Johnny O goes two parts:
7. The most-pressing matchup of all. We typically wait to address matchups until Friday morning’s Indianapolis Colts preview, but circumstance and national attention have made one so obvious and so concerning to some Colts fans it felt OK to discuss it a day early.
That’s because the New England Patriots are coming to town Sunday, which means WRs Randy Moss and WR Wes Welker will be catching passes from 2007 NFL MVP QB Tom Brady. Against that trio, the Colts will start two rookie cornerbacks, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey.
This isn’t too different than last week, when Powers and Lacey faced the Houston Texans and WR Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones — except, of course, that Brady is one of the NFL’s top two quarterbacks and that Welker is a more dangerous receiver than of Houston’s non- No. 1 receivers. (Moss and Texans No. 1 WR Andre Johnson are pretty much a wash; if anything, Johnson is probably more versatile and more dangerous right now.)
The concern here isn’t Powers. He has played at a high-enough level that the team feels as confident in him as they have any corner they have had in some time. Colts President Bill Polian said this week he is playing as well at the position as any player since his 1998 arrival, and that he should be a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Lacey, an undrafted rookie who has started twice this season, has played well and is very capable, but you can’t help think the Colts would be more comfortable if 2007/2008 starter Kelvin Hayden wasn’t out another 2-3 weeks with a knee injury.
“They certainly have played like I think they should play back there in the secondary, like riverboat gamblers that have a short memory,” Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said. “The position they play will have ups and downs throughout the game. You have to get over it and go to the next play. They play with some maturity. They have also played quite a few games at this point. We expect them to play well and play well consistently. The challenge that they have is each and every week, it’s a brand now opportunity and you will always see a number of great players lined up across from you. You can always frame together a couple of good games, but can you do it back to back and week after week? That’s the real test.
“To this point I think they have played pretty well. They haven’t played perfectly, but they’ve done a good job. Like I said though, every week is a brand new test. They will face a great quarterback, one of the all-time great receivers in Randy Moss, and (Wes) Welker is tough to deal with as well.”
Bottom line remains the same as last week: the key matchup for the cornerbacks actually is up front, where the ability of DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to pressure Brady should offset any advantage of the Patriots’ receivers.
2. On the 2008 draft. With Kyle DeVan moving into the starting lineup Sunday, it’s fair to address the Colts’ 2008 draft class. Not only is OG Mike Pollak — the second-round selection in that draft — backing up DeVan, who signed from Arena Football League 2 this past offseason, but Tony Ugoh, for whom the Colts traded their 2008 first-round selection to select him in the second round in 2007, is backing up Charlie Johnson (sixth round, 2005) at left tackle. LB Philip Wheeler — the third-round selection in 2008 — was backing up Tyjuan Hagler at strong-side backer until the latter sustained a season-ending biceps injury late last month. Fifth-round DE Marcus Howard was released before the season, as was sixth-round OG/C Steve Justice. Colts President Bill Polian before that draft callied it one of the weakest in memory, but to the positive for the Colts is they selected WR Pierre Garcon in the sixth round and he has been a big-play threat this season, starting since a Week 1 injury to WR Anthony Gonzalez. Jamey Richard, a seventh-round selection that season, also is a key backup on the offensive line, and sixth-round selection Mike Hart is the third running back. Fourth-round TE Jacob Tamme is a key special teams player, and sixth-round TE Tom Santi also is on the roster. There has been some criticism in the blogosphere about Indianapolis’ 2008 draft, particularly since DeVan moved past Pollak, but the facts just don’t indicate anything close to a trend of sub-par drafts for the Colts. Frankly, considering the Colts largely eschew veteran free agency and build largely through the draft and collegiate free agency — and considering the Colts have won 12 or more games six consecutive seasons and are 8-0 this season — it’s a bit odd to criticize the drafting. And after all, where would the Colts be this season without a 2009 draft class that includes RB Donald Brown, WR Austin Collie, P Pat McAfee and CB Jerraud Powers?
Please note: that ‘criticisim’ did not come from 18to88.com.
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