Yardbarker: Ryan Lilja

The Hardest Theoretical Question I’ve Seen

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:48:18 -0500

Here is a question I brought up on Stamede Blue. If the Colts were completely healthy and not one player on the active roster (so minus Ryan Lilja and Tyjuan Hagler), what 8 players would be inactive for the game? Only 45 people dress, so that means 8 players will not be playing. Taking out special

Colts-18, Vikings-15: Redemption for Vinny

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:29:33 -0500

I was going to do this last night, but Ike took down the power. Trees were falling everywhere in Indiana. This hurricane was huge. The Colts looked terrible in the first half. Our offensive line was down to the backups. If this team was healthy, Jamey Richard, Charlie Johnson, Steve Justice,

Madden 09 roster update #3 to be released Friday

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:45:13 -0500

The third Madden 09 roster update is set to be released today by EA Sports. This update won't feature many changes in terms of attributes, but many roster changes will be made, including the injuries to Tom Brady and Vince Young. Below is the complete list, from PastaPadre.com:

Transactions
FB Reagan Mauia – Signs with Bengals
LB Jon Corto – Added to Bills
LB Blake Costanzo – Added to Bills
DT Alvin McKinley – Released by Broncos
DT Josh Shaw – Signs with Broncos
LB Antwan Peek – Released to Free Agents (IR)
WR Paul Hubbard – Released by Browns
WR Steve Sanders – Signs with Browns
LB Shantee Orr – Signs with Browns
C Pat Ross – Signs with Cardinals
FB Andrew Pinnock – Released by Chargers
FB Mike Tolbert – Added to Chargers
RT James Marten – Released by Cowboys/Signs with Raiders
QB Brooks Bollinger – Signs with Cowboys
SS Tyrone Culver – Signs with Dolphins
CB Joey Thomas – Released by Dolphins
FB Boomer Grigsby – Released by Dolphins
FB Casey Cramer – Signs with Dolphins
FS Jamaal Fudge – Signs with Falcons
DE Brent Hawkins – Released by Jaguars
G Milford Brown – Signs with Jaguars
TE Dan Campbell – Released to Free Agents (IR)
LB Chris Chamberlain – Added to Rams
RT Willie Anderson – Signs with Ravens
RG Adrien Clarke – Released by Ravens
C Matt Lehr – Released by Saints
QB Ingle Martin – Added to Titans
QB Daunte Culpepper – Retires

Ratings Up
HB Matt Forte – Bears – 80 to 82 – Looked like the real deal week 1 vs. the Colts.
LG Josh Beekman – Bears – 74 to 76 – Got the start and at LG and was able to pave the way for Forte on the ground.
HB Andre Hall – Broncos – 75 to 77 – Looked very explosive against the hapless Raiders.
WR Eddie Royal – Broncos – 77 to 80 – Made us remember why we call him DeAngelo "Fall". Torched DeAngelo repeatedly and looked very good doing it.
LB Jamie Winborn – Broncos – 75 to 79 – Started over the oft injured Boss Bailey and made plays vs. the Raiders.
LB Matt Roth – Dolphins – 76 to 80 – Could have found his niche as a 3-4 OLB. Had 2 sacks in the opener.
WR DeSean Jackson – Eagles – 79 to 80 – Has made the most of receivers going down with injuries in Philly. Tye Hill was benched after attempting to cover him.
LB Stewart Bradley – Eagles – 79 to 80 – The new man in the middle for the Eagles, this one might stick.
HB Michael Turner – Falcons – 88 to 89 – If I had a nickel for every time someone blew up on the Lions defense…A good start none the less for the Burner Turner.
LB Parys Haralson – 49ers – 74 to 76 – Recorded 2.5 sacks getting the start for the Niners in Week 1.
HB Brandon Jacobs – Giants – 87 to 88 – My mother could average 3 yards a carry behind the Giants O-Line. But he sure is powerful.
WR Matt Jones – Jaguars – 77 to 79 – Maybe Garrard's guy after a tough offseason. Injuries to the supposed starting WR's have helped also.
QB Aaron Rodgers – Packers – 84 to 85 – Made it look simple vs. one of the top defenses in the NFL. Once the coach takes off the diapers watch out.
TE Dante Rosario – Panthers – 74 to 77 – Blew up in a big way in Week 1 vs. the Chargers. Caught the game winner in the back of the end zone as time expired.

