To everyone in the Gameday chat

[House]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

[Superman]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

 

Goodness, the refs were awful...

[Smonroe]

Goodness, the refs were awful...

They're not bad, they're arbitrary. That hold call on Holmes was ridiculous. Both teams DBs were holding constantly and most were missed.

[ruksak]

Goodness, the refs were awful...

I rarely go that route, but things were very sketchy. Highly dubious group of hacks officiating this game. 

[crazycolt1]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

I like your comment but the refs made and missed calls on both sides today. We got a big break with the fumble--down kick off play by Briggs.

[Superman]

They're not bad, they're arbitrary. That hold call on Holmes was ridiculous. Both teams DBs were holding constantly and most were missed.

 

Yeah, I'm not saying they were cheating the Colts, but I think they made a lot of bad calls. And the majority of them went against the Colts. They also missed some PI/defensive holding. Just not a well-reffed game, overall. 

[Yoshinator]

The fans there were even worse. The look on their face was priceless when the Broncos lost. So happy right now I can't even think. Have a drive home in some snow and then I will chat, we should all be proud of this team right now. It's time to celebrate, and that's what I will do when I get home!

[House]

Goodness, the refs were awful...

Oh it was incredible how inept they were at calling penalties.

But the big calls that went to review I think they were spot on. Though the Cribbs call was iffy.

Our O left plenty on the field, and that's encouraging to me, because I thought we converted plenty of chances.

[Cnr324]

Words cannot explain how I feel right now I'm beyond upset I can't even talk . Denver showed no heart nothing ! Peyton needs to hang it up and Fox is gone .

Congrats Colts fans you guys have a fine young team and Andrew Luck is something special . Go win the AFC I'll be rooting for you guys on the way along with the Packers. Good game

[House]

I like your comment but the refs made and missed calls on both sides today. We got a big break with the fumble--down kick off play by Briggs.

Oh I know the refs are what they are. They'll miss stuff, and catch other things. It's the nature of officiating.

[Superman]

Words cannot explain how I feel right now I'm beyond upset I can't even talk . Denver showed no heart nothing ! Peyton needs to hang it up and Fox is gone .

Congrats Colts fans you guys have a fine young team and Andrew Luck is something special . Go win the AFC I'll be rooting for you guys on the way along with the Packers. Good game

 

Am I the only one who doesn't think Peyton Manning was the issue in this game? He didn't play well, that's for sure, but the Colts coverage was excellent, the Broncos receivers dropped screen passes and blocked terribly on the outside, they blew a protection for the sack/fumble, which was critical and gave the Colts control that they never relinquished, and the Colts shut down the run on early downs (though Anderson did a great job picking up some YAC late in the game). He got the ball down the field just fine, but Sanders was well covered.

 

And on defense, the pass rush was nonexistent, against a team that has struggled to protect the passer all year long. The secondary played well, for the most part, but they gave up some plays also. 

 

So yeah, I don't know if I get the "Manning needs to hang it up" vibe. He's the same he's been the past year. I don't think his arm is failing, and I don't think he can't still make plays. 

[csmopar]

Am I the only one who doesn't think Peyton Manning was the issue in this game? He didn't play well, that's for sure, but the Colts coverage was excellent, the Broncos receivers dropped screen passes and blocked terribly on the outside, they blew a protection for the sack/fumble, which was critical and gave the Colts control that they never relinquished, and the Colts shut down the run on early downs (though Anderson did a great job picking up some YAC late in the game). He got the ball down the field just fine, but Sanders was well covered.

And on defense, the pass rush was nonexistent, against a team that has struggled to protect the passer all year long. The secondary played well, for the most part, but they gave up some plays also.

So yeah, I don't know if I get the "Manning needs to hang it up" vibe. He's the same he's been the past year. I don't think his arm is failing, and I don't think he can't still make plays.

I agree with all but your last sentence. I'm a Colts fan first, manning fan second. Watch his movements in the first few weeks of the seasom, compare to today. You'll see he's moving a tad gingerly and avoiding contact anywhere he can. I think the thigh is still bothering him. Heck, that hole on 3rd and 5 was so big, I could have run through from my recliner here in Indiana. Yet he forces a throw to a well covered receiver.

[Superman]

I agree with all but your last sentence. I'm a Colts fan first, manning fan second. Watch his movements in the first few weeks of the seasom, compare to today. You'll see he's moving a tad gingerly and avoiding contact anywhere he can. I think the thigh is still bothering him. Heck, that hole on 3rd and 5 was so big, I could have run through from my recliner here in Indiana. Yet he forces a throw to a well covered receiver.

