Posts tagged Chris Johnson
Forecasting the Colts 2011 Defensive Tackles
Feb 1st
Antonio "Mookie" Johnson tackles Titans running back Chris Johnson. (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts have historically had difficulty putting together a group of defensive tackles that are capable of fulfilling their responsibilities in the Tampa-2 defensive scheme. In this scheme, the nose tackle — 1-technique tackle — is asked to be a space-filling, line holding run stuffer. The under tackle — 3-technique tackle — is asked to penetrate the offensive line to disrupt running lanes on the way to the quarterback. For many years the biggest weakness amongst Indy’s interior defensive linemen has been a lack of size. This resulted in opponents running the ball relentlessly off of their centers and guards, right through the middle of the Colts defensive line.
A lot has changed. Now Antonio Johnson, Daniel Muir, and Fili Moala all surpass the 300-pound mark. Only Johnson is well-suited to play nose tackle, while Muir and Moala are reasonably sized 3-technique tackles in a 4-3 defensive front — Muir had great success in 2009 and Moala showed marked improvement in 2010. Ricardo Mathews and Eric Foster are used situationally on passing downs and are better suited for the under tackle role. Foster moves outside to defensive end in run packages — Mathews may do the same in 2011. More >
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Colts 30 Titans 28 – Quick Reaction
Dec 9th
One of Pierre Garcon's two touchdowns against the Titans. (Joe Howell | AP Photo)
Reaction highlights:
- Manning kept the pace slow and steady, able to eschew the no-huddle, hurry-up offense because the Colts held the lead.
- The slower pace and more frequent huddles contributed to the rookies’ ability to keep up.
- The Colts ran more than in the prior 3 games, in part because they had the luxury to do so because they had the lead, but even with a smaller lead the Colts kept at it.
- Forced into the LT position when Charlie Johnson injured his shoulder, Jeff Linkenbach put in a good performance… might we see him more at that position going forward?
- The defense was not very good tonight, allowing Tennessee, who had been held to 13 touchdown-less quarters, to score 4 touchdowns in the game. But frankly, on a short week, against a familiar opponent, and in the NFL… you can hope for a shut-out, but don’t expect one. More >
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Moss to Titans: Colts Fans Reactions? (Discussion Thread)
Nov 3rd
Although Randy Moss is a surefire Hall of Fame wide receiver, he has had a terrible season to this point on two different teams, both with top 5 quarterbacks. Now he is in the AFC South, with the Titans who have an aging Kerry Collins and an unproven and inconsistent Vince Young who does his best work as a game manager. His presence should pay obvious immediate dividends for Chris Johnson. How will it affect the discipline the team has had to instill in Young? This post is for comments, thoughts, discussions between Colts fans on the Titans new receiver.
*For what it’s worth, I was never really that scared of Randy Moss when he was with the Patriots. I knew that he was a deep threat, and a match-up nightmare for single coverage but otherwise, I feared Wes Welker a lot more than Moss. The Titans do not have a Wes Welker. Maybe I’m foolish, but the move does not really worry me. Titans fans, though, generally seem to think this move will allow them to beat the Colts and Texans, win the AFC South, and play for a Super Bowl title. What are your thoughts?
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In the Training Room: Colts Safety Bob Sanders
Oct 20th
Bobzilla's not worried - are you?
With Colts safety Bob Sanders currently sitting out with a torn biceps (his second in two years), most fans assume that the team is just prolonging the inevitable. But instead of shipping Bobzilla to injured reserve, they are holding out hope that he can rehab his way back to the field as early as the San Diego game (November 28). At the very least, they hope he will be available for the final two or three regular season games and a playoff run, should the Colts get in. Even if Sanders is available only for those final three games, that could prove significant, as two of those games are against division rival Tennessee – imagine Sanders laying wood on Chris Johnson, denying him a second consecutive 2000-yard season, while propelling the Colts into the playoffs! More >
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AFC South: Regular and Postseason Predictions
Sep 12th
3 comments
The season is here, so naturally it is time to look ahead to the playoffs. No? This eight-part series takes a look at each division and discusses the outlook for every team in the NFL — in both the regular season and playoffs.
Johnny Hanson Chronicle
AFC SOUTH
TEAM: Indianapolis Colts
RECORD: 15-1 | Win Division
REASON: The Indianapolis Colts have only gotten better since last season when they went to the Super Bowl so why not 15-1? Some will bring up that Bill Polian will rest players the last two games, but he may not be to. There will be division games at the end of the season, which could mean that no matter their record is they will have to play there starters, or at least most of them. There are two big additions that can really help the Colts this season. The first is safety Bob Sanders; if he stays healthy it will be a huge boost to the defense. On offense the Colts obviously have Manning, but he has outstanding targets in Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Pierre Garçon, and returning former first round pick Anthony Gonzalez. The team’s weakness is the offensive line, it will be the dominant area of concern for the team and fans throughout the season. More >
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2009 Game Recap – Week 13: Titans at Colts
Aug 12th
2 comments
To help pass time this off-season, I’ve reviewed the Colts’ regular season games from 2009. With this second look at how the team played, a few thoughts have occured to me which were not obvious during the initial viewing, and I thought it a good opportunity to rethink some of my previously held opinions of the team I love. So, with your kind indulgence, as I view a game at a time I’ll be sharing my impressions.
