Colts team report and notes on Bears.

huevonkiller · Sep 3, 2008

Colts Team Report

Yahoo! Sports

Inside Slant

Peyton Manning is fine.

That’s the question everyone wants answered. Manning says that he is ready to go for Sunday night’s nationally televised 2008 season opener with the Chicago Bears.

And Colts coach Tony Dungy is confident that Manning—who underwent a surgical procedure on July 14 to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee—will be able to do everything that he wants to do when the Colts face Chicago.

“Yes, I’m ready to go. I’m glad that the opening game is finally here. I’m looking forward to playing Sunday night on prime-time TV and it’ll be a great challenge playing against the Bears,” the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player selection said this week.

Manning knows that there will be plenty of questions heading into the Chicago game, especially since he missed so much work during training camp and the preseason. He’s had a very short time to get ready, from a physical aspect, for the game. Mentally, he’s been watching video of the Bears since the start of training camp.

“It’s going to be different. I’ve used the term unchartered territory and that’s what it’s been all preseason for me. Hopefully I can go out there Sunday and play at a high level. You’re somewhat in the unknown a little bit, but I can just go with what I’m allowed to do. This is the time that I’m allowed and (I’m going to) try to make the most of it,” he points out.

“One thing I won’t do is talk about what time I’ve missed or what’s happened in the past. It’s really irrelevant. But this is an important week of practice from a preparation standpoint and for me to get out there and have a full week and run the offense and get back in the flow of things.”

He admits, though, that this week’s meeting with the Bears will be special for a lot of reasons—the first regular-season home game at Lucas Oil Stadium, his return to a regular-game routine after a longer-than-expected absence, and the opening game of the 2008 season.

“It’s my first game in quite some time, so I’m looking forward to that and getting any kind of kinks out of the way,” Manning said. “I don’t know if I’m really curious. I think this is the way it is, this is what it’s going to be.

“I think the sooner we can get it to normalcy, as far as, ‘Let’s go play this game, let’s go try to pick up some third downs and score some touchdowns in the red zone,’ the better off we’re going to be. Hopefully, that will be the case from the get go.”

But not only is Manning getting up to speed, in terms of regaining timing with all of his receivers and the much quicker game tempo, but he also must now adjust to having a new starting center to work with. The loss of veteran Jeff Saturday for an extended period of time due to a knee injury has a pair of rookies—Steve Justice or Jamey Richard—waiting in the wings.

“I’m still dealing with some rehab things that alter (his practice routine) a little bit. But that’s just what I have to deal with right now. We certainly are in a heavy preparation mode. Heavy film study. That’s what I’ve always known from a preparation standpoint. I’ll be able to continue that. That’s the only way that I know how to prepare, so hopefully that’ll pay dividends for us,” he said.

As for the probability of having a new center to quickly bond with, Manning understands the importance of being ready.

“It’s always a challenge. I had an old coach tell me that the No. 1 thing on every play is to ensure the snap, so it’s pretty basic, fundamental football,” he said. “But you do put a little more emphasis on it and try to be sure you get the snap. I feel we’ll be in good shape in that regard.”

Series History: 40th meeting. Colts lead series, 22-17. Colts have won nine of the last 13 meetings, including a 29-17 win in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in Miami on Feb. 4, 2007. That was the last meeting between the two franchises. The last Bears win in the series occurred on Nov. 5, 2000, a 27-24 victory at Soldier Field. The Colts beat Chicago in season-opening games in 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1975. The Colts and Bears used to meet twice a season from 1953 to 1966 when both teams were members of the NFL’s Western Conference. Chicago has faced the Colts more during the regular season than any other AFC team, 39 times since 1953. The Bears have won the only two regular-season meetings played in Indianapolis since the Colts moved from Baltimore in 1984, posting wins in 1988 (17-13) and 1991 (31-17). The Colts have outscored Chicago 864 (21.6)-796 (19.9), including the lone postseason meeting. Fifteen meetings have been decided by more than two touchdowns while each team has scored 30 points or more in six of the meetings.

