Whenever Peyton Williams Manning has decided to grace us with his presence on the gridiron for the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League, he immediately becomes must-see television. It doesn't matter if the Colts are up 21 or down 21, the effect he has on his offense AND defense, the opposing team, and the crowd is simply breathtaking and indescribable. That's the type of juice #18 has.
So when Peyton slipped into his alter-ego, Mr. Slinky Neck, the entire Colts organization was in a state of flux. A team whose guaranteed placement in prime time in the 1pm or 4pm Easter time slot was a given nationally, 2-3 appearances on Sunday Night Football was assured, and just like water is wet we were supposed to be blessed by #18's presence on October 3rd for Monday Night Football versus the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Of course we know that Mr. Slinky Neck isn't suiting up, and with the lynch pin of the Colts wearing civilian clothes we have a new reality upon us. The Indianapolis Colts the most unbearable team to watch...maybe ever.
The Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Williams Manning is one of the finest well-oiled machines ever assembled. Here are the facts:
- The Colts have created an offensive system to accentuate the strong-points of #18. Including drafting pass-blocking offensive linemen, precise route-running wideouts, and dual-threat tailbacks.
- The Colts has procured a defense that is built to keep a lead. Two elite speed rusher defensive ends, linebackers who are built to cover sideline-to-sideline, and defensive backs with a mindset to be ball hawks.
- The Colts found a successor of Tony Dungy in Jim Caldwell who needed to only do one thing. To sit over there and keep his mouth shut and mind his business as #18 leads the team.Again, these are all facts, especially the Jim Caldwell part.
With #18 sitting up in the luxury suite, in the Laz-E-Boy, being served peeled grapes and some of the finest meats and cheeses from the state of Indiana, and with the Hoshitoshi 50-inch showing the game as to prevent Peyton from straining his neck, this team is forced into doing things they were never meant to do.
Run the damn ball.
Play a full-fledged defense.
Make Jim Caldwell actually speak and come up with an actual strategy.
The Colts were never meant to do any of this.
Its a damn shame too for players like Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and Antoine Bethea. Those are guys that could play for any team in the league at an elite level, and watching them gut it out on a terrible team is awe-inspiring. Yet, those are only 6 members of the Colts 53-man roster.
Shame on the Colts for never developing backup quarterbacks or signing competent clipboard holders like other teams have in the league. The Packers, Patriots, Eagles, Cowboys, and Steelers have figured out ways to this and yet the Colts essentially got Thor's stunt-double minus the hammer and a member of the greybeard all-stars chucking the pill in epic failure mode.
Hell, if you got to go sign Lorenzo Favre, at least he'll make it entertaining and make it possible for me to watch the moribund and decrepit Colts play. That's what it would take for me at this point. Otherwise, on Monday Night I'll probably be watching WWE Monday Night Raw, playing Call of Duty: Black Ops, doing the dishes, reading a book, or clipping my toenails.
-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com
Comments
10 Responses to "Please get the Peyton Manning-less Colts off my television"This has or will happen to every team in "The League" that has had some sort of success, yet squeezes it dry instead of performing routine maintenance. It could be management, weak draft years, or even lack of greenbacks.
True, the Colts were certainly caught with their pants down but I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here.
Yes, they never put much energy into the backup QB position. But with the salary cap, you can't spend a top pick on a backup when your starter never misses a game. The Eagles had to deal Kolb; you just can't pay millions to a man who doesn't get on the field.
Also, we don't know how receptive Peyton was to grooming an understudy. He may have been another Lorenzo, or Eddie King Jr., "I don't need no QB out there trying to replace me. You ain't out there running and passing. All you do is get paid".
The Colts caught lightening in a bottle; one of the greatest QB's of all time. When you hit a lottery ticket like that, you build your team around him and ride it for all the W's you can get. Again, because of the cap, you can't afford all the things you want. So, if you've been dealt a royal flush, go all in and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Most teams have to rebuild after a legendary QB quits. How long did it take Dallas to get back to the Super Bowl after Staubach retired? Have they done much post Aikman? The Dolphins are still floundering after Marino. The 49ers post Young? I could go on and on...
Rodgers replacing Farve is the exception, not the rule.
Colts had no choice but to maximize Manning's talents and then deal with the wreckage when he faltered or retired.
Enjoyed the post until the last three words. That's a visual I just could have lived without.
Leave Kerry Collins alone! Seriously though, now we see why he decided to retire, only to be lured by that $4 million.
I can understand the Colts not drafting and developing a successor, per se, the way the Packers did, but the fact that they never even had an experienced backup all these years is a little strange. Maybe no backup wanted to go there since they knew there was very little chance of seeing the field at all given Peyton's greatness and durability, but still.
Especially these past few years, as Peyton's gotten older, it would have been wise to at least have a competent backup. Even with the iron men, they're always just one play away from being shelved. It's the nature of the sport.
@ Rev - Correct. Any backup QB for Indy knew that he might as well be in a witness protection program. What you have to do is develop backup QB's with late round picks that won't cost anything. New England was incredibly fortunate with this model by drafting Brady and Cassel.
Oh. I just figured out why you stood up for Collins. Go Penn State. Haha
I still maintain my earlier argument. If you have a HOF QB, you put all your resources into riding that train until it gives out.
@JAG
I agree with investing all your resources to riding Peyton as long as you can. Doesn't mean you can't go spend a million bucks for a Gus Frerotte/Sage Rosenfels type of backup.
@Rev
So what's Gus/Sage going to net you; 6 or 7 wins? I'd rather have a top 1-3 draft pick. lol
@JAG
Definitely true if they had to play an entire season, but if Peyton were to come back (however unlikely that is), a guy like that could help you tread water for a while.
Though I'm with you. Hell, they might as well just tank and try to win the Luck sweepstakes. And how unfair would that be, going from as close to a sure thing QB in Peyton to as close to a sure thing as a QB in Luck as the past two QBs your team drafted in the 1st round?
Question for all of you: how good is Andrew Luck, really?
I mean, I know he's rated as the best, but is he really that good to the point where the Colts sacrifice their dignity to draft him? I don't think so.
Of course, you all know what they could do to regain their self-respect and still make a run at another division title: bring in Lorenzo Favre.
I think Andrew Luck is really, really good. The way he does all the little things that the greats do, like step up and slide in the pocket, feel pressure, make the right read, he looks the way Peyton did in college. Of course, QBs are always a crapshoot in the NFL, but he has that look that the sure-fire ones do in my opinion - reminds of Elway/Manning in that regard.
We don't know, but like I said, I think he's as close to a sure thing as they come. So I would absolutely "sacrifice my dignity" if I was them, because have you seen this team? They're horrid without Manning.
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