Personal Note: This is not, and was never intended to be, an objective, unbiased review of an NFL contest. It is instead a glimpse into the emotional ride experienced by the average Colt fan at game time. My Homerism switch is engaged and turned up to eleven. With that in mind, I invite you to join me as we re-live the highs and lows of the 2009 Indianapolis Colts season.
Today’s Game: Week 13: Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
Setting The Stage
- Indianapolis comes into Week 13 at 11-0, boasting the number one passing offense in the league. Quarterback Peyton Manning is having an MVP year throwing for a career high 70.4% completion rate. Vince Young and Chris Johnson lead the Titans who started the season 0-6 but have won their last five games. Tennessee was the last team to beat the Colts, back in October of 2008. Injuries for the Colts include Donald Brown – chest, Keyunta Dawson – knee, Charlie Johnson – foot, Adam Vinatieri – knee, and Anthony Gonzalez – knee. Tony Ugoh gets the start at left tackle, Mike Hart is brought up from the practice squad to replace Brown, and Kelvin Hayden returns after missing two games.
- The Field: Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The roof is closed.
- The Crowd: Relatively quiet, to be honest. Several Titan fans must have made the trip because there’s more cheering for the visiting team than during most Colts games. I suppose their volume kinda mirrors my emotions during the game; the Colts are playing so well, and I’m so confident they’ll win, that there’s really no reason to get excited. It’s interesting; I remember when the Titans were a hated rival. Now? Not so much.
CBS Sports
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Is There a Bad Choice: MJD vs. Ray Rice
Jul 31st
24 comments
First – Chris Johnson! Second – Adrian Peterson! Third – Ra… Maur… and then the water gets murkier. With most fantasy “experts” claiming that the first and second picks will be Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, respectively, many fantasy owners aren’t sure what to do with that third pick. Right off the bat, they think, “How can you go wrong with either of these top players: MJD or “Little” Ray Ray?” Interestingly enough, this early in the draft, such a pick can make you or break you.
First, let’s start by looking at their head-to-head stats from the 2009 regular season:
|
Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) |
Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) |
| Carries: 312 | Carries: 254 |
| Rushing Yards: 1,391 | Rushing Yards: 1,339 |
| Rushing TDs: 15 | Rushing TDs: 7 |
| Receptions: 53 | Receptions: 78 |
| Receiving Yards: 374 | Receiving Yards: 702 |
| Receiving TDs: 1 | Receiving TDs: 1 |
| Fumbles: 2 (1 lost) | Fumbles: 3 (3 lost) |
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2009 Game Recap – Week 5: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Jul 25th
36 comments
To help pass time this off-season, I’ve reviewed the Colts’ regular season games from 2009. With this second look at how the team played, a few thoughts have occured to me which were not obvious during the initial viewing, and I thought it a good opportunity to rethink some of my previously held opinions of the team I love. So, with your kind indulgence, as I view a game at a time I’ll be sharing my impressions.
Personal Note: This is not, and was never intended to be, an objective, unbiased review of an NFL contest. It is instead a glimpse into the emotional ride experienced by the average Colt fan at game time. My Homerism switch is engaged and turned up to eleven. With that in mind, I invite you to join me as we re-live the highs and lows of the 2009 Indianapolis Colts season.
Today’s Game: Week 5 – Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Setting The Stage
- The Colts come into the week 5 Sunday night game at 4-0 — leading the AFC South. Kerry Collins and Chris Johnson lead the Titans who have struggled early and sit at 0-4. Charlie Johnson is out, so Tony Ugoh gets the start and will line up against Tennessee’s Kyle Vanden Bosch. With Chad Simpson hurting, T.J. Rushing will handle kickoff and punt returns. Gary Brackett returns after missing two games, but Kelvin Hayden is sitting out another game. Peyton Manning is enjoying his best start ever as an NFL QB; 97 completions for a 70.8% completion percentage and 1,336 yards, in the first four games of a season. All are career highs. During his last three road games, his passer rating has been 140.7 (Jaguars), 133.9 (Dolphins), and 130.5 (Cardinals). He’s the only player in NFL history to earn a rating of 130+ in 3 consecutive road games (15 passes min). This is the first Colts/Titans game since the departure of Albert Haynesworth.
- The Field: LP Field, near the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee, is an open-air stadium. It’s a clear night with temps in the mid-fifties.
- The Crowd: Those wacky Titan fans. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they didn’t like us much. Actually, they don’t seem to like their own team much either. By the 3rd quarter, they’re chanting ‘We want Vince!’ They get him half-way through the 4th with the game out of hand and he throws 2 near-interceptions on his first series.
CBS Sports
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Titans’ Second-Year Receiver Britt Struggling
Jul 1st
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The Tennessee Titans shocked many NFL pundits last season after they failed to follow-up a very strong 2008 season. While many suggested that the Titans were still the team to beat and thought they had a good shot of representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, Tennessee would win only half of their games and rely on the legs of Chris Johnson for a majority of their offensive power.
To make matters worse, Vince Young was unable to prove real improvement and Kerry Collins failed to maintain his impressive 2008 form. Since Derrick Mason left the club in 2005, the franchise has struggled to find a legitimate first receiver for any of their quarterbacks to throw the ball. They hoped that all changed when they drafted Kenny Britt out of Rutgers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
While early indications pointed to a positive future, as Britt caught 42 passes for 701 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, this off-season has given the Titans a reason to be concerned.
Joe Murphy | Ketty Images
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