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| 1 | SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 10 | 8:15p (ET) | @NYG | | 2 | SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 17 | 1:00p (ET) | HOU | | 3 | SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 24 | 1:00p (ET) | JAC | | 4 | SUNDAY
OCTOBER 1 | 1:00p (ET) | @NYJ | | 5 | SUNDAY
OCTOBER 8 | 1:00p (ET) | TEN | | 6 | BYE WEEK | | 7 | SUNDAY
OCTOBER 22 | 4:15p (ET) | WAS | | 8 | SUNDAY
OCTOBER 29 | 4:15p (ET) | @DEN | | 9 | SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 5 | 8:15p (ET) | @NWE | | 10 | SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 12 | 1:00p (ET) | BUF | | 11 | SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 19 | 1:00p (ET) | @DAL | | 12 | SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 26 | 1:00p (ET) | PHI | | 13 | SUNDAY
DECEMBER 3 | 1:00p (ET) | @TEN | | 14 | SUNDAY
DECEMBER 10 | 1:00p (ET) | @JAC | | 15 | MONDAY
DECEMBER 18 | 8:30p (ET) | CIN | | 16 | SUNDAY
DECEMBER 24 | 1:00p (ET) | @HOU | | 17 | SUNDAY
DECEMBER 31 | 1:00p (ET) | MIA | |
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Marvin Harrison appears to be recovering well from his offseason elbow surgery but should be out at least until training camp. This combined with Harrison's recent wrist surgery should raise some flags as Harrison's body might finally being catching up to him.
Fantasy Impact: This could be the start of Marvin Harrison's decline. |
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Strategy: The Colts will still look to implement a wide-open offense that builds a lead and uses the running game to eat clock late in the game. They will look to continue their primarily one back passing offense this year, even with the departure of RB Edgerrin James. Head Coach Tony Dungy says that there will be a running back by committee heading into the 2006 season, with RB Dominic Rhodes and rookie RB Joseph Addai shouldering most of the load. The Colts boasted the league's 3rd best passing offense last year and proving to be one of the most prolific offensive teams again with the 2nd most points. Indy's system revolves around QB Peyton Manning and his decision-making. His ability to read NFL defenses has allowed for WRs Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley to develop into the leagues most feared receiving trio.
Fantasy Impact: This team is built for passing and the Colts should use that to their advantage, with Indy's WRs, TEs, and QBs posting good numbers again. |
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Strength: The Colt offensive strength lies in Peyton Manning. Their undisputed leader on the field, Manning and the Colts passing game is the trademark of their offense. An incredibly strong wide receiving core combines with one of the game's all time greats to spell disaster for defenses. Throw on top one of the league's best offensive line's and you have a very dangerous Colts offense.
Fantasy Impact: Manning and his WR/TE will rack up fantasy points yet again in the Colts wide-open offense. |
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Weakness: Their main weakness will undoubtedly be the RB situation and the departure of Edgerrin James. All eyes will be on Rhodes and Addai to see if they can fill in the large shoes left by James.
Fantasy Impact: Rhodes and Addai have giant shoes to fill with the departure of Edgerrin James. Look for the running back by committee approach to do a decent job, but don't look for either Rhodes or Addai to produce Edge like numbers unless one becomes sole running back. |
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Strategy: The Colts' defense last year made vast improvements last year and finally resembled the defenses we have come to associate with a Tony Dungy team. They were 5th in the league in sacks and led all teams with 23 forced fumbles as the 2nd best overall defense. They are extremely fast and play very aggressively in a 4-3 scheme, with DE Dwight Freeney and DE Robert Mathis constantly pressuring the quarterback. This is a defense built around speed, similar to Dungy's former Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His Cover 2 defense is being mirrored around the NFL with its emphasis on sacrificing size for speed. This has led to many players being undersized at different positions from what they're used to, which would be the case if DB Marlin Jackson were to follow through on a possible move from LCB to safety.
Fantasy Impact: The Colts have one of the best defenses schemes in the NFL and the right personnel for the job. |
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Strength: The Colts defensive strengths start with Dwight Freeney, the team's sack specialist. He is the heart of the defense and is complemented by a solid defensive line featuring, DE Robert Mathis, DT Raheem Brock, and DT Montae Reagor. The addition of DT Corey Simon also helped further solidify the Colts' middle.
Fantasy Impact: Freeney and Mathis provide constant pressure up front, allowing the Colts to cause many turnovers. |
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Weakness: Indy’s main weakness comes from a secondary that is sometimes too aggressive, allowing for too many big plays. Moving Marlin Jackson to S may prove to be the solution to this problem. The loss of OLB David Thornton to Tennessee also necessitates OLB Gilbert Gardner to step up. Gardner is undersized, inexperienced, and has been in injury ridden, leading to debate as to whether he can live up to the potential he has shown in flashes.
Fantasy Impact: Over aggressiveness sometimes leads to Indianapolis giving up the big play.
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Colts WR Harrison Questionable Thursday (Hamstring) - 12/17/2008
Source: Indianapolis Star Impacts: Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne Colts WR Marvin Harrison is questionable for Thursday's game against the Jaguars with a hamstring injury suffered against Detroit. Fantasy Impact: Harrison is having a poor season, and likely wouldn't have been inconsideration for a starting spot this week anyway. | | | WR Marvin Harrison Looks Good - 07/26/2008
Source: Indianapolis Star Impacts: Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning WR Marvin Harrison looks like his old self at camp, according to Coach Tony Dungy. "For me, I try to read his face, when he's smiling and doesn't have that worried look, then I think things are pretty much normal" Fantasy Impact: If Harrison can make it through the whole preseason, he may be worthy of being a top 10 WR again, but that's a big if. He's coming off of two knee surgeries, but he'd also been remarkably healthy throughout his career. | | | Quinn Gray: Signed by Colts - 07/25/2008
Source: Indianapolis Star Impacts: Quinn Gray, Jim Sorgi The Indianapolis Colts have brought in former Jacksonville Jaguars QB Quinn Gray to compete with Jim Sorgi for the backup job. Normally with the Colts this means the right to play the 2nd half of the last game of the season, but with Peyton Manning's injury this role may carry more significance this season. Fantasy Impact: This doesn't show a lot of confidence in Sorgi, and Gray was fairly competent in Jacksonville. | | | Marvin Harrison Finally Healthy. Finally. - 07/22/2008
Source: Indianapolis Star Impacts: Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne Indianapolis Colts WR Marvin Harrison is ready to play after knee surgery sidelined him for 11 games, far more than were expected when he initially suffered the injury. Fantasy Impact: I'm not a doctor, but it seems like the next knee injury Harrison suffers may be his last after a career at Syracuse University (turf) and Indianapolis (turf). I've always been a big fan of Marvin, but you might want to let someone else take the risk this year. | | | Manning has Bursa Sac Removed from Knee - 07/18/2008
Source: Chicago Tribune Impacts: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne QB Peyton Manning had a bursa sac removed from his knee in a successful procedure. His expected recovery time is 4-6 weeks. Fantasy Impact: 6 weeks would be right around the start of the season, so as long as he doesn't have any complications this shouldn't affect his productivity this season. | | | Marvin Harrison: No News is Good News? - 06/19/2008
Source: Yahoo Impacts: Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne There have been no recent developments in the Marvin Harrison case, and its becoming increasingly unlikely that the incident outside of his bar will have any effect on his status this season. Fantasy Impact: Harrison played in only 5 games last year, and his comeback took much, much longer than originally expected. This is a much bigger concern for fantasy owners than the shooting case. | | | Addai cleared to play Sunday against Texans - 12/23/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Joseph Addai Indianapolis Colts rookie runner Joseph
Addai practiced Friday and has been cleared to play Sunday against
the Texans in his hometown of Houston.
Addai had sat out two days of workouts this week to rest a
sprained right ankle that he hurt in the third quarter of Monday
night's 34-16 win over Cincinnati.
Initial reports had Addai sidelined indefinitely with a high
ankle sprain, but Colts coach Tony Dungy was adamant the injury
wasn't serious and that Addai might be ready to play at Houston.
The Colts' first-round draft choice from LSU wore a walking boot
while he watched the team practice Wednesday and Thursday.
