A so surely we're going to be able to beat Team B just doesn't work. Every team every season goes through ebbs and flows. Every team matches up against another team differently.

[NewEra]

Would love to play Denver and beat them in the playoffs. Only wish it was at home ;)

[Superman]

But that was much earlier in the game. Manning has TWO chances to score in the 4th and failed to convert 4th downs both times. Once was at the SD 7 yard line. I can't fault anyone but the offense for that one. He finished 1/6. Think back to the AFCCG, Manning throws a pick 6 but it's irrelevant because he has a brilliant 2nd half and one of the best 4th quarter drives I've ever seen. You can always overcome early mistakes later in the game.

God forbid a quarterback throws incomplete on 4th down against a good defense.

These kind of arguments suggest that only what the quarterback does in the 4th quarter matters. It ignores the fact that Manning played a pretty doggone good game, that there were two turnovers due to a fumble and a dropped pass, and that the Chargers scored the game winning touchdown with Billy Volek at quarterback and LaDanian Tomlinson on the sideline. It ignores the fact that the run game was non-existent. Manning threw for 402 yards and 3 touchdowns, but you're blaming the loss on him. In fact, you're using that game as an example of him not playing well in the playoffs. It's crazy to me.

The offense could have played better to finish those last couple of drives. Absolutely. Manning isn't totally without blame. But this game is NOT an example of him playing poorly in the playoffs.

[Superman]

Defense allowed 3 points in the second half. Offense cannot move the ball for 1 1/2 quarters. You can fault the defense in OT but when the offense can't move the ball, that puts a lot of pressure on the D.

Why can't the defense handle some pressure every now and then? Every Super Bowl team has gotten good performances out of their defense. But when Manning's Colts needed the defense to come up with a stop, or if the offense ever had a tough game, the loss was Manning's fault. It's an impossible burden to bear, a standard that no other quarterback has ever been held to.

[Tsarquise]

God forbid a quarterback throws incomplete on 4th down against a good defense.

These kind of arguments suggest that only what the quarterback does in the 4th quarter matters. It ignores the fact that Manning played a pretty doggone good game, that there were two turnovers due to a fumble and a dropped pass, and that the Chargers scored the game winning touchdown with Billy Volek at quarterback and LaDanian Tomlinson on the sideline. It ignores the fact that the run game was non-existent. Manning threw for 402 yards and 3 touchdowns, but you're blaming the loss on him. In fact, you're using that game as an example of him not playing well in the playoffs. It's crazy to me.

The offense could have played better to finish those last couple of drives. Absolutely. Manning isn't totally without blame. But this game is NOT an example of him playing poorly in the playoffs.

Correctomondo... Absolutely agree.... You said it perfectly!

[Tsarquise]

Can't believe I'm gonna actually agree with you on something, but trying to use the whole Team A beat Team B and we beat Team A so surely we're going to be able to beat Team B just doesn't work. Every team every season goes through ebbs and flows. Every team matches up against another team differently.

It does have pertinence. People act as if the Colts have no chance to beat the Texans. The poster is only saying that if the Jags and Lions can dang near beat them, the Colts have a chance and can definitely keep it close...

And you know our record in close games.

[chad72]

But that was much earlier in the game. Manning has TWO chances to score in the 4th and failed to convert 4th downs both times. Once was at the SD 7 yard line. I can't fault anyone but the offense for that one. He finished 1/6. Think back to the AFCCG, Manning throws a pick 6 but it's irrelevant because he has a brilliant 2nd half and one of the best 4th quarter drives I've ever seen. You can always overcome early mistakes later in the game.

2005 - Cardinal sin of resting. With a rhythm offense, offense needs more reps to stay in rhythm while defense being more attrition needs the rest. How else do you explain Peyton and the Colts playing at a high level throughout the season but take a month off and try to match the playoff intensity of a Steelers team and fail for about 3 quarters? In fact, because we woke up in the 4th qtr., it was even a close game. Caldwell, as opposed to Dungy, conducted the first full padded practice during a bye week. Results, Peyton and the Colts stopped their pattern of going one and done after a bye week that they had done under Dungy in 2005 and 2007 and went to the SB in 2009.

