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The 2009 Indianapolis Colts Are Already Better Than Last Year
Published: October 12, 2009
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The Colts are 5-0, sit atop the A.F.C. South, have the fourth-ranked offense in the league, and the eighth-ranked defense.
When we dig a little deeper, we find that the Colts have the No. 1 passing attack in the NFL, and are 29th running the ball. The rushing offense is already an improvement over last year, when they were ranked 31st in the league.
Also, you don’t end up with a top five offense if your offensive line hasn’t improved.
On defense, the Colts are eighth against the pass and 15th against the run.
Another incredible stat is the Colts defense is tied for second in points allowed per game. So far, on average, they are only giving up 14.2 pts./game.
Another important stat is the number of third downs the defense is allowing opposing teams to convert. The Colts are currently ranked eigth in this category.
Before going on, please note how incredible these numbers are. The Colts have not fielded a top-four offense in two seasons, and this is only the third time in Peyton’s career that he has played with a top-ten defense.
From 2003-2006, the Colts’ offense was always in the top four, but not the last two seasons.
Last year, the Colts defense ended up 11th in the league, but that was after a full season. Through the first five games, they were near the bottom. The rush defense topped out at 24th in the league, while their pass defense ranked sixth.
Also, in 2008, the Colts defense ranked 11th in points allowed per game, and 11th in third downs converted by opposing teams.
However, the defensive stats from last year are a little misleading.
Last year’s run defense was so bad, the game plan against the Colts was usually to run the ball, and play keep away from Manning.
Obviously, when opposing teams are running more than they’re passing, the stats are going to be skewed in favor of the pass defense. Hence, Colts ended the year with the pass defense ranked sixth in the league.
Anyone who has studied statistics knows that this artificially high ranking skews the overall ranking of the defense.
Special teams this year seems to be a wash. While slightly better in some areas, they are slightly worse in others. Unfortunately, they’re still near the bottom.
One last thing to consider when looking at the stats: The Colts have had most of their star defensive players, and one of their top offensive weapons sidelined with injuries.
Now ponder this, the Colts have gone 5-0, and improved in every category, except special teams, with a mixture of veterans, rookies, and second-stringers.
Let’s nip the first two criticisms in the bud: 1) It’s only been five games. 2) The stats used to back up the arguments presented here can also be used against it.
To do this, is to miss the point of the piece. The Colts, in their first five games of the season, are already better than last year’s team.
The credit for this turn around should go to one man who, from day one, made it very clear he was not happy about certain areas of the team.
Head coach Jim Caldwell has come in and put his own stamp on this team.
Almost, immediately defensive coordinator Ron Meeks was shown the door, along with special teams coach Russ Purnell.
Coach Caldwell is no Tony Dungy clone. He’s just Jim Caldwell: a humble man, with a fiery passion for the game.
The first quarter of the season is over, and given the adversity he has faced, the pressure he is been under—taking over one of the best franchises in the past decade—it’s fair to say he has acquitted himself quite well.
As Bill Parcells would say, “put away the anointing oil, ok?”
Yes, Bill, the anointing oil will stay in the cabinet until the end of the year, but Jim Caldwell still deserves an “A+” for his performance so far.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Are the Indianapolis Colts Already a Better Team Than 2007-2008 Versions?
Published: October 10, 2009
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The Colts enter the fifth game of the season with the top ranked offense in the league and the 13th ranked defense.
When we dig a little deeper, we find that the Colts have the No. 1 passing attack in the NFL and are 29th running the ball.
The rushing offense is already an improvement over last year, when we were ranked 31st in the league.
Also, you don’t end up with the top offense in the league if your offensive line hasn’t improved as well.
On defense, the Colts are eighth against the pass and 16th against the run.
Before going on, please note how incredible these stats are. The Colts have not fielded a top four offense in two seasons.
From 2003-2006, the Colts’ offense was always in the top four; however in all those years the Colts offense never ranked number one.
Last year, the Colts defense ended up 11th in the league, but that was after a full season. Through the first four games, they were near the bottom.
The Colts’ rush defense topped out at 24th in the league, while their pass defense ranked sixth.
However, the defensive stats from last year are a little misleading.
Last year’s run defense was so bad that the game plan against the Colts was to run the ball down their throats.
Obviously, when you’re running more than you’re passing, the stats are going to be skewed in favor of the pass defense.
The Colts ended the year with the pass defense ranking sixth in the league.
Anyone who has studied statistics knows that this artificially high ranking skews the overall ranking of the defense.
Special teams seem to be a wash. We are slightly better in some areas and slightly worse in other. Unfortunately, we are still near the bottom in that area.
One last thing to consider when looking at the stats: The Colts have had most of their start defensive players, and one of their top offensive weapons sidelined with injuries.
The Colts have been doing all of this with a mixture of veterans, rookies, and second stringers.
The first criticism of this piece will be that it’s only been four games. In addition, people will point out that the stats used to back up the arguments presented here, can also be used against it.
To do this, is to miss the point of the piece: The Colts, in their first four games of the season, are already better than last year’s team.
