Jeff Saturday still upset about 2009

[peytonmanning18]

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/12/17/jeff-saturday-still-irked-colts-blew-chance-perfect-season/77476848/?hootPostID=501c9106bcc6e4884bdb4dd9ceeeaff6

 

 

 

Looking back on it, what an incredibly stupid thing for Bill Polian to do.  I'll also never forget the meltdown that happened on this board in the aftermath.

[chad72]

Yeah, that 2009 Colts team was living on the edge, figuring ways to win so many close games and to me, it was not the perfect season but the "mojo" and the "edge" that the team played with that was lost that day.

 

We lucked into the Ravens and Jets, both one dimensional teams in the playoffs, so we got to the SB, IMO, because we struggled vs balanced teams in the Patriots and then eventually the Saints.

 

Still, it didn't help us keep Freeney healthy, not going for the perfect season. It made less sense to go for Clark's 100 receptions in the Bills game in game 16 along the same lines. Oh well, that is an opportunity we will never get back again.

[2006Coltsbestever]

13 minutes ago, peytonmanning18 said:

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/12/17/jeff-saturday-still-irked-colts-blew-chance-perfect-season/77476848/?hootPostID=501c9106bcc6e4884bdb4dd9ceeeaff6

 

 

 

Looking back on it, what an incredibly stupid thing for Bill Polian to do.  I'll also never forget the meltdown that happened on this board in the aftermath.

Yeah you and I agree on this 100%. When we got to 14-0 and just quit on 16-0 that is probably the maddest I have ever been at this franchise. I am still not over it either. Than Polian tried to justify why he pulled Peyton?? I would've been over it somewhat had we won the SB but we didn't even do that. Terrible!

[LJpalmbeacher2]

Well it wasn't a shock. They talked about it before hand about what they would do.

Though coaches and gm have final say, as one of the team leaders along with Peyton they should have spoken up and firmly persuaded management to not lay down and go for 19-0.

Six years later is a bit too late.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Here's the audio to the Mike and Mike show this morning referenced in the article.  The Colts pulling the plug on perfection begins around the 2:00 minute mark-

 

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=14387434

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

5 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

Here's the audio to the Mike and Mike show this morning referenced in the article.  The Colts pulling the plug on perfection begins around the 2:00 minute mark-

 

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=14387434

 

Great stuff, I agree with Jeff!

[ReMeDy]

23 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

Well it wasn't a shock. They talked about it before hand about what they would do.

Though coaches and gm have final say, as one of the team leaders along with Peyton they should have spoken up and firmly persuaded management to not lay down and go for 19-0.

Six years later is a bit too late.

I read somewhere back on that day that two major contributors to us pulling our starters were:

1.) Against the Jets, we gave up a special teams return for a TD. Statistically, a team who gives up a special team TD loses the game, so our coaches were playing the odds and decided it's not worth combating that statistic.

2.) Buffalo was our final game of that season, and they suspected bad snowy weather. They were right, and snow means more potential for injury.

I still think they should have gone for perfection so we're not asking ourselves, "what if," but I'm also sympathetic to the coaches decisions.

[oldunclemark]

1 hour ago, peytonmanning18 said:

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/12/17/jeff-saturday-still-irked-colts-blew-chance-perfect-season/77476848/?hootPostID=501c9106bcc6e4884bdb4dd9ceeeaff6

 

 

 

Looking back on it, what an incredibly stupid thing for Bill Polian to do.  I'll also never forget the meltdown that happened on this board in the aftermath.

I would guess that everyone on that team feels the same way...

 

To me, 16-0 has a value separate from winning the NFL championship and its worth going all out for.

If Carolina is 15-0, I'd play my healthy starters in game 16.  Its worth it

[TheRustonRifle#7]

I agree with Jeff....

[peytonmanning18]

1 hour ago, chad72 said:

Yeah, that 2009 Colts team was living on the edge, figuring ways to win so many close games and to me, it was not the perfect season but the "mojo" and the "edge" that the team played with that was lost that day.