"My ankle feels better now," Addai said Friday. "I feel like
I'll be playing this week. We've been taking it slow, but it's been
getting better day-by-day." | | | Addai, Harrison nicked up, but not expected to miss time - 12/19/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Joseph Addai Marvin Harrison has played through the
tingling in his left hand for nearly a month.
Rookie running back Joseph Addai might need to follow the
11-year veteran's lead when it comes to his injured right ankle.
The Indianapolis Colts (11-3) need both playmakers to make a
playoff charge.
Harrison, in line for his eighth straight Pro Bowl selection
Tuesday, hasn't let team doctors examine the hand nor has he missed
any practice time, although coach Tony Dungy acknowledged it has
bothered the receiver.
"I think it will be that way the rest of the year," Dungy said
of Harrison, who had surgery on his elbow in May. "But he doesn't
seek treatment and he doesn't seek a diagnosis. I think there's
only one person who knows what it is, but I do know that if the
ball hits it a certain way, it tingles."
Addai rolled his right ankle Monday night on a 41-yard run -- the
Colts' longest of the season -- to set up Manning's third touchdown
pass to Harrison.
Dungy said after the game and Tuesday that it was not a
high-ankle sprain and he expected Addai to play Sunday in his
hometown of Houston.
"I heard on the news reports that it was a high ankle sprain,
and I thought I made it pretty clear last night that it wasn't,"
Dungy said. "It's a basketball-type sprain. It's sore, but I think
he should be OK."
| | | Colts hoping to show Monday night world they can play 'D' - 12/17/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Dwight Freeney The Indianapolis Colts' defensive players
have spent most of this season explaining what's wrong.
On Monday night, against Cincinnati, they intend to show the
football world they've fixed their problems.
"We've got to correct them," three-time Pro Bowl defensive end
Dwight Freeney said. "But I think it's bigger than proving
something to the world -- we've got to prove to each other what we
can do."
This week's discussion has focused primarily on the Colts' most
glaring weakness: stopping the run. A week ago, Jacksonville ran
for 375 yards, the NFL's second-highest single game total since the
1970 merger.
Over the past two weeks, Indy (10-3) has given up nearly 600
yards rushing. Its per game average is a mind-boggling 176.5.
Analysts, callers to talk radio shows and even players and
coaches have acknowledged if the Colts (10-3) can't improve over
the final three games, it's unlikely they'll be headed toward the
Super Bowl.
So it's no secret how opponents, even a passing team like the
Bengals (8-5), will attack.
"I doubt if they'll have only 14 passes," coach Tony Dungy
said, referring to last week's game at Jacksonville. "If 85 (Chad
Johnson) lines up at tailback, then we'll know they're going to run
every single play. But I'm sure they're going to run it."
Cincinnati understands how quickly impressions can change in the
NFL.
Only a month ago, the defending AFC North champions were being
written off -- much like the Colts are now -- as a viable playoff
team. Receiver Johnson wanted more passes, their vaunted offense
was struggling with injuries, and the defense couldn't seem to get
anything right.
| | | Jags run wild with Drew, Taylor - 12/12/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Fred Taylor Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio wore a blue
and gold UCLA jersey to his news conference Monday. It probably
should have been Maurice Drew's college jersey, especially after
former UCLA star's performance against Indianapolis.
Drew ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns, had a 93-yard kickoff
return for a score and finished with 303 all-purpose yards -- the
fourth-highest total by a rookie in NFL history.
Drew and Fred Taylor helped the Jaguars (8-5) establish a new
franchise rushing record (375 yards), stun the Colts 44-17 and
position themselves for a second consecutive postseason berth.
"There were a number of things that we went into the ballgame
hoping to be able to pop open and hoping to be able to take
advantage of, and a few of them clicked and we were able to make
some big plays out of it," Del Rio said.
Drew and Taylor had most of them.
Taylor ran 76 yards on Jacksonville's opening play, then Drew
broke a tackle and scored on the next one. On one drive in the
second quarter, Drew gained 17 yards on consecutive runs, then
Taylor got loose for 19 yards and a 21-yard score.
Drew followed with a 48-yard TD scamper on the next possession.
"The holes to run through were pretty big," said Drew, who had
more all-purpose yards in a game than any rookie aside from Gale
Sayers (336 in 1965), Jerry LeVias (329 in 1969) and Tim Brown (306
in 1988).
Taylor (131 yards) and Drew became the second teammates in the
last 30 seasons to gain at least 130 yards rushing each, joining
St. Louis' Marshall Faulk (183) and Trung Canidate (145), who did
it against Carolina in 2001.
| | | Stokley may miss season with Achilles' injury - 12/12/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Brandon Stokley Colts receiver Brandon Stokley may be lost
for the season with an injured right Achilles' tendon.
Coach Tony Dungy said he did not know the severity of the
injury, but recently signed receiver Ricky Proehl acknowledged he
expected to get more playing time after Stokley apparently ruptured
the tendon.
"Sometimes things happen for a reason," Proehl said. "He'll
be back. He's a tremendous player and a tremendous athlete, and I
just hated for this to happen."
Stokley has missed most of the season because of a series of
injuries. He sprained his left ankle in training camp and was out
of action for nearly a month before returning Sept. 17 against
Houston.
He aggravated the ankle injury on a touchdown catch against the
Texans and did not play again until Oct. 8 against Tennessee.
Against the Titans, Stokley sprained his left knee and missed the
next six games before returning for the rematch at Tennessee on
Dec. 3.
Stokley, part of the first receiving trio in league history with
1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns each in 2004, has eight catches for
85 yards and one touchdown this season. | | | Jags run away from Colts, win 44-17 - 12/10/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, David Garrard, Fred Taylor, Reggie Wayne, Ernest Wilford Fred Taylor slipped through the defensive line, cut right and gained 76 yards before Jason David caught up and made a touchdown-saving tackle.
"I wasn't warmed up yet," Taylor said.
Indeed, Taylor and the Jacksonville Jaguars were just getting started.
Maurice Jones-Drew ran for a career-high 166 yards and two TDs, Taylor added 131 yards and a score before leaving with a sore right hamstring and the Jaguars literally ran the Indianapolis Colts out of town and maybe out of contention for home-field advantage in the AFC with a surprising 44-17 victory Sunday.
The Jaguars (8-5) finished with 375 yards rushing -- tied for the second most in the NFL since the 1970 merger and the most since Cincinnati gained 407 yards against Denver on Oct. 22, 2000.
"I haven't seen anything like that since I watched NFL films," Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer said.
The Colts (10-3) spent much of the week working on tackling, trying to solidify the league's worst run defense and solve their biggest weakness. Instead, they were worse than ever.
"I probably could have had 78 or so on two carries," Jacksonville defensive end Bobby McCray said. "They probably would have pulled me early to save me for next week."
The Jaguars expected to run the ball well -- they had 191 yards rushing in the first meeting -- but no one saw this coming.
It started with the first play, when Taylor took a handoff at the 6-yard line and nearly went the distance.
"He set the tone for us," coach Jack Del Rio said.
David finally knocked Taylor out of bounds, but Jones-Drew scored on the next play.
| | | Dolphins shut down Brady, Patriots - 12/10/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Joey Harrington, Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Corey Dillon, Reche Caldwell As Tom Brady prepared to take a snap, he shouted and pointed across the line, anticipating a blitz from end Jason Taylor lined up at middle linebacker.
Maybe Brady's teammates didn't hear him. They failed to block Taylor, who swooped up the middle untouched to force a harried, errant pass.
It was that kind of day for Brady and the Patriots, who lost to the Miami Dolphins 21-0 Sunday.
"We just couldn't do anything right," Brady said.
The roving Taylor led a disruptive defense that sacked Brady four times, forced him to fumble twice and limited him to 78 yards passing. New England totaled 12 first downs and 189 yards, both season lows, and lost three fumbles, giving them 11 turnovers in the past three games.
The Patriots committed nine penalties. Their best play was an illegal forward pass.
"To get a shutout against a team like that is huge for our defense," said safety Yeremiah Bell, who had nine tackles and forced a fumble by Brady.
The last Miami team to shut out New England was the perfect-season Dolphins of 1972.
By the second quarter, Brady's frustration was evident. When the Patriots were stopped for the fifth possession in a row in the opening half, he screamed at teammates as he trotted off the field, and again after he reached the bench.
"He was pretty frustrated," Miami defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday said. "We saw him yelling at his linemen. It was a little bit uncharacteristic of Brady -- he's usually so cool and calm in the pocket. But we were able to fluster him a little bit."