Ratings Down
DE Jarvis Moss – Broncos – 81 to 77 – Inactive the 1st week in his second season for the Broncos.
LB Tully Banta-Cain – 49ers – 79 to 76 – Came to the Niners with high hopes, now he has been replaced at OLB.
CB DeAngelo Hall – Raiders – 93 to 91 – Yes after only one week. Reminded us why some people confuse speed with ability. He has speed, isn't much of a corner though.

Injuries
FB Jeremi Johnson – Bengals – Knee IR
LB Angelo Crowell – Bills – Knee IR
WR Joe Jurevicius – Browns – Knee (PUP)
HB Carnell Wililams – Bucs – Knee (PUP)
C Al Johnson – Cardinals – Knee IR
QB Brodie Croyle – Chiefs – Shoulder (3 weeks)
C Jeff Saturday – Colts – Knee (8 weeks)
G Ryan Lilja – Colts – Knee (PUP)
DT Trey Lewis – Falcons – Knee (8 weeks)
LT Guy Whimper – Giants – Foot IR
K Lawrence Tynes – Giants – Knee (7 weeks)
LG Vince Manuwai – Jaguars – Knee IR
RG Maurice Williams – Jaguars – Arm (12 weeks)
DT Justin Harrell – Packers – Back (PUP)
QB Tom Brady – Patriots – Knee IR
G Stephen Neal – Patriots – Shoulder/Knee (PUP)
WR Drew Bennett – Rams – Foot (8 weeks)
QB Kyle Boller – Ravens – Shoulder IR
CB Dunta Robinson – Texans – Knee (PUP)
QB Vince Young – Titans – Knee (4 weeks)

Contracts
LB DJ Williams – Broncos – 6 years
WR Plaxico Burress – Giants - 5 years
RT Eric Winston – Texans – 5 years

According to PastaPadre, the producers of the game plan to release a new roster update each week, which is a great sign for online gamers.

Colts-13, Bears-29: Don’t Worry

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:58:59 -0500

From what I've heard today, the general sentiment of "fans" was that this season is done for and we should focus on 2009. Bollocks I say. The Colts did look terrible last night, but don't expect that to last. The Colts will bounce back next weekend against the Vikings. Step off of the ledge,

Some Labor Day Colts News

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:22:03 -0500

As I have previously covered, Daniel Muir and Buster Davis were signed yesterday. That brought our roster up to 55 players, so two had to leave. The unlucky players were rookie safety Jamie Silva and linebacker Ramon Guzman. I'm disappointed in seeing Silva get cut, but he will definitely make

The Colts 53 Man Roster (plus PUPs) Is Announced

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:07:14 -0500

The Colts made their final cuts today, so here is the final roster. QB Peyton Manning Jim Sorgi RB Joseph Addai Dominic Rhodes Mike Hart H-B Gijon Robinson Tom Santi WR Reggie Wayne Marvin Harrison Anthony Gonzalez Roy Hall Pierre Garcon Courtney Roby OT Tony Ugoh Ryan Diem Corey Hilliard Dan Federkeil OG Jamey

Preseason Review: MVPs and The Last Roster Prediction

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:38:18 -0500

The preseason is over. Finally. 5 games is way too much. It is such a bitter sweet season. I'm watching the Colts, but I'm not watching the Colts play a real game with their best players, so I'm not really watching the Colts I know. It is fun to speculate on who will make the roster, but I

Colts v. Bengals Preview: It’s Finally Over!

