Peyton Manning's Playing Time

by Chris Pokorny on Dec 23, 2007 10:02 PM EST in General News Comment 13 comments

Sports Illustrated's Peter King just talked with Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy over the phone regarding how much playing time Peyton Manning will receive next week against the Tennessee Titans.

According to Dungy, "Manning will play no more than a half." That means that Manning could see anything from one series to the entire first half. For our sake, hopefully he plays the entire first half. Do you know what else I'd like to see? I'd like to see Marvin Harrison play for the first time in months. His knee injury is healed, but he didn't play this week because he needed to work on conditioning still. Manning and Harrison may feel that one half of game action prior to the postseason would be valuable.

By the way, don't be surprised if Dawgs By Nature sounds like a Colts or Titans blog this week as much as it does a Browns blog. Everything needs to be scrutinized.

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Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

I'm still in complete shock that DA would fall apart so badly when everything on the line. What a disaster.

by gentryholdem on Dec 23, 2007 10:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

Just a couple of thoughts as I reel from this loss today:

Regardless of what happens next week, this has been one awesome ride. Thinking back to where we thought we'd be at this point in the season back in August to being scared/sad about a missed playoff opportunity is quite the turn around. Thanks for the year, guys. I hope we see a Browns game this January!
For the first time in years we go into the off season with something spectacular to build on. There's kinks and inconsistencies, yes. We have the Quarterback debate (but in a good way this time!). But for once since their return in 99, the dreams a good next season don't involve a complete overhaul. 2008 will be a great season with the core we've got now and a little help here and there.
If the Browns were just getting hot and missing the playoffs because of past mistakes, this would be especially heartbreaking. But, the way they've played recently, I honestly don't see them getting past the first round of the playoffs ala 2002. They hit their stride midway through the season and really have felt like they've just been holding on against some pretty mediocre teams (or flat out losing to them as we saw today) rather than getting a true "playoff push." In other words, if we miss the playoffs, I don't think we're missing much other than delayed heartbreak. I'd love to be proven wrong, though!
We had a WINNING SEASON regardless of what happens against San Fransisco or with Tennessee. That's something to celebrate in Cleveland! Heck, next week might even bring DOUBLE DIGIT wins. How cool is that? :)
Hats off to a season-long struggling defense that kept the Bengals to just 6 points and shut them out in the second half. If out offense hadn't made all those mistakes (or at least two of them), it'd have been a very different game.

As heart breaking as the game was today, we didn't deserve to win. Just like in Arizona, we can gripe about the officials calls and blah blah blah, but we once again shot ourselves in the foot shouldn't have even have made it as close as it was.

Try to pull yourselves out of your slump, get ready to root our boys on at home next week and cheer for an Indianapolis win come Sunday night.

In the end, I've have had more fun watching and listening to the games this season than I can remember having in a long time. The Browns gave me something to look forward for each Sunday and a good bit of hope in a future glory in Cleveland Football. And for that, I'm super thankful!

Go Browns!

Tim, Milwaukee, WI

by daroga on Dec 24, 2007 12:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

I completely agree. This has been a fun season to watch! Let's hope the stars align and they get a chance in January!

by CraigD on Dec 24, 2007 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

All of these are nice thoughts, but man, don't we get tired of hearing crap like this as Cleveland sports fans? Fun ride and all that, but come on, wouldn't it be nice to actually get somewhere sometime?

by Turkmenbashi on Dec 24, 2007 12:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

Agreed. There are no guarantees in the future, have to treat each year like it's your only chance.

by Roger Dorn on Dec 24, 2007 2:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

Definitely. I remember how high my expectations were the season following our last playoff appearance. Sure, we have much better talent now, but at that time, I thought most of the moves we had made were going to bring us to another playoff berth.

And, if we finish 10-6, you never know if we'll have a "Jets-like" season next year.

by Chris Pokorny on Dec 24, 2007 4:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

i've been holding back on the next year expectations talk until the season is over, but i think we all need to take a look at the schedule. Next year we play the AFC South and the NFC East. Both of these divisions quite possibly may field 6 of the 12 playoff teams this year.

by dvd1204 on Dec 25, 2007 11:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

One big reason we're having such a good year is none of our stars have been significantly injured all year. If Winslow or Edwards or Thomas goes down early next year, we probably will end up with a Jets-like season. We've been fortunate to keep everyone pretty healthy this year...gotta take advantage of that.

by misterbaseball99 on Dec 26, 2007 4:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

I agree wholeheartedly. I am so tired of hearing about how we should be happy with how far we made or how next is it. I want to win. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

At least I wasn't born in Denver

by fwembt on Dec 24, 2007 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Peyton Manning's Playing Time

There might be hope yet. Indy does have something interest in bumping the Titans out of the mix. A thought from http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=packgreenbayssuperbowlho&prov=tsn&type=lgns :

When the Colts faced the Steelers after the bye, Indy was flat. They quickly fell behind 14 points and never recovered.

So this year, with two games to go and nothing more to prove, the Colts kept Manning in Sunday's game against the Texans for three full quarters. The obvious reason? To keep the saw sharp.

Look for Indy to do the same thing next week against Tennessee. When facing the Titans, however, the goal might not only be to keep the starters fresh. The Colts have strategic reasons for knocking the Titans out of the playoffs. If Tennessee wins, both AFC wild-card teams will be division rivals who know the Colts well and aren't afraid of them.
~~~

And the same article's thoughts on the Browns:

It was easy for the Cleveland Browns to win earlier this year because no one expected anything from them. Quarterback Derek Anderson, for instance, had nothing to lose. Everyone assumed he would eventually be yanked in favor of Brady Quinn.

Then they started winning games they were supposed to lose. And they somehow found themselves after 15 weeks in a two-way tie for the AFC North lead.

But once they realized they were doing pretty well, and they found a way to lose a game in Cincinnati that they were supposed to win.

Though that loss to the Bengals doesn't kill the Browns' hopes for January football, it requires them to watch the scoreboard and hope the Titans to lose at Indy.

Even if the Browns don't make it, there are plenty of reasons for folks in Cleveland to be proud of their team's performance. But even a one-and-done postseason would be useful experience for the future, and the Browns will continue to be in the playoff mix for several seasons to come.