Posts tagged Ed Johnson
A Fan Salute to the 2010 Indianapolis Colts
Jan 5th
A true Colts fan salute. (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
With a win against the Titans, the Colts managed to overcome unprecedented team injuries and their worst five game series since 2002 for a NFL record (tie) ninth consecutive playoff berth, and their seventh AFC South Championship in the last eight years. Peyton Manning was able to get through his toughest stretch of games since his rookie year and somehow Indy has managed to enter January with the three seed in the AFC.
It is extremely important for Colts fans to step back and think about the gravity of this accomplishment. Frankly, this team had no business overcoming all of the adversity it has faced in a sixteen game season. More >
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Succeeding in Face of Injuries is Par for Colts Course
Oct 26th
(Brent Smith | Reuters)
Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. It is often said that “NFL” stands for “Not For Long,” and this idea flies in the face of teams who have had sustained success, particularly in the salary cap era. Somehow, someway, the Indianapolis Colts are a team that have found a way to be nearly immune to the forces at play in professional football that exist to make it next to impossible for teams to dominate.
If the Colts are going to continue their success in 2010, it has become clear that they will have to overcome a rash of injuries to key players. In some ways, the task seems insurmountable. The likelihood that the Colts can maintain their record of consecutive 12-win seasons shrinks by the week and by the day. How or why should fans expect the streak to continue, foresee a playoff berth, or have even a shroud of hope that the Colts could actually compete for another chance to play for a world championship?
The reason is pretty easy to locate. Over the last five years the Colts have had to overcome adversity, perform in the face of obvious team weaknesses, and have regularly been considered one of the best teams in the league — and one of the top contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. In all but one of those years they have dealt with the loss of key players for dozens of games. Take a look. More >
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In the Training Room: Concussions
Oct 23rd
DeSean Jackson is helped off the field after a vicious hit to the head. The hit resulted in his second concussion in two years. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, the league levied steep fines for several violent hits delivered by players either as helmet-to-helmet contact or hitting defenseless receivers. The primary issue is the threat of concussion, an injury to the brain that can result in the loss of memory, reduced cognitive ability, and an inability to speak normally. In severe or repeated cases, concussions can cause ongoing headaches, change one’s personality, and accelerate the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Mechanically, a concussion takes place when the brain strikes the inside of the skull through some sort of traumatic force. Think of the brain as a loosely-belted passenger in a car, and recall Newton’s first and second laws of physics. If the car is driving straight ahead and crashes into a brick wall, the passenger will continue moving ahead at the previous speed until the belt or the dashboard stops him. Similarly, in a head-on helmet-to-helmet hit, the brain crashes into the front of the skull, potentially causing temporary or long-term damage. When you consider how the game is played and the sense of invincibility that players likely feel with helmets and pads, it’s a wonder that concussions aren’t suffered on every play.
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The Role of Defensive Tackles in the Colts Defense
Sep 23rd
One position that has undergone a great deal of development in Indianapolis is the defensive tackle position. In 2007 and 2008 the Colts had the smallest defensive tackle rotation in the NFL. By the smallest, it was not just a little smaller, it was 50 or more pounds lighter than the second lightest defensive tackle group in the league.
The 2009 season saw that change. While the Colts may still field the lightest defensive tackles in the NFL, the difference between Antonio Johnson, Daniel Muir, Fili Moala, Mitch King, and Eric Foster from the rest of the league is closer than the Colts have been since the 2005 and 2006 seasons, when players like Booger McFarland and Corey Simon were on the roster.
US Presswire | Getty Images | AP Photo
Daniel Muir | Antonio Johnson | Eric Foster
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts: Last Chance for Rookies and Free Agents
Sep 2nd
Tonight’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts will have the look and feel of what preseason games represent for most fans — glorified scrimmages. Few first string players will take the field, the second team will become the first team, and all players who are competing for a final roster spot or a home on the practice squad will have their last opportunity to distinguish themselves.
These players will fit in two different categories, and should be scrutinized accordingly. Some of the players, many of them playing with the first groups to take the field tonight, are competing for a chance to not only make the roster, but to prove that they are capable of contributing to the Colts immediately. They will seek to inspire confidence in coaches — and by association fans — that they are capable of filling the “next man up” role without significantly hampering the team’s ability to succeed.
The other players will be playing for an opportunity to contribute on special teams, will unlikely see the field in another capacity, or hope to prove they are worthy of continued development on the practice squad. The obvious job hanging in the balance tonight is who will fill the punt and kick returning roles this season.
Mike Roemer | AP Photo
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Taj Smith
Aug 22nd
Darron Cummings | AP Photo
Taj Smith
Born: 30th of September, 1983
Hometown: Newark, NJ
College: University of Syracuse
Draft: UDFA – 2008 (Green Bay Packers)
Height: 6 feet 0 inches
Weight: 192 lbs.
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Profiling Colts Wide Receiver Taj Smith
Aug 22nd
Darron Cummings | AP Photo
Taj Smith
Born: 30th of September, 1983
Hometown: Newark, NJ
College: University of Syracuse
Draft: UDFA – 2008 (Green Bay Packers)
Height: 6 feet 0 inches
Weight: 192 lbs.