 

We lucked into the Ravens and Jets, both one dimensional teams in the playoffs, so we got to the SB, IMO, because we struggled vs balanced teams in the Patriots and then eventually the Saints.

 

Still, it didn't help us keep Freeney healthy, not going for the perfect season. It made less sense to go for Clark's 100 receptions in the Bills game in game 16 along the same lines. Oh well, that is an opportunity we will never get back again.

 

I agree with your point about the Ravens and Jets.  If the Jets don't win in San Diego and we play SD instead, they probably would have wiped the floor with us.

[OsuBuckeye]

He has every reason to be upset.

[oldunclemark]

1 hour ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

Well it wasn't a shock. They talked about it before hand about what they would do.

Though coaches and gm have final say, as one of the team leaders along with Peyton they should have spoken up and firmly persuaded management to not lay down and go for 19-0.

Six years later is a bit too late.

Listen. Jeff Saturday says here they were not told in advance.

 

Firmly persuaded Polian. Are you serious?

[BOTT]

I honestly never cared.  Hell, the Dolphins went undefeated and aren't even considered the best team of that decade.

[MB-ColtsFan]

1 hour ago, oldunclemark said:

Listen. Jeff Saturday says here they were not told in advance.

 

Firmly persuaded Polian. Are you serious?

I think Peyton's face on the sidelines told it all.  The man was not a happy snowman that day.

 

I sort of agree with ReMeDy, though, it was snowing pretty heavily that day and the field only lent itself to

someone getting injured.  I just wish we could have started a bit further upfield for our first offensive drive.  Geez, was that a disaster...

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, BOTT said:

I honestly never cared.  Hell, the Dolphins went undefeated and aren't even considered the best team of that decade.

BOTT that is a great point. Most people consider the 78 Steelers the best.

[Bird dog]

Not just disappointing for the 2009 Colts players, but how about all the fans that shelled out good money for tickets?

[oldunclemark]

5 minutes ago, BOTT said:

I honestly never cared.  Hell, the Dolphins went undefeated and aren't even considered the best team of that decade.

But nobody remembers the '78 Steelers outside Pittsburgh.

Everybody knows the '72 Dolphins.

 

You have to go for 16-0.

I wonder if Bill Polian would admit he was wrong if somebody at ESPN asked him today.

[MB-ColtsFan]

7 minutes ago, BOTT said:

I honestly never cared.  Hell, the Dolphins went undefeated and aren't even considered the best team of that decade.

True, but everyone will always remember that team regardless, just because they were the first to do it.

[BOTT]

15 minutes ago, oldunclemark said:

But nobody remembers the '78 Steelers outside Pittsburgh.

Everybody knows the '72 Dolphins.

 

You have to go for 16-0.

I wonder if Bill Polian would admit he was wrong if somebody at ESPN asked him today.

Yeah, nobody remembers the 70's Steelers......

[Superman]

1 hour ago, BOTT said:

I honestly never cared.  Hell, the Dolphins went undefeated and aren't even considered the best team of that decade.

 

The Steelers won four SBs that decade. Them being the best team of the decade doesn't mean that the '72 Dolphins weren't impressive. Going undefeated is a big deal, and no one has done it again in 40 years.

 

I think the Colts would have gone 16-0. Don't know what would have happened in the playoffs, but it continues to annoy me that Polian would pull the plug like that. His response annoyed me as well. It's not that his viewpoint didn't have merit -- keeping the team healthy is obviously critical -- but to be so stubbornly dismissive of such a noteworthy accomplishment is outlandish. 

 

Oh well. A lot of the bitterness has to do with the fact that we got beat in the SB. I'd still be mad at Polian, but not as mad.

[GoColts8818]

They still lost the Super Bowl so it's a lot of noise about nothing.

[RockThatBlue]

It was pretty sickening.

[cmgww]

Hindsight thought: I look back and think of it this way. We still probably lose the Super Bowl, undefeated or not. So, we would be 18-1, just like the Pats were in 2007. Let them be the only team to hold that record. We weren't a juggernaut team that year (only team to reach the SB ranked last in rushing, squeaked out several games, etc) like the Pats in 2007. We had no problems with our playoff teams until the SB, but again they were both defense oriented teams that couldn't keep up with our offense. When we met up with the Saints, who could match us offensively, we lost. 

