“Check It Down, Check It Down”
November 26th, 2023
Patrolling the streets, bars and casino tables of the Indianapolis metropolis, Joe found a recurring theme.
Colts fans think the team will lose to the Bucs today.
That echoed the sentiment of a longtime Colts beat writer during his visit to the Tampa Bay sports radio airwaves this week.
Yes, the Colts are 5-5 and a surprise considering their roster turmoil this season, a first-year head coach and a roster not exactly loaded with talent. But that doesn’t make them a good team facing the Bucs today in Indianapolis.
BSPN Colts beat guy Stephen Holder, a former Bucs beat writer, told WDAE radio that he thinks the Bucs will beat the Colts.
Holder cited trouble in the Colts secondary and their likely inability to contain Mike Evans and/or Chris Godwin. He also noted the Colts’ “matchup up front is unsettling,” referring to backup center Wesley French trying to stop Vita Vea from wrecking the game.
The Colts’ passing game, Holder implied it’s transitioned to impotent after Gardner Minshew paid for taking deep shots with turnovers and sacks.
“They have slowly tried to rein him in,” Holder said of the Colts’ approach to Minshew.
He described a new philosophy for the Colts’ offense.
“‘Look, we’re going to check it down, check it down, hand it off to [Jonathan] Taylor and we’ll just hope for the best,'” Holder said. “And their defense has been good enough to allow them to win those games.”
Joe can’t find a good excuse for the Bucs to lose today, unless they’re truly a bad team.
As one Colts fan told Joe last night, “We’re not capable of beating a good team.”
November 26th, 2023 at 9:05 am
“We’re not capable of beating a good team” That applies to both teams.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:09 am
The wildcard here is coaching incompetence.
The Colts have a coaching staff who wants to win.
The Bucs have a coaching staffing that wants to play the game the “right” way…run first, bend but don’t break on defense, be “physical” (and miss lots of tackles), take no risks, play the “right” players and maintain the “rotation.” If we win, it will be a nail biting, mistake laden mess. But we likely won’t…
November 26th, 2023 at 9:12 am
The worst team will lose. It may be close because they are both the worst. Tie?
November 26th, 2023 at 9:14 am
“‘Look, we’re going to check it down, check it down, hand it off to [Rachaad] White and we’ll just hope for the best’”
Fixed it.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:22 am
Can somebody please remind Todd Bowles that timeouts do not rollover into the second half and to stop saving ALL THREE of our timeouts in the first half?
Thanks
November 26th, 2023 at 9:24 am
I think we pull out the win. Bucs are going to go on a run to end the season.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:29 am
Good point about the timeouts Jack. There have been several games where I am watching and my wife asks, can’t they stop the clock with a timeout and try and get the ball back? I have to tell her that Coach Bowles doesn’t like to use them, best part is my wife then asks, do they roll over? No dear they don’t. Well why doesn’t he use them then to like come up with a plan or try and keep some time on the clock.
My wife only passes by while I am watching the game because she doesn’t like football or understand it, but she understands the flaws of our coach without even understanding the game.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:30 am
With the Bucs missing David and Dean, and Devin White a game time decision, the advantage goes to Colts. Plus they have home field. It will probably be a close game, but a Colts W.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:32 am
So the team who plays it closest to the vest today will lose. Sounds like Bowels might have his handful coaching against a staff who is also trying to win as they did 10-6 as Indy did vs. the sad Pats. When Indy beat Carolina earlier this season, I think they put up 23 but a good part of those points were via defensive takeaways so the Bowels’ D has no excuses if the Colts boat race them today. .
If the Bucs lose this one, why not just tear off the bandage and fire Bowels unless the Glazers think that Bowels will help the have a better chance at a top 5 to 7 draft pick than an interim as they saw how the Raiders have life after a firing and in our division last year the Panthers played better after sacking Rhule who can not even win at Nebraska nowadays.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:53 am
HC Grover Says:
November 26th, 2023 at 9:12 am
The worst team will lose. It may be close because they are both the worst. Tie?
^^^^^^^^
The “worst” team? The teams are 5-5 and 4-6. The Carolina Panthers are 1-9. Please stop being an dumbfounded dips-hit.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Its a long shot but im hoping harrison jr drops out of the top 5 and we make a trade to move up for him….then bo nix to sit behind baker for a year
November 26th, 2023 at 9:57 am
And in the dark corners of Tampa the word is that the Colts will beat the Bucs today.
Evenly matched half built teams. It will be up to the coaches to make a hero shine and I don’t have enough faith in Hot Toddie to think he can do that.
This one is going to be ugly and the winner will be whoever doesn’t screw the goose the most.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:18 am
“Holder cited trouble in the Colts secondary and their likely inability to contain Mike Evans and/or Chris Godwin…”
The Colts do not have to worry about containing ME and Godwin. Boles will do that for them as he has all year
November 26th, 2023 at 11:16 am
Joe in Mich stop being a jerk and an A-Hole
November 26th, 2023 at 11:31 am
Head Case Grover….. UTA
November 26th, 2023 at 11:36 am
The Bucs aren’t a good team so no worries Colts fan. Go Bucs anyway!!
November 26th, 2023 at 11:40 am
Looking at the Flash Poll fans on both sides see it about the same way.
Colts did run the ball for 168 and total yards of 450 against the Browns.
Expectations were a lot lower for the Colts this season and can play loose.
Bucs Head Coach is not the only one under pressure to do well this season to secure a position next season.
Getting out played by a back up QB and a Rookie Head Coach in Week 12 when many teams are hitting their stride will diminish their value for 2024.
November 26th, 2023 at 11:59 am
If only we were a good team
November 26th, 2023 at 12:21 pm
The Colts have Jonathon Taylor and Michael Pittman. If they let The Mustache beat them with that, they deserve to miss the playoffs
November 26th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
Guaranteed……first pass play for the Colts will find a wide open uncontested WR….bank on it
November 26th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
There is absolutely no way on Gods earth the Bucs will lose today.
The odds of Bucs losing is 0.00%
We 100% will win this game.
Seriously guys, there’s no way we lose today, right? Right!? RIGHT?!?!?!!!
November 26th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Looking for SVD to do well replacing LVD
November 26th, 2023 at 3:11 pm
Joe says this: Joe can’t find a good excuse for the Bucs to lose today, unless they’re truly a bad team.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:01 pm
I drove 2.5 hrs to the game. I saw play after play were the defense blew the coverage,they looked confused on who was to go where. The offense no imagination. Just up the middle hardly used the tight ends to major roll outs. I seemed the the colts were in the huddle on both defense and offense. Todd Bowles has no clue how to manage a team and the so call guru on defense sucks at that. The so called brains behind the offense needs too go! This complete coaching team needs to be gone. After the game I had to drive another 2.5 hrs to go home . Thank God these were my neighbors seats so I got a break on the cost for 2 seats. The secondary has no idea how to tackle or run pass coverage. There is a lot of talent on this team but the coaches have idea to judge talent. Backs were giving up 10 yards instead of playing bump and run. Maybe they don’t know the rules. I am I pissed hell yes. Having played semi pro defense corner I can see the backs lack speed. Tackle the legs not the upper body! I wish I was younger would have loved to put on the uniform and see what playing up tight at the line can due…. A pissed off day one buc fan!