thedrifter
09-16-06, 11:28 AM
Meaningless preseason? For Colts, maybe not
Dungy takes blame for porous run defense, says he didn't play men enough
NFL NOTEBOOK
The Associated Press
Updated: 11:55 p.m. ET Sept 15, 2006
The Indianapolis Colts kept hearing people tell them how meaningless the preseason was.
After watching the Colts struggle to defend the run in their season-opening win against the Giants, coach Tony Dungy changed his opinion: Maybe preseason games do mean something after all.
“Our run defense was not very good, and that’s something we have to address,” he said. “One reason is we didn’t have Corey Simon. But we’ve got to be better coming off the ball and in gap control. Some of that is my fault because we didn’t play our guys enough during the preseason, contrary to what Clinton Portis said, and it showed.”
Portis, a running back for the Washington Redskins, injured his shoulder in their preseason opener. He fired up the debate over the nature of the NFL preseason, saying it should be shorter.
Sunday night marked the first time the Colts’ starting defense played together since losing linebacker David Thornton and defensive tackle Larry Tripplett in free agency.
Defensive tackles Montae Reagor and Simon, defensive end Dwight Freeney, safeties Mike Doss and Bob Sanders and cornerbacks Jason David and Nick Harper all sat out at least part of training camp because of injuries, and Dungy didn’t have much choice but to rest them.
He couldn’t chance further injuries to players who were already nicked and didn’t want to put other starters at additional risk by playing them too long. So Dungy followed the typical NFL script of playing the starters sparingly.
The disappointing results included a 186-yard rushing effort by the New York Giants, a slew of missed tackles, blown assignments and little pressure on Peyton Manning’s younger brother, Eli.
Players and coaches both expected better.
“Part of our tackling problem was not wrapping up,” Dungy said. “We don’t do a lot of tackling in practice, so you’ve got to do that in preseason games, and we had guys who didn’t get a chance to do that.”
There may be good news on the way.
Simon, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last month, was expected to start running this week, but the Colts were waiting to make a decision on his availability for Sunday’s game against Houston.
Ready for duty
Ahmard Hall hasn’t heard from too many of the Marines he served with in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He understands it’s tough pouring through the names of the players cut from NFL rosters — especially someone who wasn’t released.
“Some guys know, and some guys don’t. It’s slowly but surely getting spread out,” said Hall.
Well, the news is that the man who served four years in the U.S. Marines is on the roster with the Tennessee Titans by beating long odds. An undrafted free agent, Hall also beat out a hometown draft pick to earn the fullback job.
The odds of doing that almost pale in comparison to the fact Hall already walked on at the University of Texas, earned a scholarship and won a national title last year. And the man who turns 27 in November didn’t sign an NFL contract until July 13.
Hall didn’t do much to celebrate his NFL debut because he was too busy preparing for the New York Jets and moving his wife and their family from Austin, Texas, to Nashville. He left ticket purchases to his wife, but he did jump a few times running onto the field last weekend for his NFL debut.
He hurt his left ankle while blocking in last week’s 23-16 loss, but helped the Titans rush for 86 yards in the game. Hall was wearing a walking boot during the week and was questionable for Sunday’s game at San Diego.
How popular will Titans games be back in Texas?
“They definitely have some people with DirecTV so they can get the game. They’ll definitely get together and watch me,” Hall said.
Parking pass
When the Bengals pull into the parking lot at Paul Brown Stadium this season, they’re reminded that seniority has its perks.
The five parking spots closest to the main entrance have signs reserving them for center Rich Braham, defensive tackle Sam Adams, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, cornerback Tory James and defensive end Bryan Robinson.
It was the idea of coach Marvin Lewis.
“It’s something different,” he said. “It rewards them for where they are in their careers. It’s a neat thing. It’s something for the other guys to walk by every day and look up to.”
Last year, Lewis reserved those spots for the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, handing out parking privileges based on level of play each week. He found that players enjoyed the friendly competition and the perk.
“It’s something that became very competitive for us last year, and it’s fun,” Lewis said. “It gives them something to look forward to.”
Legend dinner
NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith will be among those honored during the Great Sports Legends dinner held by the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
The dinner on Tuesday in New York, emceed by Tom Brokaw, also will honor Lance Armstrong, Dean Smith, Wade Boggs, Patrick Ewing, Tony Hawk, John Vanbiesbrouck, Michael Chang and University of Texas women’s track coach Beverly Kearney. The fund hopes to raise $2.8 million for spinal cord injury research programs at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
“This is one of the most excellent arrays of honorees we have ever put together,” said Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund and a Pro Football Hall of Fame member. “These great Americans and honorees will help us continue our work to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, which affect millions worldwide.”
Nick Buoniconti’s son Marc sustained a spinal cord injury playing for The Citadel in 1985.
Mousy Arrington
Linebacker LaVar Arrington might be spending a little too much time on the Internet.
Arrington took exception to a recent report on Giants Insider that said he was “quiet as a church mouse” in his first game with New York.
“Quiet as a church mouse?” Arrington told reporters before they could question him. “I am playing within the frame work of the defensive scheme and it just so happens I didn’t make any huge plays. But I was not as quiet as a church mouse, I don’t recall ever seeing a church mouse.”
Arrington, the former Redskin who signed a $49 million contract to play with New York, had four tackles in the game. He also broke up a pass, but that was not in the final statistics.
When asked how he felt he played, Arrington quipped:
“I was hurt. I was totally hurt,” he said, joking about the injured right knee that limited him in training camp.
“I think for my first extensive amount of playing time, I was solid,” Arrington added, insisting he was a step away from sacking Peyton Manning twice in the 26-21 loss to Indianapolis. “There are, of course, a lot of things I need to improve on.”