Brady fell to 7-5 against the Dolphins, compared with 70-20 against the rest of the NFL.
The Patriots (9-4) still lead the AFC East, but the loss snapped their three-game winning and hurt their chances of earning a first-round bye in the playoffs. They lost on the road for the first time in six games this season.
| | | Colts' Harrison ready to join 1,000-catch club - 12/06/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Marvin Harrison Marvin Harrison's mission statement has not
changed: The next play matters more than the last one and the next
cut carries more weight than some gaudy numbers.
In Harrison's world, it's just business.
"I don't think you need to raise a lot of chaos," he said.
"If you're doing your job on the 10th floor of a building
downtown, you don't want to do that stuff, so why do it here?"
Harrison's old-school approach, where personal accomplishments
take a back seat to winning and professionalism, have helped him
string together 11 remarkable NFL seasons with the Indianapolis
Colts and put him on the brink of joining the NFL's exclusive
1,000-catch club.
He needs five catches at Jacksonville to join Jerry Rice, Tim
Brown and Cris Carter as the only four members.
It would be easy for Harrison to point out some of his other
milestones like the single-season record for receptions (143) that
he shattered in 2002, being part of the most productive
quarterback-receiver tandem ever or the fact he's nearing 1,000 at
a faster rate than anyone else.
But why bother when the seven-time Pro Bowler's numbers speak
for themselves.
"It's something that stands out, a tremendous amount,"
Harrison said, acknowledging this mark means more. "I remember
when Tim Brown and Cris Carter caught theirs. It's something you
don't come into your career thinking about. But it is something
special."
Some suggest that if Harrison had not been paired with two-time
MVP Peyton Manning early in his career or given the advantage of
playing in a wide-open offense, he may never have achieved so much
so fast.
The truth is, if Syracuse had not offered him a football
scholarship, Harrison may not have even pursued an NFL career.
| | | Titans stun Colts with 60-yard field goal - 12/04/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Vince Young, Travis Henry Magic is in the air around the Tennessee Titans. Just ask Rob Bironas.
Bironas kicked a 60-yard field goal -- the longest in franchise history -- with 7 seconds left, and the Titans upset Indianapolis 20-17 for their first victory against the Colts since December 2002 and their second successive amazing comeback.
Video highlights
Vince Young threw two touchdown passes, ran for 78 yards and led his Titans to a game-winning field goal.
The team that tied for the NFL's second-biggest comeback in the final 10 minutes last week against the New York Giants struck again against the Colts (10-2), who had lost only four of their previous 36 games.
With the wind at his back, Bironas needed every gust to lift the longest field goal in his short career over the crossbar for his second successive game-winning kick. He became the sixth kicker in NFL history to connect from 60 yards or better.
"I needed that wind behind me today," Bironas said. "It was all at my back ... I let the wind take it the rest of the way."
Peyton Manning said the wind was a big factor for the Titans in the fourth quarter, and never bigger than on Bironas' field goal.
"The guy made a heck of a kick," Manning said.
The Titans (5-8) didn't trail by 21 this time, but they were down 14-0 in the first half before starting this comeback with 10 points right before halftime. They intercepted Manning twice, and Vince Young threw for two touchdowns and used his legs to help keep the ball away from the two-time NFL MVP.
Indianapolis needed a victory to clinch the division for a club-record fourth consecutive season and its seventh playoff berth in eight years. Seemingly easy enough for a franchise that had won its past 12 games against AFC South foes.
Instead, the Colts blew a 14-point lead for the first time coach Tony Dungy could remember and lost to the Titans for the first time in eight games.
| | | Sanders, Stokley to play at Tennessee - 12/02/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Brandon Stokley The Colts figure to get a big boost on
Sunday against Tennessee with the expected returns of wide receiver
Brandon Stokley, safety Bob Sanders and outside linebacker Gilbert
Gardner.
The All-Pro Sanders has missed eight of the Colts last nine
games with soreness and swelling in his right knee. He had
arthroscopic surgery on the knee in September.
Stokley had been sidelined since Oct. 8, when he sprained his
left knee in the fourth quarter of the Colts' home game against the
Titans.
Gardner (ribs) and safety Matt Giordano (strained calf) were
both expected to play this week. Gardner missed the Eagles game
last week, and Giordano has not played the last four weeks.
However, tight end Dallas Clark, who injured his knee last week,
won't play, and offensive tackle Ryan Diem and safety Antoine
Bethea will be game-time decisions, coach Tony Dungy said Friday.
Diem (back/abdomen) and Bethea (shoulder) have not practiced
this week. Clark is out indefinitely after straining a ligament in
his right knee. The Colts have not yet ruled him out for the
season.
Sanders was a surprise starter against New England on Nov. 5,
recording 10 tackles. He has seen limited practice since.
"I'm doing real good," Sanders said after Friday's practice.
"I'm excited and I'm expecting to be out there playing this
Sunday."
| | | QB Romo, RB Addai among NFL Players of the Week - 11/30/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Tony Romo, Joseph Addai After stealing the spotlight in front of
national audiences last weekend, Tony Romo and Joseph Addai were
rewarded for their efforts.
Romo on Wednesday was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week
while Addai earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and Washington
Redskins safety Sean Taylor were named as the Defensive Players
of the Week while Buffalo Bills return specialist Roscoe Parrish
and Seattle Seahawks kicker Josh Brown took Special Teams
honors for Week 12.
Making just his fifth career start for the Dallas Cowboys, Romo
tied a club record with five touchdown passes on Thanksgiving in
a 38-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was the fourth win in the last five games for Dallas (7-4),
which moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC East,
one game ahead of the New York Giants (6-5).
Much of the Cowboys' recent success can be attributed to Romo,
who has passed for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns in five games
since unseating Drew Bledsoe as the starting quarterback.
On Thursday, Romo matched a club record last set by Hall of
Famer and three-time Super Bowl winner Troy Aikman on September
12, 1999 in a 41-35 overtime win at Washington.
No Cowboy had passed for five touchdowns in the franchise's
traditional holiday game - which started in 1966 - until Romo.
He was nearly flawless, completing 22-of-29 passes for 306 yards
with zero turnovers.
While Romo waited nearly four years to finally get a chance to
play, Addai has made an immediate impact with the Indianapolis
Colts.
Indianapolis' first-round draft selection last spring, Addai
rushed for season highs of 171 yards and four touchdowns as the
Colts cruised to a 45-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on
Sunday night.
Becoming more involved in the offensive game plan each week,
Addai carried 24 times and shredded the Eagles from the outset,
scoring on runs of 15, 10 and 15 yards on the Colts' first three
possessions. His four touchdowns matched the franchise record
previously set by Lenny Moore, Lydell Mitchell and Eric
Dickerson.
| | | Titans ready to show Colts how much they've improved - 11/30/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Peyton Manning, Travis Henry, Vince Young, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai The Tennessee Titans owe the
Indianapolis Colts a thank you.
They left Indianapolis Oct. 8 with their fifth straight loss to
start the season, but the Titans led Peyton Manning and the Colts
for nearly 55 minutes. They also had the ball at the end of the
game with a chance to win before losing 14-13.
Talk about a confidence booster.
"I think Indianapolis really was the turning point of our
season if there was one this year," defensive end Kyle Vanden
Bosch said Wednesday. "We went to Indy against a very good team, a
team that was playing very well and could've come out of there, and
in our opinion maybe should have come out of there with a victory.
That game gave us some confidence and showed us we can play with
Indy, and we feel that we can beat anybody."
The Titans have won four of their last six games, including last
week's fourth-quarter comeback that tied for the second-biggest in
NFL history with 10 minutes left for a 24-21 victory over the New
York Giants.
With the Colts (10-1) visiting Sunday, the Titans are almost
back where they started, curious to find out just how real this
turnaround is.
"We're probably riding pretty high, and we're not going to let
them take anything from us this time," linebacker Keith Bulluck
said. "They're definitely going to earn everything they get. You
have to play them tough. We're definitely going to come out and
play them as tough this time, if not tougher."
Bulluck believes that loss, the seventh straight in this series
between the AFC South rivals, helped a rebuilding team flip a
switch.
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy certainly has noticed a
difference.