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:53:11 -0500

The preseason is coming to an end this week. In 7 days, the NFL will kickoff, and on Sunday, September 7th, we will see the official opening of Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday Night Football. So what is the goal for this game? DON'T GET HURT! The Colts are continuing tradition of dropping like flies,

Roster Cuts & Injuries Mean…

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:12:37 -0500

A new roster prediction! Yeah! In case you haven't heard, the Colts had to dump 5 players by today. The sad part is that two of them weren't cut but placed on the Injured Reserve. TJ Rushing and Zac Herold both were placed on the IR today. Rushing hurt his right knee in the Buffalo game, and Zac

Colts v. Bills Review

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:07:33 -0500

Wow. This was a terrible game. Just terrible. I couldn't even pay attention for most of it. Seeing the roof open was cool though. I can't even do a best player rundown. This game was that bad. The only notables were Devin Aromashodu with his one catch that went 94 yards for a score and Eric

Colts v. Falcons Recap

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:06:07 -0500

We actually won a preseason game on the road. It is a rare feat that we Colts fans may never see again in our lifetimes. 2006 was the last time when we beat the Saints. We went 5 non-home games winless until winning this one. Of course, that wasn't a true road game. The Saints were playing

Colts News And Notes

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:31:07 -0500

The big bit of news out of Indianapolis Colts training camp comes from Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star as he is reporting that quarterback Peyton Manning is on schedule regarding his rehabilitation to his left knee; that is the word from team head coach Tony Dungy. Manning has missed the entire training camp (25 workouts) and [...]

Coe Latest Colt Done for the Year w/ Knee Injury

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:02:55 -0500

The Colts have likely lost another player to a season ending injury, as reports say that DB Michael Coe will be placed on IR with a left knee injury. The injury took place last week, and while the injury may be healed enough for Coe to be back in about 8 weeks, coach Tony Dungy [...]

