What's funny is that most of the other show hosts on the FAN seem to think Francesa's a prick as well.
the problem is, it wasn't even their 1st string for 3 quarters. Sure you had Manning - but look at all the players that never even suited up that day. Garcon (huge gap in Indy offense), but look at the defensive side - starting DB Powers was inactive (didn't play in AFCCG either), Pro Bowl starter Robert Mathis inactive, starting LB Clint Session, starting DT Antonio Johnson was also inactive, as well as starting LB Melvin Bullitt - on the offense, Pierre Garcon didn't suit up. Then you throw in the mass exodus of players that DID play for 2.5 quarters, I just don't see how anyone can throw out a claim that the Jets played with the Colts best for 2.5 quarters. You guys weren't even moving the ball - 2 of your scores came from special teams and defense. Look I'm not trying to pound the Jets when they are down here - I'm just saying it was sweet redemption to quiet the "bozos" I referred to earlier by having this rematch on the big stage, and at full force for 4 quarters on both sides of the ball. Plus you gotta remember were were bent (and still are) that the undefeated season was thrown out the window - it wsn't the Jets fault, but you happened to be the team where the mass exodus happened. I'm not sure why they played Jacksonville for 4 quarters the week before, home field was sewed up before that game as well.
It wasn't full force for 4 quarters. We lost arguably the biggest threat on offense and a few men in the secondary got knicked up.
sorry I wasn't clear there - I meant both sides of the ball for the Colts (offense and defense) being at full force - I wasn't referring to the Jets.
Wonder if Colts fans are totally satisfied beating a bunch of our backups? Ridiculous thought right? EXACTLY. Now Beat it.
It means nothing. We beat you guys 41-0 in a playoff game once and I am pretty sure that had we played you earlier that year the score would not have been that. So going into the playoffs, regardless of who won earlier, had I said "Jets are gonna beat you guys by 6 TD's" every Jet and Colt fan would have said I was on LSD. The point is: what happened earlier has no bearing on what happens on any given day. Ask the Patriots who scored at will against the Giants at GS then couldn't score at all on a neutral field during the SB 5 weeks later.
Colts fans have to get over themselves. Their team is better for one reason and one reason only and it's a guy named Manning. To say we didn't put a huge scare into you is just posturing after the fact. If we somehow were able to stay healthier during the playoffs and during the course of this game, the Jets could have easily pulled off the upset. By the end of the game we were missing our starting OLB, one of our best cover corners, and our most dynamic RB on offense. I also won't fail to mention Loehnard and Ellis playing with casts. But, no excuses, you guys earned the bye week and were significantly fresher and less banged up and that to me, was the real difference here.
I was thinking most of this myself, though, as you mentioned, you run the risk of being called a whiner when your analytical results come up more in favor of the loser. So I hardly bother to state these points to people. The truth is, Manning is without a doubt one of the top three QBs to ever play professional football. Really, the best IMO. And as you said, combine that with the injuries that began to mount by the middle of the game, and we just didn't have a chance. The Jets defense totally changed faces after Strickland and Lowery got banged up, going from an insanely aggressive style, to a sit back and hope for the best style. For anyone not to recognize that, just doesn't care enough to speak the truth, which I'm not surprised to see these "analysts" miss. However (and I think this is where people need to be careful when making posts such as these), credit still must be given. Their offense was terrific and they deserved to win because of it. Could we have won? Absolutely. But it would have meant keeping everyone healthy and playing the last 32 minutes like we played the first 28.
So, as a longtime Colts fan, I would like to say a few things. First, the JETS played a very good football game against the Colts. One thing I have learned after many, many, many playoff heartbreakers, is that injuries and officiating are not reasons for losses. Yes, the Jets were beat up, so were the Colts. So is nearly every team that enters the playoffs. Example, the colts had 2 starting db's out, their #2 WR, and several other key players on IR. Second, it seems that a lot of Jets fans agree that Rex should have continued putting lots of pressure on Manning. I have watched Manning play nearly every game of his professional career. Blitz him too much, he will beat you. He was starting to hit on the big plays due to the blitz. Rex did the right thing by backing off and protecting the deep plays. Doing that is what allowed Dallas Clark to stop blocking and get into the game as a receiving threat. Pick your poison. Third, please rewatch in slow motion the so-called "late hit" on Sanchez. It is a lot closer than you think. The fact that Sanchez had been using the play action all game, made it a pretty easy no-call by the official. Bullitt did not drive through and you can clearly see he tried to slow his momentum. It would have been a tough call in a championship game. Would Manning have gotten the call? Probably. But it wasn't a malicious or really late hit as a lot of Jets fans have been saying. My advice is to hold your heads high, you have a great team and a qb who will mature quickly. Colts fans have blamed everything for losses over the last 8 years, but it truly comes down to who played a better overall game. When a player goes down, the next man has to step up and get it done. Good Luck in 2010. PATS SUCK!!