"They're playing with a lot more confidence. I think some of
their young players that they drafted have started to make those
plays that they envisioned them making. They have played very, very
good football the last six weeks," Dungy said in a conference call
Wednesday.
| | | Unbeaten Colts visit Dallas; Brady duels Favre in Week 11 - 11/19/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Tony Romo, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne Tony Romo may have to engage in
a shootout with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady duels Brett Favre
in Week 11 of the NFL.
Manning and the Indianapolis Colts seek to make it a perfect 10
when they visit Romo and the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The only team in NFL history to start 9-0 in consecutive
seasons, the Colts have already beaten three first-place teams -
the New York Giants, Denver and New England - on the road in
their latest quest for perfection.
Last season, the Colts were 13-0 before losing at home to San
Diego.
Dallas is tied with Philadelphia, one game behind the New York
Giants in the NFC East. The Cowboys will play five of their
last seven games at home, starting Sunday against Indianapolis
followed by a Thanksgiving Day contest against Tampa Bay, and
appear to be rejuvenated with Romo at quarterback.
Romo will make his first start at Texas Stadium after going 2-1
on the road. Dallas coach Bill Parcells benched quarterback
Drew Bledsoe at halftime in the Cowboys' last home game - a
36-22 loss to the Giants.
Undrafted out of Eastern Illinois in 2003, Romo has completed
44-of-65 passes for 862 yards and five touchdowns with one
interception in his three starts.
"I'm not surprised at all by him," Cowboys wide receiver Terrell
Owens said of Romo. "He can create with his arm and his feet."
Manning is again the NFL's top-rated quarterback, passing for
2,527 yards and 18 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
A classic quarterback battle will take place at Lambeau Field
when the first-place New England Patriots (6-3) meet the Green
Bay Packers (4-5) in another interconference matchup.
Brady is a two-time Super Bowl MVP with three championship
rings. Favre is the NFL's only three-time MVP and earned a
championship ring with a 35-21 victory over the Patriots in
Super Bowl XXXI after the 1996 season. But at 37, this could be
Favre's last season.
Brady and Favre have met just once before. Four years ago at
Foxboro, Favre passed for three touchdowns while Brady threw for
183 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted three times.
Favre has a career record of 154-96, including playoffs. Brady
is 74-24 - the best record of any NFL quarterback in the Super
Bowl era with at least 40 starts. | | | Colts make history; Tomlinson, McNair star in Week 10 - 11/13/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Steve McNair The unbeaten Indianapolis
Colts became the first team in NFL history to start consecutive
seasons with a 9-0 record, but even they took a backseat on
Sunday.
Week 10 of the NFL was headlined by a classic shootout, a
triumphant return and a handful of brilliant individual
performances.
The San Diego Chargers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals,
49-41, in a game that featured 975 yards of offense.
LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers matched a career high
and a franchise record with four rushing touchdowns,
giving him an NFL-record 15 touchdowns in his last five
games.
Cincinnati's Carson Palmer passed for a career-high 440 yards
and three touchdowns and Chad Johnson, who had complained about
his role in the offense, caught 11 passes for a
franchise-record 260 yards and two scores.
The Chargers (7-2) erupted for 42 points in the second half,
including two touchdown runs by Tomlinson in a 15-second span of
the fourth quarter.
"It was a like a cartoon out there, real animated but it was
real," said Tomlinson, who rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries
and caught six passes for 54 yards. "It was exhausting. We need
time to think and wonder about what happened today."
The Bengals (4-5) totaled 545 yards, but that didn't prevent
them from squandering a 21-point lead.
"Do you remember the AFL (American Football League)? What a
shootout," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said. "You just
try to find a way to have one more point than they do."
Steve McNair made a triumphant return to Tennessee, hitting
Derrick Mason with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:35 left in
the fourth quarter to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a
come-from-behind 27-26 victory over the Titans.
It was the third scoring pass of the game for McNair, who threw
for a season-high 373 yards against his former team. Mason also
played for Tennessee before signing with the Ravens in 2005.
Thanks to McNair, who was acquired by Baltimore from the Titans
last June for a fourth-round pick in 2007, the Ravens (7-2) are
off to the best start in franchise history and own a commanding
three-game lead over Cincinnati in the AFC North.
"It was very emotional for me," McNair said. "The fans here
still love me and I love the fans. I am just on the opposite
side of the field now."
A three-time Pro Bowler and a co-MVP in 2003, McNair spent his
first 11 seasons with the Titans and compiled a record of 81-59
as a starter. He ranks second in Titans history in passing
yards (27,141) and third in touchdown passes (156).
Willie Parker enjoyed a memorable day, rushing for an NFL
season-high 213 yards and two touchdowns in the Pittsburgh
Steelers' 38-31 win over the New Orleans Saints.
An undrafted third-year player from North Carolina, Parker fell
five yards shy of tying Frenchy Fuqua's franchise single-game
record of 218 rushing yards in 1970 against Philadelphia.
"I knew nothing about records, but I want to thank the offensive
line," Parker said. "They made it easy for me tonight. I had
the easy job. They had the tough job in the trenches."
Two of Parker's runs accounted for 148 yards. He busted loose
for a 72-yard run before scoring on a three-yard run five
seconds into the fourth quarter to snap a 24-24 tie. | | | Colts survive scare by Bills, 17-16 - 11/12/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, J.P. Losman, Anthony Thomas Just call him Patient Peyton.
With Buffalo content to slow down the Indianapolis Colts' up-tempo offense, a restrained Peyton Manning relied on short throws, an effective ground game and a time-consuming final drive to lead the Colts past Buffalo 17-16 -- and into the NFL record book.
Indy is the first team ever to have consecutive 9-0 records.
"They just stayed real deep and double-covered the outside receivers," Manning said. "When a team does that, taking away the deep patterns, you've got to be able to run the ball and you've got to be able to throw underneath and get yards after the catch. We were doing that."
A few years ago, an impatient Manning may have been tempted to force balls deep. Not now.
In Week 10, he played with his customary accuracy -- completing 27 of 39 passes for 236 yards with one touchdown -- and was determined to make the Bills pay for their tactics.
But the Colts still needed some help from Rian Lindell, who pushed a 41-yard field goal attempt wide right -- a play that would have given Buffalo the lead with 6:22 left.
The miss ruined a near perfectly executed game plan for the Bills (3-6).
"We tried to reduce the time they had the ball and when they had the ball, we tried to bleed them for everything we could," coach Dick Jauron said. "We just didn't do it well enough."
As Manning looked like himself making reads and picking apart the Bills, his teammates adjusted. | | | Colts put Sanders, Stokley back on inactive list - 11/12/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Brandon Stokley, Bob Sanders The Indianapolis Colts deactivated two
defensive starters Sunday -- Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders and middle
linebacker Gary Brackett -- against Buffalo.
Both did not practice all week.
Sanders, who missed five straight games after having
arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in September, returned to
the lineup last week against New England. He was replaced Sunday by
Marlin Jackson, a first-round pick in the 2005 draft.
Brackett injured his hamstring during a 27-20 victory over the
Patriots last week. He was replaced by Rob Morris, whom Brackett
beat out for the job last year.
Also inactive for the Colts was defensive tackle Montae Reagor,
who has not played or practiced since being involved in a traffic
accident Oct. 22. He needed surgery to repair the orbital bone --
the socket around his right eye.
Buffalo deactivated leading rusher Willis McGahee, who broke
three ribs last week against Green Bay; receiver Josh Reed, who
spent two days in a hospital this week after bruising his kidney;
and cornerback Ashton Youboty, a third-round pick who has not yet
played this season. | | | Colts' Wayne taking his game to another level - 11/09/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Reggie Wayne Reggie Wayne might be a Pro Bowl receiver in
any other offense. At Indianapolis, however, he has long been the
overlooked man.
With a record-setting quarterback and another record-setting
receiver drawing the primary focus of defenses, Wayne has crafted
his skills and his temperament to fit the Colts needs. Rather than
whine or lobby, he's learned how to get open, produce big numbers
and score.
If others notice Marvin Harrison before they notice him, it
doesn't bother Wayne.
"I'm the silent assassin," he said. "Really, I don't need all
that because I learned from one of the best myself in Marvin."
The Colts top two receivers have almost twin personalities.
Like Harrison, Wayne deflects attention. Like Harrison, Wayne
rarely showboats. Like Harrison, Wayne would rather rely on actions
rather than news conferences.