Hall of Fame Game Recap

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:39:58 -0500

The Colts lost by 14 to the Washington Redskins. If this was October, that would be a major problem. However, in October with 4 All-Pro players missing, this was a great game. The Colts were tied going into the fourth quarter with mostly backups playing the entire game. Some players really stood out. Here are my top 10 players from the game. 10. Roy Hall, WR: Hall was very good last night. He gained a fair amount of yards on the screen pass, and he caught a tough pass after it hit off of his hands. They didn't test him on deep plays, so we still don't know how good his receiver skills are. However, as a 4th receiver, he's more than qualified. 9. Eric Foster, DT: Quinn who? Foster had the Freeney spin and gave the Colts a good pass rush even though it didn't result in incompletions. The linebackers were pretty weak. Foster is a good pass rushing defensive tackle. This team will get a lot of sacks. 8. Marcus Howard, DE: Sometimes 40 times don't lie. Marcus Howard is extremely fast. He was blowing by the tackles and getting into the backfield. He was giving Todd Collins hell all night long. The play that stands out the most for me was his sack when he was being held. He is small, but he has good strength. He definitely will get playing time this year. I don't consider him a project. He's ready to take the league by storm. 7. Brannon Condren, S: I didn't know much about him. I knew he was pretty good at special teams, but as a safety, I assumed that he wasn't a big hitter and more of a ball-hawking safety. I was wrong. He was hitting hard last night. He played like Matt Giordano, which is good for a player that will be a special teamer. 6. Gijon Robinson, TE: Robinson's first catch made my jaw drop. Sorgi was looking to sacrifice him by throwing the ball over his head, but Robinson made the leap and held onto the ball even though a safety clocked him. He had 3 other catches that resulted in a fair amount of yards. I see him making the roster as well. 5. Pierre Garcon, WR: Garcon was the most impressive receiver to me. Whenever a pass was off target, he was able to adjust and get a hand on it. He was running his routes perfectly. He impressed me on special teams as well. On his only kick return, he got it to midfield, and if he would have tried to get pass the kicker, he could have scored. 4. Jamey Richard, C: Sure, he had that bad snap, but he had the bad luck of the Colts being inside their own 10 when he made that snap. If that was at midfield, Gray would have picked it up and threw it away. After that, Richard became unstoppable. He was pancaking defensive tackle, lead blocking for Mike Hart, and giving The Hefty Lefty time to make a crappy throw. This was a great 7th round pick. 3. Jordan Senn, LB: I haven't heard people talk about him, but he was great. It seemed like he was involved on every tackle no matter where the ball was. He definitely has the speed that the Tampa-2 requires. Right now, I'd say he is a practice squad player, but that can change very quickly. 2. Quinn Gray, QB: Gray locked up the backup QB spot so far. It would take a collapse of epic proportions to make him lose the job. He can scramble. He's got a great arm. When he scrambles, he is able to throw an accurate pass, which gave us around 80 yards that we would have lost if Lorenzen or Sorgi was throwing on the run, which would have been an incompletion or thrown away. Gray looked better than a few starting QBs in this league. 1. Mike Hart, RB: There isn't enough to say about this guy. He proved why 40 times are useless. He looked faster than any other Colts back out there. He fought for the extra yards, which is huge for a back that will be used in short yardage situations. The play where he lost his helmet but still gained another 3 yards showed why he will make this team. He's like a stronger and faster James Mungro. All of these guys minus Senn will make the roster, and all but Gray will be in the rotation. Here are some players that did not impress. Jared Lorenzen aka The Hefty Lefty and The Pillsbury Throwboy, QB: Not only does he look like a lineman or competitive eater, he throws like one. He was double clutching and shotputting his throws. This guy should stick to the donuts and leave football alone. He is not an NFL QB. Plain and simple. Good thing Eli Manning never got hurt or else the Patriots would have been 19-0. Clifton Dawson, RB: Mike Hart is better in pads, and Dawson is better on the practice field. Dawson went down after the first hit, and he didn't have a reception. He's got a Havard degree. He'll be better off as a lawyer than a backup running back. Freddie Keiaho, Victor Worsley, and Brandon Archer: Worsley and Archer aren't anything special, but the starting WILL linebacker being so bad in pass coverage is concerning. He needs to improve or else we could see Philip Wheeler or Clint Session playing on the weak side. So with all of this, here is the updated roster. I love making these. