Will We Have Trouble Gettin An "any Given Sunday" Win?

[jgstriker]

I was thinking about the old adage that any team can win on any given sunday.

While this is of course true, we all know that the best team will win probably 75% of the time.

I was thinking about WHY a team can win on any given game and I am thinking that maybe the Colts lack alot of those parts of the equation. We really never have had the explosive play in the special teams game to acutally help the team win. I just can't remember us having the game breaking return in a long time.

We also don't have the ball hawk player like a Polamolu who causes the kind of turnover that can lead to scores all by themselves. With our offense currently being pretty much missing, it is hard to turn turnovers into 6 points. And the games that we DO have a legit chance of winning are happening sooner rather than later. Geling will be very important this week.

So what are your thoughts about what part of our game might give us a chance to sneak away a couple of victories?

And if anyone says that Painter will be a good quarterback within the next handful of games I might just die.

[MAC]

If you can limit the run while bringing two of the best pass rushers in football you don't have to have "a ball hawk" to cause turnovers. When you can run the ball effectively you can have a chance of extending drives. If you can do both these things than most every game will be close, and it's when games are close that "any given Sunday" comes into play. Plus Painter has already demonstrated far more effectiveness than Collins (particularly in the red zone), and I expect him to get better with time. I think we can win some games on our schedule without having to resort to miracles, and be close enough in others for possible upsets.

[jgstriker]

I just don't agree that Painter has proven anything.

He came in the fourth quarter, and I may be wrong but didnt he give up one touchdown and score one touchdown? He has proved, to me at least, that he has proved nothing other than what we have seen form him in the past. I am not saying that he can't be effective, but there is a reason the coaching staff brought in a guy who hadn't touched a football in months to start for this team with nearly no practice over Painter who has been with this team for years now. It is not a coincidence.

I guess I just don't see us having the ability to stay close too often. I figure the Cincy, KC, and Jax games might give us the chance to see if we can get a win

[MAC]

I just don't agree that Painter has proven anything.

He came in the fourth quarter, and I may be wrong but didnt he give up one touchdown and score one touchdown? He has proved, to me at least, that he has proved nothing other than what we have seen form him in the past. I am not saying that he can't be effective, but there is a reason the coaching staff brought in a guy who hadn't touched a football in months to start for this team with nearly no practice over Painter who has been with this team for years now. It is not a coincidence.

I guess I just don't see us having the ability to stay close too often. I figure the Cincy, KC, and Jax games might give us the chance to see if we can get a win

Painter's biggest problems have always been 1)killing drives by nervously throwing the ball at the receivers feet, 2)causing too many turnovers. I always saw plenty of positives (as have the Colts, apparently) but the negatives rendered him ineffective. As did the fact that he was always throwing to 4th and 5th stringers and standing behind a line comprised of people who aren't even on the roster now.

In his last two outings (21 points in less than two quarters) he has reversed the trend. Not coincidentally those are the only occasions where he has played with the first team. Even if he shows nothing more than the level of competence demonstrated in those two outings it's STILL an upgrade over Collins, yet considering his age and lack of experience it's reasonable to expect him to continue to improve.

It's ridiculous to look at the Pittsburgh game and only focus on the sack/fumble. Are you calling for the Colts to bench Castonzo for utterly failing on that play? I doubt it. Why do you hold Painter - the poor victim of AC's error - to a different standard? He drove the team down the field in crunch time and scored, despite having just given up a TD, despite the pressure of a close game, despite facing one of the best defenses in football actively seeking his head, on National Television, with too much of the crowd wearing Steeler's jerseys and half the remaining crowd about as enthusiastic about him as you are. Collins couldn't score a TD against the BROWNS until they were playing back 20 yards and handing it too him. You watched all that and don't think that he might put a 3-4 TDs against some of the inferior defenses we'll face later? Be reasonable.

[jgstriker]

I am not saying at all that Painter may not be able to bring more to the table than Collins has thus far, and I guess my reference to his turn over i don't mean in all seriousness. But his one successful drive did not show me that he is even a serviceable option. AC did a poor job blocking, I won't deny that, either.

I just saw a good drive from him, but i saw nothing to make me think he can score 3 or 4 TD's on any defense. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning would be quite happy to score 3 or 4 td's in a game. Give me a break with saying Painter could do that

I hope Painter proves me wrong and can be somewhat effective. But one drive that was successful doesn't prove a heck of a lot.

[jtrester]

It seems to me that Painter's biggest issue is that he isn't the second coming of Peyton. He has gigantic shoes to fill and huge expectations of a fan base that has been used to winning for better than a decade. I truly feel like he is a step forward from Kerry Collins in 2011. Kerry Collins in 2008 and 2009 would be useful, he just doesn't have it left in him. Orlovsky is slower than Collins, that is why he was cut initially. Ultimately, we need wins. A loss is a loss, no matter the path.

[since 1960]

If the Colts play with the determination they showed against Steelers they should win a few games no matter who the QB is. The defense really stepped up in that game. We need them to continue this in order to win.

[Blue Horseshoe]

If they don't pick up a victory by week 6 the wheels may come off completely. I wouldn't be at all shocked if Caldwell loses the locker room.

I'm still not sold on the defense and I think Sunday may have had more to do with the decimated Steeler offensive line than anything the Colts did. Also, the Steelers could have been looking ahead to Houston (who I think will blow them out of the stadium) and the Colts could have been motivated to show up big on Sunday Night, especially with Manning attending the game. Finally, I don't think the Steelers are as good as advertised anymore.

Monday looks like a loss but the Bengals look vulnerable as do the Chiefs. Hopefully they pick up one of those.

[swflacoltsfans]

I think winning on Mondays will be tougher.

[doogansquest]

Nobody is only focusing on the sack fumble (which was just as much his fault, btw). They are focusing on completely missing a wide open receiver for a touchdown, meaning he essentially cost us 14 points; for throwing an easy first down 3 feet short; for hopping balls off the turf with regularity. He lead one freaking drive. Ryan Leaf even lead a drive in the NFL.

[Andy]

"You gotta fight for those inches" and our next game is on monday

[coltfaninnewyork]

One thing people forget our defense does play as well on the road,let's see if we come to play monday.

[jgstriker]

Nobody is only focusing on the sack fumble (which was just as much his fault, btw). They are focusing on completely missing a wide open receiver for a touchdown, meaning he essentially cost us 14 points; for throwing an easy first down 3 feet short; for hopping balls off the turf with regularity. He lead one freaking drive. Ryan Leaf even lead a drive in the NFL.

+1 Doogan

[No 1 Manning Fan]

If you can limit the run while bringing two of the best pass rushers in football you don't have to have "a ball hawk" to cause turnovers.

Maybe you have to have one, but imagine how much better our D would be. You can't plan against Polamolu because he is all over the field. He gives QBs fits because they have to keep looking for him, and if they don't keep up with him they often pay the price. We may not have to have one, but it sure would be nice.

[-JJ-]

the any given sunday has more to do with the bounce of the ball and a team's intensity or lack of, more than it has to do with talent...hence any give sunday.

teams make mistakes on any given sunday, they don't always have the same intensity for all 16 games..etc..