Colts Gab

Sports Illustrated talks about how former coach Tony Dungy says today he’s surprised that the former team he coached lost in SB XLIV:

Former Colts coach Tony Dungy joined the Dan Patrick show to talk about the Super Bowl. Dungy had said last week that he would be “shocked” if Indy lost.”I just thought it would probably be New Orleans that made the big mistake … it ended up being the Colts that made the big mistake,” Dungy said. I expected the Colts to score touchdowns and put 30 points on the board. They only put up 17. I was pretty shocked.” Dungy also said that Pierre Garcon’s drop in the second quarter was the biggest play of the game, that allowed the Saints to stay in the game and eventually get back in it.

Despite a loss in Super Bowl XLIV, the Colts have the inside track on winning Super Bowl XLV according to bodog.com. Below are all the odds on all the teams making the Super Bowl in Dallas in 2011:

Indianapolis Colts 13/2
San Diego Chargers 8/1
New England Patriots 10/1
New Orleans Saints 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 11/1
Dallas Cowboys 12/1
Green Bay Packers 12/1
Minnesota Vikings 12/1
Philadelphia Eagles 16/1
Baltimore Ravens 20/1
New York Giants 20/1
New York Jets 25/1
Tennessee Titans 25/1
Atlanta Falcons 30/1
Cincinnati Bengals 30/1
Arizona Cardinals 35/1
Chicago Bears 35/1
Houston Texans 35/1
Carolina Panthers 40/1
Miami Dolphins 45/1
San Francisco 49ers 45/1
Seattle Seahawks 45/1
Denver Broncos 50/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 50/1
Washington Redskins 50/1
Buffalo Bills 100/1
Cleveland Browns 100/1
Detroit Lions 100/1
Kansas City Chiefs 100/1
Oakland Raiders 100/1
St. Louis Rams 100/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 100/1

As a Colts fan, this game really disappointed me. But hey, the New Orleans Saints wanted it more. They needed this. After all New Orleans has gone through for the past few years with Hurricane Katrina and all that. Along with that, the Saints were never a good football team. The NFC Championship was the farthest they’ve ever gone before the season started. And they only made the NFC Championship once in their life.

The Saints were undervalued. With losing to teams like the Buccaneers with their starters, the Saints were not favorites entering the playoffs. They proved everyone wrong. And then, the heroics of Tracy Porter came in the NFC Championship game. After that pick, it was over. It happened last night in the Super Bowl, against a high-powered Colts’ team.

The first quarter started off hot for Indiana. 10-0. But in the second quarter, it all began to slip away. The Saints made mistakes, but they know. They know how to stop Peyton Manning and this Colts’ offense. Amazing job by Gregg Williams with the defense. As a Colts’ fan, I wasn’t all that bad about Indianapolis losing to be honest. 2006 was more memorable, more intense. This season was destined for New Orleans. They needed this.

The NFC Championship win two weeks ago was a sweet win on Bourbon Street. Last night, it would have to be the sweetest. Back to the game. With the second quarter over, it was 10-6. Entering the third, it felt like the Colts knew what was going to happen. Every time they lead at the half, they are pretty much undefeated (the New York regular season game does not count to me in any way). And plus, if they were trailing, they always found a way to win and figure out the defense.

The game started off…with an onside kick. My god. Sean Payton pulled off a crazy stunt. Hank Baskett almost had it, but they were too surprised by this. So it started off with Saints’ ball, for both halves. That is when the Colts’ defense plummeted. They weren’t ready to go on and they failed on the drive. Couldn’t tackle, left guys open throughout the game and kept Manning off the field.

That was the way to stop the man. That was to way to stop the “Greatest of All-Time.” It started to get out of hand big during the end. Matt Stover misses a field goal while Garrett Hartley makes all of them. It was 17-16, Colts holding on real tight. They had this. Everything was going good for them. Joseph Addai was running the ball great. It was very unexpected. For the drive on the Saints, Indiana played horrible defense. They left guys open the whole game and gave Drew Brees so much time to throw.

Since the onside kick, it ruined it all. Jeremy Shockey got the touchdown and the Saints were up 22-17. Then came the two-point conversion. Lance Moore made a crazy catch. To me, it was 50/50 for a catch. It seemed liked he had it and then he loses possession. But New Orleans got it and it was 24-17. No reason to worry. If the Colts’ defense doesn’t want to take the push, Manning needs to take the control. It was Manning. It was all down to No. 18. With this drive, it would be legendary. He already had one with the 96-yarder. This had to be better.