 

I think him throwing that ball on third and five was just a bad mistake. I don't think he decided not to run for the first because his leg was bothering him. I think he thought he had a play down the field -- and he almost did -- and took a shot. Mistake, absolutely.

 

Either way, I think his arm is the same as it's been. If his leg is hurting him, that will go away. I just see a lot of people burying him, and I think that's very premature. And of course, in terms of this game, he wasn't the only one to miss some plays. Demaryius Thomas had a chance to earn himself a $13m+/year contract, and failed. Sanders couldn't make any plays. Their vaunted pass rush got shut down. And credit to the Colts for a big time performance, also. I'm not trying to be an apologist, I just don't see this game as being evidence that he's done. 

[ell_chrisso]

Am I the only one who doesn't think Peyton Manning was the issue in this game? He didn't play well, that's for sure, but the Colts coverage was excellent, the Broncos receivers dropped screen passes and blocked terribly on the outside, they blew a protection for the sack/fumble, which was critical and gave the Colts control that they never relinquished, and the Colts shut down the run on early downs (though Anderson did a great job picking up some YAC late in the game). He got the ball down the field just fine, but Sanders was well covered.

And on defense, the pass rush was nonexistent, against a team that has struggled to protect the passer all year long. The secondary played well, for the most part, but they gave up some plays also.

So yeah, I don't know if I get the "Manning needs to hang it up" vibe. He's the same he's been the past year. I don't think his arm is failing, and I don't think he can't still make plays.

Everything is always Peytons fault....

Duhhhhh

[House]

I'm not sure how I feel about Andrew two INTs as well.

They seemed like calculated risks, maybe, but I wish this was a cleaner game in that respect.

[Superman]

I'm not sure how I feel about Andrew two INTs as well.

They seemed like calculated risks, maybe, but I wish this was a cleaner game in that respect.

 

I don't like either of them. They kept calling them short punts, but no. Take the check down, even if it's just 5 yards, and let your punter handle the punting. Flip the field. 

 

Or, better yet, make a better throw and give your receivers a real chance to make a play (Moncrief could have done a lot better on the second one, though). 

 

You can't just excuse interceptions on third and long. Take care of the ball. 

[ell_chrisso]

I'm not sure how I feel about Andrew two INTs as well.

They seemed like calculated risks, maybe, but I wish this was a cleaner game in that respect.

I get the one before Half time. He wasn't to far away from being INT from where the punt would have been anyway. But I'm not a fan of the rolling out on 3rd and 12 and throwing into triple coverage. Just accept its not on and bring on boom stick

[House]

I don't like either of them. They kept calling them short punts, but no. Take the check down, even if it's just 5 yards, and let your punter handle the punting. Flip the field.

Or, better yet, make a better throw and give your receivers a real chance to make a play (Moncrief could have done a lot better on the second one, though).

You can't just excuse interceptions on third and long. Take care of the ball.

Yeah that annoyed me as well.

"Oh just long punts."

No. Wasted third down opportunities. 4th down is for the punter.

Though Crief needs to work on his overall ball awareness. Small nitpick on him though.

[B~Town]

The fans there were even worse. The look on their face was priceless when the Broncos lost. So happy right now I can't even think. Have a drive home in some snow and then I will chat, we should all be proud of this team right now. It's time to celebrate, and that's what I will do when I get home!

What fans there stadium was almost empty before the game was over :-) I guess they saw ho BSD they were laying and knew manner ng did not have it in him.

[Superman]

Yeah that annoyed me as well.

"Oh just long punts."

No. Wasted third down opportunities. 4th down is for the punter.

Though Crief needs to work on his overall ball awareness. Small nitpick on him though.

 

That's part of the reason Moncrief didn't go higher in the draft. For all his size and athleticism, he isn't all that great at going up and grabbing the ball out of the air. And I don't know if that's something a player learns how to do. That's really kind of the only difference between him and Dez Bryant, for instance. Moncrief actually tested better than Dez Bryant. 

[ThaCaliColt]

Words cannot explain how I feel right now I'm beyond upset I can't even talk . Denver showed no heart nothing ! Peyton needs to hang it up and Fox is gone .

Congrats Colts fans you guys have a fine young team and Andrew Luck is something special . Go win the AFC I'll be rooting for you guys on the way along with the Packers. Good game

Thank you. I feel we needed our absolute best game, and by God we got it. I can't tell you how proud I am of my team right now. 

[esmort]

That's part of the reason Moncrief didn't go higher in the draft. For all his size and athleticism, he isn't all that great at going up and grabbing the ball out of the air. And I don't know if that's something a player learns how to do. That's really kind of the only difference between him and Dez Bryant, for instance. Moncrief actually tested better than Dez Bryant. 