The credit for this turn around should go to one man, who from day one, made it very clear that he was not happy about certain areas of the team.
Head coach Jim Caldwell has come in and put his own stamp on this team.
Almost, immediately defensive coordinator Ron Meeks was shown the door, along with special teams coach Russ Purnell.
Coach Caldwell is no Tony Dungy clone, he’s just Jim Caldwell; a humble man, with a fiery passion for the game.
The first quarter of the season is over, and given the adversity that he has faced, the pressure he is been under, taking over one of the best franchises in the past decade, it’s fair to say he has acquitted himself quite well.
As Bill Parcells would say “put away the anointing oil ok?”
Yes, Bill, the anointing oil will stay in the cabinet until the end of the year, but Jim Caldwell still deserves an “A+” for his performance so far.
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Time For The Colts To Trade Bob Sanders.
Published: October 7, 2009
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When healthy, Bob Sanders is one of the top safeties in the league.
Psychologically, he provides the same impact for the Colts that Troy Polamalu does for the Steelers.
At this point, given what I said above, and that I’m advocating getting rid of Sanders, you’re probably asking yourself, “Did he take a trip to the medical marijuana store?”
What other possible explanation could there be for advocating the trade of one of the most dominant players on the Colts’ defense?
First off, and most important, is Bob Sanders’ health. Since he came into the league in 2004, he has never completed a 16 game season. The closest he has come was in 2007 when he played for 15 games.
I have heard other analysts say Bob Sanders was injury prone in college. To the contrary, Sanders only had one injury in his senior year at the University of Iowa.
Going into the draft, there was no reason to believe he was going to have the kind of health issues he’s had in the NFL.
In fact, Bob’s good health, and aggressive play style, impressed not only his fellow Hawkeyes, but several personnel people heading into the 2004 draft. There was even some speculation about him being the next Ronnie Lott.
So what is the problem with Bob? Why can’t he stay healthy?
There are two factors to look at when answering this question. The first is that Bob’s best quality is also his biggest liability. Bob uses his body like a human missile. Hence, the nicknames the “Hitman” and the “Eraser.”
The problem is that Bob is only 5’8” tall and weighs 206 lbs. Think about the fact that Bob is often hitting guys, at top speed, who weigh 25 to 100 pounds more than him. He literally has to use his whole body to make devastating tackles.
The second problem is not Bob’s fault.
The system that Ron Meeks and Tony Dungy employed in Indy used a bunch of guys in the front seven, who were so undersized, that they could not stop the run. Ron Meeks’ answer to the problem was to use Bob as a heat seeking missile, to drop running backs in their tracks. He did what the front seven couldn’t do – tackle players and bring them to the ground.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this approach was going to take a toll on Bob’s body.
In fact, it didn’t even take long for the injuries to start. In his rookie season, Bob only played in six games, and started only four.
Fast forward to 2009, and let’s take a look at how many injuries Bob has sustained through his six year career: Bob has had 64 injuries over six years. That averages out to 10.6 injuries a season. Now think about that for a second – that’s 10.6 injuries a season.
But here is the crux of the issue.
The Colts are paying a guy $7,220,000 who has never played a full season, may or may not play this year, and if he does play, may get injured again.
Though Bob’s projected salary drops to $3,875,000 in 2010, it shoots back up to $6,600,000 in 2011.
That’s a lot of money that the Colts could be using elsewhere. Like re-signing other players whose contracts are expiring next year, or hitting the free-agent market for once, and picking up some much needed linebackers.
I wouldn’t even be writing this article about trading Sanders if it were not for two people: Larry Coyer and Melvin Bullit.
Larry Coyer has come in with a different philosophy than his predecessor Ron Meeks. He wants the front seven to get bigger so the strong safety doesn’t have to be in the box to stop the run. Larry also believes in blitzing much more than his predecessor, including using zone-blitz schemes like Dick LeBeau.
In my mind, this reduces the need for the human missile to stop the run.
The other factor is the emergence of Melvin Bullitt.
Melvin is taller than Sanders, weighs about the same, and hits just as hard.
In his first two years with the Colts, Melvin already has five interceptions. That’s the same amount of interceptions that Bob has had his whole career. He also has ten PDefs, that’s only two less than Sanders has over his whole career.
I know that the first retort to all of these stats will be, “Well, if Sanders could stay healthy he would have more.”
Well that’s the rub isn’t it? If Sanders could stay healthy, then he would have such and such stats.
Personally, I rather have a guy who can play for sixteen games, put up solid numbers, and is dependable, than someone who is amazing, but unreliable.
Plus, Melvin is just entering his third year, and he’s putting up numbers close to Sanders’ stats. Melvin is only going to get better.
Can we say the same about Bob?
Now we come to the last argument.
The Colts play more physical when Sanders is out there.
My answer to that is yes and no.
Under Ron Meeks, that statement used to be true; however, under Larry Coyer, who brings a much more aggressive style of defense, I don’t believe it matters as much anymore.
I haven’t missed Bob Sanders. I think Bullitt and Bethea are doing a great job at the safety position.