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Obviously. #5 Quinn Gray: After this game, I am more confindent in our backup QB than ever. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Obvious again. #38 Dominic Rhodes: He had some great runs last night. #32 Mike Hart: Even though he is a Michigan grad, I can't get enough of this guy. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Shocker, I know #88 Marvin Harrison: Duh #11 Anthony Gonzalez: Not a lot of second year former first round picks get cut #83 Roy Hall: Amazing potential #85 Pierre Garcon: Division III needs some love too. #80 Devin Aromashodu: He played pretty well last night. TE #44 Dallas Clark: A few years ago, Austin Croshere wore number 44 for the Pacers. Indianapolis had two white guys named after cities in Texas wearing number 44. #47 Gijon Robinson: The stumpy H-back was impressive last night. #84 Jacob Tamme: Tamme is bigger than I thought he was. I want to see him get some throws from Gray and Sorgi, not BBQ (Bad & Bulky Quarterback, not Big & Beautiful). #86 Tom Santi: Santi should make the roster even though he is hurt. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: Underrated tackle. #76 Dan Federkiel: The only Canuck on the team on this roster prediction. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Underrated guard. #53 Steve Justice: I didn't notice him last night. C #63 Jeff Saturday: The Indy Star did a piece on future Colts Hall of Famers, and Saturday wasn't mentioned even though players like Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney were. Saturday has been just as dominant as any current modern-era centers. #61 Jamey Richard: Richard was great last night. He's very, very fast, and the bad snap was a major fluke. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak played well last night. #74 Charlie Johnson: A "Meh"-worthy performance last night. Didn't see anything great out of him. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Often goes unnoticed, but I notice when he isn't playing. #75 Michael Toudouze: We've got some depth at offensive line. Toudouze is good for a backup right tackle. LE #79 Raheem Brock: He had some good pass rushing last night. He will play UT on passing situations. #98 Robert Mathis: I prefer him as a pass rush specialist. His best seasons were behind Brock. #60 Curtis Johnson: Johnson surprised me last night with some good run defense. RE #93 Dwight Freeney: If you don't double team him, he will get a sack. It's as simple as that. #92 Marcus Howard: I shall call him "Mini-Freeney". #90 Jeff Charleston: Josh Thomas is still as slow as hell. NT #99 Ed Johnson: Big Eddy didn't see too many snaps last night, but he is the best run-stopping player on this team. #95 Darrell Reid: Special teamer who may see some time at defensive tackle this season. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: The last couple of drafts have been absolutely amazing. In Polian We Trust. #68 Eric Foster: He's been the MVP of training camp so far. Let's see if he can carry that momentum into September. SLB #55 Clint Session: I don't like him being hurt. Being a Colts linebacker, you will probably get hurt and not get resigned. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: Hagler's injury may have cost him a starting job. MLB #58 Gary Brackett: He'll make the Pro Bowl this year. The snub will motivate him. #50 Philip Wheeler: Knees are slightly behind the Patriots as the Colts biggest enemy. WLB #54 Freddie Keiaho: He better improve at pass coverage. #52 Ramon Guzman: Special teamer. CB #28 Marlin Jackson: He can hit and cover well. Speed isn't a big factor in the Tampa-2. #26 Kelvin Hayden: See Marlin Jackson. #20 Dante Hughes: He dropped because of his 40 time. 40 times are so frickin' overrated! #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has done well enough in training camp to keep this job. #34 TJ Rushing: Garcon and him will make a great returning duo. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: He could make the Pro Bowl the old fashion way (not by being an alternate) this year. #42 Brannon Condren: He won me over. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders likes his New England Patriots the same way he likes his ice. Crushed. #43 Matt Giordano: He hits so hard his hair fell out. Or at least that's what John Madden says. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: One for the thumb. P #17 Hunter Smith: Being the Colts punter is the easiest job you can have. LS #48 Justin Snow: Long snapper needs to become an official position. Reserve PUP/IR: #25 Michael Coe: Another knee injury… Practice Squad RB Chad Simpson WR Sam Giguere WR Onrea Jones OL Darren Marquez DL Collin Ferrell LB Jordan Senn LB Kyle Shotwell DB Jamie Silva 10 to Keep In Touch With QB Jim Sorgi RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Corey Hilliard DL Josh Thomas DL Joe Bradley LB Brandon Archer LB Victor Worsley DB Melvin Bullitt DB Keiwan Ratliff

