Colts-Bills Preview
Associated Press
Posted Jan 1, 2010
AA
After the Indianapolis Colts all but threw away their chance for an undefeated season - creating a swirl of controversy in the process - they have even less reason to play their starters in the regular-season finale.

Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts' stars will almost certainly see an abbreviated afternoon of action in Sunday's postseason tuneup against the host Buffalo Bills.

Leading 15-10 in the third quarter against the visiting New York Jets last Sunday, the Colts were in good shape to improve to 15-0 and win their 24th straight regular-season game until coach Jim Caldwell replaced Manning with rookie quarterback Curtis Painter.

Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai were also removed, and Painter turned the ball over twice as the Jets surged to a 29-15 victory.

Team president Bill Polian had insisted all season that the Colts' lone goal is to win the Super Bowl, and with the top seed in the AFC already secured, they proved it by removing the three-time league MVP and his top weapons from harm's way.

"The perfect season was never an issue with us," Polian said. "We've said it time and time and time again. It's somebody else's issue, but not ours. That was of no concern. Football logic has to come into play, and that logic is it makes no sense to have guys out there with the potential for injuries."

The decision did not sit well with the team's fans, who booed as it became clear the Colts (14-1) would not become the first team to finish unbeaten since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Manning and several of his teammates also wore grimaces on the sideline during Indianapolis' defeat - the first in Caldwell's short tenure as head coach - but the quarterback publicly supported the decision after the game.

"Until any player in here is the head coach, you follow orders and you follow them with all of your heart," Manning said. "That's what we've done as players. We follow orders."

Besides earning critics, Caldwell's move also affected the AFC playoff race, giving the Jets the inside track on a wild-card berth following their victory. There won't be nearly as much controversy about Manning coming out early against the Bills, who are guaranteed to miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.

Buffalo (5-10) could be stumbling to the finish line after a 31-3 loss to Atlanta last Sunday as its beleaguered offense failed to improve in quarterback Brian Brohm's first NFL start. Brohm finished 17 of 29 for 146 yards and two interceptions.

"He was put in a tough position," said Bills interim coach Perry Fewell, whose future with the team is uncertain. "He tried to answer the challenge. I think he's got a future with more reps and more work. He has some promise there."

It's unclear if Brohm or Ryan Fitzpatrick will start against the Colts. Fitzpatrick has been recovering from an ankle injury, and he returned to practice Wednesday.

Against the Falcons, wide receiver Terrell Owens became the sixth player in league history to catch 1,000 passes. But even Owens has had a disappointing season for an offense that has started three different quarterbacks while ranking 29th in the NFL in passing and 30th overall.

"I just feel bad because I'm a competitor and I came here to help this team to the playoffs," Owens said. "It's been frustrating. There have been times I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. But, you know, that wouldn't be the right thing to do."

Buffalo's defense also sputtered against the Falcons, and the Bills remain last in the league against the run after allowing 157 yards on the ground. Even a promising pass defense, which is tied for second with 26 interceptions, allowed Matt Ryan to throw for three touchdowns without getting picked off.

Rookie safety Jairus Byrd, the team leader with nine interceptions, got the Bills' lone Pro Bowl nod.

Indianapolis has won six straight against the Bills since a 31-6 loss at Buffalo on Jan. 2, 2000.

With another victory, the Colts would finish the regular season unbeaten on the road for the first time since the 1968 team was 7-0 outside of Baltimore. They've never gone 15-1 overall.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

I don't think the Bills could even beat the Colts without Manning, Clark, Wayne and their starters out.

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we are predicted by Vegas to win

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PSA: I am an overly sarcastic person. If you take me at my word, then i will most likely anger and offend you.

I think we could maybe score 20 if they rest their D starters.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

I'll be busy gearing myself up for the hockey game.

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mechaphil

same here as phil...gettin ready for hockey....

i give u credit though medicalfan....you always are posting gdt for the bills......you are a pretty hardcore fan.....i think i gave up on the team after they blew that 4-0 start....i have no plans on renewing nfl package anytime soon

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

I REFUSED 2 free club seats worth $300 because I didn't want to watch this mockery of a team be beaten again(Steelers vs. Bledsoe) by some other teams reserve players. It insults my intelligence too much. I will probably still watch it, but won't do any more than lift a finger to see it.

This is TRULY a sad time for fans. I never ever thought I would have done this, or felt this way.

I really wish Ralph could see this post, but the funny thing is the old bastard would say, "fine, if he doesn't want to come, then he doesn't have to". The sad truth is that I really really do want to go Ralph, but my conscience just won't fucking let me. That's sad.

same here i turned down seats on the 50 to the a game in early december. no way was i going to watch the mockery of a team the bills claim to have.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Gameday Tipsheet - Week 17
Chris Brown, Lead Journalist
Posted Jan 2, 2010
AA
Top 3 Individual Matchups
1. Aaron Schobel vs. Tony Ugoh – Ugoh started just his third game of the season last week in place of an injured Charlie Johnson and Schobel is coming off one of the best games of his career last Sunday with three sacks and two forced fumbles. Ugoh is a former starter, but with a rookie likely to play QB for much of the game Sunday, Schobel will be supremely motivated.

