Indy Sports Coverage – Week 16

Each week, Coltzilla brings you highlights from local sports coverage of the Colts with an emphasis on player interviews. Pre-game interviews go up throughout the week. Post-game interviews are posted shortly after the game. Hope you enjoy!

It’s Week 16 of the 2010 season, and the 8-6 Colts travel to Oakland to take on the 7-7 Raiders. Both teams are fighting for a playoff berth.

UPDATED: Inside The Huddle – Monday evening
UPDATED: Sportslocker, Sports Jam – Monday morning
UPDATED: Peyton’s First-Down Run – Sunday evening
UPDATED: Countdown To Kickoff – Sunday afternoon
UPDATED: Bill Polian Show – Sunday morning

Post-Game Coverage:

The Colts defense had possibly its best game of the season sacking Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell 3 times and holding running back Darren McFadden to 45 total yards. On the offensive side, Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers and Colts running backs tallied a season-high 191 rushing yards. In pre-game interviews, the Colts listed stopping the run, running to set up the pass, and containing the Oakland return game as keys to beating the Raiders. How’d they do?

Pre-Game Objectives:

1. Stop the run (McFadden) – Darren McFadden entered the game as the league’s #2 in rush yardage. On Sunday, he was held to 45 yards as the defense repeatedly stuffed the run. Grade: A
2. Run to set up the pass – While Oakland was ineffective on the ground, the Colts were more effective than they’ve been all year. Newly re-acquired Dom Rhodes racked up 98 yards, Joe Addai added 45, and Donald Brown chipped in 28. The longest run of the game, for either team, belonged to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning who rumbled for 27 and a first down to ice the game. Grade: A
3. Contain the return game – I doubt surrendering 99 yards on the opening kickoff is what the coaches had in mind. Still, the remaining four returns averaged just over 22 yards. Grade: C

Too high? Too low? What do you think?

Inside The Huddle:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=n56z9Fn7imE

Local TV post-game coverage:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CF_pS38bsow

Sports Jam:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OsATDdw0LTw

Sportslocker:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qy79w-F0r18

Pre-Game Coverage:

In Week 16 pre-game interviews, Coach Jim Caldwell, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and other Colts players discuss what it will take to succeed in today’s contest against the Oakland Raiders.

To paraphrase:

1. Stop the run (sound familiar?)
2. Run to set up the pass
3. Contain kick and punt returns

We’ll find out this afternoon if they’re up to the task.

Peyton’s First-Down Run:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CE_PeSQhULQ

Countdown To Kickoff:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xmMm9beGfUo

Bill Polian Show:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JzabJTFHb1U

Local TV pre-game coverage:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xD6RaO7n0wI

Replay of Mathis & Bethea plays: (Robert Mathis was fined $10k for a helmet to helmet hit on quarterback David Garrard. Antoine Bethea was also fined $10k for unnecessary roughness when tackling wide receiver Mike Thomas.)