Impartial fans: What Colts-Pats score are you hoping for?

[NormanDale]

This poll is for IMPARTIAL FANS only, not people from Indy and NE. The general media consensus seems to be that everyone outside of New England should and will be rooting for the Colts this weekend. I'm just curious as to whether or not that is actually true.

NOTE: This is not about what you expect the outcome to be. The question is, of these 4 possibilities, which score would please you the most?

New England and Indy fans, please respect the request not to vote in the poll. Thanks.

[High 5]

How come there's an option for a Colts blowout, but not one for the Pats? If anyone is getting blown out it will likely be the Colts. I hate everything about Boston, but you don't get to see a team like this very often so I'll continue rooting for them the rest of the way. I hope they keep up the domination through all 19 games, they go undefeated, they break all kinds of team records, Brady gets at least 60 TDs, Moss catches at least 22, Vrabel gets 25 sacks, 25 FFs, 25 INTs and catches 10 TDs, etc.

[CBS7]

I want to see a good game, but higher scoring then 24-21. Something like 38-35 or so.

But we won't. I expect a blowout. Patriots 45 Colts 24

[J.Kim]

According to studcrackers, I'm no longer impartial.

However, I'll give my opinion regardless.

So far this season, I've seen 6 New England games and 5 Indianapolis games. And after watching all of those, I don't think Indianapolis has a shot.

I'll get into the why and hows after work. (With diagrams and pictures and stuff!)

[Icness]

I'm hoping for a close game a la CBS7, something in the high 20s-mid 30s for both teams.

I caught most of the Indy-Carolina game, and other than the 1st drive the Colts absolutely dominated a pretty good Panthers team in all 3 facets of the game. Outside, on the thickest lawn in the NFL, without Marvin Harrison. IMO they absolutely have a good chance to beat the Pats.

[Basketball Jesus]

Wow, I must have watched a previously taped Colts-Panthers game Icness because that's not what I saw yesterday.

[Basketball Fan]

This poll is for IMPARTIAL FANS only, not people from Indy and NE. The general media consensus seems to be that everyone outside of New England should and will be rooting for the Colts this weekend. I'm just curious as to whether or not that is actually true.

NOTE: This is not about what you expect the outcome to be. The question is, of these 4 possibilities, which score would please you the most?

New England and Indy fans, please respect the request not to vote in the poll. Thanks.

This poll is already flawed there aren't going to be impartial fans who answer this because when you pick who wins you are already taking a side one way or another.

Since I'm an Indy fan I won't say what I think will happen but I don't agree with your opinion that everyone outside of NE wants the Colts to win. I don't agree with that at all..

[Icness]

Wow, I must have watched a previously taped Colts-Panthers game Icness because that's not what I saw yesterday.

Care to elaborate?

They started kinda slow but once they made adjustments the Panthers had nothing working at all. The Panthers got 8 first downs on their first drive and got just 2 more in their next 6. Not many teams are going to score on 4 straight drives against Carolina either. And then the Colts basically stopped trying after the Jeff King fumble.

[GYBE]

I actually think the Colts do have a shot here.

The Colts weakness is their run defense, and NE hasn't really run that much all season. I imagine they'll use Maroney and Faulk quite a bit in this one, but it's not their strength. The Pats passing game is nothing short of epic at this point, but the Colts have a very good secondary. I think some casual fans still see them as the old one-dimensional Colts, but the franchise has built a very athletic and talented group entirely through the draft. Bethea and Sanders are one of the better safety duos in the league. Jackson and Hayden are nice young corners. I think they're one of the teams that can come closest to containing the Pats passing attack. The Ravens will likely due a better job because of how much pressure their LB's will bring, but I don't see any other team really being that much better at it.

And Indy can still score on anyone. I think it will be a close game.

[Buck You]

Pats 24, Colts 21. With Moss getting all 3 Patriot td's. Fantasy dream!

[NeedsMoreCheese]

A combined 114 points so they can break that record too.

[cb4_89]

Colts have absolutely no chance. Patriots are going to make this pretty one sided and are going to score many F You TDs.

[brewcityboii]

I will root for the Pats and I think the score will be 49-31

[Nowak008]

Option 3.

Going for it on 4th down up 38-0 in the 4th instead of kicking a FG.

Despicable.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

I'm hoping for an 87-84 squeaker, with Stephen Gostkowski the hero on the night.

No Marvin = little chance I root for the Colts. I like the Pats in this one.

