Colts’ Polian critical of offensive line, special teams

[steeljake]

from nfl.com

NFL.com Blogs Blog Archive Colts’ Polian critical of offensive line, special teams

Colts president Bill Polian told the team’s official Web site Wednesday that the offensive line and special teams should shoulder much of the blame for the Super Bowl XLIV loss to the Saints.

“Our offensive line, by our standards, did not have a good game,” Polian said of Sunday’s performance. “They were outplayed by the Saints’ defensive line. Our special teams, in terms of handing the ball — both in the return game and on the onside kick — were outplayed by the Saints. Therein lies the result. It had nothing to do with strategy or preparedness or toughness or effort.”

This, of course, isn’t the first time the Colts’ offensive line has been criticized after a playoff loss. QB Peyton Manning said there were “problems in protection” following a loss to the Steelers in the 2005 AFC divisional round.

The Colts’ offensive line even went through some changes before the season started. Former left guard Charlie Johnson moved to left tackle, sending Tony Ugoh to the bench, and Ryan Lija shifted to left guard. But the unit played well enough for the Colts to go 14-0 when which the offensive starters played the entire game, plus two impressive playoff wins.

Polian said the Super Bowl simply came down to execution.

“… There were certain situations throughout the game where we didn’t execute — most notably, the failure to get the first down and run the clock out at the end of the first half after a magnificent goal-line stand and then, of course, the failure to handle the onside kick,” Polian said. “We had four things we could have done positively on that play. We didn’t do any of them. That absolutely changed the game. It went from our getting the ball on their 40-yard line to having them march down for a touchdown. Then, our inability to punch it in from first-and-goal on the 3. Those situations, we did not execute.”

odd that he doesnt mention that shitty ass pass defense...

 

[Esjay]

Yeah Polian sounds a little to me like he doesn't want to admit we just got beat.

 

[jaxjaggywires]

My god, Polian...can you just maybe deal with the fact that your guys got out-played and out-coached for the last 35ish minutes of the game? You got beat...it happens.

 

[MrBill]

Funny he didn't mention the one play that actually lost the game for the Colts. The O-line didn't have anything to do with that. Agree completely that they just got out-coached. The Colts were playing not to lose and the Saints rolled the dice and came up huge.

 

[jaxjaggywires]

Funny he didn't mention the one play that actually lost the game for the Colts. The O-line didn't have anything to do with that.

You don't call out God...

 

[Raidersabc123]

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[Archer]

Colts fans have asked for Polian to sign/draft somebody who can return kicks for years now

Don't act suprised when Chad Simpson plays like he has all year in the return game. Every game we are forced to start from the 15 because of Rushing and Simpson ... Polian needs to see we just lack talent at returner

I thought the o-line had one of it's better games though ... they've been pretty bad all year in terms of run blocking but on Sunday they seemed to do a good job

 

[Esjay]

Colts fans have asked for Polian to sign/draft somebody who can return kicks for years now

Don't act suprised when Chad Simpson plays like he has all year in the return game. Every game we are forced to start from the 15 because of Rushing and Simpson ... Polian needs to see we just lack talent at returner

I thought the o-line had one of it's better games though ... they've been pretty bad all year in terms of run blocking but on Sunday they seemed to do a good job

Exactly. Until Simpson took one back this year I couldn't remember the last time we had a return for a TD. Peyton was pressured, but it's not like the Saints were sending out bums for d lineman. They are a good defense.

 

[Archer]

Exactly. Until Simpson took one back this year I couldn't remember the last time we had a return for a TD. Peyton was pressured, but it's not like the Saints were sending out bums for d lineman. They are a good defense.

Simpson is just horrible. He returned one kick for a td but apart from that his returns normally end up with us starting before the 20

Half the time I just hope he will let it run through the endzone so we can at least start at the 20

 

[Esjay]

Simpson is just horrible. He returned one kick for a td but apart from that his returns normally end up with us starting before the 20

Half the time I just hope he will let it run through the endzone so we can at least start at the 20

Yeah it's never good when you're cheering for a touchback. I find myself doing the same shit with Rushing on PR, hoping he gets swamped so he calls fair catch. Seems like every return with him is SO close to a fumble.

 

[Archer]

Yeah it's never good when you're cheering for a touchback. I find myself doing the same shit with Rushing on PR, hoping he gets swamped so he calls fair catch. Seems like every return with him is SO close to a fumble.