2007 - There was a key difference. The Colts offense could never run the ball even when the other team played pass and conceded the run. One year, we could run and we won it all. So, instead of throwing a pick in the 2007 Chargers game in the red zone, Peyton tried to hand off the ball in the red zone, negative yardage. Tried to throw a checkdown to Addai, sniffed out. Brady tried throwing against the same Chargers' D in 2007 AFCCG, you know what happened. That is right, he threw more INTs than TDs (much like the 2011 AFCCG) but he won both games. You know why??? Brady's O-line could run the ball vs the Chargers with 3 TE sets while Peyton's could not, same way with Brady's O-line being able to run with BenJarvis Green Ellis. Pats' make up of their O-line and team was more balanced that they could resort to Plan B but not so with Peyton's case.

2008 - yes, I totally agree with you, Peyton and the offense could have done more, no reason we get 4 turnovers to the Chargers' 2 and end up losing, however that game was single handedly changed by hidden yardage on special teams with Scifres and Sproles and is the lowest avg. starting position for an offense for a playoff game in the last 15 years of playoffs, you can go look it up.

2009 - 4th qtr., we push the lead with a made FG to 4. Instead, it stays a 1 pt. lead with a Matt Stover miss (Caldwell should have punted) and Brees completes 80+ % of his passes for a SB record, tell me if Brady was down by a TD in a SB in the 4th qtr., wont he be throwing more as well? But then, Brady was never down a TD in the 4th qtr. of any SB he had been and did not have to take more chances, IMO. You throw more against a ball hawking team, you are going to pay, and Peyton made a fatal mistake with little time left. When he threw that pick six against Asante Samuel in the 2006 AFCCG, he had time to recover but not so in the Tracy Porter case, big difference, IMO. He threw a pick six as recently as the MNF game vs the Chargers but had time to recover and he did.

Sean Payton won it the same way vs Peyton the Giants won vs the Pats, by shrinking the game and reducing the number of possessions. Why was it that no team attempted the mighty onside kick vs the Pats? Why was it that the Pats have not given up a ST TD in the AFC playoffs in a while while the Colts did plenty of times, including the Hester return and all those Sproles returns (and even Dante Hall in 2003 playoffs)? Could it be that the Colts' ST had been an ignored step child and the differences get magnified come playoff time when margins are slim?

The Pats were and are a better built and coached team all around, made even better by Brady. Peyton did have more burdens to bear on his arms. Coaching, no contest, Belichick is leaps and bounds over anyone else in the NFL.

In fact, Peyton did take the 32nd rushing D to the SB and win. Brady did not win with the 32nd pass D though he took them to the SB, did he? Peyton took the 32nd rushing O to the SB on his arm in 2009 too though he lost. See, I can do that too. The postseason, just like you said, offensive and defensive numbers assume a different status quo but since you brought up some regular season numbers, I thought I'd bring them up too. Good teams adapt and make adjustments to minimize their weaknesses. Pats' D was not the worst pass D in the playoffs, otherwise they would have been done much earlier (not that Tebow was going to test you ). Colts in 2006 was the best rush D and O, a total 180 in the playoffs, and that is how they won the SB. Giants were the 32nd rush O in 2011, if I remember right, but they ran effectively come postseason.

[Tsarquise]

Brady tried throwing against the same Chargers' D in 2007 AFCCG, you know what happened. That is right, he threw more INTs than TDs (much like the 2011 AFCCG) but he won both games.

Hmmmm.... makes you wonder if the Colts would have beat the pats had they made it to the AFCCG that year. That would have been epic!

[chad72]

Hmmmm.... makes you wonder if the Colts would have beat the pats had they made it to the AFCCG that year. That would have been epic!

IFs and BUTs I normally dont indulge in but IF Freeney had been healthy in 2007 playoff run and/or 2009 SB, I do believe a few results could have been different.

[Restored]

Hmmmm.... makes you wonder if the Colts would have beat the pats had they made it to the AFCCG that year. That would have been epic!

True but if we had gone there and lost, I think my hate of the Patriots would of reached astronomical proportions.

On topic, I'd love to play Denver this year. My brother is a Broncos season ticket holder but is a Colts fan first. We both agreed to just cheer on offense and hope for a 41-38 Colts win.

However, realistically speaking, id rather us not play Denver and face Baltimore who's defense doesn't scare me like it use to.