It's been a perfect fit in the perfect offense.
"He's been playing great," Peyton Manning said. "He's made
play after play and his consistency is what really sticks out. His
ability to catch the ball with his hands and make guys miss is
great."
That's high praise coming from a two-time MVP who prides himself
on his studious habits.
The results have been more than noticeable on the unbeaten
Colts.
When opponents force Manning to throw to someone other than
Harrison -- a seven-time Pro Bowler -- he has been looking more
frequently for Wayne.
| | | Bills RB McGahee out indefinitely with broken ribs - 11/09/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Willis McGahee, Josh Reed The Buffalo Bills rallied for
a spirited victory Sunday without star running back Willis
McGahee. They will have to do it again.
The Bills announced Wednesday on their web site that McGahee has
three broken ribs and will be sidelined indefinitely.
The Bills' leading rusher, McGahee suffered the injury in the
first quarter of Buffalo's 24-10 victory over the Green Bay
Packers last Sunday. With 11:36 remaining in the quarter, he
was tackled hard by Packers defensive tackle Curtis Cole.
The injury initially was diagnosed as only one broken rib, but
further testing has revealed more damage.
"It is more extensive than we thought," Bills coach Dick Jauron
told the web site. "It's not just the ninth (rib), but he also
has cracks in the eighth and 10th ribs."
McGahee, 25, has 579 rushing yards and one touchdown in eight
games this season.
Jauron said McGahee will not be available for next Sunday's game
against the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts.
"Willis is out for this game, and we'll have to see how quickly
he can come back from his injuries," Jauron said. "I wouldn't
guess past this week because I don't know how long it will keep
him out. But it's serious enough for us at this point to say he
won't play this week."
| | | Report: Bills RB McGahee has broken rib - 11/07/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire Impacts: Willis McGahee The Buffalo Bills rallied for a
spirited victory Sunday without star running back Willis
McGahee. They may have to do it again.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported Monday on its web
site that McGahee suffered a broken rib in Buffalo's 24-10
triumph over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
The Bills' leading rusher, McGahee suffered the injury with
11:36 remaining in the first quarter Sunday when he was tackled
hard by Packers defensive tackle Curtis Cole.
"Injury-wise it's a broken ninth rib," Buffalo coach Dick Jauron
told the paper. "My understanding is we'll just see where it
goes. It's painful obviously and they'll do some more tests.
He's scheduled for a scan to examine it further."
McGahee, 25, has 579 rushing yards and one touchdown in eight
games this season.
Jauron would not give a definitive statement on McGahee's
availability for next Sunday's game against the unbeaten
Indianapolis Colts.
"It's definitely too early and we'll just have to make an
initial decision on Wednesday and move from there through the
week," Jauron told the paper. "It depends on how painful it is
and it depends on the extent of the fracture. We'll obviously
know a lot more as we go throughout the week. But we'll be
cautious with him." | | | Manning, Vinatieri, defense down Patriots - 11/06/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Corey Dillon Peyton Manning didn't have to be perfect for the Colts to remain the only team with a perfect record.
He had plenty of help from a defense that had been far from perfect all season. With four interceptions -- the last ending the Patriots' final chance with 1:18 left -- Indianapolis beat New England 27-20 to improve to 8-0.
With the loss by Chicago and coach Lovie Smith to Miami earlier in the day, the Colts are the NFL's only unbeaten team.
"Lovie let me down," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said. "I was hoping they'd win so they would get all the focus."
This victory capped an impressive two-game road stretch against two of the best teams in the AFC. Manning threw for 328 yards and tossed two touchdown passes to Marvin Harrison one week after throwing for 345 yards and three scores in a 34-31 triumph at Denver.
"Those are two very tough places to play," Dungy said. "We're finding a lot of different ways to win. We still aren't playing our best."
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady certainly didn't.
Two of his interceptions came on tipped balls against a defense that had only five picks in its first seven games. The Patriots' running game did gain 148 yards against the NFL's worst rush defense. | | | Manning's four TDs keep Colts perfect - 10/22/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Mark Brunell, Marvin Harrison, Dominic Rhodes Peyton Manning got up, cleaned his dirty face and responded like a prizefighter.
Colts QB Peyton Manning hooked up with three different receivers on four touchdown passes in the win over Washington.
After being bent over awkwardly twice in the first half, losing his helmet and once appearing hurt, the two-time MVP knocked out the Washington Redskins with three third-quarter touchdown passes Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts rolled to a 36-22 victory.
"I've seen him take some tough shots, and he's a little tougher than people think," coach Tony Dungy said.
Aside from the early battering, a face full of rubber chips from the turf and the neck rub he needed to return, Perfect Peyton nearly lived up to his nickname. He finished with a passer rating of 140.4 and helped the Colts keep their title as the AFC's only unbeaten team.
Indy, which matched the Chicago Bears at 6-0, became the ninth team in league history to start two consecutive seasons with six straight wins.
But this didn't go exactly by the script.
Manning declined to elaborate on what he hurt on the first big hit, when one defender grabbed his legs and Phillip Daniels hit him high. The nine-year veteran grabbed his throwing shoulder before calling timeout, then spent the next series on the sideline getting a rubdown and checking his grip on the ball.
"I attended the Bill Belichick school of not discussing injuries the past few summers ... so I don't really discuss that," he said.
Though he was battered, Manning let his performance show the Redskins (2-5) he was not shaken. Manning finished 25-of-35 with four touchdowns and continued ascending the NFL's career charts. His last TD pass, No. 256, sent him past Dan Fouts (254) and Sonny Jurgensen (255) into 10th in NFL history.
"It was Peyton being Peyton: Quick throws," defensive end Andre Carter said. "They made certain adjustments. But it was us. We didn't tackle well in the second half."
The Redskins' third straight loss also dealt a blow to their playoff hopes, and they had nobody to blame but themselves and Manning, who exposed their banged-up secondary in the second half. | | | Wyms comfortable in big role - 10/19/2006
Source: St. Petersburg Times Impacts: Ellis Wyms, Anthony McFarland, Phillip Buchanon Ellis Wyms begins his tenure as a full-time starter Sunday against the Eagles, but the Bucs defensive tackle swears it won't be a turning point in his career.
"I've looked at myself as a starter all this time," said Wyms, who takes over for the traded Anthony McFarland. "I just don't run out of the tunnel on Sunday during introductions and they don't call my name and fire the cannon for me. You don't let all that stuff get in your head and affect you."
Wyms has long had consistent playing time, sometimes alternating series with McFarland like Sunday against the Bengals when he had two sacks. So, there is expected to be little dropoff now that Wyms is being counted on more heavily.
The biggest problem facing the Bucs, in Wyms' view, was a lack of depth, but the team addressed that Wednesday by signing defensive tackle Jon Bradley, who has played 19 career games with the Bucs before being released on Sept. 2.
As for Wyms, he probably will be held to a higher standard now. That's something he can live with.
| | | Redskins CB Rogers will miss Colts game with broken thumb (AP) - 10/18/2006
Source: Yahoo!, ESPN, Washington Post Impacts: Carlos Rogers Washington Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers' broken thumb will keep him out of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts, further depleting a struggling secondary as it prepares to face one of the top passing offenses in the league. The Redskins apparently will open without their top two cornerbacks against Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and the rest of the Colts attack. Fantasy Impact: Washington's secondary will be in for a long day against Manning and the Colts. Bench the Washington D and start any Colts offensive player. | | | Colts acquire Bucs' McFarland for second-round pick - 10/17/2006
Source: ESPN Impacts: Anthony McFarland, Corey Simon The Indianapolis Colts think they've found their Super Bowl link -- again.
For the second time in less than 14 months, the Colts brought in a bulky defensive tackle to stop the run, this time trading a 2007 second-round draft choice to Tampa Bay for Anthony McFarland.
"It's disappointing to be leaving a place where you have so many friends, but I'm excited to be going to a 5-0 team that's in the hunt for everything you play for in this game," McFarland said.
The Colts announced the deal about one hour after Tuesday's trading deadline, but spokesman Craig Kelley said team officials would have no additional comment until Wednesday.
McFarland, a 6-foot, 300-pound defensive tackle, should help reinforce the middle of the Colts' leaky run defense, which ranks last in the NFL. In five games this season, Indianapolis has allowed 166.8 yards per game.
