positives and negatives (colts-bronks)

[OLD FAN MAN]

what were the positives or negatives for the colts in their first game?

[JoKeR]

I think most of us have the Colts winning 10-12 games this season, those 4-6 loses have to come from somewhere and week1 was a likely candidate for 1 of those loses. Were fine.

[JoKeR]

(+) the run game, TRich has improved, Nicks looks decent, Allen is back, our def can hold Peyton manning to less the 70 yards in a 2nd half, ST play, our team still sees a chance to win when down by a lot

(-) slow start, not enough protection for Luck and he can't get through all his progressions because of it, too much cushion for DBs when not in the redzone, we didn't seem ready from the start, we lost

[southwest1]

Positives:

 

My X-factor player RB Bradshaw showed up last night & he had a darn good game on short throws, screens, & that botched Luck goal line ball that Bradshaw picked up should have been a TD.

 

That punt return by Whalen which nearly was another TD was awesome along with that onside kick by Pat Mcafee was a thing of beauty.

 

That pylon TD by Luck was spectacular & so clutch, I liked when Andrew slammed his helmet down on the sidelines in anger because it means he is driven to win at all costs. 

 

Reggie Wayne looked in Playoff form last night.

 

Center A.Q. Shipley from the Ravens played nice for us last night along with OT Gosder Cherilus too. 

 

Stuff we need to work on:

 

I don't like settling for FGs vs TDs near the endzone, why can't we start hot in the first half vs claw back in the 2nd half with only a 7 point difference from taking the lead? 

 

Is LB Jerrell Freeman okay? I hope so. 

 

I've never seen TY Hilton shutdown like that before. He was almost irrelevant Denver DC Jack Del Rio did an excellent job there last night. 

[southwest1]

As much as I hate to admit this, Montee Ball played a solid game last night. He had good ball security, reliable running all game long & a nice TD. I owe you apology for slamming you in another thread. I was wrong. 

 

Ryan Clady is a freaking stud. Denver's line is entirely different when he is in the lineup like night & day man. I gotta give him major props. 

[southwest1]

The weird thing in Sunday night's game was what analyst Cris Collinsworth said "INDY's defense was wearing down Denver's offense in the second half." 

 

I keep thinking of a discussion I had with rock climber GOPATS I had last season about higher elevation conditions, well toned NFL athletes, & how higher elevations shouldn't affect players that much especially if you show up a few days early to get used to the thinner air. 

 

Here's my point: It looked like Denver players from Mile High were having a harder time adjusting to our intensity as the game progressed than INDY did. How is that possible? Denver wavered energy wise & we didn't? Denver looked gassed & out of breathe on D vs the Colts to my naked eye anyway. 

 

Even if you made the argument that it was the 1st full 4 QTR game played by Denver which contributed to their exhaustion levels, it really shouldn't affect their energy levels since they routinely practice in higher elevation every single day during the regular season right?

 

Doesn't the human body adjust to it naturally if a person lives & works out in a higher elevation climate or state? It's just odd to me, but I liked how the Colts defense & secondary kept fighting through adversity & never gave up last night. We have a ton of heart man. 

[GoDeep]

I liked that we didn't just do run run pass punt every series. Although we did have to put the ball in the air too much because we were playing from behind.

 

I love the fight in these guys.  They sure make games interesting.

 

Nicks is a huge upgrade from DHB.

 

O-line looked serviceable.

 

Most QBs will eat us up if we cannot get any pressure,

 

Coby didn't look good.  

[southwest1]

I liked that we didn't just do run run pass punt every series. Although we did have to put the ball in the air too much because we were playing from behind.

 

I love the fight in these guys.  They sure make games interesting.

 

Nicks is a huge upgrade from DHB.

 

O-line looked serviceable.

 

Most QBs will eat us up if we cannot get any pressure,

 

Coby didn't look good.  

That's why I asked & pray that LB Freeman is okay or at least one of the reasons I was concerned anyway GD. Andy Studebacker & Bjoern Werner did their best to apply pressure, but it just wasn't good enough.

 

I will pardon them though because the Broncos probably have the best offensive line in the NFL right now. Peyton's jersey was pretty clean all night with no grass or turf stains on it Sunday night. 

 

Who do we play next? Oh no, the high scoring high octane Philadelphia Eagles. We can hang with them, but if fall behind by 2 TDs it's over. 

[southwest1]

I just watched Andrew Luck's post game press conference on Colts.com. Man, I love his honesty & candor. He gave credit to the Broncos for winning & he said "a loss is a loss." There's no moral victories in football. 

 

He also took full responsibility for that failed QB sneak too. "I didn't make enough plays or we didn't." You see how Luck owns the loss? I love this kid. He's spectacular! We will win a championship with him. I guarantee it. 

 

Peyton Manning, as great as he is, could take lessons from Luck on the proper way to acknowledge loss on the field. JMO. 

 

http://www.colts.com/videos/videos/Luck-Press-Conference-Colts-vs-Broncos/daa964f6-2f9a-4b8a-b05e-63b16f13e719