Recent News

Memo to the NFL: If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

May 21st, 2013 at 9:02 AM
By Chuck Chapman

'nfl_logo_on_field' photo (c) 2012, NFL News Desk Admin - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell inherited from his predecessors, Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue, the most successful professional sports enterprise on the globe. In fact it could be argued that the NFL is one of the most successful businesses of any kind in the world.

That makes Goodell's reported idea to move the date of the NFL Draft from April to mid-May all the more puzzling. While successful businesses make tweaks here and there to keep their product fresh or to keep up with market trends, the first rule of established successful businesses is this: Don't mess with what works!

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported yesterday that the NFL and the NFLPA are in talks to move the annual player selection process from it's current April date to some time in mid-May. The NFL has offered an apparent conflict with Easter next year as the impetus for the change.

Since this is a family-friendly site, I'll offer this assessment of that reasoning: Hogwash! Isn't this the same league who regularly plays game on Thanksgiving and has played on Christmas Day 15 times since 1989? Forgive me if I'm a little bit skeptical that Goodell is now suddenly becoming sensitive to family holidays. Let's not forget either that the NFL Draft has nothing happening on Sunday. All the action takes place Thursday through Saturday.

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History Shows “Sophomore Slump” not a Factor Among NFL Quarterbacks

May 19th, 2013 at 8:32 AM
By Chuck Chapman

With three of the greatest rookie seasons ever turned in 2012, the question this off season has been, "What about the 'Sophomore Slump'"? That question is on the mind of Indianapolis Colts fans as we all wonder what our own wunderkind can do for an encore in 2013.

A look at the history of rookie quarterbacks who came in and started for their teams right away shows that there's really no trend at all toward a letdown in the second season. For the purposes of our study, we looked at 12 quarterbacks during the Super Bowl era who started at least the majority of their team's games their rookie season: Byron Leftwich, Rick Mirer, Chris Weinke, Cam Newton, Vince Young, Sam Bradford, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, Charlie Batch, Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Dan Marino. We took Chris Weinke off our list as the Panthers opted to bench him his second season after the team went 1-15 his rookie season.

We also focused in on three main indicators of success for a quarterback's season: completion percentage, interception percentage and wins. What we saw was nothing that suggests that anything resembling a trend for a second year drop-off in production exists.

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Is Dwight Freeney Headed to San Diego?

May 18th, 2013 at 11:03 AM
By Chuck Chapman

Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network is reporting that former Indianapolis Colts great Dwight Freeney is close to a deal with the San Diego Chargers. Freeney has been shopping for a new home since the Colts elected not to renew his contract.

San Diego is in dire need of a pass rusher, having lost Shaun Phillips to free agency and Melvin Ingram to an ACL injury. Freeney certainly fits that bill. Freeney is tied for 21st all-time in sacks with 107.5.

The question is whether Freeney can fill that role in the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme. After the Colts moved Freeney from a hand-on-the-ground defensive end to a stand-up outside linebacker, Freeney’s sack totals dipped to five, the lowest for Freeney since 2007 when injuries limited Freeney to only 3.5 sacks in nine games.

San Diego is as knowledgeable about Freeney as any team outside of Indianapolis. Their first year general manager is Tom Telesco, the former Colts Director of Pro Personnel. The defensive coordinator is none other than Chuck Pagano’s brother, John.

What does the 32 year-old Freeney have left in the tank is another question. Freeney gutted his way through 13 starts last season despite an ankle injury that bothered him the entire season.

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A Look Back at 1999: Year Two of the Peyton Manning Era

May 14th, 2013 at 8:01 AM
By Chuck Chapman


In 1999 while the rest of the world was gearing up for the new millenium, fans of the Indianapolis Colts were wondering whether or not Peyton Manning could begin to deliver on his potential as the previous year’s number one overall draft pick. Despite setting an NFL record for passing yardage his rookie season, the Colts still limped to a 3-13 record.

Things started off well enough as the Colts bolted out of the gate with a 2-1 record, their lone loss a narrow three point heartbreaker in New England after the Colts blew a 28-7 second half lead. Adam Vinatieri would boot the game-winner and a pattern was seemingly established that would play out over the next decade.

After the bye, it looked like the Colts had victory in hand when Peyton Manning found Marcus Pollard to put the Colts up 31-22. But Dan Marino was on the opposing sideline. Marino would lead the Dolphins back to a 34-31 victory that appeared all but certain when Peyton Manning took a safety instead of giving the Dolphins a chance to block or return a punt for a score.

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Antonio Johnson Signs with Tennessee Titans

May 13th, 2013 at 7:28 PM
By Chuck Chapman

The Indianapolis Colts crowded competition along the defensive line will be a little less so as free agent Antonio Johnson signed a free agent deal with division rival Tennessee.

Johnson played five seasons for the Colts and started 47 games during his career. He had 19 tackles and seven assists in 12 starts this season. For his career he had 1.5 sacks.

Johnson returns to the team who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State.

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