Ultra Sports Bet » indianapolis-colts

Will lame duck coaches matter?

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:38:43 +0000

This is something we won’t need to worry about for eight months or so, but I wanted to discuss it now while it was still fresh. Three pretty unique coaching situations have popped up in the NFL in the last couple of weeks. While each one is different, they all share similar elements. I’m talking about Seattle, Dallas and Indianapolis. All three are playoff teams, and all three have made moves that could undermine their coaches in the future.In Seattle, Mike Holmgren is the ultimate lame duck. He has announced that he will return, but just for one year. It seems to me that his team would find it pretty easy to quit on him if things aren’t going well given that they know his days are numbered.

Dallas has never made any secret of the fact that Jason Garrett is the next coach, but they have cemented that reality by making him the highest paid assistant in the league with a salary that is almost the same as head coach Wade Phillips. After an embarrassing playoff exit Phillips is on thin ice, and now the future coach will be right there breathing down his neck. The same thing is set to happen in Indianapolis, where Tony Dungy has decided to return for another year. He doesn’t seem totally committed to the move, and assistant Jim Caldwell has been named the next head coach already. In both of these cases, it would be pretty easy for the team to divide – if you don’t like what mom is saying, go ask dad. Egos could be in play, and power struggles would seem inevitable if things start to go off the tracks.

In all three cases I am wondering whether this is a legitimate concern, or whether I am over-thinking things. We have seen cases every year where coaches are all but done going into the season. Romeo Crennel and Tom Coughlin both fit into that category this year, and look what happened to them – one won ten games, and the other has his team in the Super Bowl. The difference in these cases, though, is that the teams have gone a step further and made the future clear. I think that if you let spoiled athletes know that change is definitely coming, and tell them what it looks like, it would be easy for them to quit on the present in favor of the future. For that reason, I will be watching these three teams closely next season.

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Sunday NFL playoff games

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:05:19 +0000

San Diego (+10) at Indianapolis – The Chargers are cocky, they are playing as well as they have all year, there is a good chance the Antonio Gates will be back, and they already beat Indy once this year. It seems to me like there is a decent chance that San Diego can stay within 10. The Colts should win, but it won’t be easy and I’ll happily take the points. Pick: San Diego.

New York Giants (+7.5) at Dallas – My hatred of the Giants cost me money last weekend, but not enough that I’m not going to bet against them again. Dallas hasn’t had much trouble with the Giants in recent history, and I don’t think that they will again here. I really don’t give a damn whether Jessica Simpson shows up at the game or not, and I have no doubts about Romo’s preparation or ability to handle the Giants. New York has had two big games in a row to get up for and I think they could be in for a step back against a rested, superior team. Pick: Dallas.

UPDATE: I’ll take 3-1 this weekend over the 1-3 of last weekend any time. It certainly didn’t happen how I expected, though. Saturday was pretty true to form, but I didn’t see Indy lying down when the pressure got intense, and I really don’t see Dallas failing to show up at home.

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Monday night football

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:28:53 +0000

I’ve spent parts of the last week looking back on Jacksonville’s absolute destruction of Indianapolis, and listening to everyone say that this will be a tough, close game for the Colts. I’m not sure I buy it. Both teams are very different than they were when they met last year. The Colts are actually playing defense, and they will be able to disrupt the running game like they couldn’t last year. That will put more of a burden on David Garrard to perform, and I am not convinced he is up to it. On the weekend I saw at least two interviews in which Peyton Manning was asked about his opinion of what Tom Brady is accomplishing. He was gracious and eloquent,, but you know that he didn’t like hearing that at all. Not that he needs a fire lit under him, but I think he’ll feel especially motivated to use the spotlight of the Monday night game to show off. The Colts are favored by just three. I think it’s a bit of a bargain. Pick: Indianapolis.

UPDATE: I really, really don’t like the Colts, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like cashing in on them. They cruised to an easy 29-7 win today. Thanks to that I ended the weekend at 2-1 in the NFL as Kansas City covered but Pittsburgh disappointed.

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