Manning got a couple of first downs. It was now third. Manning was looking good with Reggie Wayne. There went Manning, hiked the ball. He threw a quick pass right at Reggie Wayne, and out of nowhere came Tracy Porter. He went to Indiana University. Now he was taking an interception back for a touchdown…on his hometown NFL team back then. Porter was something. He made legendary guys sad. First Brett Favre to end it, and now Manning. Saints were up 31-17 with three minutes to go.

Could the Colts come back? Yes they can. Manning threw a lob and long pass to Austin Collie. They were now in the red zone. After a few plays, they made it into the goal line. On those downs, they weren’t worth it. On third and goal, they ran it. They ran it! What the eff! It was a wasted down. Now it just came down to this. Fourth down. Manning threw it and it was tipped. Turnover on downs with 44 seconds to go. The Saints were going to win their first Super Bowl ever!

Colts’ fans, don’t get too overwhelmed with the loss. The Colts can run the ball now, in my opinion. It’s time for Joseph Addai to get back like he was back then. He will do it. And also, it’s not so bad being the second-best team in the league. Don’t worry. AFC Champions is something positive to look at. The Colts made it, but the New Orleans Saints just wanted it more. They needed it. The Saints can build on a future with Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, and more. Saints fans need to be very luck with Tracy Porter. They wouldn’t have even made it to the big show without that interception in the NFC Championship.

Don’t worry Indianapolis. You’re the team to beat in the AFC. With the way you were playing this year and you can bring it on more this season, it’s another Super Bowl. You’ll make it in one of the next two years, I know it. Hats off to New Orleans. They played one hella of a game. And fans of the NFL, don’t think as if the Saints killed Indy. 31-17 may look like it. To me, it felt more like 24-17. It was over from 24-17 anyways. Porter just ended it. Both teams played hard. The Colts gave the Saints a challenge, but they found out quickly about them after the half.

So again, hats off to New Orleans.

This has got to be the sweetest night ever on Bourbon Street.

While many will point to the back breaking pick of Tracy Porter as the play that cost the Indy Colts their second chance at a title in four seasons, the Colts offense, one that played so well in playoff wins over the Ravens and Jets, never seemed to get into a flow in Super Bowl XLIV.

“We probably never got into a great rhythm,” Peyton Manning said. “We were certainly worse in lapses in our final possession. Like you said, we got the ball on the first drive and had a good drive, then the second drive went down there and scored and then it was strange there after that not having, I think maybe six plays in the second quarter then of course once the Saints won the toss, it was big to hold them there at the end of the first half on that goal line stand. Disappointing possession on that next series not being able to maintain the ball, run the clock out, gave them three more points, and then we let them have the onsides kick on that first series of the second half. That kind of negated the coin toss. That was disappointing so certainly made it tough.”

The Saints deserve the credit for keeping the ball as long as they did, as it was about 70 minutes in between when the Colts ran offensive plays. While in a normal game that would have been a lot less considering The Who doesn’t usually play halftime at most games, it was hard for the offense to get things going after sitting for so long.

“Every possession felt precious out there. I was disappointed on the first series having to settle for a field goal,” Manning said. “Then we had a third-down drop which stopped another drive, had the third one where we got stopped, and then moved the ball pretty well in the second half when we had it. Then obviously the turnover – disappointing – then the turnover on downs at the end of the game was disappointing.”

Three years ago it was Manning and the Colts that were celebrating the euphoria of a Super Bowl title, and now, it’s pretty much the same Colts team that will have to sit back and talk about how tough it is to watch another team celebrate with the Lombardi Trophy.

“We are disappointed; certainly having won a Super Bowl three years ago I know how exciting it was for our team and for our players and our fans,” Manning said. “So I know the people of New Orleans and the Saints have that same feeling right now and I congratulate them.”

The oddsmakers said the Indianapolis Colts were about 5 1/2 point favorites against the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s Super Bowl game at Sun Life Stadium. With these two teams, offense is the modus operandi and defense is sometimes an afterthought.

Early on, it looked like the Colts would settle the matter early as they scored 10 quick points in the first quarter. But the Saints would come to life as they scored 18 unanswered points, capped by a Tracy Porter pick-6, elevating New Orleans to their first Super Bowl victory, 31-17, over Indianapolis.

Peyton Manning looked impressive on the Colts’ first two drives, taking his team 53 yards to a 38-yard Matt Stover field goal; Manning then led a 11-play, 96-yard drive – tied for the longest series drive in Super Bowl history – which was capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Pierre Garcon, putting the Colts up 10-0.

The Saints did get on the scoreboard on a 46-yard Garrett Hartley field goal, making it 10-3; the Colts defense, which was ranked 18th during the regular season, manned up as they clamped the Saints down on a fourth-and-goal. Curiously, the Colts, instead of te usual pass-on-first down routine, opted for running the ball three consecutive times, leaving New Orleans 35 seconds to add another Hartley field goal, sending both teams to their respective locker rooms with the Colts ahead 10-6.

