Colts may alter punt, kickoff coverage units

Last time the Indianapolis Colts played San Diego, Chargers return man Darren Sproles was standing in the Colts end zone before the smoke cleared from the pre-game Veterans Day observance.

[Beware Vegas Line]

I just want to say one thing. Usually when a team has money line riding on it. The team usually tank. There are too many people picking indy to cover the spread. Usually when this happen. They will not cover or they will lose to the other team. Las Vegas the ref that are paid off under the table.

[Colts4Ever]

Beware Vegas Line wrote:

I just want to say one thing. Usually when a team has money line riding on it. The team usually tank. There are too many people picking indy to cover the spread. Usually when this happen. They will not cover or they will lose to the other team. Las Vegas the ref that are paid off under the table.

Huh? Was that english?

[Andy]

The more people that pick the colts will just make vegas adjust the line even further in the colts "favor." If the betting is as lopsided as you brokenly claim, the line will just get bigger and bigger. It's already at 9, the biggest spread this week. Who really cares if they cover? All I want is a Colts win.

Getting Mathis back is key.

[Old Roy]

Colts will roll and I don't bet the line so who cares about Vegas. The line for this game is a joke anyway, there are no San Diego gamblers. They are all stoned at the beach.

[Rick the Colts Fan]

Kudos to you Robert Mathis. You are what being a Colt is all about.

[COLTS FAN]

Yea, I know we aren't the best on special teams, but at least there won't still be smoke on the field when the game starts so the players can see. That was ridiculous.Of course, some would call that whining. GO COLTS, don't care about the spread, vegas, or any other of that jumble.

[animalcontrol]

Hmmm, how should we (the fans) look at this admission?
Is the coaching staff admitting that our special teams can't get it done?(like we don't know that already!)
While I applaud Dungy selling the starters for the playoffs, I have 2 questions...
1. Are our special team players THIS much worse than every other NFL team?(not likely) IF so, why?
2. Are our special team coaches THIS much worse than every other NFL team?(probable) IF so, why do they still have their jobs?

[yeah right]

If there is one area that needs a coaching change it may be special teams. Do the Colts even have one?

[yeah right]

Beware Vegas Line wrote:

I just want to say one thing. Usually when a team has money line riding on it. The team usually tank. There are too many people picking indy to cover the spread. Usually when this happen. They will not cover or they will lose to the other team. Las Vegas the ref that are paid off under the table.

Use a wee people attempt to make a point on these boards.

[blues news]

animalcontrol wrote:

Hmmm, how should we (the fans) look at this admission?
Is the coaching staff admitting that our special teams can't get it done?(like we don't know that already!)
While I applaud Dungy selling the starters for the playoffs, I have 2 questions...
1. Are our special team players THIS much worse than every other NFL team?(not likely) IF so, why?
2. Are our special team coaches THIS much worse than every other NFL team?(probable) IF so, why do they still have their jobs?

so much money is spent on our big names, nothing is left for a high risk job like special teams. it's just the second and third string players out there doing their best. I realized after watching T J Rushing dash for the sidelines on his first 5 or 6 returns that he isn't a specialist, just a fast, brave guy, trying to keep all his body parts. Now that we have a couple of threats coming down the field on coverage, it will be easier to keep the other team inside their 30. a few end zone kicks wouldn't hurt though.

[BinaryWorld]

yeah right wrote:

If there is one area that needs a coaching change it may be special teams. Do the Colts even have one?

People were saying the same thing about Ron Meeks last year. Have faith in the organization (Irsay, Polian, Dungy).

[animalcontrol]

blues news wrote:

<quoted text>
so much money is spent on our big names, nothing is left for a high risk job like special teams. it's just the second and third string players out there doing their best. I realized after watching T J Rushing dash for the sidelines on his first 5 or 6 returns that he isn't a specialist, just a fast, brave guy, trying to keep all his body parts. Now that we have a couple of threats coming down the field on coverage, it will be easier to keep the other team inside their 30. a few end zone kicks wouldn't hurt though.