I love Bob Sanders, and he is an impact player when he is on the field, but unless he has an epiphany and takes a pay cut, I just don’t think he is worth the money anymore.
Given that it is very unlikely that he will take a pay cut, the Colts are better off trading him at season’s end for some draft picks.
Now that we finally have a coach that is going to make sure that we’re playing physical on defense, we don’t have to rely on one player anymore.
It’s time for the Colts, the fans, and the media to stop being held hostage by the notion that without Bob Sanders we’re not the same team.
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Understanding the Wildcat Formation and Why The Colts’ Run-D Is a Concern
Published: October 6, 2009
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The Colts played the Dolphins three weeks ago so why am I writing about the game now? For two reasons: 1) I have gotten a lot of fan requests to explain the Wildcats. 2) It relates to the article I just wrote about the Colts run defense.
History:
The Wildcat formation and scheme are variations on the Single Wing formation developed by Pop Warner. This goes back to some of the beginnings of football.
Here is a link to pictures of the Single Wing formation and the Dolphins’ Wildcat Sweep formation:
If you recall from my previous article the players in the backfield all have a number: 1 = QB (who back in those days was a blocker) 2 = Fullback 3 = Tailback (what we now call the HB) 4 = Wingback which is just another running back.
One thing to note here is how extremely unbalanced the line is. The strong side has become even tougher to defend, because the TE has been moved over from the weak side. This really gives you a powerful running formation.
Just so it’s clear, an unbalanced formation is when you have more players to one side of the ball than the other.
I used the Dolphins’ Wildcat Normal Sweep play for illustrative purposes because it was used very successfully against the Colts.
The diagram also shows one of the formations that the Colts tried to use to stop it on defense, which was the 4-4 (four down lineman, four linebackers, three DBs).
First, I said that this formation and these plays are offshoots of the Single Wing. Let’s break the formation/play down:
1) Unbalanced line to the strong side
2) The back behind the T.E. is similar to the Wingback from the Single Wing formation. Though on the diagram he is labeled as a running back, in Miami’s formation he is really an H-Back.
3) The first thing that almost all Wildcat plays have in common is the split end runs a sweep pattern behind the line of scrimmage, in front of the QB.
4) The split end’s pattern shoots him through the “8” hole and up the field.
5) Here is where the play gets tricky, and why it is hard to defend. This is an option play.
The QB/RB has three options: 1) Hand it off to the split-end, and let him run the sweep. 2) Pretend to hand the ball off, and run the ball himself. 3) Turn the play into a play action pass, throwing it to the slot receiver or the flanker.
The description above is the basic idea of the Wildcat. Dan Henning has plenty of variations he runs to keep the defense guessing.
The reason it can be so effective, is, in theory, you have to respect two different types of runs and a pass play.
The reality is, that when the Colts played Miami, they only had to respect the run. In defending the Wildcat you’re much better off focusing on the run, than worrying about the pass. The reason is that the majority of the plays are running plays.
A defense is much better taking the risk of giving up a passing play then being consistently beaten by the run.
As you saw in the game, the Dolphins didn’t even try to throw the ball. They didn’t need to with the way the Colts’ defense was playing.
Larry Coyer, for some reason, played a single high safety, switching between Cover-1 and Cover-3, most of the game. Basically, he was respecting the pass, and tied up two defenders doing so. He kept the FS deep, and one of the CBs on the wide receiver.
This gave the Dolphins a numerical advantage in the running game. Depending on how you look at things, you could say that the Dolphins had 11 vs. 9 in the running game, because two defensive players were tied up in pass protection.
Of course the Colts defense didn’t help themselves, as the interior linemen were being pushed back into the linebackers, who were frozen in space trying to make the correct reads, and running into each other.
I’ve heard people say that you shouldn’t judge the Colts’ run defense based on this game. Miami used a lot of Wildcat plays so it’s not fair. That’s utter nonsense because the Dolphins only ran the Wildcat about 11 times.
In my last article, I spoke about the Colts run defense still being suspect. This game and the Jacksonville game are the basis for those comments.
To conclude this article I would just like to point out some things that the Colts could have done to slow down or stop the Wildcat. I got these ideas after reading an article about how Bill Cowher would defend the Wildcat.
1) Defend the perimeter with your outside linebackers and defensive ends. The defensive ends should be playing nine techniques, and the outside linebackers should be backing up the ends. This seals off the edges and prevents runs to the outside.
2) Have one of the DBs like the SS assigned to the offensive player who is receiving the snap. If the DB sees that the QB is going to take off, and run with the ball, then he should shoot down and try to make a tackle. This helps protect against inside running plays gaining huge yards.
3) A majority of Wildcat plays have one of the running backs lined up as the split end, running a sweep pattern in the backfield.
As the sweep occurs, there is a point where he has to slow up a bit to receive the handoff from the QB (see illustration two).
Having your two inside linebackers come on blitzs through the A gaps can disrupt the handoff and breakup the play.
Even if the play calls for a fake handoff the offensive player holding the ball still has to contend with the blitz.
Furthermore, if the SS has done his job, he has keyed in on the fact that the ball carrier is going to run with ball, and come running up to make a play.