 

I think it looked like Moncrief really has not figured out what he needs to do/how to establish position on a broken play when Luck is scrambling ... which is understandable given his limited experience

[GoColts8818]

Am I the only one who doesn't think Peyton Manning was the issue in this game? He didn't play well, that's for sure, but the Colts coverage was excellent, the Broncos receivers dropped screen passes and blocked terribly on the outside, they blew a protection for the sack/fumble, which was critical and gave the Colts control that they never relinquished, and the Colts shut down the run on early downs (though Anderson did a great job picking up some YAC late in the game). He got the ball down the field just fine, but Sanders was well covered.

And on defense, the pass rush was nonexistent, against a team that has struggled to protect the passer all year long. The secondary played well, for the most part, but they gave up some plays also.

So yeah, I don't know if I get the "Manning needs to hang it up" vibe. He's the same he's been the past year. I don't think his arm is failing, and I don't think he can't still make plays.

looked like the later Peyton loses here, no help from his other guys. I doubt Peyton hangs them up but I wouldn't be shocked if Fox is shown the door.

A lot of credit needs to go the scondary though. After the opening drive they shut down Denvers passing attack.

[Superman]

I think it looked like Moncrief really has not figured out what he needs to do/how to establish position on a broken play when Luck is scrambling ... which is understandable given his limited experience

 

This goes back to college with him. Lots of other receivers have shown that they know how to go up and grab the ball out of the air in college, or right away in the pros. In college, against smaller defenders, he'd get beat to balls in the air. I think it's a mentality, more than anything, and he didn't consistently show it in two years at Ole Miss, and hasn't shown it yet for us. And it's not just going up for balls, it's sticking his hands out to snag balls, instead of letting them into his body, etc. He shows flashes; he made an impressive contested catch today, but the ball was put in his chest, so it's a little bit different.

 

If he can figure that out -- and hopefully you're right, and with more time he begins to get that part of his game in order -- then he'll be one of the best receivers in the league, IMO.

[Superman]

looked like the later Peyton loses here, no help from his other guys. I doubt Peyton hangs them up but I wouldn't be shocked if Fox is shown the door.

 

That's an interesting situation for Denver. If they don't want Fox anymore, are they okay with letting Gase walk? He'll probably get offers tonight; he had interviews with four teams last week. Would they offer him the top job? 

[Nesjan3]

The refs definetly favored the Broncos a at least bit, we got called on holding calls the they were doing all game long. We still won though, shows who the better team was

[GoColts8818]

That's an interesting situation for Denver. If they don't want Fox anymore, are they okay with letting Gase walk? He'll probably get offers tonight; he had interviews with four teams last week. Would they offer him the top job?

maybe, guess it depends on if you think the problem is the way Fox coaches Ie being too conservative (although tonight wasn't a product of that) or if it's the system, if it's the first maybe you do hire Gase. If you think it's the system then you start over.

There is also the Peyton factor, would he be comfortable with a rookie coach at this stage in his career?

[esmort]

This goes back to college with him. Lots of other receivers have shown that they know how to go up and grab the ball out of the air in college, or right away in the pros. In college, against smaller defenders, he'd get beat to balls in the air. I think it's a mentality, more than anything, and he didn't consistently show it in two years at Ole Miss, and hasn't shown it yet for us. And it's not just going up for balls, it's sticking his hands out to snag balls, instead of letting them into his body, etc. He shows flashes; he made an impressive contested catch today, but the ball was put in his chest, so it's a little bit different.

 

If he can figure that out -- and hopefully you're right, and with more time he begins to get that part of his game in order -- then he'll be one of the best receivers in the league, IMO.

 

Yeah he needs a little more of the "my ball" mentality, that was one of Fleeners problems early as well though it seems like he has improved in that area ... hopefully Moncrief can learn that as well.  I agree if he adds that mentality to his game he will be a beast.

[John Dee]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

Indy was NOT supposed to win this game... 

 

BUT ...  alas...  they did..         The Colts TOOK it..     and it feels GOOD.!

[Superman]

maybe, guess it depends on if you think the problem is the way Fox coaches Ie being too conservative (although tonight wasn't a product of that) or if it's the system, if it's the first maybe you do hire Gase. If you think it's the system then you start over.

There is also the Peyton factor, would he be comfortable with a rookie coach at this stage in his career?

 

Either it's a rookie coach you're familiar with, or it's a veteran coach you're not familiar with. Or a third option, a rookie coach you're not familiar with. 

 

I don't know what Manning would want, and I'm not entirely certain they should cater their decisions to what he wants anyways. 

