Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
THE DAILY DIGEST | Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser takes a look at what they're saying about -- and what's going on around -- the AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts . . .
This is the first Daily Digest in a few days, which means we've some catching up to do. We'll start with something that's maybe not exactly Indianapolis Colts-related.
But then again, it sort of is.
Because the topic of the week around the NFL is the league's Competition Committee's proposal to alter the overtime for the postseason, and if the proposal didn't come about entirely because of the Colts, it's not a huge reach to say the genesis had something to do with them.
More specifically, it had something to do with the end of the Colts' 2008 season.
But let's get to the gist first.
The gist is the Competition Committee has recommended to the league's owners that the overtime policy that has been in place pretty much intact since since 1974 be altered for the postseason. Rather than the sudden-death overtime currently in place for the regular- and postseason, the competition committee has recommended that the league instead institute a rule designed to lessen the advantage currently given to the team that receives the kickoff to start overtime.
Under the proposal, the team receiving the ball on the first possession of overtime would not be able to win the game by kicking a field goal on the opening possession of overtime. The team winning the overtime coin toss would be able to win the game by scoring a touchdown on that first possession.
If the receiving team kicked a field goal, the opposing team would tie it and send the game into the current sudden-death format, or win it with a touchdown.
If the opposing team didn't score after a first-drive field goal, the receiving team would win the game.
If both teams failed to score on their first possession, the rest of the overtime would be sudden-death format.
It's a bit wordy. And it's perhaps a bit confusing.
What's pretty clear is this:
Comments
A lot of people are missing the boat in evaluating the Colts. The offensive line was not that bad--if you watched the game you saw that Manning often had a lot of time but people did not get open. On one play Collie was wide open for about 20 yards but the play was a deep pattern and he ran right into the coverage--blame the coaches for that one. Further, the offensive line did a great job of run blocking. The bigger problem was actually the defense. The Saints' pass coverage was very tight and the Colts coverage was very loose; the Saints made key plays whenever they wanted. Is this due to poor players or to a poor defensive strategy? Mathis was a non factor and is too small to be a good pass rusher any more--offensive linemen are both bigger and faster now than they used to be.Try him as a linebacker or dump him. Freeny may not last much longer due to wear and tear. Sanders will never be a factor again--trade him. The coaches obviously did not practice receiving an onside kick.
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