billsfaninnyc Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 People need to stop freaking out about Indy playing Denver.... No team wants to lose going into the playoffs (including the Steelers), espcially an Indy team that is trying to prove it can win in cold weather. Expect Indy to play Denver 100% and only pull starters if the game is wrapped up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 People need to stop freaking out about Indy playing Denver.... No team wants to lose going into the playoffs (including the Steelers), espcially an Indy team that is trying to prove it can win in cold weather. Expect Indy to play Denver 100% and only pull starters if the game is wrapped up... 179782[/snapback] and more importantly why would Manning want to stop with 49 TDs? I mean, come on...if you're gonna get 49 you might as well just get to 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOOOOOO Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Indy lays up against Denver...Then they play Denver round 1.... Play Denver or play Buffalo....? Make your choice Dungy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Indy lays up against Denver...Then they play Denver round 1....Play Denver or play Buffalo....? Make your choice Dungy... 179847[/snapback] Unfortunately that, right there, is the key. No, this game doesn't mean much to the Colts, but under any other circumstance I would still think Indy would play to win. However, things are different since, if Denver and NY both win, Indy will play Denver again the following week in the playoffs. Now, if you were Dungy, would you rather play the pathetic Broncos, or the red-hot Bills, in the playoffs? If the answer is the Broncos, then the right move is to play very vanilla and let Denver win. The Jets, in all likelihood, will win as well, which means you then get to play Denver at home in the first round. Even if the Jets lose and the Bills win, that just means they get to play the Bills, which is unfortunate for them, but at least they tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udonkey Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but I find it hard to believe that a coach would develop a gameplan to lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivier in france Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 i think Peyton's ego is way too big to believe he's not gonna try to pass for a couple more TD vs the Broncs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATBNG Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 No coach wants to see a Terrell Owens-like situation happen to his team once playoff position has been established. What would you do if you were in charge? I don't think Indy will be that concerned with the specific matchup - they're 7-1 at home this year. The constructive work that Dungy can do is get his backups and second tier guys in there to face some game action in case something happens during the playoffs. The reward for that outgains the risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACTOBILLSFAN Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 No team wants to lose to a team that they will turn around and play the next week, because no matter how that other team wins they will have confidence that they can win. Indy will not roll over because they do not want to play denver twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 No team wants to lose to a team that they will turn around and play the next week, because no matter how that other team wins they will have confidence that they can win. Indy will not roll over because they do not want to play denver twice. 179958[/snapback] You mean like they did last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACTOBILLSFAN Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 You mean like they did last year? 179959[/snapback] Not to be petty but that was in week 16 that they lost to Denver not week 17, but it is never good to lose to a team that is going to be coming to your place with it all on the line i don't give a stojan about last year. Especially since Denver has been in a slump and if they beat Indy that will be 2 in a row and maybe feeling a little better and more confident in themselves. Plus Jake Plummer is the Broncos QB...at any time he can throw for 350 and 4 tds or 110 and 2 tds to the other team., so the Bronchos can definitely lost this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuntheDamnBall Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Unfortunately that, right there, is the key. No, this game doesn't mean much to the Colts, but under any other circumstance I would still think Indy would play to win. However, things are different since, if Denver and NY both win, Indy will play Denver again the following week in the playoffs. Now, if you were Dungy, would you rather play the pathetic Broncos, or the red-hot Bills, in the playoffs? If the answer is the Broncos, then the right move is to play very vanilla and let Denver win. The Jets, in all likelihood, will win as well, which means you then get to play Denver at home in the first round. Even if the Jets lose and the Bills win, that just means they get to play the Bills, which is unfortunate for them, but at least they tried. 179865[/snapback] Sorry, Dungy is a smart guy but even moreso he is a competitor. He will not lay down just so he can see the Broncs again in a week. Nor will the Steelers do so for us. Will they maybe rest a marquee guy? Looks like the Steelers are doing that, but then again they have another week off anyway, so 'momentum' doesn't really matter. For the Colts, it does. It's not like them to just bum one off into the playoffs. It would be foolish; you know it and Dungy knows it. The way this league is Denver could get real hot once they punch a ticket to the playoffs. It's a whole new season. I hope the Bills are in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATBNG Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 When in doubt with these things, I like to use the point spread as a guide. Big gamblers will do everything it takes to get the information they need to make a decision on which side to take in these games - determining whether Dungy is going to rest the starters or play to win will be crucial to sports' investors. If this game was three weeks ago when everything was still up for grabs, I think I would have established Indy as around a 4-5 point favorite at Denver. The circumstances of the game naturally will lower it but the degree will give you an indication of what to expect. Case in point - Atlanta opened as a 3 point favorite this week at NO. Later, word leaked out that Vick wasn't playing and that Mora was going to go into "protect" mode. The line ended up moving 8 points until NO was favored by 5 this morning. Big swings in one direction usually mean that the other team is expected to take the day off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I hope your right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 When in doubt with these things, I like to use the point spread as a guide. Big gamblers will do everything it takes to get the information they need to make a decision on which side to take in these games - determining whether Dungy is going to rest the starters or play to win will be crucial to sports' investors. If this game was three weeks ago when everything was still up for grabs, I think I would have established Indy as around a 4-5 point favorite at Denver. The circumstances of the game naturally will lower it but the degree will give you an indication of what to expect. Case in point - Atlanta opened as a 3 point favorite this week at NO. Later, word leaked out that Vick wasn't playing and that Mora was going to go into "protect" mode. The line ended up moving 8 points until NO was favored by 5 this morning. Big swings in one direction usually mean that the other team is expected to take the day off. 179985[/snapback] hmmmmmmmm..... interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 People need to stop freaking out about Indy playing Denver.... No team wants to lose going into the playoffs (including the Steelers), espcially an Indy team that is trying to prove it can win in cold weather. Expect Indy to play Denver 100% and only pull starters if the game is wrapped up... 179782[/snapback] TY, Mike Shanahan. Why are you trolling this board when you have a big game coming up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Indy lays up against Denver...Then they play Denver round 1....Play Denver or play Buffalo....? Make your choice Dungy... 179847[/snapback] Let's not flatter ourselves too much. I agree Buffalo has been more consistent lately and we've got the better D, but, if I'm Indy, I'm even more concerned about a team that can run the ball better than anyone and therefore keep the ball out of Payton's hands. I'm not so sure they'd rather play Denver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Even if the Jets lose and the Bills win, that just means they get to play the Bills, which is unfortunate for them, but at least they tried. 179865[/snapback] Both the Jets and Bills game is on at 1p.m.....the bronco game is at 4.15. If the Jets lose and the bills win, then the colts will try to defeat the broncos so that they can get to play the Jets in the 1st round. If both the Jets and Bills win, then Jets get the 5th seed and the colts will have to play the broncos or the bills in the 1st round.....and they can pick who they want to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 ATBNG, I've seen Denver open as 7 to 9 point favorites in this game.... not good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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