Lol T.J has the most fucked up way of catching punts ever . He will stand a good distance away from the ball then quickly run under it at the very last second. Every single punt looks like it's going to be fumbled by him

 

[jaxjaggywires]

Lol T.J has the most fucked up way of catching punts ever . He will stand a good distance away from the ball then quickly run under it at the very last second. Every single punt looks like it's going to be fumbled by him

That's coaching...the ST coach should be telling him to stop doing that shit, or find someone else who can field punts.

 

[Esjay]

That's coaching...the ST coach should be telling him to stop doing that shit, or find someone else who can field punts.

I can't remember him fumbling too many, though. I think the coaching staff is like us, they'll take it as long as he holds onto the ball and gets Manning on the field.

you can't help but wonder how many extra points we could tack on with a decent return game, though.

 

[MrBill]

Lol T.J has the most fucked up way of catching punts ever . He will stand a good distance away from the ball then quickly run under it at the very last second. Every single punt looks like it's going to be fumbled by him

Sounds like a way a lot of the guys on here that play Madden field the ball on punt and kickoff returns...lol

 

[Fox1994]

My god, Polian...can you just maybe deal with the fact that your guys got out-played and out-coached for the last 35ish minutes of the game? You got beat...it happens.

In your pants? ... ... Wow.

---

Really, though. I think this is a bitch move by Polian... They have a lot of good guys on that Saints squad... It's not like Manning was on his ground the whole time... Or Reggie ran back a punt. Just STFU with this bullshit.

The Colts got beat. It happens. At least you made it to the Super Bowl. Two out of thirty-two teams make it. One team wins it... Shit, the Raiders didn't make it. (Of course, Silver and Black fans' sadness over that has been suppressed with drugs and alcohol... And denial... And blaming the owner.)

Relax. Nine out of ten chance they're in the playoffs again next year. If they don't play the Chargers, they'll probably end-up in the AFCCG again...

Blaming your fucking All-Pro line...

 

[Archer]

Sounds like a way a lot of the guys on here that play Madden field the ball on punt and kickoff returns...lol

It actually looks like it sometimes. It doesn't have the same effect in real life though

 

[Bear Pand]

Polian is a true asshole. Teams he built are like 1-5 in Superbowls while he does build great teams something about his approach is off.

He's the one responsible for building that o-line. He's the one responsible for having Hank Baskett who fucked up on special teams on the roster. Hopefully his whining means he's realized some things need to be changed.

Also I'd love to see Indy's special teams "specialists" (the coach, TJ Rushing, Matt Stover, Adam Nougatieri, CHad Simpson and Hank Baskett) get thrown into a lake of fire.

 

[Archer]

Polian is a true asshole. Teams he built are like 1-5 in Superbowls while he does build great teams something about his approach is off.

He's the one responsible for building that o-line. He's the one responsible for having Hank Baskett who fucked up on special teams on the roster. Hopefully his whining means he's realized some things need to be changed.

Also I'd love to see Indy's special teams "specialists" (the coach, TJ Rushing, Matt Stover, Adam Nougatieri, CHad Simpson and Hank Baskett) get thrown into a lake of fire.

Alot of fans seem to be blaming Polian and bringing this up. I don't see it to be honest. He didn't make Norwood miss that feild goal in Buffalo nor did he make Peyton Manning lock on Reggie and get picked by Porter. Those Buffalo teams played the Cowboys twice [who were pretty damn good] and Washington who came into that game 16-2 if I remember correctly. I do think Polian has some flaws but to mention his sb record as if it's all on him is a little unfair to me

 

[Fox1994]

Certainly... A lot of GMs haven't seen six Super Bowls... Further, it's not his fault the mistakes that Norwood or Peyton made... But neither is it the O-line's...

 

[Bear Pand]

Alot of fans seem to be blaming Polian and bringing this up. I don't see it to be honest. He didn't make Norwood miss that feild goal in Buffalo nor did he make Peyton Manning lock on Reggie and get picked by Porter. Those Buffalo teams played the Cowboys twice [who were pretty damn good] and Washington who came into that game 16-2 if I remember correctly. I do think Polian has some flaws but to mention his sb record as if it's all on him is a little unfair to me

It's not all on him. But if he wants to point to the Special Teams mistakes and o-line mistakes as the reason the Colts loss, part of the blame goes to him for assembling those units.