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2009 Game Recap – Week 7: Indianapolis Colts at St. Louis Rams
Jul 28th
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To help pass time this off-season, I’ve reviewed the Colts’ regular season games from 2009. With this second look at how the team played, a few thoughts have occured to me which were not obvious during the initial viewing, and I thought it a good opportunity to rethink some of my previously held opinions of the team I love. So, with your kind indulgence, as I view a game at a time I’ll be sharing my impressions.
Personal Note: This is not, and was never intended to be, an objective, unbiased review of an NFL contest. It is instead a glimpse into the emotional ride experienced by the average Colt fan at game time. My Homerism switch is engaged and turned up to eleven. With that in mind, I invite you to join me as we re-live the highs and lows of the 2009 Indianapolis Colts season.
Today’s Game: Week 7 – Indianapolis Colts at St. Louis Rams
Setting The Stage
- The Colts come off the bye week with a record of 5-0 and as one of four undefeated teams. Rams quarterback Marc Bulger and running back Steven Jackson lead the Rams who have lost 16 straight. Bob Sanders starts after missing the first 5 games with a knee injury. Charlie Johnson returns after missing the Titans game, and Matt Stover is signed to replace Adam Vinatieri, who had knee surgery. Kelvin Hayden returns, and Dan Muir gets the start, replacing Ed Johnson who was cut over the bye week. Chad Simpson returns and will field kickoffs. Mike Pollak starts and will once again alternate series with Kyle Devan.
- The Field: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
- The Crowd: It looks like a sell-out, and the crowd is loud early on and raised the volume when prompted by Laurenitis (rookie, Ohio state). St. Louis isn’t that far from Indianapolis, so there are quite a few Colts fans, sporting blue.
CBS Sports
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2009 Game Recap – Week 3: Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals
Jul 21st
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To help pass time this off-season, I’ve reviewed the Colts’ regular season games from 2009. With this second look at how the team played, a few thoughts have occured to me which were not obvious during the initial viewing, and I thought it a good opportunity to rethink some of my previously held opinions of the team I love. So, with your kind indulgence, as I view a game at a time I’ll be sharing my impressions.
Personal Note: This is not, and was never intended to be, an objective, unbiased review of an NFL contest. It is instead a glimpse into the emotional ride experienced by the average Colt fan at game time. My Homerism switch is engaged and turned up to eleven. With that in mind, I invite you to join me as we re-live the highs and lows of the 2009 Indianapolis Colts season.
Today’s Game: Week 3 – Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals
Setting The Stage
- Six days after the defensive marathon that was Indianapolis at Miami, the Colts travel across the country to Arizona to face the Cardinals on Sunday night. Arizona enters the game 1-1 after beating Jacksonville; a game in which QB Kurt Warner completed 24 of 26 passes to set a new NFL record for completion percentage. Tonight marks only the second time Warner and Peyton Manning have faced each other. Kelvin Hayden and Gary Bracket are both out due to injuries. Freddie Keiaho and Jordan Senn rotate in for Brackett and get quite a bit of playing time late in the game. Jerraud Powers is back after missing last week. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who complained about Mike Pollak’s play against Miami. Although he starts the game at RG,, Kyle Devan (added to the roster during the week) replaces him for the second offensive series. They seem to be alternating Pollak and Devan each series.
- The crowd: Loud early on, but boy do they turn on their team when things start going badly. By the end, there’s more applause for the Colts than for the Cards, and more than a few boos.
- The field: The Cardinals play at University of Phoenix stadium with its roll-away, real-grass field. Pretty cool in that they roll the field out into the open air during the day and back in for games.
CBS Sports
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2009 Game Recap – Week 2: Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins
Jul 18th
20 comments
To help pass time this off-season, I’ve reviewed the Colts’ regular season games from 2009. With this second look at how the team played, a few thoughts have occured to me which were not obvious during the initial viewing, and I thought it a good opportunity to rethink some of my previously held opinions of the team I love. So, with your kind indulgence, as I view a game at a time I’ll be sharing my impressions.
Personal Note: This is not, and was never intended to be, an objective, unbiased review of an NFL contest. It is instead a glimpse into the emotional ride experienced by the average Colt fan at game time. My Homerism switch is engaged and turned up to eleven. With that in mind, I invite you to join me as we re-live the highs and lows of the 2009 Indianapolis Colts season.
Today’s Game: Week 2 – Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins
Setting The Stage
- The Colts come into the game at 1-0. Miami is 0-1 after losing a rather one-sided affair against the Falcons in Week 1. Pat McAfee replaces Shawn Andrus on kickoffs. Jerraud Powers is out with a groin injury, so Tim Jennings starts at CB. Bob Sanders is out, and Ed Johnson starts at DT after serving his one-game suspension.
- The field: Landshark Stadium, Miami, Florida on a warm, humid Monday night. The field itself is embarrassingly ghetto with the baseball diamond cut into one end.
- The crowd: Young, flashy, very loud, and not a fat hump in sight. Miami ownership has reached out to the vast Spanish community by bringing in minority celebrities to be part of the ownership group; Jennifer Lopez, Venis and Serena Williams, Mark Antony, and Emilio Estevez. A festive atmosphere on the ‘Orange Carpet’ each week. I swear I hear a vuvuzela… annoying things!
CBS Sports
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