NFL Speak

[Henry Hawk]

I think the key words to your analysis is "Mannings ability to figure out schemes"....and I think THIS is why they have lost only 9 games the last three years...

He amazes me with his ability to come back in the second half, after looking at films and snapshots and find weakness's and attack defenses.....he is at the top of his game....maybe not with his deep passes but simply moving his team down the field....

I like our chance's better with the Saints than I did with the Vikings....

[Palehorse]

I think the key words to your analysis is "Manning's ability to figure out schemes"....and I think THIS is why they have lost only 9 games the last three years...

He amazes me with his ability to come back in the second half, after looking at films and snapshots and find weakness's and attack defenses.....he is at the top of his game....maybe not with his deep passes but simply moving his team down the field....

I like our chance's better with the Saints than I did with the Vikings....

The Vikings only lost to them due to the fact their players couldn't hold onto the ball. 6 turnovers is no way to win a championship game. I feel for  Favre in that he had such a career season only to have it end that way. Still, they made a game of it.

I don't think anyone questions Manning's ability and his high level of impact upon the team's ability to win games. He is the reason guys like Garcon, Wayne, Collie, and Clark raise their own games to the next level. Remove him from the mix and they'll sink faster than a ton of lead, and that's why it is going to be imperative for the receivers to get open quick and get the ball in the air within no more than 3 seconds after the snap, preferably less.

The Saints are going to be in the backfield and hunting quarterback, loaded for elephant. If they get to Manning he is going to get hurt. . .

The Colts proved they can stop the run, but in the process they leave themselves open to the big throws, and Drew can make those kinds of throws as well as Manning. Maybe even a little more consistently than Manning right now.

Its going to be a great match up if both teams report at the top of their respective games. The Colts edge out the Saints in the experience category, and that could be the difference in the game if this is the case. The Saints are used to blowing out their opponents and the Colts can keep up and even set the pace if given an opening.

Manning is a master at identifying weaknesses and exploiting them, no doubt about that. I just think the Saints are pretty good at it as well.

[followsthewolf]

Favre's line didn't protect him enough -- no sacks but way, way too many hits, especially for a 40 y.o.

I'd bet that the punishment he took prevented him from executing pass plays like he would normally.

Possibly it caused him to be split-seconds too slow throwing the ball, allowing defenders to cut in front and intercept, or causing Favre to throw behind the receiver.

[Palehorse]

Favre's line didn't protect him enough -- no sacks but way, way too many hits, especially for a 40 y.o.

I'd bet that the punishment he took prevented him from executing pass plays like he would normally.

Possibly it caused him to be split-seconds too slow throwing the ball, allowing defenders to cut in front and intercept, or causing Favre to throw behind the receiver.

Exactly the point, the Colts are not any better than the Vikings offensive line when it comes to protecting the qb, and I suspect they'll be just as leaky. . . The key will be Manning's ability to get the ball out quickly.

[followsthewolf]

Manning is a lot younger and hasn't been beaten up nearly as much as Favre.

I'm thinking that if Reggie Bush doesn't come through for the Saints in a big way, Indy is looking at another trophy.

[Palehorse]

Manning is a lot younger and hasn't been beaten up nearly as much as Favre.

I'm thinking that if Reggie Bush doesn't come through for the Saints in a big way, Indy is looking at another trophy.

Maybe. But I've seen him take hits far less in severity than the ones Brett took yesterday, and come up limping. The Saints D is out for blood every time. Manning will be man-handled to the extreme. . .

Reggie may not get the chance if the Colts D holds true to form. . .

[Palehorse]

One thing that is definitely going to happen over the next two weeks, is the media blitz that is going to hoist the New Orleans Saints onto its shoulders and parade them around as the team to beat. They are going to play up the Katrina angle, as was evident by the post game interviews I saw yesterday with Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. The media see's only the gold in that angle, and to demonstrate that they are doing their best to be "fair and balanced" they'll be sure to show clips of the Manning boys schlepping supplies post Katrina, to their former friends and neighbors. They are going to present their case to the Karma Gods that the people of New Orleans deserve to have their Saints come marching home with nothing less than a Super Bowl Championship, and in the process get a huge chunk of America to go right along with it.

The fans who for years wore bags over their heads proclaiming themselves "Aint's" fans, can now remove the bags and bask in the glory of their Saints, so the storyline will begin. The city that has been ravaged by Mother Nature, (roll the tape of dead bodies and destruction), and endured decades of a lackluster teams cellar dwelling performance, can finally hold their heads high as that same team marches toward a super bowl championship. . . . Blah, blah, blah. . .