The Colts thought they fixed that problem last year after signing former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon to a lucrative contract. Philadelphia released him near the end of the preseason because of a contract dispute.
Simon's presence solidified the Colts' defense last year, but he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in mid-August and was placed on the non-football illness-injury list Oct. 5. He will miss the rest of the season with an undisclosed illness that team president Bill Polian said was unrelated to the knee injury.
McFarland is expected to produce quickly in Indy, where he will be the biggest defensive lineman on the roster.
| | | Peak performance? - 10/12/2006
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Impacts: Greg Jennings, Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne It took 51 selections to occur before receiver Greg Jennings was picked in the 2006 NFL draft, so it's not surprising that a brilliant start to a rookie season would be widely overlooked nationwide.
But such is life when you enter the league with Reggie Bush and Vince Young.
Jennings is among one of the top producing rookies through the first five weeks of the season, and his presence has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal 1-4 start for the Green Bay Packers. Every week since being held to one catch for 5 yards against Chicago in the season opener, Jennings has done something special.
Yet you can forget about him being in the running for offensive rookie of the year honors because unless Bush gets hurt or somehow fades into oblivion he'll win the award. And if it's not him, you can bet it will be Young, who became a starter last week and is off to the races.
"You know what, I'm glad that that's there because no focus has been shifted over to myself," said the likable Jennings. "The spotlight is on him. I can kind of play underneath that spotlight. That way there's no expectations elsewhere but here in this family and around here.
"Other than here, there's nobody talking about Greg Jennings as rookie of the year. There's no add-on pressure."
It's premature, of course, to think about post-season honors, but the point is that Jennings has produced about as much as any rookie in the draft thus far and looks to be the real deal. He and New Orleans seventh-round receiver Marques Colston have been the two biggest surprises in the draft, at least where offense is concerned.
Among all rookies, Jennings ranks third behind Bush (34) and Colston (23) in receptions with 20, tied for second behind Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew (four) in touchdowns with three, second behind Colston (374) in receiving yards with 364 and second behind Colston (18) in receiving first downs with 13.
Among all NFL receivers with a minimum of 18 catches, Jennings ranks tied for third with Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne (18.2) in yards per catch and fifth in the league in yards after the catch with 178, according to STATS.
Fantasy Impact: Jennings should be a solid play all year. | | | Colts escape Titans with 14-13 win - 10/08/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Vince Young, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Travis Henry Peyton Manning has mastered the great escape.
Now the Indianapolis Colts want to make things a little easier for their quarterback.
For the third straight week, the two-time MVP led Indianapolis on a late touchdown drive, this time throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 5:10 left to give the Colts a 14-13 victory -- and avoid Tennessee's improbable upset bid.
Against winless Tennessee (0-5), Manning connected with Marvin Harrison and Wayne for second-half scores that rallied the Colts from a 10-point deficit. The win kept the Colts (5-0) unbeaten and in control of the AFC South, even if it was far from perfect.
Manning finished 20 of 31 for 166 yards with one interception.
Most expected this one to be a rout.
But with rookie quarterback Vince Young making his second career start, coach Jeff Fisher decided to play it safe by attacking the Colts' porous defense the same way every opponent has this season -- running inside.
As usual, it worked.
By grinding out 214 yards rushing, Manning and Co. spent much of the game on the sideline. It also prevented Young from making any disastrous rookie mistakes.
Young threw only two passes in the first quarter when the Titans piled up 100 yards rushing, and Travis Henry, who was inactive last week against Dallas, carried 19 times for 123 yards, his first 100-yard game with Tennessee.
The Titans finished with 214 yards rushing, and Young even gave fans a glimpse of his mobility on a nifty 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Even without defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was serving the first game of his five-game suspension, running back Chris Brown, who was inactive and a makeshift offensive line, the Titans looked like they would pull off one of the most shocking upsets in the NFL for three and a half quarters.
Young's final desperation pass was knocked down near the Colts 10.
He finished 10 of 21 for 63 yards with one interception, but Manning got the win.
"To be 5-0 and not playing your best football is a good thing as long as you improve," Manning said. "If you stay the same way and don't improve, it's going to eventually bite you."
Notes: Harrison and Wayne each caught their first TDs of the season. ... Harrison caught a pass in his 159th straight game, breaking Marshall Faulk's NFL record for most consecutive games with a reception at the start of a career (158). ... Henry had his first 100-yard game since Dec. 7, 2003 while with Buffalo. ... Brandon Stokley left the game in the second half with a sprained left knee. | | | BREAKING NEWS: IND K Vinatieri OUT - 10/08/2006
Source: MyFantasyBall Impacts: Adam Vinatieri, Martin Gramatica K Adam Vinatieri remains Out another week with a groin injury. Martin Gramatica will take over kicking duties. | | | Gramatica likely to start over injured Vinatieri; Colts bring back Gramatica to back up Vinatieri - 10/08/2006
Source: ESPN Impacts: Martin Gramatica, Adam Vinatieri Martin Gramatica, released by the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, has been re-signed by the team for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans to back up Adam Vinatieri.
Gramatica will handle kickoffs for the Colts and may kick field goals and extra points if Vinatieri can't play due to his groin injury.
Gramatica was brought in to kick when Vinatieri injured his groin in the Colts' win over the Houston Texans in Week 2. | | | Colts put DT Simon on non-football injury-illness list - 10/05/2006
Source: ESPN.com Impacts: Corey Simon Former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon will miss the rest of the season after being placed on the non-football illness-injury list Thursday by the Indianapolis Colts. "It is an illness, not an injury, and is unrelated to the knee surgery he had in August," Colts GM Bill Polian said in a news release. "It is not football-related. Fortunately, we are told it is not life-threatening, but it has severely limited Corey's ability to condition, practice or play and has been debilitating for him." Fantasy Impact: This is a tough loss for the Colts and fantasy owners should make other arrangements as Simon is out for the rest of the season. | | | Manning rallies Colts, down Jets 31-28 - 10/01/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Justin McCareins Peyton Manning watched the fourth-quarter lead his Colts had just taken vanish in a flash when the New York Jets returned the ensuing kickoff 103 yards.
Cool, calm and ever the leader, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback just jogged back on the field with a little more than 2 minutes left and took charge.
The Colts leaned on their running game for three TDs and came back to beat the Jets.
"There truly never was any panic," Manning said. "When they ran the kickoff back, we were just getting back on the bench. We didn't have time to get mad or to panic."
They certainly had plenty of time to ruin the Jets' victory plans.
After Justin Miller's 103-yard dash gave New York the lead with 2:20 left, Manning led Indianapolis on the type of efficient drive that has defined his career -- capping it with a 1-yard run that gave the Colts a wild 31-28 victory.
| | | Colts' Vinatieri out; Gramatica to kick against Jets - 10/01/2006
Source: ESPN.com Impacts: Adam Vinatieri Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri will not play against the New York Jets on Sunday. Martin Gramatica will handle the kicking duties at the wet and rainy Meadowlands. Fantasy Impact: Vinatieri is out for Week 4, so if possible, look to pick up someone else for a spot start at your K position. | | | Receiver Wayne rejoins Colts, is likely to play Sunday vs. Jets - 09/29/2006
Source: Baltimore Sun Impacts: Reggie Wayne Receiver Reggie Wayne rejoined the Indianapolis Colts for practice yesterday and is expected to play Sunday against the New York Jets.
Wayne flew to Louisiana on Sunday night after learning that his 32-year-old brother, Rashad, was killed in a traffic accident. Fantasy Impact: Fantasy owners can feel free to plug Wayne back into their lineups as he will be ready to go for Sunday's game against the Jets. | | | WR Wayne set to return to Colts, could play Sunday - 09/27/2006
Source: ESPN Impacts: Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning Colts receiver Reggie Wayne is expected to return to Indianapolis on Thursday and could be available to play Sunday against the New York Jets.
| | | Packers no longer America's team - 09/27/2006
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Impacts: Brett Favre The Green Bay Packers, who have been America's team for the last four seasons, surrendered that title in this year's Harris Poll of National Football League fans.
America's favorite pro football team is the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Packers remained near the top, finishing fourth this year.
