Schedule

[Peytonparker]

Just looking at our schedule I cant help but think about that Jacksonville game that got away at the end, I am very happy to be 2-2 right now but would be thrilled to be 3-1. Especially when I see that our next 5 games are all very winnable matchups. Lets take a look. Next week we go to New York and play the jets who have been terrible the last couple of weeks(lets see what they do against Houston tonight, but I dont expect much). Then we come back home for Cleveland, who has yet to win a game. Then @Tennessee who have also been absolutely dreadful. Next we come back home for Miam who has been playing better the last 2 weeks but I believe we are a better team and hopefully at full strength by this point.Now we come to our only primetime game of the year, can anyone say revenge game @ Jacksonville who as I stated earlier we should have beat 2 weeks ago. Outside of 2 big plays they did nothing and we didnt even have Freeney. After that it gets dicy but there are more winnable games home for Buffalo is one as is home for Tennessee and maybe even @ Kansas City. So I guess my question is does anyone else think the playoffs could be a real possibility if we can carry that momentum from yesterdays second half and play like that all year. Go Colts

[21isSuperman]

We didn't deserve to win that Jacksonville game. The offensive playcalling was very conservative, and the defense couldn't stop MJD

[mystrymaster]

I do think this is a very favorable part of our schedule, I really need us to put together a complete game though, on all sides of the ball.

[SLILLINGTON10]

if our secondary plays out of their mind like they did in the second half, we can beat anybody. That is a huge IF. not to mention we need freeney and mathis back and healthy.

[Stephen]

we have to wait to see how we perform in these next five games

[bobourret]

here comes 7-2 and then things get ugly from there

[cjwhiskers]

Never know, we hit 7-2 that is a rolling rock of confidence. Any givwn Suday boys. Look at the Jags game this way most expectced to win the jags and lose to the pack. It happened the other way around which I like more. We'll have our shot at the jags again.

[HtownColt]

We didn't deserve to win that Jacksonville game. The offensive playcalling was very conservative, and the defense couldn't stop MJD

Luck threw the ball 46 times that game. Wouldn't call it conservative just not executing

[seeblu]

This young team is just starting to jell. So many rookies, so many free agents, a different scheme on D. WOW, Colts are surprising everyone. Go Blue

[fromoutoftheBatCave]

Agreed but don't ahead of yourself. Still got a long road ahead of us and hope we don't get any more injuries. Need TEs and Hilton/Avery to step up as Reggie will get more and more attention. Improve run defense. Improve pass defense. Lots of things.

[USAFHoosier]

With our schedule playoffs are possible if both sides of the ball continue to improve week to week. I am not claiming we will be in the playoffs just saying its possible with our schedule.

[Michael Lebron]

I agree that we could be 7-2...... More importantily we will grow as a team during that time. We just beat a very good team.... Why couldnt we beat New England? Why can;t we beat the Texans.... When Freeny plays alongside Mathis we are really good!! Redding in the middle.. The defense will grow and grow fast!

[CR91]

we can be 7-2 come time to play the patriots

[21isSuperman]

Luck threw the ball 46 times that game. Wouldn't call it conservative just not executing

Well put. I guess what I meant is that (if I am remembering the game correctly) after the first half, we had the chance to put them away for good, but we didn't.

[Ryan Pelley]

Sure, we could be 7-2, but we could also be 2-7. I'll give it 5-4.

[NagelHausForge]

One game at a time, gents. One game at a time.

[Restored]

As many have said before, the Colts will win games they shouldn't win and lose games they should win. We have seen both up to this point. Now the Packers game is a huge step in the right direction but this team is still incredibly young. The next 5 games are highly winnable. It will be on Luck to see if he can continue to play mature football.

[DoomOf21]

Well put. I guess what I meant is that (if I am remembering the game correctly) after the first half, we had the chance to put them away for good, but we didn't.

First possession of the second half we eat up eat minutes of the clock an score a field goal.

Second possession:

We are on our own 2 yardline and are kinda sorta forced to run the ball. Run, incompletion (not very conservative), run, punt

Fourth quarter begins! Short pass for two yards. Run for four yards. 3rd and four: incomplete pass. It might be conservative, but the only problem is execution. We even had a run for decent yardage.

Next possession:

1. Indianapolis Colts at 12:40
   
2. 1-10-IND 19 (12:40) (Run formation) PENALTY on IND-83-D.Allen, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at IND 19 - No Play. BOO!
   
3. 1-15-IND 14 (12:40) (Run formation) 33-V.Ballard left guard to IND 12 for -2 yards (50-E.Henderson). BOO! Definitely a bit conservative.
   
4. 2-17-IND 12 (12:00) (Shotgun) 33-V.Ballard up the middle to IND 20 for 8 yards (41-M.Raymond). PENALTY on IND-66-T.Essex, Offensive Holding, 6 yards, enforced at IND 12 - No Play. OMG This is getting frustrating. An effective run, but maybe too effective due to Essex. Notice the penalty puts us on the 6 yardline. Rookie QB 2nd and 23, the masses say let Luck fire away. Pagano says no dice, no pick sixes on my watch.
   
5. 2-23-IND 6 (11:45) (Run formation) 33-V.Ballard up the middle to IND 9 for 3 yards (93-K.Williams). Conservative, forced to be.
   
6. 3-20-IND 9 (11:03) (Shotgun) 26-M.Moore left tackle to IND 7 for -2 yards (50-E.Henderson). Conservative, forced to be.
   