Now you have totally disrupted the play, and at the very least the QB or RB will gain minimal yards.
This week the Colts will be faced with one of the fastest running backs in the league. Hopefully, they learned something from that Dolphins game.
Hopefully, they will play better against Chris Johnson than they did the Dolphins.
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Colts’ Big Wins Mask Serious Problems in Run Blocking, Rush Defense
Published: October 6, 2009
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In the past few weeks, we have seen some spectacular wins by the Colts.
Peyton Manning is playing out of his mind. He has had four consecutive 300-plus-yard passing games (a first for him); he did something that hasn’t been done in 30 years—win a game in which the offense only possessed the ball for 14 minutes and 53 seconds; and he is now tied for third all-time for touchdowns thrown in a career.
Even the most die-hard Patriot fan is finding it harder and harder to make the case that Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the league.
However, even the most die-hard Colts fans would be kidding themselves if they think all is great in Colt land. Underneath all the amazing finishes are some disturbing truths:
1) The Colts offensive line has some serious issues run blocking to the strong side.
The funny thing is, coming into the season I was more concerned about the weak side of the line; however, after watching several games it’s become apparent that when the Colts run to the left they gain yards. When the Colts run to the right, they usually go nowhere, lose yards, or occasionally make a small gain.
What’s the cause of this? I see several problems. When the Colts run strong side it is usually a stretch play. They usually use a zone blocking scheme when running this play. What is happening is that RG Mike Pollak and RT Ryan Diem are having problems containing defenders and, in Diem’s case, helping the tight end sealing off the edge.
Typically, in a stretch play the running back is looking to take the play through the eight hole, and if that is not open, then bounce it back inside and shoot through the six hole between the TE and RT.
The job of the TE or the RT, depending on the technique being used by the DE, is to seal off the edge. Sealing off the edge means blocking any defender trying to cover the eight hole so that the back can bounce the play outside.
If this is not possible, then the back is taught to take it inside through the six hole. However, if the RG or RT has allowed penetration through this hole, then the back gets caught in the backfield for a loss.
Here is a link to the illustrations I have created for this piece:
In the first illustration, you see the offensive hole numbering system. In the second illustration, you see one potential scenario for the stretch play. I have tried to keep this as simple as possible. I just want you to get a basic understanding of the system and the play.
Now let me explain what is going wrong on the right side.
In theory, the TE should block the DE, the flanker should block the corner, and the RT should go to the second level and block the outside linebacker so that he can’t get to the outside or penetrate the six hole. Meanwhile, the RG should block the DT.
In reality the DE is getting off his block, covering the eight hole, the corner is getting off his block, and now both players have converged on the eight hole to seal it off. Now the back is looking to cut it back inside and shoot through the six hole; however, the OLB has come up, engaged the tackle, and plugged this hole.
Meanwhile, the RG has allowed the DT to shoot through the four hole. Now the back has nowhere to go. He either gains no yards or is tackled for a loss.
This is just one example of the problems the Colts are having when they run to the right.
I have noticed that the blocking has gotten better since week one, because Howard Mudd is a genius, but it still needs to improve and become consistent.
The Colts need to be balanced in their running attack. They need to be able to run equally well to both sides of the line. Teams will start shutting down the runs to the left side and force the Colts to run where they don’t want to go: the strong side.
Manning can get them through the regular season with this problem, but when the playoffs start, the Colts will be one and done again if they don’t fix the run blocking.
A little aside: I have noticed that the Colts do have some success when they pull their guards and run counters and traps. I find it perplexing that Pollak can block very well in these situations but struggles on the stretch play.
Anyone who tells you that it’s the running backs fault that the Colts can’t run the ball isn’t paying attention.
2) The other area of concern for the Colts is the run defense. Don’t let the performance over the past two weeks fool you into thinking that this problem is solved. If you go back and watch the game on Sunday, you will notice that the run defense was inconsistent.
There were plays where it was the same old Colts run defense. I saw poor tackling, and much to my chagrin, the NT and DT of the Colts were getting pushed backward or stood up by the offensive lineman on running plays.
Before you point out to me that Seattle only ran for 41 yards, remember that the game got out of hand early for Seattle and the Seahawks had to abandon the running game.
The Colts are going to face teams this year, like the game coming up against the Titans, who can run the ball. I am deeply concerned about the undersized linebacking corps’ ability to stop the run. You can’t depend on the front four to shut down the running game all the time.
If the Colts are committed to getting bigger at linebacker, then one wonders why, on obvious running downs, Philip Wheeler isn’t being used as the SAM backer. He’s closer in height and weight to the prototypical run-stopping linebacker than Tyjuan Hagler, who is the starter at this position.
Obviously, I am not privy to any inside information from the Colts, so there may be reasons why they are not using him more.
At the end of the day, we all know Manning can carry this team to another AFC South division title. He has carried this team on his back for 11 years. During that time the defense has ranked in the top 10 only twice.
Another way to look at it is that for only 18.18 percent of his career has Manning played with a top 10 defense, and only once has he played with a top five defense.
