2008 Colts

Jimmy Chitwood

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just thought i'd start a thread for this year's version, and do it with some photos of some old favorites and some new.

on offense:

peytonmanning.jpg

Peyton Manning

jeffsaturday.jpg

Jeff Saturday

ryandiem.jpg

Ryan Diem

ryanlilja.jpg

Ryan Lilja

dallasclark.jpg

Dallas Clark

anthonygonzalez-1.jpg

Anthony Gonzalez

jacobtamme.jpg

Jacob Tamme

and on defense:

mattgiordano.jpg

Matt Giordano

jamiesilva.jpg

Jamie Silva

brannoncondren.jpg

Brannon Condren

sennjordan.jpg

Jordan Senn

kyleshotwell.jpg

Kyle Shotwell
Edited by: Don Wassall
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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the young defensive quartet of linebackers Jordan Senn and Kyle Shotwell and safeties Brannon Condren and Jamie Silva have really looked strong this preseason.

Senn leads the Colts in tackles with 24 (22 solo). Condren is second on the team with 17 (15 solo) and leads the team with 2 interceptions. Silva is third on the team with 14 (12 solo) and tied with Condren for second with 2 passes defensed. Shotwell is tied for fourth on the team with 13 tackles (11 solo) and tied for the team lead with 3 special teams tackles.

as Don has stated, the secondary of the Colts is very crowded. hopefully, they will keep both Silva and Condren along with speedster Matt Giordano. with the Colts' emphasis on a fast defense, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried Silva at outside linebacker in order to keep all these young talents on the team.

on offense, the gifted receiving tight end from Kentucky Jacob Tamme has not disappointed. in the preseason, he leads Indianapolis in catches (10), receiving yards (133), and receiving touchdowns (2) and is second in yards per catch.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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i think Don posted this, but here it is again just in case i'm mistaken... young Brannon Condren has been impressive.

condrenandgiordanao.jpg

Brannon Condren celebrates with Matt Giordano

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

Colts Safety Condren Continues to Have Strong Preseason/Training Camp
INDIANAPOLIS - Things changed this past weekend for Brannon Condren, and they changed fairly drastically.

Most importantly for Condren, they changed for the better.

Condren, a second-year Colts safety from Troy, continued a strong preseason/training camp this past Saturday in a victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Condren, who intercepted six passes in training camp, played extensively against Atlanta, and in the second half, had two interceptions in three drives.

Strangest to Condren was how the interceptions came.

The first came with just under seven minutes remaining on a deflected pass.

The second came two series later . . .

Again, on a deflection.

And to Condren that was just, plain weird.

"I was usually on the total opposite side of the field when something like that happens," Condren said this week as the Colts (1-2 in the preseason) prepared to play the Buffalo Bills in the first preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday at 8 p.m.

"I guess luck's just swinging my way a little bit. I got two, and hopefully, those will keep coming my way."

If luck is swinging toward Condren, Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy said there's a reason.

Condren, a fourth-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, played mostly on special teams last season, but impressed coaches throughout the offseason and training camp with his increased awareness and confidence, Dungy said.

"He's playing a little more relaxed," Dungy said. "He's a little more comfortable and his athletic ability is coming out. The things that we saw him do and the plays he made in college - you're just waiting for him to relax and make those. And he is showing it.

"When the game slows down and you feel like you're in the right place, you can play aggressively. That's what's happening for Brannon as well."

Condren, who in three preseason games is one of the Colts' leading tacklers with 14 - including a team-high nine against the Carolina Panthers on August 9 - said during the offseason he felt significantly more confident, and that he had a better grasp of the Colts' defense.

"Just being out there has really helped me out," he said.

He said this week that feeling has continued into camp and preseason, and said being a bit fortunate this past Saturday may have been in part about something more.

"This year," Condren said, "I just feel more and more confident. That just comes with it, I guess. I haven't been too lucky in the past, getting tipped balls. I guess that's all confidence. In college, they would throw a ball my way and I'd just be looking for the hit instead of trying to get an interception. Now, it has changed. Now, I'm looking to get the ball instead of doing that.

"I have a wider vision, I guess you'd say, instead of just being locked on my specific thing. Look around, you see more specific stuff. That helps you see different stuff and that helps you make more plays on different things. I guess that goes with the territory."

Interceptions, he said, are "newer territory for me, but I like it and I hope that doesn't stop."

Condren, who started two seasons at Troy, intercepted two passes in college, and said he rarely got as many opportunities to create turnovers in college as he has during camp this season.

"In college the last couple of years, I was the guy on defense, so I guess they tried to stay away from me a little bit, too, with passes," he said. "That's obviously different now. Hopefully, they will pass my way a lot of more and give me a chance to make some plays."