While I'm not saying you not correct, I find it hard to believe that only our starters here in Indy command such money that 2nd/3rd string players are this much worse that every other team in the NFL...
I know that Peyton, Sanders, Harrison, Wayne and Freeney are a considerable cost, but your statement assumes that the Colts are the team who spend this kind of money on the starters....
Again, that would suprise me. Without salary info for all the teams in the NFL, both of us are guessing.

[Indiana Tazers]

BinaryWorld wrote:

<quoted text>
People were saying the same thing about Ron Meeks last year. Have faith in the organization (Irsay, Polian, Dungy).

Completely different. This has been an major issue for 3-4 years. This isn't a new situation.

[better D]

I know they did this last year and it didn't help much but it did send a message that they would at least make a serious effort to make a bad situation better.
I think the reason they have such a problem on ST especially coverage’s goes back to the type of personnel they prefer on defense. Coverage teams are often comprised of back up defensive players they run about 240 to 250 lbs our coverage teams made up of our reserves are going around 230 lbs they may be faster but that doesn't have the advantage it would on defense, because the guys need to go down together and stay in their lanes. A little smaller may mean they are more easily blocked out of their lanes, thus allowing these long returns.
Just a thought
Go Ponies

[Greenville fan]

Beware Vegas Line wrote:

I just want to say one thing. Usually when a team has money line riding on it. The team usually tank. There are too many people picking indy to cover the spread. Usually when this happen. They will not cover or they will lose to the other team. Las Vegas the ref that are paid off under the table.

First of all dude,what the heck was that? That's not even well written broken English.Regardless of that, i share your concern about the Colts-the team unfortunately has a well documented past history of allowing young mediocre QBs to play like world beaters against them in the playoffs.I refer to Chad Pennington and the Jets dismantling the Colts 41-0 in the 01-02 playoffs,and Rothlisberger looking like the second coming of Terry Bradshaw in '05,Colts losing 21-18.I hope that the team will come out like a house afire,and show up Rivers for the low rent talent that he is.The Charger receievers are not great pass catchers,and are relatively slow.The Colt Dbacks can slow them even more...Which Colt playofff team will show up? The one that destroys competing defenses with great passing,good running and awesome D, or the one that comes out flat,and missing tackles,dropping passes?This Sunday will tell.

[Marvin]

Russ Pernell is our ST coach. He has been doing that job for 18years in the nfl. I feel that dungy really believes it is not his ST's coach fault. The only way he is fired, is if the colts lose only because of their coverage units.

[Our Time]

COLTS FAN wrote:

Yea, I know we aren't the best on special teams, but at least there won't still be smoke on the field when the game starts so the players can see. That was ridiculous.Of course, some would call that whining. GO COLTS, don't care about the spread, vegas, or any other of that jumble.

Yeah, I wondered about all that smoke, too. But then I almost laughed when the run back occurred, because I've seen it so many times before. I thought it was a replay of the SB, in the rain. I expected the Colts would overcome that. But it was just one of those nights.

Colts get their revenge this week!

[noreaster]

One word for Hunter and Adam: Out-of-bounds!!!!!!!!!!

[Canadian Bakin]

Amazing the critical comments about the Colts ST and ST coaching. Here's a news flash: they won the Super Bowl last year, so maybe you should give the coaches, players and staff the benefit of the doubt. The other amazing thing is the contempt some posters have for the Chargers and QB Philip Rivers. I had him on my fantasy team this year, so I followed his stats very closely. He's no putz. And their running game has a unique threat. One hopes that Dungy and the players do not dismiss the Chargers, if only for the fact the Chargers opened up a large can of Ouch on the Colts the last two times they met.
All that being said, Special Teams and turnovers will decide the game. If San Diego gets a clear edge here, the second coming of Marvin might not be enough.
I'm looking forward to a rip-snortin' game.

[charles stone]

oh they plan on cheating sounds like something the world chumps would do.
go horse's as$!