However, if the Colts don’t straighten out not being able to stop the run and begin running the ball consistently, it’s going to be another short postseason.
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It All Starts Up Front: Understanding Offensive Line Basics Part I
Published: October 4, 2009
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I can see a lot of you reading the headline and thinking, “The offensive line? Why should I spend time learning about them? How boring.”
This attitude is evidenced by how little it is a subject on discussion boards.
It’s a group of guys we don’t notice, unless the QB gets sacked, and then only if it’s an egregious mistake. Otherwise, were quite content to say it must have been the QBs fault.
Conversely, when the QB makes an amazing play we say how great he is. We never talk about all the blocks that were made that gave him the time to complete that pass.
When running plays go south, we blame the running back, and when the back runs for a big gain, we applaud him.
So why should we understand the offensive line? Well, it’s the building block for any good offense. If the foundation of a house is bad, the house collapses. If the offensive line is bad, then the whole offense collapses.
I don’t care if your name is Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Adrian Peterson. If you don’t have solid line, then you don’t have an offense.
What characteristics do good offensive linemen possess?
1. They must possess a tremendous amount of self-esteem. This isn’t a glamour position. No one talks about you unless you’ve done something wrong. An Offensive lineman must believe he is great, that he can block anyone he may face. Otherwise, he will be so worried about being defeated that he can’t focus on the play at hand, or the next, or the one after that.
2. Another common trait amongst offensive lineman is a high intelligence factor. An offensive lineman not only needs to know their assignment, they must know the assignments of the players lined up around them, as well as being able to anticipate the movement of the defense before the ball is ever snapped.
3. Offensive lineman must have an understanding of the play, where the ball will likely be thrown, what hole the runner is heading through, the snap count, and what their blocking assignment is, so that they can position themselves between the defensive player and their teammate with the ball.
This is called their “relative position”. They may move but they must always be between the defensive player, and the player with the ball. Proper execution of this assignment means that they have maintained “relative position” throughout the play.
The difference between great offensive lineman, and inconsistent ones, is that the great ones maintain this relative position on every down.
4. Mental toughness is one of the most important characteristics an offensive lineman can have. No matter what his measurables are, if he can’t stay mentally tough on each play, then he will start to get beat. Not every down is going to go as planned. If mistakes are made he must recover quickly and not “lose sight of the forest for the trees.”
5. Offensive linemen typically, though not always, need to be the biggest and strongest players on the team. Tackles tend to be taller than guards, but as a group they tend to weigh in the 300 lb+ range, and are 6′-2″+ in height.
6. Though height and weight are important, quickness supersedes the former two. Offensive linemen don’t have to run 4.40 in the 40-yard dash, but they do need to be extremely quick in the first five or ten yards. A slow lineman will not be able to get into proper position on a defensive lineman, or linebacker so he can protect the QB, or ball carrier.
7. Offensive lineman must be explosive off the line of scrimmage. Quickness, size, and strength all combine together to create this explosiveness.
A Little Bit About Stances
1. There are three stances that an offensive lineman can be in: a) The four point stance b) The three point stance c) The two point stance
2. The four point stance has both feet, and both hands on the ground. This stance is used more for run blocking. You will see teams that are more run focused have their lineman in this stance a lot.
3. The three point stance has the offensive lineman with two feet, and one hand on the ground. This stance is probably the most common one seen.
4. The two point stance has the offensive lineman with two feet on the ground, and both hands up off the ground, about waste level. This stance is used by predominately passing teams.
Like I have said in other articles these aren’t hard and fast rules. Often you will see the Colts use a combination of two point, three point, and four point stances. It’s more about what the play dictates, and the scheme that the offensive line coach, and offensive coordinator are using.
The Leader of the Offensive Line: The Center
The center, in some ways, is the most important player on the offensive line.
A pro-bowl center like Jeff Saturday, must not only know the play, the snap count, and which player he has to block, but he is also called upon to look over the defense and call out blocking assignments to the other guys on the line. Oh, and then he needs to make sure he gets the ball to the QB mistake free. A botched snap by the center could mean a loss of yards or even worse a turnover.
This is the end of Part I. In Part II we will get into run blocking, and the different types of blocks used. In Part III we will get into pass blocking, and why the Colts offensive line struggles at times
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What If Jim Caldwell Is a Bust? Who should the Colts Replace Him With?
Published: July 20, 2009
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What If Caldwell Is a Bust?
I was reading an article on NFL.COM about how Mike Shanahan wants to coach again in 2010. It got me thinking about who I would want to Coach the Colts if Jim Caldwell turns out to be a failure.
Here is the premise for this article: The Colts go 3-13 because of Caldwell. Polian and Irsay determine that they need a new coach.
Okay I am going to play general manager here. I want an experienced coach, who has a winning record in the NFL, and preferably won a Super Bowl.
I have comprised my list of coaches that are available. In other words men who are not coaching a team right now.
Regrettably, I forgot about Brian Billick and left him off the list.
