RSS
Home
Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian on Robert Mathis, Pierre Garcon and defensive improvement
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Indianapolis Colts DE Robert Mathis (Michael Conroy/AP Photo)
Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser examines what Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian had to say Monday evening in the wake of a 34-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks (PART TWO OF TWO/PART ONE HERE). . .
Indianapolis Colts DE Robert Mathis has been overshadowed at times in seven NFL seasons. A couple of reasons: the presence of four-time Pro Bowl selection Dwight Freeney on the other end of the line and his relatively small status -- for a defensive end, anyway.
Colts President Bill Polian said the lack of recognition needs to end this week.
"If he doesn't get (AFC) Defensive Player of the Week this week, they shouldn't give the award," Polian said on his weekly radio show Monday on 97.1 Hank FM in Indianpolis.
Mathis, who made the Pro Bowl for the first time last season, "has been absolutely off the charts" early in the season, Polian said. On Sunday, Mathis recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles in the Colts' 34-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
"He really has been incredible," Polian said. "You know how hard it is to get one sack a game, much less get three – plus caused fumbles and things of that nature. He just continues to play at an incredibly high rate. He's a Pro Bowler. He's everything you want in a football player."
Polian on Monday also discussed:
* The improvement of the Colts' defense (after allowing 239 yards rushing to Miami before allowing 24 and 49 yards rushing the past two weeks): "First of all, it's systemic. We controlled the run against Miami from conventional formations about as well as we've controlled it the last two weeks. What we did not control was the Wildcat and the A formation. Those were based upon in Miami's version – which is very good – misdirection, the ability to confuse keys, the ability to make us stop and read rather than read on the run and play fast, which is how we play defense. Almost systemically, they took us out of what we wanted to do and what we're equipped to do. That didn't happen the last two weeks and it didn't happen in Miami when they were in conventional formations, by and large. That's the short answer. That begs the question, 'Can Tennessee do it?' The answer is, 'Yes, they can.' Do we expect they will? The answer is, 'Yes, we do.' They could run it with (quarterback) Vince (Young). They could run it with (quarterback) Kerry (Collins). They could run it with any number of people. I could see them running it with Vince and both backs in the game. There are any number of ways they can do it. We'll have to wait until Sunday night to figure out which one it is, but I'm pretty sure we're going to see one version or another of it. Maybe all three."
* WR Pierre Garcon: "I said when we drafted Pierre – when no one knew his name or necessarily cared who he was – that he reminded me some of (former Buffalo Bills wide receiver) Andre Reed. He does that more every day. I hope his career lasts as long and I hope he goes to the Hall of Fame, as Andre deserves to. No one would ever think that lightning would strike twice, but certainly I think he's going to have a good NFL career."
* On potential trick plays and the possibility of the Titans using the Wildcat formation: "I think the answer on both counts is, 'Yes.' I don't know how ready you can be for some of the real creative gadgetry that (Titans special teams coach) Alan Lowry and (Head Coach) Jeff Fisher come up with on special teams, but as long as we've played them, we've seen a lot of it. I'm sure they have other new nuances up their sleeves. We'll be expecting it. I don't know how prepared we'll be, but we'll be expecting it. I would think since they'd had success against us with the Wildcat in the past and since they saw that Miami had some success with it (against the Colts), I would think they're probably giving it serious consideration. I'm not sure it is not a normal practice. I would think that given the talent they have – (running back) Chris Johnson and Vince Young – that they probably have had a package in almost from minicamp, some Wildcat package. They have to have Vince prepared to play . . . so I would think they probably have a package that they practice from Day One. They just haven't used it yet. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them dust it off and really, that's all they would be doing is dusting it off. I'm sure he goes into every game with a certain package of plays from the shotgun with the options, runs and passes and things of that nature that we've seen in the past. It's ready and they've practiced it. They don't have to make very much adjustment to use it."
* On QB Peyton Manning retiring with the Colts: "That would be our aim. A lot depends on what kind of a labor situation we have. We will very likely enter an uncapped year next year. There are special rules for that situation in terms of how you allocate money. Then, when we come of that – hopefully with a labor agreement – there will be special and new rules I'm sure as to how you allocate money and how money is counted under the salary cap and what have you. All of those things remain to be seen. We could probably do a standard, garden-variety contract that would pass muster under any kind of scenario. That's something we're looking at right now. Whether that would meet Peyton's needs, I don't know. It's a down-the-road project. It's not something that has to be done immediately. It's not something we're working on as a front-burner project, but Jim is right. Our goal, our aim, our whole approach is to make sure Peyton finishes his contract here and finishes his career here and goes directly from Lucas Oil Stadium to Canton and the Hall of Fame and I'm confident we can get it done. It isn't something that's going to happen overnight and it is affected in terms of the long term by whatever labor agreement may be reached."
*** COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: INDY FOOTBALL REPORT EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S NEXT-DAY LOOK AT COLTS-SEAHAWKS HERE.
*** COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING CALLS 4-0 RECORD A GOOD START: INDY FOOTBALL REPORT EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S GAME STORY. HERE
*** COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FORMER COLTS RB EDGERRIN JAMES HERE
*** WR PIERRE GARCON AMONG FIVE KEY EARLY-SEASON DEVELOPMENTS FOR 3-0 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HERE ***
*** WHAT DO THE COLTS HAVE TO DO TO WIN THE AFC SOUTH? READ IFR EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S FIVE KEYS HERE
DWIGHT FREENEY NEWS
* Colts quiet on status of DE Dwight Freeney
* DE Dwight Freeney out 2-to-3 weeks
* Freeney not ready to accept 2-to-3 week diagnosis
* Freeney plays against Seahawks
* Manning calls Freeney return inspiring.
MAGNIFICENT SEVENS: WEEKLY COLTS THOUGHTS . . .
Magnificent Seven I: Seven training camp thoughts and observations
Magnificent Seven II: On the Colts' defensive tackle position and WR Reggie Wayne
Magnificent Seven III: On the Colts' running backs and offensive line
Magnificent Seven IV: On the Colts' offense, OG Ryan Lilja and WR Anthony Gonzalez
Magnificent Seven V: On S Melvin Bullitt and QB Peyton Manning
Magnificent Seven VI: On RB Donald Brown and the start of the season . . . at last
Magnificent Seven VII: On WR Reggie Wayne, the OL and blitzing
Magnificent Seven VIII: On WR Reggie Wayne, QB Peyton Manning and DE Dwight Freeney
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