Ellie
Dungy takes blame for porous run defense, says he didn't play men enough
NFL NOTEBOOK
The Associated Press
Updated: 11:55 p.m. ET Sept 15, 2006
The Indianapolis Colts kept hearing people tell them how meaningless the preseason was.
After watching the Colts struggle to defend the run in their season-opening win against the Giants, coach Tony Dungy changed his opinion: Maybe preseason games do mean something after all.
“Our run defense was not very good, and that’s something we have to address,” he said. “One reason is we didn’t have Corey Simon. But we’ve got to be better coming off the ball and in gap control. Some of that is my fault because we didn’t play our guys enough during the preseason, contrary to what Clinton Portis said, and it showed.”
Portis, a running back for the Washington Redskins, injured his shoulder in their preseason opener. He fired up the debate over the nature of the NFL preseason, saying it should be shorter.
Sunday night marked the first time the Colts’ starting defense played together since losing linebacker David Thornton and defensive tackle Larry Tripplett in free agency.
Defensive tackles Montae Reagor and Simon, defensive end Dwight Freeney, safeties Mike Doss and Bob Sanders and cornerbacks Jason David and Nick Harper all sat out at least part of training camp because of injuries, and Dungy didn’t have much choice but to rest them.
He couldn’t chance further injuries to players who were already nicked and didn’t want to put other starters at additional risk by playing them too long. So Dungy followed the typical NFL script of playing the starters sparingly.
The disappointing results included a 186-yard rushing effort by the New York Giants, a slew of missed tackles, blown assignments and little pressure on Peyton Manning’s younger brother, Eli.
Players and coaches both expected better.
“Part of our tackling problem was not wrapping up,” Dungy said. “We don’t do a lot of tackling in practice, so you’ve got to do that in preseason games, and we had guys who didn’t get a chance to do that.”
There may be good news on the way.
Simon, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last month, was expected to start running this week, but the Colts were waiting to make a decision on his availability for Sunday’s game against Houston.
Ready for duty
Ahmard Hall hasn’t heard from too many of the Marines he served with in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He understands it’s tough pouring through the names of the players cut from NFL rosters — especially someone who wasn’t released.
“Some guys know, and some guys don’t. It’s slowly but surely getting spread out,” said Hall.
Well, the news is that the man who served four years in the U.S. Marines is on the roster with the Tennessee Titans by beating long odds. An undrafted free agent, Hall also beat out a hometown draft pick to earn the fullback job.
The odds of doing that almost pale in comparison to the fact Hall already walked on at the University of Texas, earned a scholarship and won a national title last year. And the man who turns 27 in November didn’t sign an NFL contract until July 13.
Hall didn’t do much to celebrate his NFL debut because he was too busy preparing for the New York Jets and moving his wife and their family from Austin, Texas, to Nashville. He left ticket purchases to his wife, but he did jump a few times running onto the field last weekend for his NFL debut.
He hurt his left ankle while blocking in last week’s 23-16 loss, but helped the Titans rush for 86 yards in the game. Hall was wearing a walking boot during the week and was questionable for Sunday’s game at San Diego.
How popular will Titans games be back in Texas?
“They definitely have some people with DirecTV so they can get the game. They’ll definitely get together and watch me,” Hall said.
Parking pass
When the Bengals pull into the parking lot at Paul Brown Stadium this season, they’re reminded that seniority has its perks.
The five parking spots closest to the main entrance have signs reserving them for center Rich Braham, defensive tackle Sam Adams, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, cornerback Tory James and defensive end Bryan Robinson.
It was the idea of coach Marvin Lewis.
“It’s something different,” he said. “It rewards them for where they are in their careers. It’s a neat thing. It’s something for the other guys to walk by every day and look up to.”
Last year, Lewis reserved those spots for the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, handing out parking privileges based on level of play each week. He found that players enjoyed the friendly competition and the perk.
“It’s something that became very competitive for us last year, and it’s fun,” Lewis said. “It gives them something to look forward to.”
Legend dinner
NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith will be among those honored during the Great Sports Legends dinner held by the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
The dinner on Tuesday in New York, emceed by Tom Brokaw, also will honor Lance Armstrong, Dean Smith, Wade Boggs, Patrick Ewing, Tony Hawk, John Vanbiesbrouck, Michael Chang and University of Texas women’s track coach Beverly Kearney. The fund hopes to raise $2.8 million for spinal cord injury research programs at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
“This is one of the most excellent arrays of honorees we have ever put together,” said Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund and a Pro Football Hall of Fame member. “These great Americans and honorees will help us continue our work to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, which affect millions worldwide.”
Nick Buoniconti’s son Marc sustained a spinal cord injury playing for The Citadel in 1985.
Mousy Arrington
Linebacker LaVar Arrington might be spending a little too much time on the Internet.
Arrington took exception to a recent report on Giants Insider that said he was “quiet as a church mouse” in his first game with New York.
“Quiet as a church mouse?” Arrington told reporters before they could question him. “I am playing within the frame work of the defensive scheme and it just so happens I didn’t make any huge plays. But I was not as quiet as a church mouse, I don’t recall ever seeing a church mouse.”
Arrington, the former Redskin who signed a $49 million contract to play with New York, had four tackles in the game. He also broke up a pass, but that was not in the final statistics.
When asked how he felt he played, Arrington quipped:
“I was hurt. I was totally hurt,” he said, joking about the injured right knee that limited him in training camp.
“I think for my first extensive amount of playing time, I was solid,” Arrington added, insisting he was a step away from sacking Peyton Manning twice in the 26-21 loss to Indianapolis. “There are, of course, a lot of things I need to improve on.”
Ellie