So here are my list of candidates: 1. Bill Cowher 2. Mike Holmgren 3. Jon Gruden 4. Mike Shanahan 5. Marty Schottenheimer 6. Bill Parcells
Bill Cowher
Wow, what a coach. Here is his record as a head coach including playoff games: 161-99-1.
Cowher won eight Division titles, 10 postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, went to six AFC Championship games, made two Super Bowl appearances, and won one Super Bowl.
Bill Cowher is one of my all-time favorite coaches. I watched the Pittsburgh Steelers play because of him. Whatever the game was, regular season, or playoffs, you knew it was going to be a good one because of him.
I love Cowher’s coaching philosophy: play great defense, get a lead, then run the ball down the other teams throat.
Here is my take: Cowher would be a terrible choice as head coach for the Colts. Why? Cowher’s coaching philosophy doesn’t match the Colts.
First off, Cowher likes to run a 3-4 defense. The Colts secondary would be great for the zone blitz scheme Cowher would likely deploy. However, the front seven, that are so important in a 3-4 defense, don’t match the players the Colts have.
Second, can you imagine telling Peyton Manning that he’s only going to throw the ball 15 times a game? Cowher believes in a power run offense.
The Colts run the ace formation, which is a version of the spread offense. They are a vertical passing team first, with a little bit of the West Coast offense mixed in. With the exception of last year, the Colts’ mix of run/pass is about 55 percent pass to 45 percent run.
When they do run, they like to use a single back and run stretch plays, counters, draws, and traps. You hardly ever see them in the I-formation, and when you do it’s the offset-I, usually with a DT playing the role of fullback.
This is not Cowher football so as you can see, Cowher is not a good match for the Colts. It would take him years to re-create the team. Bill Polian wouldn’t hire him and neither would I.
Mike Holmgren
Okay I am only going to go into great deal about a coach if I am a big fan of him. I am ambivalent about Holmgren. So here is my quick take.
Holmgren has a great record as a head coach. He turned the Green Bay Packers around, took them to two Super Bowls, and won one of them. He also was one of the few coaches that could control Bret Favre.
He moved onto the Seattle Seahawks, made the brilliant move of bringing Matt Hasselbeck with him and turned that franchise around.
When Holmgren was hired with the Seahawks he was general manager and head coach. He was terminated in 2002 as general manager, but kept as head coach.
Holmgren was definitely a better coach than a GM. He took the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance in franchise history and turned Hasselbeck and Shean Alexander into Pro Bowlers.
My take: Despite all of this, Holmgren doesn’t excite me. He runs the West Coast offense, very well I might add, but this isn’t what the Colts are about. So again you have the problem of a coach that would want to change what the team is built to do.
Plus he loses his temper with his QB’s. Can you imagine a coach yelling at Manning after a three and out series? I mean it would make for a great YouTube video, but not a successful team.
Jon Gruden
I have respect for Gruden because of what he did for the Oakland Raiders. Despite constant interference by Al Davis, who took a franchise that wallowed in mediocrity for years into a Super Bowl contender. Make no mistake, the team that Bill Callahan took to the Super Bowl was Gruden’s team running Gruden’s offense.
In 2002 Al Davis traded Gruden to the Bucs because Davis is a lunatic (in my humble opinion).
In one of the oddest Super Bowls in my memory Gruden took over the Bucs from Tony Dungy, brought some fresh ideas on offense, and took them to the Super Bowl, and beat the snot out of the Raiders. Talk about poetic justice.
The Raiders have not had a winning season since that Super Bowl loss.
My take: I have mixed feeling about Gruden. Anyone who can work for Davis and be successful is one hell of a coach. However, his record in Tampa is mixed, he likes the West Coast offense, and I don’t think he treats his players very well. Pass.
Bill Parcells
In my opinion, Parcells is one of the greatest minds in football today. He understands the game like no one else and has turned around every franchise he has coached for. Oh, and he’s won two Super Bowls along the way.
What he has done with the Miami Dolphins is amazing. He is another one of my favorite coaches. I really recommend reading about him.
My Take: Parcells doesn’t want to coach anymore, there is no way his ego and Pollian’s ego would fit in the same room. His coaching philosophy is very similar to Cowher, except Parcells is the master. Not a good match for the Colts.
Plus the Colts don’t need a guy that likes to mess with his player’s psyches. They are already winners.
There is a reason I went out of order and left the last two coaches…last.
I think either of these guys would be really successful and would take the Colts to another Super Bowl.
Marty Schottenheimer
I love Schottenheimer. I have followed him since I was a little kid.
He has an incredible winning record of 205-139-1. He hasn’t been as fortunate in the post season only going 5-13.
That’s really the only knock against him. The most important quality that Schottenheimer has is that intangible thing which can’t be learned…he inspires his players and they love to play for him. They will do anything for him.
My Take: If Schottenheimer could be coached out of retirement, and believe me taking over the Colts would be awfully tempting, I think he would win his first Super Bowl, guaranteeing him a spot in Canton.
He is smart enough to know that you don’t fix what’s not broken. I think he would leave the coaching staff in place and be able to get along with Polian.