2. Lee Evans vs. Tim Jennings – Evans didn’t put up big yardage last week, but was a more frequent target in the passing game underneath. Jennings is a backup cornerback who will be filling in for starter Jerraud Powers. Powers was declared out for the game on Friday due to a hamstring injury.

3. Jamon Meredith vs. Dwight Freeney – The Colts’ top pass rusher has to be liking his chances against the ‘green’ Meredith, who will be making just his fourth NFL start. Freeney, who already has 13.5 sacks this season, will be facing Buffalo’s fourth different left tackle in 2009.

Bills Top 2 Advantages
Good advantage – Kick return – The Bills kick return unit had a tough go of it last week in Atlanta as Buffalo had an average drive start of their own 19 yard line. But they’re still a top 10 kick return unit and Indianapolis struggles mightily in that area ranking 31st in the league in kick coverage. The Colts gave up a 106-yard return for a touchdown just last week to the Jets’ Brad Smith.

Best advantage – Pass defense – If Peyton Manning was set to play the whole game, this might not be an advantage at all for the Bills. The Colts are the best passing team in football, but that’s not the case when rookie backup QB Curtis Painter is in the game. When Manning left last week’s game against the Jets in the third quarter Indianapolis was outscored 19-0 after their Pro Bowl signal caller left the game. Going against the league’s third-ranked pass defense on the road won’t be easy for Painter.

Bills Number 1 Must
Stay close – With perfection no longer an issue and the game serving no benefit in playoff positioning for the Colts, they’re expected to pull the majority of their starters off the field at some point in the first half including Manning. Buffalo has to stay close on the scoreboard until the personnel changes are made to give themselves a good chance of ending the season on a winning note.

Scouting Eye
Streak over, but success is proven
After an NFL record 23 straight regular season victories stretching back to last season was broken last week in the 29-15 loss to the Jets, the Colts do not have a shot at perfection, but they do hold several impressive distinctions with respect to success.

Last week’s loss ended the best start in franchise history for Indianapolis. The Colts will already finish the decade with 115 victories, with a game to play, already giving them the all-time league record for most wins in a decade in league history.

Earlier this season the Colts became the only franchise to win seven or more consecutive regular season games in six straight seasons and this season marked their fourth 10-plus win season since 1999.

Playing time
Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has played it close to vest with respect to playing time for his starters in the season finale against the Bills. Most regular observers anticipate the Indy starters to go a quarter to a quarter and a half on Sunday before most take a seat on the bench.

Third down dominance
The Colts enter the final game of the season ranking first in the league in third down conversion percentage at better than 50 percent (50.5%) a rare figure. But it is far from a one-year occurrence. Since 2002 Indianapolis has been the best third down conversion team in football with a conversion rate of 48 percent. The team’s defense on third down however, has more trouble than the Bills in getting off the field. The Colts rank 31st in the league in third down defense.

Double trouble
Dwight Freeney is a household NFL name, but his counterpart on the other end of Indy’s defensive line is still not nearly as respected by the average NFL fan. Robert Mathis is headed to his second Pro Bowl after compiling 9.5 sacks through the first 15 games. Freeney will be making his fifth Pro Bowl appearance after logging 13.5 sacks this season. The two pass rushers have combined for nine of the 15 double-digit sack seasons in Colts history.

Red zone rollers
The Colts are one of the most successful teams in football when it comes to putting the ball in the end zone once they reach their opponents’ 20-yard line. Indianapolis is first in the AFC and second in the league in red zone touchdown percentage scoring six on almost two-thirds of their opportunities this season (65.4%). Conversely, Buffalo is last in the league in red zone touchdown percentage scoring with half the success rate of the Colts (32.4%).

Buffalo Chips
Quote of the Week
“To be honest I think it would have been cool for them to come in 15-0 and for us to knock them off. Still it’s a great opportunity for us to play probably the best team in the league and to go out there no matter who they had out there and compete with them.”
--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

Stat of the Week
If Buffalo’s coverage units can keep the Colts returners out of the end zone it will mark the second consecutive season in which Bobby April’s specialists have not surrendered a return touchdown.

Milestones in reach
Lee Evans needs a 100-yard receiving game for the 14th in his career to tie for the fourth-most in team history.

Fred Jackson needs 150 rushing yards for his first career 1,000-yard season.

Rian Lindell needs seven points for 1,000 in his career.

Terrell Owens needs 49 receiving yards to pass Tim Brown for third-most in NFL history.

Final Note
Sunday’s game will mark the 16th anniversary of ‘The Comeback Game’ when the Bills overcame a 35-3 third quarter deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers 41-38 in overtime in the 1993 AFC Wild Card game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

If he wouldn't post it, I probably would have, I know one week I was going to but he beat me to it.

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I turned down tickets. Wish I'd have gone. Love the weather.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Can't believe they are winning.

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The weather there is beautiful. Wish I could be sitting in it

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"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." ~ Han Solo


We truly are not worthy of Miller!

Yep

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

The Colts will come back.

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Action Jackson.

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I see he has 20 carries for 107 yards. Action Jackson sure does rip it up in the snow. I'm not watching the game though, so this GDT is my up-to-the-minute update.

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mechaphil

And he just broke 1,000 yards on the season with a 20 yard run.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007