Colts

Search Results

Close Previous Now showing: of Next

Previous Next Close

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus

August 24, 2010

Execution key for Colts in third tune-up

Tom James Tribune-Star Correspondent The Tribune Star Wed Aug 25, 2010, 12:29 AM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS — If NFL fans want to get a true look at how their favorite team will look when the regular season starts in a couple of weeks, what transpires in the third preseason game is usually the best indicator of things to come.

NFL coaches are more apt to play their offensive and defensive starters for a longer period of time, usually into the third quarter, before teams freely substituting rookies and lesser-known backup players. With the Indianapolis Colts set to play the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night at historic Lambeau Field (8 p.m., ESPN), coach Jim Caldwell plans to follow a similar plan.

“I would anticipate that, but the thing about it is that not everybody is going to be held to that exact same rhythm. But where we can, we will,” Caldwell said this week, adding that some of the starters will be on a play count while others

will be limited to a set number

of series.

“The big thing is execution, effectiveness, team-rhythm. We always look at a number of different things as we go from week-to-week, but this one hopefully you can play guys a little bit longer than they’ve played previously. So, we’re looking for more of an extended, quality effort. I think that’s important. Guys are finally getting to the point when they are going to have extended drives. They are going to be required to stay on the field a little more than usual, and within that we want to make certain that they have endurance and stamina, along with executing effectively — offensively, defensively and in our kicking game.”

He’ll take a wait-and-seen attitude when it comes to making a final decision on playing time for key players.

“It just depends on some guys. If a guy hasn’t played much this preseason, we’ll go by number of snaps. But other than that, we usually go by time period at this point in time,” Caldwell said. “Whether it’s a quarter, half-a-quarter, a quarter-and-a-half, whatever it might be. It just varies and you always have to be ready to adjust that due to injuries and things of that nature.”

• • •

• Rookie reaction — No matter how long the starters end up staying in the game, the Colts’ coach also wants to take a close look how some of his team’s younger players react to performing in a venue where the fans are often just as raucous in the preseason as they are for regular-season games.

“I think it’ll be a great test for everybody. Green Bay has great crowds no matter what the situation is, but I think it will be a good test. We have a lot of our games early in the season, including the opener, on the road,” Caldwell said.

“It’s a good test for us, and I think we’ll be able to face a lot of situations in this game; dealing with crowd noise, working against a number of different defenses. Green Bay really mixes it up, they are a blitz team, they play a lot of different looks. All of those things combined, it’ll be tough to execute. But it will be good for our team to see those different things in the preseason.”

Quarterback Peyton Manning is looking forward to facing a talented Packers team as well as their rabid fan base.

“I think it’ll be a great test for everybody. Green Bay has great crowds no matter what the situation is, but I think it will be a good test. We have a lot of our games early in the season, including the opener, on the road. It’s a good test for us. And I think we’ll be able to face a lot of situations in this game,” Manning said.

“Dealing with crowd noise, working against a number of different defenses. Green Bay really mixes it up. They are a blitz team, they play a lot of different looks. All of those things combined, it’ll be tough to execute. But it will be good for our team to see those different things in the preseason.”

• Returning home....sort of — While Caldwell grew up in Beloit, Wis., he was not a Packers fan as a youngster most of the time.

Instead, he followed the Chicago Bears of the mid-1960s and was enamored by the exploits of running back Gale Sayers and middle linebacker Dick Butkus. The allegiance to the Bears caused occasional discomfort at home.

“Even though back in those days when I was younger, everybody else in my family rooted for the Packers, I was a Bears fan. Other than when they played the Bears, I rooted for the Packers as well. It was just when they matched up against Butkus and Sayers and those guys is when I sat on the other side of the room,” he recalled with a smile earlier this week.

“[The Packers are] a great tradition. I think the entire state when we were growing up was affected by coach [Vince] Lombardi and the things that he did. Everybody watched his team. Our Pop Warner coaches, back in those days, we did 100 up-downs and things of that nature, which they made popular. So all the way through our entire formative years, they were a big part of that. And in our area, they’re still big, big fans.”

The loyalties of Packers fans run so deep that several of Caldwell’s friends from Beloit have informed him this week, he’s the enemy.

“As a matter of fact, I got a call from my high school coach who said to me, ‘Hey, this is the only game I can’t root for the Colts.’ He’s always been a big Packers fan. They are loyal and a great fan base,” he said.