Truth be told here, America is probably as sick of hearing about the Colts and Manning, as most Hoosiers are sick of hearing about the Patriots, and the media knows it. There's a "human" angle in the Katrina storyline, and they are going to play it up big time. America is going to be rooting for the Saints, the abused underdogs from the abused city, in their first ever trip to the big show.

Corporate Amerika is going to join the gravy train too, and I predict Reggie Bush and Drew Brees are going to be gracing our television screens hawking everything from batteries to razor blades. Hell, they may even hawk a few women's personal care products if the money is right. And Reggie's mom may even get into the act by hounding Reg to eat his Chunky Soup or else!

Hoosiers are going to be so sick of seeing and hearing about the Saints that it may very well be dangerous for me to take my Harley out this coming spring. (It is after all, Black and Gold, and has always made me think of the Saints from the moment I first set eyes on it).

Get ready folks, the propaganda blitz is coming!

(I may have to see how much a new set of tins will cost for my Harley!) 

[Henry Hawk]

The wife and I just got back from a cruise, and I was sporting my Colts attire MOST of the time...and it seems to me that there is a LOVE/HATE relationship with the Indy Colts....about half the folks was kind and were rooting for the Colts....the other half, had real issues with the Colts...especially a couple of Jets fans from NY, was very nasty with their thoughts of the Colts...(this was before the game)...to the point were my wife grabbed a hold of my arm VERY firmly, because I was getting the dander stirred up with these "lovely" folks...I was having fun, and these guys was getting VERY SERIOUS with our coversation...to where my wife was getting uncomfortable, so we walked away....

PH, I agree, the media is going to play up the Saints and put them on a pedestal....and I hope they do!...I like the way Manning said their approach to the Jets game was..."to let them trash talk all they want, we will do our talking on the field"....

[followsthewolf]

Having spent many years as a player and coach, I have a more-than-passing interest in football, but I am still extremely surprised to read about or encounter a "fan" who wants to take a discussion to the physical level.

These are disturbed "wanna-be's."

[Palehorse]

The wife and I just got back from a cruise, and I was sporting my Colts attire MOST of the time...and it seems to me that there is a LOVE/HATE relationship with the Indy Colts....about half the folks was kind and were rooting for the Colts....the other half, had real issues with the Colts...especially a couple of Jets fans from NY, was very nasty with their thoughts of the Colts...(this was before the game)...to the point were my wife grabbed a hold of my arm VERY firmly, because I was getting the dander stirred up with these "lovely" folks...I was having fun, and these guys was getting VERY SERIOUS with our coversation...to where my wife was getting uncomfortable, so we walked away....

PH, I agree, the media is going to play up the Saints and put them on a pedestal....and I hope they do!...I like the way Manning said their approach to the Jets game was..."to let them trash talk all they want, we will do our talking on the field"....

I wore a Colts hat and Pullover to suburban Chicago the fall following the Colts super bowl win over the Bears. My wife and I went to the grocery store (Jewel) and I got stopped at least a dozen times by folks asking me if we were from Indy, then complementing the Colts and sharing their well wishes and congrats on the super bowl win. (I never even thought about it potentially being a conflict inducing action to to wear that stuff. I was too preoccupied with my grand daughter's b-day). Having grown up in Chicago I somehow was not surprised by this though.

New Yorkers are rude and obnoxious individuals. They cannot help it, they have to be that way to survive there.  You did the right thing. No need to fan the flames of jealousy afloat. 

[Henry Hawk]

Having spent many years as a player and coach, I have a more-than-passing interest in football, but I am still extremely surprised to read about or encounter a "fan" who wants to take a discussion to the physical level.

These are disturbed "wanna-be's."

It has been my first hand observation, that those from N.Y. seem to be the one's who take their sports a TAD too serious...

[Palehorse]

It has been my first hand observation, that those from N.Y. seem to be the one's who take their sports a TAD too serious...

What do you expect from folks for which the only diversion from the killing, raping, and pillaging of every day life in their native surroundings is a professional sports team? 

[followsthewolf]

It has been my first hand observation, that those from N.Y. seem to be the one's who take their sports a TAD too serious...

Weeeeellllll...............Most of the huge rivalries in football seem to breed a fair number of the huffing, puffing, drooling "wanna piece a me?" kind of moron.

Not to mention the granddaddy of 'em all for violence -- soccer.

[Palehorse]

Soccer! No kidding! I hope I never find myself at one of those events! 

[followsthewolf]

Yep. Those guys are so nuts that they will literally kill each other over championship games.