Harris Interactive conducted a poll Sept. 7-13 of 2,747 adult respondents, 1,306 of whom said they followed pro football. The latter group was asked to name their two favorite NFL teams. Harris has conducted the same poll every year since 1998.
The Steelers, who beat Seattle in last season's Super Bowl, were chosen by 16% of the respondents, the most for any team. Next were the Dallas Cowboys (15%), followed by the Indianapolis Colts (13%), Packers (11%), New England Patriots (9%) and Chicago Bears (9%).
Named by the fewest respondents were the Jacksonville Jaguars (1%) and New Orleans Saints (2%). | | | Colts rally around Wayne after brother's death - 09/25/2006
Source: ESPN.com Impacts: Reggie Wayne, Aaron Moorehead, Gary Brackett, Brandon Stokley Indianapolis' victory celebration turned somber Monday. The usually boisterous locker room noise was replaced by emotional, thoughtful reflection as Colts players offered support to their grieving receiver, Reggie Wayne.
Wayne's older brother, Rashad, was killed in an automobile accident Sunday -- something Colts players didn't learn until well after Sunday's game ended. After hearing the news, Wayne flew back to his home state of Louisiana so he could help the family make funeral arrangements. Fantasy Impact: The Colts are no stranger to family grief as Dungy's son committed suicide last year and both Gary Brackett and Brandon Stokley have had their own problems also. There is no word yet on when Wayne will return, but as of now, owners should be prepared for a spot start as Wayne may not be available. | | | Fantasy Football: MatchUp Meter - 09/25/2006
Source: Boston Herald Impacts: Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Matt Hasselbeck, Carson Palmer Following are complete fantasy football rankings based on this week’s matchups for all the major positions (QB, RB, WR, TE, K, team defense). They are based on a combined yardage/scoring system (4 points for a passing touchdown, 6 points for a rushing/receiving touchdown, one point for every 25 passing yards, one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards).
Quarterback
1/Donovan McNabb, PHI at SF
2/Eli Manning, NYG at SEA
3/Peyton Manning, IND vs. JAC
4/Matt Hasselbeck, SEA vs. NYG
5/Carson Palmer, CIN at PIT
6/Michael Vick, ATL at NO
| | | Colts overcome Jaguars' attack, 21-14 - 09/24/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Byron Leftwich, Fred Taylor, Dhani Jones The Indianapolis Colts' high-scoring offense proved it could be patient, too.
Peyton Manning went into the locker room at halftime and tried to not be frustrated after the Colts had only three first-half series and nine offensive plays in the first 27 minutes.
Manning threw for one touchdown and ran for another in the second half, and Terrence Wilkins returned a punt 82 yards for a TD to help the Colts maintain their dominance in the AFC South with a 21-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jacksonville wanted to make a statement in the title chase six days after shutting out defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.
The defense managed to keep Manning out of sync or off balance most of the day. He finished 14 of 31 for 219 yards with one TD, the 249th of his career, and scored on a beautiful fake to seal the victory midway through the fourth quarter.
Marvin Harrison caught six passes for 94 yards, moving within three catches of fourth on the career list. Andre Reed has 951 career receptions, Harrison has 949.
And the Jaguars, who held the ball for more than 24 minutes in the first half, relied on the tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew to dictate the game. Taylor rushed 21 times for 74 yards, while Drew had 13 carries for 103 yards and four receptions for 32 yards including a 7-yard TD catch late in the game.
"We left a lot out there, but we've got to make sure those types of things don't happen," Leftwich said. "We've got to come away with more than seven points."
Leftwich, who was 16 of 28 for 107 yards and two interceptions, was part of the reason.He was picked off by Jason David at the Colts 9 in the first half and by Mike Doss with 45 seconds left in the game when he missed Reggie Williams deep over the middle.
Then there was Josh Scobee. He missed two field goals to the left, hitting the upright on a 24-yarder late in the first half and pushing a 49-yarder even farther left in the third quarter.
"We were just off a little bit," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "I thought our sideline stayed calm and we made some adjustments and kept our composure. ... We realized if we started playing, we'd be OK."
Notes: Wilkins' return was the first for Indy since he last did it September 2001 against the New York Jets. ... Matt Jones failed to catch a pass for the Jaguars, but did play. ... Colts cornerback Nick Harper left the game with a strained groin. ... Guard Chris Naeole also was injured in the fourth quarter when Leftwich ran into him. | | | Vinatieri to sit out 1st game - 09/24/2006
Source: Boston Herald Impacts: Adam Vinatieri Kicker Adam Vinatieri will miss the first game of his 11-year NFL career because of a lingering groin injury.
Vinatieri, who came to the Indianapolis Colts from the three-time Super Bowl Patriots in the offseason, strained his groin in last week’s victory over Houston and will sit out today’s game against AFC South rival Jacksonville, coach Tony Dungy said yesterday.
The Colts are expected to sign veteran kicker Martin Gramatica as Vinatieri’s replacement. Gramatica, ironically, was signed by the Patriots in the offseason as a possible replacement for Vinatieri, but was released in August when it became clear that rookie fourth-round pick Stephen Gostkowski could handle the job. It will be Gramatica’s second stint with the Colts and his third with Dungy, who coached him at Tampa Bay before coming to the Colts. Gramatica missed all of last season with an injury. The former Pro Bowler last kicked in an NFL game in 2004 during his short stint with Indianapolis.
Vinatieri, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was the AFC special teams Player of the Week in the first week of the season. Through two games, he leads the league in scoring with 27 points on seven field goals and six extra points.
Dungy said the phone in his office was ringing off the hook last week, as it always does when ex-players become aware of injuries.
The first call Dungy took was from Morten Andersen, the 46-year-old kicker who signed Tuesday with Atlanta.
“You get a call any time you have an injury,” Dungy said. “It’s usually guys who are out of work . . . You never know, you may need someone. All my old players, especially on defense.” Fantasy Impact: Although he is a kicker, with his consistency, this news is worthy of noting. | | | Manning gets 13th 'player of the week' - 09/20/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 400-yard performance in Sunday’s victory over Houston.
Manning completed 26-of-38 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns, to running back Joseph Addai, tight end Bryan Fletcher and wide receiver Brandon Stokley. It was the seventh time in Manning's 130 regular-season games that he has reached or eclipsed the 400-yard mark. Fantasy Impact: Surprise, Surprise. | | | Colts await word on status of injured trio - 09/19/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Adam Vinatieri, Dwight Freeney, Brandon Stokley Tony Dungy's telephone rang Monday morning. It was Morten Andersen. "Just to say he was available and to find out how Ben Davis was doing," the Colts coach said with a smile. Fantasy Impact: The Freeney and Stokley injuries appear to be relatively minor, but Vinatieri's could pose problems for the Colts as he wasn't even able to finish Sunday's game against the Texans. Keep an eye on Vinatieri's status as owners may need to pick up a spot kicker until he is ready to go. | | | Aerial attack lifts Colts over Texans 43-24 - 09/17/2006
Source: NFL.com Impacts: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Joseph Addai, David Carr The NFL's biggest perfectionist found little to quibble with. Sure, Peyton Manning would have preferred scoring a few more touchdowns and less mistakes.
But what more could the two-time MVP really ask of his teammates?
Manning threw three touchdown passes, broke John Unitas' franchise record for completions and led the Colts to scores on six of their first seven possessions in a 43-24 rout over Houston that wasn't that close.
Indy (2-0) produced 515 yards, converted on eight of its first 10 third-down chances and didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter as the record-setting combination of Manning and Marvin Harrison had another milestone day.
Manning's second TD pass, a 21-yarder to rookie Joseph Addai in the first quarter, gave him 2,797 completions -- one more than Unitas had in his Colts career. He finished 26 of 38 for 400 yards, his seventh-highest yardage total as a pro, and with 2,820 career completions.