 

Was also just thinking out loud about Gase. I like how he changed up the offense to pound the ball late in the season, coinciding with Virgil Green coming back, but he also has some seriously predictable play calling at times. Our defense was eating screens up for a lot of the game, and our run defense can be had on the edges but they kept trying to go up the middle. I don't know how good of a coordinator he actually is.

[ruksak]

I'm not sure how I feel about Andrew two INTs as well.

They seemed like calculated risks, maybe, but I wish this was a cleaner game in that respect.

To be honest, I would rather see an INT like that than to try a punt while backed up. I think he realized the odds of both of those passes getting picked and played the odds. In some ways, those picks were safer than punts, given the field position. 

[Dark Superman]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

Amen, brother.

[crazycolt1]

This goes back to college with him. Lots of other receivers have shown that they know how to go up and grab the ball out of the air in college, or right away in the pros. In college, against smaller defenders, he'd get beat to balls in the air. I think it's a mentality, more than anything, and he didn't consistently show it in two years at Ole Miss, and hasn't shown it yet for us. And it's not just going up for balls, it's sticking his hands out to snag balls, instead of letting them into his body, etc. He shows flashes; he made an impressive contested catch today, but the ball was put in his chest, so it's a little bit different.

 

If he can figure that out -- and hopefully you're right, and with more time he begins to get that part of his game in order -- then he'll be one of the best receivers in the league, IMO.

Superman, we both know it normally takes a receiver three years even to get the speed and the talent of pro players down. I see where you come from on his lack of jumping for the ball. He may learn it but not all receivers are capable of doing it. Only time will tell but IMO he is going to work out fine. There are a lot of great receivers who jumping is not their strength. Moncrief is kinda inbetweener. at 6-2.

[GoColts8818]

Either it's a rookie coach you're familiar with, or it's a veteran coach you're not familiar with. Or a third option, a rookie coach you're not familiar with. 

 

I don't know what Manning would want, and I'm not entirely certain they should cater their decisions to what he wants anyways. 

 

Was also just thinking out loud about Gase. I like how he changed up the offense to pound the ball late in the season, coinciding with Virgil Green coming back, but he also has some seriously predictable play calling at times. Our defense was eating screens up for a lot of the game, and our run defense can be had on the edges but they kept trying to go up the middle. I don't know how good of a coordinator he actually is.

if they make a change i wouldn't be shocked if they went after Kubiak. He was Elway's backup and OC when they won Super Bowls I believe.

[Dr. Guildo]

Thanks for putting up with my insanity . Emotional win for the Colts and all their fans.

Celebrate this win. Because another one isn't guranteed. Have fun tonight.

Andrew Luck is our unquestioned future. If the D plays this hard we can play against anyone.

Just need to get these pesky refs under control.....

Yeah, Talib was holding on virtually every single play along with Ward... but despite that you have to overcome wich the Colts did well.

[Stephen]

I'm not sure how I feel about Andrew two INTs as well.

They seemed like calculated risks, maybe, but I wish this was a cleaner game in that respect.

him and moncrief weren't on the same page which is why we should have played him more earlier

[corgi]

To be honest, I would rather see an INT like that than to try a punt while backed up. I think he realized the odds of both of those passes getting picked and played the odds. In some ways, those picks were safer than punts, given the field position. 

me too, said that after they happened.

[Superman]

Superman, we both know it normally takes a receiver three years even to get the speed and the talent of pro players down. I see where you come from on his lack of jumping for the ball. He may learn it but not all receivers are capable of doing it. Only time will tell but IMO he is going to work out fine. There are a lot of great receivers who jumping is not their strength. Moncrief is kinda inbetweener. at 6-2.

 

I'm a big Moncrief fan. I'm just saying that's the one thing that is separating him from the great receivers, it's the reason guys like Kelvin Benjamin got drafted in the first round and he didn't, etc. It's not an issue of experience. He didn't do it in college, either. And I hate to compare him to a phenom like Odell Beckham, but that kind of explains where I'm coming from.

 

There are a lot of young receivers who have a lot of development to make as pros, but that's not really what I'm talking about. There are too many young receivers who come in right away with the ability to go up and make plays on the ball for me to believe that it's an issue of experience. 

 

This is very much a nitpick, by the way. As I've said, I'm a big Moncrief fan. But that's the one issue I have with his game. 

[Superman]

if they make a change i wouldn't be shocked if they went after Kubiak. He was Elway's backup and OC when they won Super Bowls I believe.

 

If Manning retires, that makes sense. If not, Kubiak's offense isn't a good fit. 

[GoColts8818]

If Manning retires, that makes sense. If not, Kubiak's offense isn't a good fit. 

https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/554465180000980992

 

maybe but it sounds like Manning was willing to play for him.  That's from La Canfora tonight.