Friday, Jul 4, 2008
Colts hammer Pats to go 8-0, which is not halfway to 16-0. Plus: Clock snafus a go-go.
Nov 8, 2005 | Let's stop any talk about the Indianapolis Colts going undefeated right here.
They pounded the New England Patriots 40-21 Monday night in Foxboro, Mass. -- their own private graveyard in recent years -- in front of Al Michaels and everybody. Now they're 8-0, halfway to a perfect record, and they've finally beaten a live opponent, so that 1972 Miami Dolphins talk is starting.
The Colts looked tremendous Monday, unstoppable on offense against a team that has rendered them impotent in the recent past, and stifling at times on defense, especially when Indy was building its big lead in the second quarter. The Pats had the ball twice in the second period, going three and out and gaining 23 yards on five plays before Corey Dillon fumbled.
Indianapolis was the Super Bowl pick of many a Super Bowl picker, including yours truly. They are clearly the best team in the league at the moment and appear likely to stay that way barring a catastrophic injury to Peyton Manning, or a series of them to his teammates.
But as big as it was for the Colts to get the Patriot monkey off their backs, there's still a long way to go.
The Colts are not halfway to a 16-0 record because they're 8-0. Think of all the 8-0 teams you've ever seen. How many of them have gone undefeated? (Teacher's edition: 1.) If the Colts get to 14-0, they'll be about halfway to 16-0.
And the Patriots are a live opponent, but they're not THE PATRIOTS of the last two years. They're still a pretty good team. They've beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons on the road. But they've also been thrashed twice now, by the Colts and the San Diego Chargers, both times on their home field.
The injuries have finally taken their toll, not just on defense but also on the offensive line. The loss of the two coordinators, Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis, may have had an impact as well.
Whatever it is, and however much good beating them does for the Colts' psyche, the Patriots are just another team now, one of several scrambling for a playoff spot.
They're likely to make it, since they're aided by playing in a weak division where 4-4 puts you in first place. And they're going to keep getting help from a soft schedule. They could go 6-2 in the second half without playing any better than they have so far.
Get Salon in your mailbox!