Interestingly, the Saints opted for an onside kick, which would be successful; they would like the Saints of the regular season as a Drew Brees 16-yard screen pass to Pierre Thomas would hit paydirt, giving New Orleans their first lead of the game at 13-10. But Manning would shrug it off, leading the Colts on their next possession on a 76-yard drive, capped by a Joseph Addai 4-yard run, allowing the Colts to regain the lead at 17-13; That would be it for the rest of the night for the Colts.

After a 47-yard FG by Hartley with 2:01 left in the third period put the Saints to within 17-16, Brees would connect with Jeremy Shockey on a 2-yard TD pass, giving New Orleans a 24-17 lead. The issue was settled when Manning threw an interception whcih was picked off by Tracy Porter; Porter would return the pick 74 yards for the score, putting the Saints ahead for good.

Brees went 32-of-39 for 288 yards with 2 TDs while Manning had a decent game by most other NFL quarterbacks’ standards, going 31-of-45 for 333 yards with a TD and an INT. Thomas led all Saints rushers with 9 carries for 30 yards while catching 6 passes for 55 yards and a TD; Addai led the Colts rushing attack with 77 yards on 13 carries and a score while catching 7 passes for 58 yards.

Marques Colston led the Saints receivers with 7 receptions for 83 yards while Devery Henderson caught 7 for 63 yards; Dallas Clark led all Colts receivers with 7 catches for 86 yards while Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon caught 6 and 5 passes respectively for 66 yards with Garcon scoring a TD.

With the victory, the New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl in the franchise’s 34-year history. The Colts, while making the game competitive, will go into the offseason mulling any moves that will be necessary for them to return to the Super Bowl in February 2011.

According to NFL Fanhouse, Jim Irsay plans to pay Peyton Manning sometime and it would make Manning the highest-paid player in NFL history.

“We know that Peyton’s going to be the highest-paid player in the league,” Irsay said. “It’ll get done. There’s no question about that, and it’s something we’ll focus on in the offseason.”

And plus, Manning could make up big for this deal if the Colts win the Super Bowl. All is going good for the Colts’
“messiah.”

More of this story can be seen here.

The Colts and their fans held their breath on Friday, as their best wide out, Reggie Wayne pulled up short on a pass route. Despite the injury, he is still expected to play in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

The four-time Pro Bowl receiver left practice 20 minutes early after aggravating an injured right knee. Coach Jim Caldwell said Wayne hurt the soft tissue below his kneecap. Wayne is listed as probable and Caldwell plans on him playing against New Orleans. Wayne got through the injury most of the season.

Coach Jim Caldwell sounded optimistic Friday that defensive end Dwight Freeney could play against the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s Super Bowl. “He’s trending in the right direction,” Caldwell said at his final pre-Super Bowl news conference. Freeney has been receiving treatment several times daily since arriving in South Florida last week, trying to speed up the recovery after tearing a ligament in his right ankle during the Colts’ AFC title game victory over the New York Jets. Earlier this week, Freeney said he believes he’s improving, but he still hasn’t practiced with the team. “He’s getting better, but we’ll see,” Caldwell said. “It’s still a day-to-day situation.”

Super Bowl weekend is finally upon us, and Colts Gab has been bestowed with an honor as the weekend arrives! As part of the SportsGabNetwork, Colts Gab is pleased to announce that today we are being featured on ESPN2’s “SportsNation” show which airs live at 4pm Eastern on ESPN2. Thanks to the good people at ‘SportsNation’ for letting us know that we are the best Colts site on the web!

Just about a week before the Super Bowl, something horrible occurred to the Indianapolis Colts: Dwight Freeney was injured and it is possible that he will not play in the biggest game of the NFL season.

Freeney was having a remarkable year and was huge contributor to the Colts’ defense. But with a possibility of losing him in the Super Bowl, many are worried. But don’t think too far with this. If Freeney does not play, do not be worried. The Colts can handle it, in my opinion.

In 2007, Indianapolis was dominant like this season. But they lost Freeney for like seven games, and they managed to get towards a 13-3 record. The Colts managed roll without No. 93. Yes yes, it would hurt a lot because Indy cannot just rely on Robert Mathis.

93+98=Hell for Drew Brees. That’s what the Colts need. Trouble might occur. And anyways, in my opinion, Freeney will play. You guys really think a guy like Freeney with an injury like that would cause him to miss the game? He’s been treated heavily lately. He has three days until The Big Show.

He can make it through, in my opinon. Don’t worry.