 

However:

 

My thought at the time was: 16-0 had been done just two seasons prior. I did NOT like the way it was handled, however. It should have been made clear to players and by extension the fans that the starters weren't going to play the entire game. To pull them and listen to that place go insane with boos was just bush league. So was the next week, playing guys like Wayne and Clark just long enough to get milestones....in a snowstorm. Jeff has every right to be bitter about how it was handled. Polian's Monday radio show was also a joke, and really the beginning of the end for him in Indy, IMO. Don't crap on the fan base like that and think we are all stupid.

 

but I'll go to my grave....heck I might even put it on my headstone. The Colts recovered that onside kick. Had the refs done their job and not taken 15 minutes to unpile the players they would have seen that. 

[VaAllDay757]

One of the reasons why this organization has been soft they take no chances 

[southwest1]

12 hours ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

Here's the audio to the Mike and Mike show this morning referenced in the article.  The Colts pulling the plug on perfection begins around the 2:00 minute mark-

 

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=14387434

 

"Putting Curtis Painter in is like punting on 1st down. You're basically giving up." LOL!  

[amfootball]

As a football fan, I was upset that the Colts did not go for it. It is such a historic thing to accomplish. The fact that the starters were pulled vs the Jets made me insane as that win along with the Jets beating the Bengals the following week who also rested their starters allowed them to get in the playoffs.

 

I am anxious to see what Rivera does as Carolina could have things wrapped up for HFA this week which will leave them 2 games that don't mean anything.

[Coffeedrinker]

I would not have rested the starters if I ran the organization.  But everyone knew they would, the fans just didn't want to believe it.

[Myles]

15 hours ago, ReMeDy said:

I read somewhere back on that day that two major contributors to us pulling our starters were:

1.) Against the Jets, we gave up a special teams return for a TD. Statistically, a team who gives up a special team TD loses the game, so our coaches were playing the odds and decided it's not worth combating that statistic.

2.) Buffalo was our final game of that season, and they suspected bad snowy weather. They were right, and snow means more potential for injury.

I still think they should have gone for perfection so we're not asking ourselves, "what if," but I'm also sympathetic to the coaches decisions.

#1 is the stupidest reason out there.   If that played a factor, the coaches are/were *.  Well we know Caldwell is a crappy coach. 

 

They disappointed all fans by not going for it.  

[FanFromtheWasteland]

1 hour ago, Myles said:

#1 is the stupidest reason out there.   If that played a factor, the coaches are/were *.  Well we know Caldwell is a crappy coach. 

 

They disappointed all fans by not going for it.  

I agree. Not every team that figured in to that stat has one of the greatest qb's to ever play, who is 14-0 at the moment. Seems to me that should have figured into the equation.

[jskinnz]

15 hours ago, peytonmanning18 said:

 

I agree with your point about the Ravens and Jets.  If the Jets don't win in San Diego and we play SD instead, they probably would have wiped the floor with us.

 

Hey, here is a shocker - another dour, negative post from you.

 

Dear God...

 

[King Colt]

There is no right or wrong on this predicament, imagine watching the SB with you QB sitting the bench from an injury sustained in the last playoff game prior to the SB. The backup QB has thrown two critical interceptions and is completing 33% of his passes.  Winning a trophy is about performance only on the day of the game. The team that wins is not necessarily the best team rather the team that plays better on that day. The list of competent back up QBs has always been a short one. Either way the media will rip the skin off the coach after the game for his decision . It is what they are best at. "What could have been" eats at every athlete who has suffered a loss in a critical game. Frank Gifford suffered all of his life for a fumble he claims never happened. Former Raiders players cannot watch the "Immaculate Reception" game against the Steelers.