• Just for kicks — With free agent running back Devin Moore not expected to play against the Packers and undrafted rookie running back Javarris James sidelined with a left knee injury, the Colts are expected to have undrafted rookie wide receiver Brandon James along with wide receiver Sam Giguere and rookie cornerback Ray Fisher handling most of the kickoff and punt return duties.

“We will probably give a couple guys a shot. Brandon will be back there. I think it’s all based upon whether they are healthy and they can go, those kinds of things. [But] we’ll try to give Brandon a little bit more of a dose this week,” Caldwell said.

What happens in the Green Bay game could loom large for Fisher, a former Indiana University standout who was a seventh-round draft pick by Indianapolis. Injuries early in training camp has slowed his progress and a muffed punt in last week’s preseason game with Buffalo could put him in danger of making the regular-season roster.

• Cut time — NFL training-camp rosters must be reduced to 75 players by 4 p.m. Sunday.

“There’s always questions [when it comes time to trim the roster], no question about that,” the Colts’ coach said. “And those are never easy decisions. They take a very thorough evaluation.

“We allow the performances to dictate what happens when we do have to reduce the squad. That will happen in the ballgames. That will happen this week. The guys will be able to solidify a position and move themselves into a little bit better position to make the team. It’s tough. Those decisions are tough. What we do is evaluate the film, watch the film, determine what we’ve seen in practice and make a decision from there.”

• Injury list — Among the Colts sitting out Tuesday’s practice were offensive tackle Ryan Diem, Moore, running back Javarris James, tight end Dallas Clark, wide receiver Austin Collie and cornerback Marcus McCauley.

Offensive guard Jaimie Thomas (foot) and rookie tight end Brody Eldridge both took part in the workout. It hasn’t been determined if either will play Thursday night at Green Bay.

Weak-side linebacker Clint Session, who has yet to play in a preseason game due to a pectoral injury, has declared himself ready to play against the Packers.

“I haven’t hit anybody since the Super Bowl. And that [game] left a bad taste in my mouth,” Session said.

• No practice — Today is a travel day as the Colts head off to Green Bay for Thursday night’s nationally televised game.

There will be a short practice Saturday afternoon. Caldwell is expected to give the team some off time Friday and Sunday.

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Copyright 2012 News From Terre Haute, Indiana. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Colts

• Colts welcome Manusky aboard as defensive coordinator

  On Thursday, Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, coach Chuck Pagano and potential No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck led the parade.
  Grigson and Pagano confirmed the hiring of several assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, Marwan Maalouf (special teams), Roy Anderson (safeties), Alfredo Roberts (tight ends) and Brandt Boyer (assistant special teams).

  February 3, 2012  

• Mathis, Garcon at top of Colts’ wish list; Wayne isn’t

  Expect defensive end Robert Mathis and wide receiver Pierre Garcon to be priorities for the Indianapolis Colts during free agency.

  February 2, 2012  

• Manning tiptoes around health questions

  Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and team owner Jim Irsay came to an agreement last week to keep any lingering issues about Manning's future with the team on the backburner during Super Bowl week.

  February 1, 2012  

• Back home again in Indiana

  Former Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell has landed a job as quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens announced Caldwell’s hiring Monday.
   

  January 31, 2012 1 Photo  

• Patriots first to arrive in Indy

  Welcome to Super Bowl Week.

  January 30, 2012  

• Pagano wants aggressive defense with Colts

  When the Colts went looking for a new head coach, a good portion of the team’s fans made it clear that they wanted a departure from the laid-back style of former coaches Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell.

  January 27, 2012  

• Irsay: Manning comments should have stayed in-house

  Not only did the Colts introduce new head coach Chuck Pagano during an afternoon press conference, team owner Jim Irsay also made his feelings known about recent comments that quarterback Peyton Manning made.

  January 27, 2012  

• Colts go with defensive specialist

  The Indianapolis Colts, after a weeklong search process, finally landed themselves a head coach Wednesday.

  January 26, 2012 1 Photo  

• Caldwell can’t survive 2-14 season in Indy

  The offseason moves just keep on coming for the Indianapolis Colts.

  January 18, 2012 2 Photos  

• Colts fire head coach Caldwell

  Tribune-Star correspondent Tom James reports that Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has been fired. No other details are known at this time.

  January 17, 2012  

• Colts hire Eagles exec Grigson as GM

  The Indianapolis Colts formally announced former Philadelphia director of player personnel Ryan Grigson as the team’s new general manager Wednesday.

