Man am I glad we have the national media to tell us what we all should know about yesterday's Colts loss... It's all Peyton Manning's Fault!
I just don't get it... is Football not a team game? Are there not 11 players on both sides of the ball? How do you pin yesterday's loss on 1 player? Why does the media always have to have a 'player of the game' on one side and a goat on the other? I guess it goes with the territory if you are a high profile QB, you are going to get 'too much' credit when you win and 'too much' blame when you lose. It's way too easy to make Peyton the 'scape goat.'
Yesterday I saw 2 key things take place. 1) Pittsburgh had a great blitz scheme and the Colts O'Line couldn't handle it. And 2) I saw rust... lots of rust. That is due to resting players... I've said it before and I will say it again... Resting players is the dumbest thing a coach can do. All we have to do is think back to the pre-season... where the Colts rested their starters every game and what happened when the season started??? It took 4 games before the offense started clicking. Fortunately the Defense was strong early this year and covered when the Offense struggled early.
Does Peyton deserve some credit for the loss? Absolutely! But so does Tarik Glenn for his false start at the goal line that took a TD off the board and had the Colts down 14-3 at the half instead of 14-7. So do Marvin and Reggie for not reading the blitzes and running shorter routes. So does Edge for not being able to pick up the blitz and give Peyton another second. So does the entire offensive line for not keeping the Steelers off Peyton. So does Freeney and the whole Defensive Line for not getting more pressure on Ben and letting him pass right down the field the first 2 series. So do the linebackers and defensive backs who gave just enough cushion to the Steelers WRs early and then couldn't stop the run late in the game. And so does Mike Vanderjagt for that PATHETIC attempt at tying the game. And so does the coaching staff for not having this team sharp.
Seems to me that that blame can be shared across the board as this was a TEAM loss.
But what do I know... it makes for a better story blaming it all on Peyton!
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2 comments:
"Seems to me that blame can be shared across the board as this was a TEAM loss."
You are right all the way. My earlier focus on Peyton was a reaction to the adulation he receives. There is a life size Peyton poster in the break room of my office, and I know he is on tv commercials ad nauseum.
Suffice it to say, Peyton isn't determined enough to carry the team to a Super Bowl win, and a lot of people thought he was. He is certainly talented enough, so his downfall was due to the reasons I gave. But his slump alone does not explain the loss. You've fleshed out the explanation nicely. Or perhaps you ought to have added one word more: Polamolu!!! Pittsburgh wanted it more!
AZ
A life size Peyton poster??? Ouch.
Ultimately you are correct sir... Pittsburgh wanted it more. And yes Polamolu is one heck of a player.
Steve
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