[J.Kim]

As you all know by now (after it's been beaten into your heads). The Colts run a Tampa 2, developed by Tony Dungy. However, the Colts run it slightly modified, with a 4-4 Flavor attached to it. (As I've noticed over the years. Colts fans: Correct me if I'm wrong)

You can see it through this diagram:



The Tampa 2 is like your standard 4-3, except that you play in Zone coverage, with 2 deep safeties, portioning off the deep zone (12-15 yards and out) into halves, and with 3 Linebackers and 2 corners, portioning off the mid zone (around 5-8 yards for the LBs and 8-11yards for the corners) into fifths.
How the Colts 2 differs is that, unlike the Tampa 2, Dungy in the Colts 2, gives Bob Sanders a bit of freedom.
Before the snap, he doesn't quite lineup like a Safety does. Instead, He lines up slightly ahead of the other safety, and just right behind the Linebacker, around 8-10 Yards deep.
Where Sanders lines up can vary slightly. He might be right on line with the Linebackers if its a perceived running down, and he might be closer to the other Safety if its a perceived passing down.
And what Dungy allows Bob Sanders to do is make decisions pre-snap of whether it's going to be a run or a pass, and play it accordingly, from wherever he is lined up.
Now you might be thinking that a play-action might fool Bob Sanders. But it's not that easy. Bob Sanders is a terrific, smart player, who has great awareness and is not easily fooled by play-action. And if he does get fooled, he has enough speed to get back on position.

What you do instead, to have success, is mix up these things:
- Within a run formation, you play-action into a short out pattern to your TE or your WR
- Run a few draw Plays up the gut, preferring the left side where Dwight Freeney is
- Make sure that your WRs/TEs run accurate short out patterns
- Make sure that your WRs/TEs run fast and accurate mid post patterns
- A really really really really fast WR who can beast opposing CBs/Ss deep.

And with all that, you need to start off with a great O-Line who can stop the speed blitzes of Mathis and Freeney.

IMO, the Patriots Offense has all these things, and can score with ease on the Colts' Defense.

As for the Colts Offense; How you can contain them is, if you have fantastic Defensive Linemen who can work the Line of Scrimmage effectively (as in cover gaps) on running downs, and can get penetration by just rushing 3 or 4.
You get penetration against that Offensive line by running 4-man stunts.
This season, the only team that seemed to have good penetration against the Colts' O-Line was the Titans. What they did was pull Kyle Vanden Bosch (who was lined up on the Right side) over to the inside of Albert Haynesworth, who would usually draw the Right Guard and the Center. From there Vanden Bosch would bull rush the RB/FB who was left in the pocket to protect.
Another way is to just out maneuver the Colts' Tackles. Ugoh and Diem this season have shown that they're susceptible to crafty DEs who use combination of their motor, speed, positioning and moves to get to the QB. Speed Rushers and Bull Rushers seem to have no effect.

From there, you put 7 into coverage, and force Manning to make mistakes with your front 4 bringing pressure (Which he has done on infrequent occasions this season).

I think the Patriots are the only team in the league that can do all of these things that I've listed, and that's why I don't think this game will be close at all.

[NormanDale]

How come there's an option for a Colts blowout, but not one for the Pats? If anyone is getting blown out it will likely be the Colts. I hate everything about Boston, but you don't get to see a team like this very often so I'll continue rooting for them the rest of the way. I hope they keep up the domination through all 19 games, they go undefeated, they break all kinds of team records, Brady gets at least 60 TDs, Moss catches at least 22, Vrabel gets 25 sacks, 25 FFs, 25 INTs and catches 10 TDs, etc.

The reason is that I clearly don't know how to put in a poll properly, because there was supposed to be a fourth option, which would be the reverse of option 3. Not sure if it's possible to change a poll once it's already in there, but if there is, I'll add that.

[Icness]

-= original quote snipped =-



The reason is that I clearly don't know how to put in a poll properly, because there was supposed to be a fourth option, which would be the reverse of option 3. Not sure if it's possible to change a poll once it's already in there, but if there is, I'll add that.

Try editing your original post. If you need help, PM me and I'll get it up for you. Never a problem with an honest mistake!

[El Turco]

As much as i am a vrabel fanboy i would love to see big, bad empire to lose. wouldnt put any money on it though.

[richard]

i would love to see an all out defensive war - sacks, fumbles, interceptions, big hits.

would be great if the score is something like 13 - 10.