Posted by Josh Dhani on September 3rd, 2010 in
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The Indianapolis Colts are 1-7 under head coach Jim Caldwell in pre-season games. But it doesn’t matter really. But at least the Colts could just get one win in the pre-season. However, the last time the Colts went winless in the pre-season was in the 2005-06 season when Indy marched to a 13-0 run and finished the year off 14-2. Could that happen again? I hope so.
But seeing that conclusion is going to be awhile. But after last night, it’s time for football fans to get ready for the new NFL season! But before we go into that, let’s cover last night’s loss. The Colts fell short in the pre-season finale to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-28.
All eyes were on Cedric Peerman. Okay, not really. But after one certain play, the eyes were all on him. Being a fourth-string back, you need to step it up big in the pre-season. Peerman did that. In the third quarter, Peerman made the play of the game, rushing for a 93-yard touchdown in the third quarter. After that play, all the momentum came to Cincy. It was over from there. Peerman would finish with 100 yards rushing along with a 50-yard kick return.
“That shows the speed we know he’s got,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “That was the thing Cedric had coming out of Virginia a year ago. It kind of got him elevated in the draft. We know he can do it. He’s been an impressive guy for us.”
Jordan Palmer passed for 115 yards and went ten-of-14 along with two touchdowns for the Bengals. Palmer’s decent performance brings the Bengals’ pre-season to an end, finishing with a record of 3-2.
“To sum it up, we had an opportunity to look at the guys that we wanted to look at,” Lewis said. “It was a close game throughout, and everytime the Colts were able to score, we went back and answered, which was a good thing. I think the only negative that I’d like to clean up was on special teams.”
Many of the Indy starters didn’t play. One of them were Peyton Manning. With how banged-up the team was before-and-after the loss to the Green Bay Packers last week, they had to be aware and rest the players. However, Curtis Painter went nine-of-20 for 114 yards. Tom Brandstater proved he was better than Painter, going ten-of-18 for 177 yards and three touchdowns.
“The big thing is being able to put it in the end zone, and I thought Brandstater did a good job of that,” Caldwell said.
Blair White has proved himself this pre-season and showed up strong again with seven catches for 132 yards. The rookie out of Michigan State wasn’t expected to perform this well. He may be able to get a spot on the team, but it still hasn’t been determined. It’s a big question to White.
“You prepare for the worst in this business because you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I’ve been trying to put myself through that and my mind through that, and whatever happens, happens.”
Hopeful returner Brandon James played well on the offensive end with four catches for 56 yards along with two great returns. He would also have all of Brandstater’s three touchdown passes.
Allen Patrick rushed for 33 yards on eight carries with 4.1 yards per carry for the Colts. Javarris James would have eleven carries on 32 yards. James Johnson would have eight carries for 45 yards rushing for the Bengals. J.T. O’Sullivan went nine-of-twelve for 102 yards with Cincy.
Jerome Simpson caught eight passes for 68 yards with one touchdown. Dezmon Briscoe had an important play, catching a 50-yard touchdown pass from Palmer. His total stat count for that night: one catch, 50 yards, one touchdown.
Although the Colts loss, they are positive for the regular season. Especially Jim Caldwell.
“I’m excited about where we are,” he said. “We certainly have been improving all along, getting a little bit better. Overall, I think we made good progress.”
I bet they will.