Notes, Quotes

• First regular-season NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

• Sunday night’s game marks the fifth consecutive season that the Colts have participated in a nationally televised opener: 2004, at New England (lost 27-24); 2005, at Baltimore (won 24-7); 2006 at New York Giants (won 26-21); 2007, New Orleans (won 41-10). Indianapolis averaged 28.8 points per game and gave up an average of 16.3 points per game over that time period.

• The Colts are 5-1 in season-opening games since 2002.

• Indianapolis is 11-13 in season-opening games since the franchise moved from Baltimore in 1984.

• The Colts are 5-8 in season-opening games in Indianapolis since the franchise moved from Baltimore in 1984.

• Indianapolis has won 21 consecutive games in September and October dating back to the 2004 season. The 21-game streak is the best pre-November NFL streak since the Green Bay Packers won 23 consecutive games from 1928-32. During that streak, the Colts are 7-0 against NFC competition.

• The Colts’ 24-9 record in September is the NFL’s best since 1998.

• Indianapolis is shooting for its 10th consecutive win vs. an NFC team at home.

• The Colts are 19-5 against the NFC during regular-season play under Tony Dungy’s leadership, including a five-game conference winning streak.

• Indianapolis was 4-0 against the NFC North in 2004.

• The Colts have posted a 102-42 record since the start of the 1999 season.

• Indianapolis is the only NFL team to earn eight playoff appearances in the last nine seasons.

• The Colts have won 47 of its last 57 regular-season games.

• Indianapolis is the only NFL team with five consecutive 12-win seasons. The Colts were tied with Dallas (1992-95) as the only teams to do it four consecutive seasons.

• The average experience for a player on the Colts’ regular-season roster is 4.2 years.

• Chicago head coach Lovie Smith began his NFL coaching career as an assistant to Tony Dungy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996. He served as Dungy’s linebackers coach until becoming the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2001 and was named as the Bears’ head coach in 2004.

• Dungy has a 73-23 record as the head coach of the Colts. His overall head coaching record with Tampa Bay and Indianapolis is 127-65.

• The combination of Dungy and QB Peyton Manning have compiled a 73-23 record, the second-best head coach-starting quarterback mark since the 1970 NFL merger (behind New England’s Bill Belichick/Tom Brady, 86-24).

By The Numbers: 56-25-7—The Colts will be opening their 56th National Football League season, their 25th in Indianapolis and seventh under head coach Tony Dungy Sunday night when they play host to the Chicago Bears in a nationally televised game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Quote To Note: “It was good to get back there, doing the same things the rest of the guys were doing. Having to do rehab, having to miss practice, it’s not really the situation that you want to be in. It’s something that you have to do though.”—Colts QB Peyton Manning, on his recovery period after a July 14 surgical procedure to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee.

Strategy And Personnel

• Two days after the Colts trimmed their preseason roster to the NFL-mandated limit of 53 players, tweaks have continued. Indianapolis claimed former Florida State linebacker Buster Davis and ex-Kent State defensive tackle Daniel Muir.

To make room on the active roster, the team waived second-year outside linebacker Ramon Guzman and rookie safety Jamie Silva.

Davis was a third-round draft choice by Arizona in 2007 but was cut after training camp. He spent most of last season on the Detroit Lions practice squad. Muir, meanwhile, is a 6-2, 318-pound defensive lineman who spent last season with the Green Bay Packers.

• The Colts’ practice squad will consist of RB Chad Simpson, S Jamie Silva, OT Michael Toudouze, OG Tala Esera, QB Josh Betts, CB Brandon Foster, WR Sam Giguere and OT Dane Uperesa. All but Uperesa were with the team during training camp. Uperesa had been with the Cincinnati Bengals since the 2007 season.

• Indianapolis placed OG Ryan Lilja (knee) and LB Tyjuan Hagler (torn pectoral muscle) on the team’s reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list. Lilja and Hagler will be able to be activated after the Colts’ fifth regular-season game (or the sixth week of NFL play).

PLAYER NOTES

• C Jeff Saturday has not practiced since he suffered an injured right knee in a preseason game with Buffalo on Aug. 24. Saturday has decided not to have surgery on the knee at the present time. There is no timetable for his possible return to the starting lineup.