[chad72]

44 minutes ago, King Colt said:

There is no right or wrong on this predicament, imagine watching the SB with you QB sitting the bench from an injury sustained in the last playoff game prior to the SB. The backup QB has thrown two critical interceptions and is completing 33% of his passes.  Winning a trophy is about performance only on the day of the game. The team that wins is not necessarily the best team rather the team that plays better on that day. The list of competent back up QBs has always been a short one. Either way the media will rip the skin off the coach after the game for his decision . It is what they are best at. "What could have been" eats at every athlete who has suffered a loss in a critical game. Frank Gifford suffered all of his life for a fumble he claims never happened. Former Raiders players cannot watch the "Immaculate Reception" game against the Steelers.

 

I hope Hank Baskett feels that way.

[jet1968]

I hope Carolina goes for it. Why not keep the starters in until the game is in hand. With their defense I doubt there would be a huge comeback

[Myles]

I will also argue that you need to play them to keep the momentum/consistency of the team play going.   If you are heading for a undefeated season you will have a bye week in the playoffs already.   Do you really want the "A" team to sit for 3+ weeks? 

[2006Coltsbestever]

44 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

I hope Hank Baskett feels that way.

That is the 2nd maddest I have ever been behind not going for 16-0. Is that onside kick that Hank Baskett cant even recover. That was the game changer. If we get that up 10-6 and score to up 17-6 I don't think we lose that SB. I think we would've scored because of the field position we would've had. Instead they score and go up 13-10.

[21isSuperman]

I understand Polian's desire to keep guys healthy for the postseason, but I can't help but wonder why you can't have both health and the wins.  Leave your starters out there for the first half, build a solid lead, have things essentially wrapped up by the 3rd quarter, then put in your backups.  You get the win, but you play your starters for half the amount of time, reducing the risk for injury.

 

Furthermore, just to play Devil's Advocate here, don't forget that injuries do happen.  I believe Wes Welker tore his ACL in week 16 or 17 against the Texans in the 2009 season

[ReMeDy]

2 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

That is the 2nd maddest I have ever been behind not going for 16-0. Is that onside kick that Hank Baskett cant even recover. That was the game changer. If we get that up 10-6 and score to up 17-6 I don't think we lose that SB. I think we would've scored because of the field position we would've had. Instead they score and go up 13-10.

I bet you a dollar to a donut Hank Baskett received death threats. 

[jskinnz]

2 hours ago, 21isSuperman said:

I understand Polian's desire to keep guys healthy for the postseason, but I can't help but wonder why you can't have both health and the wins.  Leave your starters out there for the first half, build a solid lead, have things essentially wrapped up by the 3rd quarter, then put in your backups.  You get the win, but you play your starters for half the amount of time, reducing the risk for injury.

 

Furthermore, just to play Devil's Advocate here, don't forget that injuries do happen.  I believe Wes Welker tore his ACL in week 16 or 17 against the Texans in the 2009 season

 

Yeah, plenty of flaws with this plan - like what if the other team does not let you get so far out in front?  In the Jet game that got everyone so bothered, the Colts had the lead at the half.  NY returned the 2nd half kick for a TD to take the lead.  The Colts' # 1's went back out at this point and scored again.  That is when Painter & co were brought in.

[Superman]

1 hour ago, jskinnz said:

 

Yeah, plenty of flaws with this plan - like what if the other team does not let you get so far out in front?  In the Jet game that got everyone so bothered, the Colts had the lead at the half.  NY returned the 2nd half kick for a TD to take the lead.  The Colts' # 1's went back out at this point and scored again.  That is when Painter & co were brought in.

 

My thing is, just play to win. This idea that a perfect season is no big deal is crazy to me, and that's what Polian's decision was based on. 19-0 would have been special, and it was worth taking a shot at it, IMO. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 hours ago, ReMeDy said:

I bet you a dollar to a donut Hank Baskett received death threats. 

I wouldn't doubt that at all. We have real crazy people out there and it was the SB. I was mad that we lost but people that do that type of stuff are just crazy! That's a bit overboard but stuff like that does happen. I definitely think he isn't a favorite here in Indianapolis.