On the game's first offensive play, David Carr was sacked by Robert Mathis before he could even set up to throw. Carr fumbled the snap on the next play and Raheem Brock recovered for the Colts at the Texans 16. Three plays later, Manning and Brandon Stokley hooked up for a 10-yard TD pass. | | | Play-fakes need run to succeed - 09/14/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes Watching Peyton Manning carry out his deft play-fake with a running back is a little like watching a street hustler run his shell game -- where the heck is the pea? But if no one worries about the pea, the deception is moot. Fantasy Impact: Manning and the Colts offense relies on the play-action pass, so it is important that Rhodes and Addai muster up some sort of rushing game. | | | Vinatieri's big game leads to honors from AFC - 09/14/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Adam Vinatieri Despite the clutch-kick reputation he brought with him from New England, Adam Vinatieri realized the importance of also handling his kickoff chores in Indianapolis. At least initially, the veteran has succeeded. Fantasy Impact: Vinatieri has proven himself to be one of the game's most reliable kickers and is a must start for any fantasy team. | | | It doesn't get any easier for Texans - 09/12/2006
Source: Houston Chronicle Impacts: David Carr, C.C. Brown, Peyton Manning When Texans coach Gary Kubiak met the media Monday for his weekly news conference at Reliant Stadium, he was asked if scoring 10 points and rushing for 70 yards on 20 carries sounded familiar.
Naturally, Kubiak thought about the 24-10 loss to Philadelphia in which the Texans managed only 70 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Fantasy Impact: The schedule is brutal for the Texans, and owners may want to keep that in mind when using any Texans players for fantasy play. | | | Colts get big kicks out of Vinatieri - 09/11/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Adam Vinatieri, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Drew Henson From a special teams standpoint, the Colts had just about everything covered in their 26-21 win over the New York Giants on Sunday night at Giants Stadium.
Place-kicker Adam Vinatieri, their only significant offseason free-agent acquisition, provided immediate returns with four field goals and effective kickoffs.
Fantasy Impact: Vinatieri kicked about as well as could be expected in his first game as a Colt, and Harrison got off to a nice start for the season also. Both of these players are must starts for any fantasy team. | | | Manning Bowl turns into great theater, but it just wasn't great football - 09/11/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey It was a couple of hours before the game. Peyton Manning had come out onto the field to look around and throw some passes to his receivers, when he noticed somebody passing by him.
Fantasy Impact: I'd imagine both Mannings are just glad this game is over with. Eli and Peyton each showed that they should be good fantasy QBs this year and owners should not hesitate to have them in their lineups. | | | Colts 26, Giants 21 (AP) - 09/11/2006
Source: Yahoo!, Newsday, NY Daily News Impacts: Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Tiki Barber After beating little brother Eli, all Peyton Manning felt was relief and pride. Relief that the much-hyped battle of the brothers was over, and pride in the way they handled it. No gloating, no giddy postgame interviews, no big scene as the two met when it was over. "I told him I loved him," Peyton said after the Indianapolis Colts outlasted Eli and the New York Giants 26-21 on Sunday night. Fantasy Impact: Eli actually looked pretty good after a slow start, with about a 59% completion rate and 2 TDs. Barber also ran well, and the ground game as a whole gained 6.6 ypc. What hurt the Giants was penalties, as they committed 10 of them. Many were drive killers, though some were questionable like the offensive interference call on Carter late. The defense was superb against the run, holding them to only 2.4 ypc. Peyton was rarely under pressure however, getting sacked only once. That allowed him to toss for 276 yards, exposing the Giants secondary who also dropped 3 potential INTs. Overall it was a decent game, but hope that they play more disciplined next week. Snee left with an ankle injury and didn't return, so wait to see how he is. | | | Mannings Cutting Out Shop Talk These Days - 09/08/2006
Source: New York Times Impacts: Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Tiki Barber Eli Manning said he talked on the telephone Tuesday with his older brother Peyton. Football chit-chat usually peppers the conversations between these two N.F.L. quarterbacks. Not this one.
Fantasy Impact: This will be the first game in NFL history that features two brothers as opposing starting QBs. | | | Vinatieri practices, says he's ready to go - 09/06/2006
Source: Indy Star Impacts: Adam Vinatieri, Jim Sorgi, Corey Simon, Brandon Stokley, Mike Doss Adam Vinatieri might not be 100 percent heading into his 11th season, but he's healthy enough to handle the place-kicking chores for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday against the New York Giants.
"I know in the past 10 years of playing in the league I haven't missed a regular-season game,'' he said Monday after rapping his knuckles on a wooden shelf in his locker for luck, "and I'm not planning on doing it anytime soon.''
Fantasy Impact: Simon will miss the Colts season opener against the Giants, but Indy got good news in hearing that Vinatieri will be able to go Sunday. | | | Bengals lose Dorsey to Colts - 09/04/2006
Source: Dayton Daily News Impacts: Chris Perry, Kenny Watson The Bengals had a feeling this might happen — where they'd lose a player they wanted to keep.
They had tailback DeDe Dorsey earmarked for the practice squad, but that plan got upset when the Indianapolis Colts claimed him off waivers for their 53-man, Opening Day roster.
Fantasy Impact: The loss of Dorsey is not of any fantasy importance, but it does mean that Kenny Watson and Quincy Wilson will fill the void of the injured Chris Perry. | | | Bengals have no trouble beating Colts reserves - 09/02/2006
Source: Columbus Dispatch Impacts: Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Rudi Johnson, Chris Henry Break a minor sweat? Check. Fantasy Impact: The Bengals starters only played two possessions, but everyone looked good and should be ready for the season opener. | | | Plenty of questions about the Colts' running game - 08/30/2006
Source: RealFootball365 Impacts: Edgerrin James, Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes When Indianapolis Colts running back Marshall Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams after the 1998 season, everyone wondered how team president Bill Polian could possibly fill the void left by the Pro Bowler. He responded by drafting Edgerrin James, who helped lead the Colts to a 13-3 record in his first season in the NFL. Fantasy Impact: The jury appears to still be out on who is a better fit for the Colts at the RB position, but as expected, Rhoades has looked to be the more comfortable of the two in the offense. | | | Roster decisions looming for Colts - 08/29/2006
Source: IndyStar.com Impacts: Jim Sorgi, Josh Betts, Peyton Manning The first cut wasn't the deepest, or the toughest. The Indianapolis Colts face some serious personnel paring Saturday when their roster, at 75 after 10 players were waived Monday, must be trimmed to the NFL-mandated maximum of 53.
Fantasy Impact: The fight for the meaningless backup job behind Peyton Manning is on. Sorgi has been hurt so King may finally have his opportunity to claim the job as his own. | | | One league's draft - 08/23/2006
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer Impacts: Shaun Alexander, LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Tiki Barber, Peyton Manning Here are the results of a recent draft: FIRST ROUND Team 1: Shaun Alexaner, RB, Seattle Team 2: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Fantasy Impact: Notice that Portis has dropped to 6th following his injury and the acquisition of Duckett. | | | NFL Capsules (AP) - 08/10/2006
Source: Yahoo! New Indianapolis kicker Adam Vinatieri opened the Colts' preseason with a successful onside kick, and Peyton Manning quickly made the most of his brief appearance Thursday with a touchdown pass in a 19-17 loss to the St. Louis Rams. Manning and receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne left after one series, while St. | | | NFL | Shockey is recovering from mild concussion - 08/02/2006
Source: Philadelphia Enquirer, Dallas Star-Telegram Impacts: Jeremy Shockey, David Patten, Michael Vick Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey suffered a mild concussion in a collision with safety Will Demps at New York's practice Monday night, a Giants spokesman said yesterday. Fantasy Impact: Move Shockey, Patten, and Vick down a little until you see them recover. | | | Freeney's 2006 could be best year yet - 07/12/2006
Source: RealFootball365 Impacts: Dwight Freeney Despite struggling for much of the last four seasons, the constant of the Indianapolis Colts ' defense has always been defensive end Dwight Freeney. Led by the former first-round pick, the unit finally rose out of the depths of the National Football League in 2005, finishing second in points allowed and 11th in yards surrendered en route to a 13-3 season. Fantasy Impact: 2006 is Freeney's contract year and owners should expect an even more motivated Freeney this year. He has been outstanding, but even the best players seem to play better in their contract years. | | | King Now a Colt - 06/05/2006
Source: RealFootball365 , Jim SorgiShaun King, who was released by the Detroit Lions on May 31, didn't have to wait long for a team to request his services as he signed with the Indianapolis Colts on Friday. King will be called on to backup perennial Pro-Bowl QB Payton Manning, as last year's 2nd stringer, Jim Sorgi, has been unable to throw in recent weeks because of a sore shoulder. Fantasy Impact: King now gets the chance to backup Peyton Manning, who seems to never go down. King will probably only see the field in blow outs and possibly late in the season when the Colts have already locked up a playoff spot. |
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