What he would bring to the table is the ability to inspire his players. With all of the Colts’ talent, he could even win a couple of Super Bowls.
Alas, after speaking with him several times on Sirius NFL Radio, I don’t think anything will get him out of retirement.
What a shame!
Mike Shanahan
I have left Shanahan for last, so you obviously know what I am going to say. I would take Shanahan as coach of the Colts in a heartbeat.
He is an offensive guru. He has won two Super Bowls, and there is not another coach I know of that has perfected the zone blocking scheme, that for years no matter who the running back was they were going to put up big yards.
I think Shanahan would love to work with Manning. I think the two of them could come up with some new tweaks to the offense that might have Manning re-taking the title for most TD’s thrown in a season.
I guarantee you, the Colts’ running game would be spectacular and Joe Addai would be going to some more Pro Bowls.
Plus, Shanahan would be re-united with Larry Coyer. I think Shanahan understands it was a mistake firing him. I’m sure if there is any bad blood there it would be cleared up.
This means that the Colts would be scary good on both sides of the ball.
The Colts would be a juggernaut under Shanahan. He would be the first head coach in NFL history to take two different franchises to at least one Super Bowl and win it.
So there it is, my fantasy pick for the Colts’ head coach is Mike Shanahan.
What’s yours?
Since I forgot to put Brian Billick on here let me say a few words. Billick is an offensive genius, and a great coach.
I would still go with Shanahan, but it would be close.
Colts Football 101 – Understanding Jeff Saturday and The Offensive Line
Published: July 12, 2009
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Why is Bill Parcels the greatest football mind in the NFL today? Why is it that every team he has touched has turned to gold, and is better off when he leaves than when he got there?
He understands that to build a great team, you need to start from the inside out—this means you build a great offensive and defensive line first. If you don’t have a good offensive and defensive line, then I don’t care who your QB and WRs are; you’re not going to win too many games.
There are four reasons the Colts have been so consistently successful on offense since Manning was drafted: Howard Mudd, the offensive line, Tom Moore, and Peyton Manning.
Still not convinced about the importance of the offensive line? Go watch the Giants/Patriots Super Bowl. The Patriots’ poor offensive line play made Tom Brady look just ordinary.
So let’s get started with the offensive line by going over each position:
Center
The center is the most important position on the offensive line. Most people don’t understand that he does more than just snap the ball to the quarterback and block someone—a center’s job, pre-snap, is to read the defense and call out all the blocking assignments with verbal and non-verbal cues, and he must do all these things in mere seconds.
He must make split-second decisions: Is the defense going to blitz?; Is the defensive line going to stunt?; Are all the guys on the line picking up the right guy to block?; Do I need to call an audible and change the blocking assignments?
Often, this requires an educated guess. The really good centers guess correctly more often than they guess incorrectly.
Finally, after the snap, he has to pick up a defender to either protect the quarterback or help with the run play.
Now, imagine you play for the Colts. Howard Mudd is one of the best in the business at figuring out how a defense is trying to attack the offensive line. If he sees something, he lets Peyton know. Then the center, Jeff Saturday, has to change all the blocking assignments, and make sure everyone on the line knows who to pick up when blocking.
On top of that, how many times have we seen Peyton call an audible with 5 seconds on the clock? That audible might not just be a play change or a hot route to a receiver—it could be a change in the blocking scheme.
Guess who has to make sure everyone on the line got it right? That’s right, the center. This is why it was so critical that the Colts got the deal done with Kelvin Hayden—so that they could re-sign Jeff Saturday. There is a reason Jeff has been a three-time Pro Bowl starter.
Contrary to what many think the Colts run a very complex offense with lots of pre-snap reads, and changes. Jeff is one of the best in the business at both handling this pressure, and making sure that everyone on the line knows what they’re doing, so Peyton doesn’t have to.
Everyone could see the difference in offensive line play when Jeff was out last year, but they probably didn’t understand why. Hopefully, now, they do.
Guards
The guards line up to the left and right of the center. A guard’s main job is to block the opposing defenders rushing on the inside. There’s a reason they’re called “guards”—they must be the best blockers on the line, so that they can protect the quarterback, and open up holes in the running game.
The Colts suffered two huge losses last year at the guard position: Jake Scott was not re-signed, and Ryan Lilja went down to injury in training camp. The effects of these losses were seen all season long.
An offensive line is like a chorus line—it has to work in unison. With the loss of two experienced guards, and rookies filling in for them, we all saw the effect—the Colts ranked 31st in the league in rushing.
Show me a good running game and I’ll show you a good offensive line that has been playing together for a while.
Tackles
Tackles line up to the outside of the guards. Their job is to block the defensive ends, or depending on the defensive scheme, some other defender coming off the edge.
Tackles tend to be the biggest guys on the line and they must be the most athletic. Not only do they have to block some of the best pass rushers in the business, but they have to be able to seal off the edge in running plays to the outside, and even run up the field to the second level, blocking for the running back.
One of the hardest parts of the tackle’s job is that, depending on the formation, one or both of them is out on an island. In other words, there is no one to the left or right of them to help with blocking. If a defender beats them to the outside, they’re in trouble.
