Colts at Seahawks - What to look for

Finally someone found a way to beat the Colts. After the Chargers’ victory at the RCA Dome last weekend it looks easy in retrospect:

Quarterback Peyton Manning’s no-huddle offense has been dominant all season, but use plenty of shifting fronts, with players threatening to blitz then dropping back in coverage, and the plan is far harder to execute.

Opponents have tended to focus on the Colts’ crack receiving corps rather than on putting pressure on the offensive line. This means that defenses are stretched out and vulnerable to the running of Edgerrin James. Throw linebackers at the line and they can either deal with Manning (the four sacks inflicted by the Chargers count as a quarter of all those conceded by Indy all season) or stop James getting into the open field.

The Colts’ defensive backfield appears under-sized and can be out-muscled by larger receivers, like Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. The defensive front is near impossible to stop but it can be redirected. Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis play at 100mph but can blow themselves out if pushed outside.

Can Seattle inflict similar damage? They have similar speed on defense to San Diego and lead the league in sacks with 45 and they rank seventh in the league in rushing yards allowed. Unfortunately they have an injury-hit defensive backfield, which could allow Manning to run wild if he is given sufficient protection.

However, in Joe Jurevicius and Bobby Engram they have experienced possession receivers who could again highlight the biggest weakness in the Colts side and QB Matt Hasselbeck is one of the toughest in the league, able to duck and dive to beat tacklers and gets passes off under pressure. Oh, and we haven’t yet mentioned running back Shaun Alexander, who could run over some of Indy’s fast-but-small linebackers.

The 12th man, and Seattle’s extra motivation to win make it a second miserable weekend for Indianapolis as the Seahawks take it 35-24.
(Season so far 5-4)




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Colts at Seahawks - Stars and trivia

Fans #12, Seahawks
Seattle value their fans so highly that they retired the number 12 jersey in their honour, and the Qwest Field congregation has been in full voice this year. It was at its loudest when Peyton Manning’s brother Eli visited and the Giants suffered 11 false start penalties because they couldn’t hear their QB signal the snap. Key to Indianapolis’ success has been their the no-huddle offense, Peyton Manning calling his own plays based on what he reads in the defense in front of him rather than taking the call from the coach on the sideline beforehand. But that relies on “audibles” at the line of scrimmage, almost impossible to call in a cauldron of noise.

Bryan Fletcher, #81 , TE, Colts
Bryan who? Ahead of Harrison, Wayne, Stokley, James and Clark as a receiving threat? Fletcher, a Bears cast-off who arrived in Indianapolis this season, has been used primarily as a blocker to keep the pressure off Manning, but he has also been used effectively in a play that exposes blitzing teams like Seattle: a screen pass, rolling out of his pass block behind several huge offensive linemen on the flank then taking a quick pass from Manning over the heads of onrushing defenders.

Interesting trivia

After voting was announced this week, Indianapolis have a league-high seven players heading to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii at season’s end. quarterback Manning, running back Edgerrin James, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and defensive end Dwight Freeney make repeat appearances while center Jeff Saturday, linebacker Cato June and safety Bob Sanders are heading to Honolulu for the first time.

This is the first in regular-season game in NFL history to match teams that have combined for 25 victories.

Only a handful of teams have ever switched between conferences within the NFL but both these sides are among them, and the Seahawks have done it twice. Seattle were placed in the NFC West in their first ever season, 1976, before swapping to the American Conference the following season. When the league was realigned in 2002 to accommodate the arrival of the Houston Texans, the Hawks switched back to the National Conference. Meanwhile the Colts were one of three sides (the Browns and Steelers were the others) to join the AFC when the NFL and American Football League merged in 1970. They represented the NFL (and lost) in the 1968 Super Bowl but returned two years later as AFC representatives and won. The two sides represent the traditional images of each conference, with the Seahawks relying heavily on a rush-oriented ball-control offense while the Colts are a high-octane passing team.

Click here for memorabilia!

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Colts at Seahawks - Team talking points

Did someone say we were in Seattle? At this time of year? The Seahawks have often looked good on paper but have rarely performed throughout the season, not helped by the extra travel that west coast teams have to endure in their schedule. They chips are down this season, though, as the clock is ticking on their success. Running back Shaun Alexander, who leads the league with 1,668 yards and 24 touchdowns, was forced into signing a one-year contract after a dispute last summer, and may not be around for another shot. While the young defense and rugged passing game have played a huge part, Alexander’s running is the bedrock of the side.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis have a point to prove. Christmas is coming, the weather has taken a turn and there are rumblings in New England, where the Patriots have suffered desperately with injuries this season but are now on a roll. The Colts have been stopped in the last two seasons by the Pats and must regain their winning mojo before going into the playoffs.

Coach Tony Dungy must also decide how far to push his stars. Quarterback Peyton Manning suffered a couple of scares last weekend, when he was buried in San Diego defenders and, although he will want to play throughout, he is likely to make was for backup Jim Sorgi once the result is decided, either way. Running back Dominic Rhodes has spent much of the season on kick return duties but could see extended time in the backfield as Edgerrin James is relieved of his full workload.

Hats and caps for all of your favourite teams

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Colts at Seahawks - Why it matters

Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks
Qwest Field
Saturday, 24 December
1615 EST on CBS/ 2115 GMT on Sky Sports One

Strictly speaking, it doesn't, although if all goes according to form these two sides should meet again in Detroit on 5 February. Seattle already have a playoff place wrapped up and are two games ahead of any rival in the fight for home field advantage through to the NFC Championship game while this is certain to be the Colts' last game away from the RCA Dome until the Super Bowl, assuming they get that far.

Everyone has been assuming just that throughout a superb season for Indianapolis, but they plunged back to earth with a bump last weekend, their chance at a perfect record and immortality ruined by San Diego in a 26-17 defeat. The loss confirmed the flaws in the Colts that many had been quietly voicing in previous weeks, although those fears were regularly silenced by firework-filled offensive displays from Peyton Manning and company.

The trouble for them is that the Seahawks possess all the required tools to dismantle the Indy offense and score against their lightning defense. The Colts have been outstanding for the last three seasons, from weeks one to 17. The problems have come when they reach the post season, and sides start to figure out how to deal with them. To have an enjoyable Christmas, they must prove last weekend's loss was nothing more than a blip, allowed because they were not playing with the same intensity that typified their march to the number one seeding in the AFC.

Seattle, unbeaten at home this season, have already beaten several tough teams this year, but this is their biggest game in terms of profile so far this season and it would be an ideal stage to prove their championship credentials once and for all.

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Redskins 35-7 Cowboys - Verdict

Washington fans could not have hoped for a better early present, while Drew Bledsoe is not the only Dallas resident who will have woken up on Monday morning hoping the whole thing was just a nightmare before Christmas.

The Redskins defensive front put massive pressure on Bledsoe all day, exposing a weakness at left tackle that has been screamingly evident since Flozell Adams was lost for the season with a knee injury in week six.

Dallas's young defense, which had stood up to the pass so well for the first two-thirds of the season, appeared unable to half Clinton Portis and Troy Cooley (playing the H-back position invented by coach Joe Gibbs during his first spell at Washington and now used around the league) left them completely bamboozled.

Only once did Dallas look like altering their game plan to deal with the heavy pressure, looking to use short passes in the drive just before half-time, a drive killed by the second of three interceptions.

Even if these two sides end up with even records, Washington now has the tie-break advantage after winning both games this season. It only took 60 minutes of play for Dallas's promising year to come to nothing.

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