  January 12, 2012  

• Colts hire Eagles executive Grigson as GM

  The Indianapolis Colts have hired Eagles executive Ryan Grigson as their new general manager.

  January 11, 2012  

• Irsay: Colts are in 'rebuilding stage'

  So are the Indianapolis Colts in a retooling or a rebuilding mode heading into the offseason?
  If you ask the players, they would prefer to use the retooling philosophy. In their minds, get some injured players back and the Colts can be right back in the thick of the AFC South title race and once again be a contender for the AFC championship.
  Team owner Jim Irsay, though, sees a tougher road ahead.

  January 6, 2012  

• Colts give the boot to Polian duo

  It didn’t take long for Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay to start making moves with his team.
  One day after Irsay’s Colts dropped a 19-13 road decision to Jacksonville, giving Indianapolis a 2-14 record and the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft, longtime Colts executive Bill Polian and his son, vice-president/general manager Chris Polian, were both fired.
   

  January 2, 2012  

• Interesting subplots abound in Colts-Jags game

  This afternoon’s AFC South matchup between the Indianapolis Colts (2-13) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11) is the regular-season finale for both teams.

  January 1, 2012  

• Colts players a fan of Murphy's promotion to defensive coordinator

  Cohesion. That’s the word the keeps coming up when coach Jim Caldwell and many of the team’s players are asked about the turnaround of the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive unit.

  December 30, 2011  

• To win or to lose? For Colts fans, it's not an easy question

  With the No. 1 draft pick on the line if the Indianapolis Colts were to lose Sunday at Jacksonville, it’s easy to see why a lot of the team’s fans wouldn’t mind seeing the team fall to the Jaguars.

  December 29, 2011  

• Colts’ Freeney to play in seventh Pro Bowl

  Despite a team record of 2-13 heading into the final week of the National Football League regular season, there was some good news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts’ West 56th Street facility Tuesday night.

  December 28, 2011  

• Colts’ last game not without questions

  Are the Indianapolis Colts treating Sunday’s game at Jacksonville as the final game of the season or just the next game on the schedule? 
   

  December 27, 2011  

• Colts celebrate second straight division victory

  Indianapolis Colts fans finally got a little luck on their side Thursday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
  It may not have been Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to the top pick in next spring’s National Football League draft.

  December 23, 2011 1 Photo  

• With latest win, Colts provide suspense for 2012 draft position

  Now that the Indianapolis Colts have posted two straight wins in their last two games, including Thursday night’s 19-16 victory over AFC South champion Houston, many of the team’s fans find themselves in quite a quandary.
  The Colts will take a 2-13 record into next week’s New Year’s Day regular-season finale at Jacksonville.

  December 23, 2011  

• Colts face another tough running test

  The credit for the Indianapolis Colts’ win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday can go in a couple different directions.

  December 22, 2011  

• Colts taking no risks with injured Manning

  Both Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell are looking to the future when it comes to injured quarterback Peyton Manning.

  December 21, 2011  

• More wins to come?

  With a win finally under their belts, the Indianapolis Colts (1-13) now look forward to two days of intensive work beginning today.
   

  December 20, 2011  

• FINALLY! THEY WON

  It was a day of firsts for the Indianapolis Colts.

  December 19, 2011  

• Polian hopes to set ‘record straight’

  Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian didn’t like what he was hearing prior to and during Sunday’s National Football League home game with the Tennessee Titans.

  December 19, 2011  

• Polian shares thoughts on QB situation

  With the Indianapolis Colts’ chances of clinching the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Football League draft getting closer with each succeeding loss, talk among fans and team observers invariably goes to the possibility of the team selecting Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck.

  December 18, 2011  

• Colts prepared for Hasselbeck or Locker

  The Indianapolis Colts defense is preparing to face a two-pronged offensive attack when the Tennessee Titans visit Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday.

  December 16, 2011  

• Colts could still become spoiler

  Time is running short for the 2011 Indianapolis Colts.

  December 15, 2011  

• Colts have three more chances to win

  The Indianapolis Colts may be 0-13 for the season, but the team keeps battling.
   

  December 13, 2011  

• More Colts Headlines

© 2012 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. · CNHI Classified Advertising Network · CNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2012. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope. Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
Privacy Policy | AP News Registry privacy policy
Terms and Conditions
Advertiser Index

Events by eviesays.com

News From Terre Haute, Indiana 222 S 7th St Terre Haute, IN 47807