7. 4-22-IND 7 (10:23) 1-P.McAfee punts 55 yards to MIN 38, Center-45-M.Overton. 35-M.Sherels to MIN 46 for 8 yards (45-M.Overton).
   

Keep in mind this is with a one touchdown lead.

1. Indianapolis Colts at 05:07
   
2. 3-B.Walsh kicks 74 yards from MIN 35 to IND -9. 13-T.Hilton, Touchback.
   
3. 1-10-IND 20 (5:07) (Run formation) 31-D.Brown up the middle to IND 20 for no gain (50-E.Henderson). EH?
   
4. Timeout #1 by IND at 04:32. ???
   
5. 2-10-IND 20 (4:32) (Run formation) 12-A.Luck pass short right to 87-R.Wayne to IND 25 for 5 yards (22-H.Smith; 50-E.Henderson). MIN-50-E.Henderson was injured during the play. Sounds like a situational checkdown. If there are so many in the box, go with the quick slant.
   
6. 3-5-IND 25 (4:03) (Shotgun) 12-A.Luck pass short left to 11-D.Avery to IND 33 for 8 yards (20-C.Cook). YAY first down! Great catch by Adams.
   
7. 1-10-IND 33 (3:20) (Run formation) 31-D.Brown up the middle to IND 33 for no gain (96-B.Robison). SAD D:
   
8. Timeout #1 by MIN at 03:13.
   
9. 2-10-IND 33 (3:13) (Run formation) 12-A.Luck pass short right to 11-D.Avery to IND 38 for 5 yards (26-A.Winfield; 96-B.Robison). Another situational checkdown/low risk pass to gain some yardage.
   
10. Timeout #2 by MIN at 03:07.
    
11. 3-5-IND 38 (3:07) (Shotgun) 12-A.Luck sacked at IND 16 for -22 yards (97-E.Griffen). Notice the snap is at the Indy 38, if it wasn't for Luck's blunder we could have pinned them down around their thirty or even better. Given an equal punt as the next play or better (no twelve yard return) the Vikings have the ball at their 31 yardline as opposed to our 47.
    
12. Timeout #3 by MIN at 03:00.
    
13. 4-27-IND 16 (3:00) 1-P.McAfee punts 43 yards to MIN 41, Center-45-M.Overton. 35-M.Sherels to IND 47 for 12 yards (97-M.Addison). We needed a better kick and better coverage. Also notice we forced the Vikings to use up all three of their timeouts on this drive. Ultimately it didn't matter, but still something you want a four minute offense to be able to do.
    

So as you can see, in a number of situations Pagano was forced into conservative playcalling in order to protect his rookie quarterback.

Yet again I bring this out. It wasn't the playcalling that cost the game, it was the execution of the plays (penalties and dropped passes).

[John Waylon]

We should jump over .500 against the jest. We're meeting them at the right time. Big, emotional win for us, I think they get reamed on MNF tonight and begin a massive identity crisis. If a QB controversy doesn't begin this week, I think we'll be the straw that breaks that camel's back.

The Brows matchup interests me. We saw how bad our run defense can be against the Jags, in our own house, no less. Richardson has been better than I expected, and if he gets going like we let MJD get going, he could make the day difficult for us. They also have receivers who, while not great, make their offense work. Could be a costly mistake to underestimate them.

If we can't beat the Titans I'll eat Luck's helmet.

The Dolphins game is a total mystery, for the exact same reason as the Browns game.

We've jobbed to Jaxtown once already, so it's fair to say it would be unwise to call that one either way.

A cold, November day in New England? Not what one would call "ideal".

The Bills are a better team than they've shown to be. (I'm starting to think they need to get Chan Gailey out of the drivers seat) If they have come alive by the time they come to town it could be a difficult game.

Detroit is going to be a VERY tough game. Megatron is bigger than two of our DB's put together.

Titans, meh.

Texans I guess all depends on playoffs and seedings. If, for some odd reason, they already have the #1 seed wrapped up, I could see them going easy against unless it could potentially let us into the playoffs. Then they will bring their A game.

The Chiefs game is way up in the air. Could be bad weather, who knows? Jamaal Charles has been pretty inconsistent this season, but he's a burner for sure if he gets going.

Texans, see above Texans entry.

Parity has taken over the NFL. It's hard to mark down any games as wins and losses in advance anymore.

[Thewholefnshow28]

This is defiantly our most favorable part of the schedule, but we do not want to get to ahead of ourselves because this is still a very young team. One of the biggest trademarks for a young team is inconsistency. Yes, our team banded together and pulled out a gutsy win against the Packers on Sunday, but this is still the same team that got ran over by MJD and let a mediocre WR get open for a TD to win the game.

7-2 is definitely doable though and if we are anything but 5-4 then I will be thoroughly disappointed.

[krunk]

I've been on record the entire time saying we could make the playoffs. With that being said, we have to remain consistent.

The schedule is attractive, but so was the Jacksonville game until we played it. We'll make it if we play each game in the

same manner as yesterday minus the first half perfomance.

[turner46992]

As I was leaving Lucas Oil to walk to the Colts Bar & Grille to catch the broncos vs pats game, I was pondering the same question. Could be a playoff team this year and shock everyone? What team has the best chance to beat us(on paper)? Could we upset the Texans like we did Greenbay? Could we win the AFC South? I have no answer to any of the questions, simply because I cant tell the future, but I will root for the colts come sunday or Thursday vs Jacksonville. I think we can win every game, while mainting the though that the opposing team looks alot better on the stat sheets.

[oldunclemark]

we have to wait to see how we perform in these next five games

I really think we can win the next five.....unless the Jets have an epiphany tonight