Dude, gtfoh with this crap. It was clearly a late hit and if it happened to Manning there would have been at least 3 flags on the turf.
Hahaha, man, I completely forgot anything you said after reading this part. Watch the slow mo? Are you joking? Watching the full-speed replay made me think it was slow-mo considering how long it took for Bullitt to get to Sanchez after the pass. If the Jets hit Manning like that's it's an automatic 15 yards and I wouldn't be surprised to see a fine.
Please read the entire statement. I said Manning would probably have gotten that call. It was not a malicious hit. Bullitt can't see the ball from that side, if it is play action, it's a sack. My point is that it is being a bit sensationalized. If you only read about it on here, you would think he waited until the whistle, ripped off Sanchez's helmet, and stabbed him in the eye.
That's a load of shit. The NFL owes Rex Ryan an apology and Sanchez some fucking money for that hit. Terrible non-call.
Thanks for the kind sentiment, but I have to say your notes are crap. First, this isn't your typical "we had injuries" argument made by sore losers. This is about us losing nearly all our depth in our secondary, and then losing Shonn Greene, who became the core of our number one rushing offense during the postseason. Our two greatest strengths suffered heavy losses during the game, and losing DBs, specifically, only helped Peyton tear up our passing defense. Second, Rex only stopped blitzing as heavily because of the losses in our secondary. Anyone who knows even the slightest bit about football and watched the tape again, could see that. Just that you're even debating this is ridiculous considering we practically shut down your offense for the first 28 minutes of the game by playing aggressive, blitz happy, defense. Is it possible Manning might have gotten it together and made some huge plays in the passing game? No. It's almost certain he would have. But us sitting back and playing prevent was never going to keep the game competitive. Third, you're out of your mind. Watching plays like late hits in real time are more telling than watching them in slow motion. It was beyond clear that Mark didn't have the ball any longer. He even had his hands at his sides when he got hit. The hit was BS. And the only reason people on this board are so pissed about it, and why Rex was as well, is because had that been Manning, it would have been 15 yards without a doubt.
Well, if you saw that, it was certainly a penalty. I came on here mainly to congratulate the Jets for a great season, and simply point out that complaining about injuries and officiating takes away from that. I know there are some Jets fans that get that, you just don't happen to agree with that. If thinking that any one play lost the game for your team gets you through the day, so be it.
I'm sure all the Colts fans will be just as understanding if Vilma knocks manning to the turf after taking 3 full strides towards him after he hands it off in 2 weeks. You can bet your ass there will be a target on Mannings head the next time we play, 15 yarder or not.
Wow, I was about to post what a fantastic thread by Br4dw4y this was, then I got to the second page. Can we ever have one thread full of solid insight without a band of morons fucking it up? Agree with everything the OP said, especially the 3rd statement. I was watching the game with family. I was pumped all through the first half, satisfied with the halftime score, and fell silent when Greene left the field. My father said "You're still leading. Why so down?" I just shook my head and said "If he doesn't come back, the Colts do." I didn't say much during that second half, although I held out hope they could still win it.
NOTHING takes away from what the Jets did this season.. If this were posted on the Indy boards it would be sour grapes What was posted was in an Aftermath thread for jets fans to discuss - This stuff wasn't up for debate it's FACTS.... Facts that we must discuss when you logically talk about the future of the team and Team needs.... The Fact is - No team loses 2 DB's, It's MLB and basically it's running game and beats a team AS AWESOMELY AWESOME AND SUPER GREAT AS THE MAGNIFICENT COLTS!!!! The Colts are great, Manning is one of, if not THE best QB most of us will ever see - That said, The Miracle for the Jets was not going to happen with those injuries.. Let alone the BS calls.