Pitcock Quits, So It’s Time For Another Roster Prediction

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:50:17 -0500

Quinn Pitcock has retired from professional football. I guess he pulled a Ricky Williams. Indy still hold his rights, so if he would change is mind like Brett Favre, he would have to play for the Colts. Good thing that this happened at arguably our deepest position. I'm sure some of the other defensive tackles can make this whole ordeal be forgotten. Eric Foster, Keyunta Dawson, Darrell Reid, and Ed Johnson should do the trick. Since Pitcock quit, and I have read some info about who's been looking good and who hasn't, I think it is time for another roster prediction. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Do I even have to say anything? #12 Jim Sorgi: He's leading the competition right now, but The Pillsbury Throwboy (aka Jared Lorenzen) is sneaking up on him. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Another Pro Bowler. #38 Dominic Rhodes: I thought he got #33 back. I guess it doesn't really matter. #32 Mike Hart: Freddy Keiaho nailed him, and Keiaho got some lip from Dungy. Hart hasn't been as impressive as I thought he would be. FB #30 Clift Dawson: I've heard he has been impressive in camp, so why not give him a shot on the roster? We've got some room. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Pro Bowler, again. #88 Marvin Harrison: Future Hall of Famer back from an injury and looking great in practice. #11 Anthony Gonzalez: After what I saw from him last year, I like the future of our receivers. #83 Roy Hall: The freakish potential of Hall should get him on the field no matter what he looks like in practice (moot point since he's looked fine). #80 Devin Aromashodu: I've never been a big fan, but if he's looked good in practice, he should be on the roster. #85 Pierre Garcon: He could be our kick returner as well, but I am giving that to another receiver. I think Garcon could surprise me. If he runs his routes like Marvin (which I've heard), then he should get a fair amount of playing time this year. TE #44 Dallas Clark: Great redzone target. #84 Jacob Tamme: Wide receiver stuck in a tight end's body. I like! #86 Tom Santi: Santi has a bursa sac infection like Peyton. Maybe they can compare how bulbous and gross their knees looked. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: The potential is scary for this tackle. #75 Michael Toudouze: Toudouze and Federkiel are as equal as you can get. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Lilja stayed with the team while Jake Scott went to the Colts Trashcan (aka Tennessee). Let's see if he can continue being the great linemen he has been. #61 Jamey Richard: 2nd day pick on the line. We don't need a high draft pick to find a quality lineman. C #63 Jeff Saturday: Pro Bowler. Future Hall of Famer. Not too uncommon on this team. #53 Steve Justice: One of the rookie interior linemen. Not a lot is known about these guys. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak has competition, but he should be the starter. #74 Charlie Johnson: Johnson better improve or else he'll struggle to make the roster. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Always goes unnoticed. Diem has been on this line since the Mora era. RDE #93 Dwight Freeney: He'll be back and better than ever. #92 Marcus Howard: Howard could end up being the steal of the draft. He's the fastest defensive end we've seen in a long time. #91 Josh Thomas: This wasn't meant to go numerically. It just happened like that. Over Tackle #99 Ed Johnson: Big Ed could have a sophomore breakout year. He's a first round talent that fell for legal reasons. #95 Darrell Reid: I guess he will have to temporarily replace Pitcock. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: With Brock changing positions, Dawson will be the starting under tackle. #68 Eric Foster: Foster could end up being the gem of this class. He is a natural leader and has a great work ethic. LDE #79 Raheem Brock: Brock has been moved to defensive end, and this will only help the run defense and the pass rush. #98 Robert Mathis: Mathis became a great defensive end when he wasn't a starter. He should become another pass rush threat on third down. #60 Curtis Johnson: This undrafted free agent could end up being a star pass rusher. SAM #55 Clint Session: Even when Hagler gets back, I think Session will be the starter. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: His injury problem may cost him a starting job. MIKE #58 Gary Brackett: His snub from the Pro Bowl last year was a major mistake by the players, coaches, and fans. #50 Philip Wheeler: My prediction: Wheeler will be a Pro Bowler before 2011. He's perfect for this system. WILL #54 Freddy Keiaho: Keiaho should be a great linebacker if he is healthy. #52 Ramon Guzman: Guzman is making this team because of special teams. And that only. RCB #28 Marlin Jackson: What can you say about him? He's a great Cover 2 corner. #20 Dante Hughes: Hughes at nickelback could make this team impossible to pass on. #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has one more chance to prove his worth. LCB #26 Kelvin Hayden: He is becoming a budding star in the Cover 2. #34 TJ Rushing: Rushing has surprised me and became a quality corner. #25 Michael Coe: Special teams for him. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: Another Pro Bowler here. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders tackled the inner-city violence problem…for a four-yard loss. #43 Matt Giordano: Giordano is a hard-hitting safety, just like the starter. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: Another future Hall of Famer. P #17 Hunter Smith: Go Irish!!! LS #48 Justin Snow: Long-snappers need some love too. RS #14 Sam Giguere: Canada has a player represented on this team even though Federkiel didn't make the cut. Practice Squad RB: #35 Chad Simpson FB: #47 Gijon Robinson OL: #76 Dan Federkiel DL: #90 Jeff Charleston DL: #61 Colin Ferrell LB: #51 Victor Worsley DB: #40 Jamie Silva DB: #42 Brannon Condren 5 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Darren Marquez LB Jordan Senn DB Brandon Foster