Indianapolis Colts Keep Their Season Alive With Narrow Win

Quarterback Peyton Manning was the MVP of Supe...
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Peyton Manning was back to something like his best as he threw for 312 yards and produced 2 second quarter  touchdowns to give the Colts a 21-0 lead late in the first half. The final score of 30-28 was a little more clear cut than it looked as the Tennessee Titans scored a consolation TD as time expired however they did run the ball a little better this week and although their season is effectively over they might just about have show enough to keep Jeff Fisher in a job for a few weeks yet at least.

The Colts now have a bit of time to rest up before taking on divisional rivals Jacksonville in a must win game on 19th December which would even up the seasons games and probably allow the Colts to take the division by winning out. Given that the Wild Cards look likely to come from the AFC East & North this year taking the division will be the only way the Colts can maintain their impressive post season appearance streak.

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NFL 2010 Week 13 Unlucky for Some.

SAN DIEGO , CA - NOVEMBER 09:  San Diego Charg...
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Week 13 already and a host of teams still had a chance of making the post season in what has been one of the closest and most unpredictable of seasons that I can remember. The big game is still to come with The Patriots playing the Jets for what looks increasingly like home field advantage to the winner however several of the early season favourites and perennial playoff contenders will now have to hope for a bit of help to maintain expectations.

Overall things went largely as expected however two teams who have been plagued all year with misfortune suffered again and could end up sitting January out.

The big casualties were Indianapolis and San Diego who both came up short in games they were expected to win. The Colts to be fair have an excuse given their injury list and the fact Dallas have improved a bit under Garrett, but the Chargers who are in probably the second weakest division in the NFL looked pretty awful against an improving Oakland Raiders who look like having their 1st winning season since their last trip to the Super Bowl in Jan 2003.

Norv Turner must be tearing his hair out at the lack of concentration his team showed especially on special teams and even after giving up 251 yards rushing last night the Chargers defense are still 5th overall against the run and 2nd against the pass. On Offense they are no 2 for passing and its only their running game ranked 19th which pulls them down the rankings. They now trail the surprise team of the season the Kansas City Chiefs by 2 games with 4 to play, and they meet next Sunday in a game which could effectively end their season. A loss to the Chiefs could see Norv Turner join the ranks of the Unemployed.

The story in Indianapolis is a little different with the Colts who despite Manning being uncharacteristically generous with the ball have at least showed some battling spirit having lost 3 of their 4 recent defeats by 3 points or less. Ironically these defeats included a loss to the Chargers but also losses to Philadelphia and New England, which are hardly a disgrace. They have 3 divisional games left so their destiny remains in their own hands, however a loss to the Jags in two weeks time will mean they miss out on the post season for the 1st time since 2001.

The seasons other big surprise team the St Louis Rams overcame the dismal Arizona Cardinals coming back from 6-0 down to score 19 unanswered points. They could make the post season by default given the NFC West is so poor and the division could easily be won 8-8.

Sundays Scores:

New Orleans 34, Cincinnati 30

Chicago 24, Detroit 20

Green Bay 34, San Francisco 16

Jacksonville 17, Tennessee 6

Kansas City 10, Denver 6

Cleveland 13, Miami 10

Minnesota 38, Buffalo 14

NY Giants 31, Washington 7

Oakland 28, San Diego 13

Seattle 31, Carolina 14

Atlanta 28, Tampa Bay 24

St. Louis 19, Arizona 6

Dallas 38, Indianapolis 35 (OT)

Pittsburgh 13, Baltimore 10

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2010 AFC South Seasons Prediction

Colts logo (1978-present).
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The AFC South has been a successful division for several years now, largely thanks to the Indianapolis Colts who have been the most consistent team in the NFL for many years. This year looks no different and it is possible that two teams will make the playoffs from the South, given they have the relatively easy AFC West to play in their conference games.

The Indianapolis Colts will be keen to put the disappointment of 2009 behind them,which included throwing away the chance of a perfect season to keep their players fresh only for them to lose in the Super Bowl. The curse of the Bowl losers is unlikely to strike them this year though and they look near certainties for a play off birth and should add the divisional title to their list of honours. Their schedule is similar in strength to last seasons and if they can successfullt negotiate a tough looking November run, which includes New England & San Diego they should be well placed for the wild cards at least.

The Squad looks no worse than last year despite a bit of a clear out in free agency however they have drafted to fill those holes and with the quality they have on offense they can afford the odd defensive slip. Running back looks like their main problem area however they managed to reach the Super Bowl ranked 32 in rush offense so that shouldn’t be a problem. The gap is closing between them and their rivals, however they should manage to retain the crown for at least another season.

The Houston Texans are still looking for their first play off berth and they came mighty close last season thanks to a best ever 9-7 season. They are quietly building a formidable squad and although their defensive secondary still looks weak in certain areas they look as good as any team in the AFC.

Andre Johnston is probably the best wide receiver in the NFL at the moment and he is building up a great relationship with QB Matt Schaub, himself a very under rated talent. They have drafted pretty well and Kareem Jackson should help alleviate the loss of Dunta Robinson, and the defensive line is stuffed with talent so they should have another good season.

I cant see Houston taking the division with their schedule however second place beckons again and a wild card is a distinct possibility.

The Tennessee Titanshad a dreadful start to their 2009 season losing their 1st 6 games ending with a humiliating 59-0 loss against New England. Then they finished withan 8-2 run in and going into their last two games even had a slim chance of a playoff berth. The loss of Albert Haynesworth hit them harder than many forecast and their defensive ranking colapsed from 7th in 2008 to 28th in 2009. This is the big worry and although they have drafted a lot of defensive talent I am not sure they will have an impact in 2010.

The Titans will pose a threat offensively and Chris Johnson should pile up the running yards but they don’t look good enough overall to threaten either the Colts or Texans.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are unlucky to be in such a strong division and although they will be a threat on the ground the rest of the squad looks distinctly average. They realised they need to upgrade their defense and have drafted 4 linemen with their 1st four picks. This will bode well for the future but will have virtually no impact in 2010. similarly their free agency moves look more like those of a rebuilding team than one looking to challenge for the division. If they can match last seasons 7 wins it will have been a good season for them.

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Dwight Freeny Still Doubtful For Super Bowl 44

Despite reporting an easing in the level of pain Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney looks set to miss training again today and it is looking increasingly unlikely that he will make the starting line up.

He has been concentrating on light walking which has helped but his position relies on speed and mobility (Freeney is widely regarded as the leagues top pass rusher) and his contribution will be missed against the experienced Drew Brees who can make the big plays if given time.

For the sake of the Super Bowl lets hope he manages to play as a world wide audience deserves to see as many of the starts as possible.

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Is Super Bowl 44 Peyton Manning’s Chance to Secure A Record Contract

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 02:  Dallas Clark...
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If as the betting would suggest Peyton Manning leads The Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl 44 then the contract negotiations which will have to take place soon will be very interesting. The 2010 season sees the end of contracts for arguably the two best Quarter Backs in the NFL as Tom Brady’s current deal at New England is also due to end after the 2010 season.

It is hard to see how the Colts can secure Peyton’s services without offering a record breaking contract and given Tom Brady will be in negotiations too there will be the added pressure to meet or beat what he is being offered. I expect the NFL will have two very rich quarter backs in 2011.

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