• OG Mike Pollak will not be available to play this week against Chicago. Pollak suffered a sprained right knee in practice two weeks ago. He has not practiced since he incurred the injury.

• OL Charlie Johnson is expected to start at right OG while Dan Federkeil will most likely start at LG against Chicago Sunday night. Johnson would be replacing former Colts OG Jake Scott (now with Tennessee) in the lineup while Federkeil would be filling in for starter Ryan Lilja, who is on the Colts’ reserve-PUP list.

• DE Robert Mathis has returned to practice after suffering a sprained ankle Aug. 16 at Atlanta. Mathis is expected to start Sunday night against the Bears.

• DE Raheem Brock is practicing again after being sidelined for the past two weeks with a sprained ankle. Brock has moved back to defensive end after playing inside at defensive tackle for the past two seasons.

• DE Curtis Johnson has resumed practicing after missing the last two preseason games with an injured shoulder. Johnson will probably get work on special teams and in the defensive end rotation.

• LB Philip Wheeler has practiced for the last two weeks and should be ready to play against the Bears. Wheeler underwent minor knee surgery during the early stages of training camp but appears to be fine now.

Game Plan: Run the football. Force turnovers and mistakes. It sounds relatively simple, but that’s the game plan that the Colts will most likely try and utilize against Chicago Sunday night. Indianapolis has had success in the past at running the football against the Bears defense (Edgerrin James had 204 yards in the 2004 regular-season meeting and Dominic Rhodes strolled for 113 yards in the Super Bowl win).

Control the football and set up the play-action pass, which is so much of the Colts’ basic offensive philosophy. Defensively, Indianapolis must pressure the quarterback. The pass rush was slowed late last season due to injuries to both starting defensive ends. Both are back this year. Get after the quarterback, squeeze the pocket and forced hurried throws. That’s what the Colts have to do.

Matchups To Watch: Colts OG Charlie Johnson vs. Bears DT Tommie Harris. Johnson played well against the Bears as a rookie, filling for an injured Ryan Diem at right offensive tackle. But this will be Johnson’s first regular-season game as an offensive guard. Harris did not play against Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLI due to an injury.

Bears CB Nathan Vasher vs. Colts WR Marvin Harrison. Harrison is coming back from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the 2007 regular season. From his play in training camp and the preseason, though, Harrison appears to be right back where he was before the injury. But only time will tell. One thing is certain. If Harrison is truly healthy this year, Vasher and other opposing cornerbacks are going to have their work cut out for them.

Colts PK Adam Vinatieri vs. Bears KR Devin Hester. The last time these two teams met, in Super Bowl XLI, Hester returned Vinatieri’s opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Indianapolis opted not to kick to him directly for the rest of the game. The key this time around will be to try and contain Hester as best they can.

Injury Impact: WR Pierre Garcon (shoulder) has seen limited work in practice but is expected to play against the Bears Sunday night.

• C Jeff Saturday is still recovering from an injured right knee (which has been reported to be a torn medial collateral ligament) and will not play this week. Saturday has apparently opted not to undergo surgery on the knee at the present time.

• OG Mike Pollak (knee) will miss Sunday night’s game with the Bears. Pollak was hurt in practice two weeks ago and has not practiced or played since incurring the injury.

• DE Robert Mathis (ankle) is expected to start Sunday night against the Bears. Mathis missed the team’s final two preseason games but has returned to practice.

• DE Raheem Brock (ankle) should be ready to play in the Chicago game. Brock was hurt in practice two weeks ago and sat out the team’s final two preseason games.

• LB Philip Wheeler (knee) is expected to see extended playing time after returning to practice in late August. Wheeler underwent minor surgery during training camp but has returned to full speed.

• DE Dwight Freeney (foot) says that he is ready to go and has not felt any soreness after returning from a LisFranc injury that sidelined him for the second half of the 2007 season.

• WR Marvin Harrison (knee) has looked good in the preseason and appears to be back to his Pro Bowl form. Harrison played in three of the team’s five preseason games.
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Source: Yahoo! Sports

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Colts team report and notes on Bears.

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Colts team report and notes on Bears.

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