Of the two tackles, the most important one is the left tackle. 90 percent of the quarterbacks in the league are right-handed—this means that when the QB gets the ball, he tends to look to the right first, with the result being that his left side is his blind side. That is why the left tackle is sometimes referred to as the “blind side tackle”—he is responsible for protecting that blindside.
If he loses the contest against a defender, the QB can get sacked, or have the ball stripped, without knowing what hit him.
The left tackle’s position is made even more difficult by the fact that he is on the weak side of the formation. Typically, he doesn’t have the benefit of having an extra blocker lined up to the outside of him.
Finding a good left tackle is tough, and when you have one, you don’t want to let him go. Why do you think that, after the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning begged Tarik Glenn not to retire? Tarik, in my opinion, was an outstanding left tackle. He was huge, but athletic, and played well in both the running game and the pass.
I recommend buying the DVD of the Colts 2006 Super Bowl run, which has complete coverage of all the games. Watch Tarik play, and then compare him to Tony Ugoh.
Ugoh, to me, has been a disappointment. He shows flashes of potential, but he is injury- prone and inconsistent. I have seen him make some great plays in the running game, getting to the second level and blocking defenders for Addai. Other times, I’ve seen him play poorly, missing blocks and letting pass rushers get close to Manning.
He’s lucky that he plays for a quarterback that gets rid of the ball quickly—Manning makes him look much better than he is.
In fact, according to Vic Carucci, last year the Colts preferred Charlie Johnson to Ugoh at left tackle—that’s why Ugoh didn’t play even after he had recovered from his injury. They felt he needed to sit on the bench and learn. The reason he got back on the field was due to injuries at other positions, which forced the Colts to move Charlie Johnson around.
I’m not positive that Ugoh is a lock to start at left tackle this year. You might see Charlie Johnson starting at that position when the season begins.
With Ryan Diem, Ryan Lilja, and Jeff Saturday all coming back healthy this year, and the rookies getting a lot of playing time last year, I expect the Colts’ running game to get back on track, especially with the news that Howard Mudd will be back.
In the next article, I will discuss how the Colts deploy their offensive line, and explain some important terms and techniques that are use.
The Sad Death of Steve “Air” McNair
Published: July 5, 2009
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Yesterday was a sad day for football fans. As you all know by now, Steve “Air” McNair was found shot dead in an apparent murder/suicide.
I was very saddened by the news. I used to watch the Titans play just because of Steve and Eddie George. I didn’t care that they were the Colts’ rivals. When those guys were playing for the Titans, you knew it was going to be a good game.
If you don’t remember, here are some highlights of his career.
Houston Oilers
McNair was drafted by new Head Coach Jeff Fisher in the 1995 draft. For the first two seasons, he sat on the bench.
In 1997, he played his first full season. His 2,665 passing yards were the most for an Oilers quarterback since Warren Moon in 1993. He only threw 13 interceptions that year. That was the lowest in franchise history.
He also ran for eight rushing touchdowns and 674 yards, ranking second behind George.
Tennessee Titans
In 1999, McNair led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV. That season, McNair missed five games because of back surgery. However, he came back and came up a yard short of beating the Rams in the Super Bowl.
What I remember the most about McNair was his toughness. I can’t count the number of games he played while suffering from injuries that would have left most quarterbacks sitting on the sidelines. Steve could take several hits, stay upright, and still complete a pass for a touchdown.
He was also an outstanding mobile quarterback. You never knew when he was going to take off with the ball and run for a touchdown. Together, McNair and George created a lethal running attack.
In 2003, he was voted co-MVP with Peyton Manning. What’s especially impressive about this is that he missed two games that season due to a calf injury.
Baltimore Ravens
In his first year with the Ravens, he went 13-3 but lost to the Colts in the second round of the playoffs.
His last season with the Ravens was hard to watch. All of those hits he took when he was younger had finally caught up with him. He was no longer the McNair who could throw the ball forty yards down the field or take off and run with it.
Retirement
After thirteen seasons, McNair announced his retirement in April of 2008.
Personal Life
McNair married Mechelle on June 21, 1997, and had four sons: Steve, Jr., Steven, Tyler and Trenton.
Steve also had several off-the field-issues. He was arrested twice for DUI, and one of those arrests included a charge for illegal gun possession.
According to Sirius NFL radio, it was well known in Nashville that Steve had several “apartments” around the city for his women. However, Steve was so beloved by local residents that no one cared.
Unfortunately for Steve, his personal problems finally caught up with him. On July 4, 2009, Steve was shot to death in an apparent murder/suicide. Steve had been shot several times, while his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, was found dead with a single shot to the head.
It deeply disturbed me to learn about the less savory aspects of Steve’s personal life. I never knew about any of this and had always thought of Steve as a stand up guy.
I will always remember Steve for the great football player he was. However, I have to say I have less respect for him as a person. He is leaving four sons and a wife behind, embarrassed and alone, because of his philandering. That’s the saddest part of this whole story.
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Can The Cardinals Repeat In ’09?
Published: July 3, 2009
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