Just how much opportunity he will have during the regular season begins, he said, remains to be seen. He is competing at one of the Colts' deepest positions, one that includes two-time Pro Bowl selection and 2007 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2007 Pro Bowl selection Antoine Bethea, as well as four-year veteran Matt Giordano and second-year veteran Melvin Bullitt.

"It's hard," Condren said. "All three of them - Sanders, Bethea and Giordano - are awesome guys. I like all of them and they'll help me out whenever I need it. Coming from college, you want to play right way. You come in and it's tough, because you know you're not going to start over them guys.

"I want to be out there playing and I'm not and it just kills me. I guess it's not my time right now, so I'm just waiting. Whenever I do get in there, I just have to show what I can do and see what happens from there."

And although he has played extensively in the Colts' first three preseason games, he said that likely won't continue long-term.

"The last one I should be in there a lot," Condren said of the preseason finale on Thursday, August 28 against Cincinnati at Lucas Oil Stadium. "I want to continue to improve and keep getting better every game. I feel every preseason game so far I've gotten a little better. I just want to keep that up and keep improving and hopefully, prove to the coaches I can get out there and do it so they'll put me in if necessary.

"I mess up on a few things still. I just have to correct that. Once I get out there and do that, I'll be fine."

And because Condren said he very much wants to play, and because he said he understands the depth at the position will make that difficult, he said for now, special teams "is my calling" and is working to improve his blocking on kickoff returns.

"Besides that, I feel I've been doing pretty good," Condren said. "I just have to keep that up and hopefully, that will be my ticket right there. It's more trying to make plays than trying to be a big hitter.

"Anybody can throw their body into somebody, but if you're out there making plays, you stand out a lot more."


link to original article
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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Colonel_Reb

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JC, you know backrow has to come up with the random non-sensical post every now and then. He wouldn't be backrow otherwise!
smiley36.gif
 

backrow

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what i'm trying to say, gents, is that several of the photos in the pic don's properly show, at least to me.

no big deal, iknow what they look like! good post Jimmy.
 

Van_Slyke_CF

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"Silva is third on the team with 14 (12 solo) and tied with Condren for second with 2 passes defensed."

It`s amazing how someone who is supposed to be slow as molasses can actually just play the game of football. More proof that track times don`t mean much at most positions.
 

Colonel_Reb

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Van_Slyke_CF said:
"Silva is third on the team with 14 (12 solo) and tied with Condren for second with 2 passes defensed."

It`s amazing how someone who is supposed to be slow as molasses can actually just play the game of football. More proof that track times don`t mean much at most positions.


Very true Van_Slyke_CF!
 

Gi-15

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Silva was VERY impressive last night. He was on all the plays, and like Don said, always on the tackle or VERY near. He knocked the ball out a recevier hand to cause an incompletion and litterally stopped big RB wright of the bills who took him head on, that was his most impressive play!
 

ToughJ.Riggins

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Silva has strange measurables. Supposedly he cusped below 4 seconds in the short shuttle before, yet only runs a 4.8 40? I have never heard of such a thing. His initial burst and agility would have to be off the charts for him to run the shuttle that fast without good top end speed. I would predict that Silva could run an official 4.7 40 if he trained, but he already plays like a 4.5 guy b.c of his short area quickness.

Edited to Add: Good luck to Silva, and hopefully "both" Giguere and Condren will make the taxi squad.Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins
 

Don Wassall

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After consistently being one of the least black dominated franchises, the Colts have taken a step backward in 2008. From a league high 24 white players in 2007, there are just 18 to open the '08 regular season.


There is no player more important to his team than the incomparable Peyton Manning (except possibly Tom Brady). Brett Favre currently holds most of the major career passing marks, but if Manning, who is an Iron Man in Favre's mold, stays healthy and continues playing as he has for another half-dozen years he will own the record book when he's done. He's well on his way to being the best quarterback in National Football League history.


Manning is again backed up by Jim Sorgi. Sorgi is in his fifth season but has hardly played because of Manning's durability, which was tested this summer by Manning's bursa sac infection and subsequent surgery.


There are only three white starting linemen, down one from the traditional four. Center Jeff Saturday is attempting to come back early from a knee injury; when he does he will take over for temporary starter Steve Justice, a rookie 6th round draft pick out of Wake Forest.


Big Ryan Diem (6-6 320 lbs.) starts at right tackle. Daniel Federkeil is the temporary starter at right guard, until Ryan Lilja comes off the PUP list.


Rookies Mike Pollak (Arizona State) and Jamey Richard (Buffalo) are backups.


WR Anthony Gonzalez out of Ohio State was a first round draft pick in 2007 and had a very successful rookie year, being used as a starter after Marvin Harrison went down with knee problems, and he responded with 37/576/3 and some big plays in the playoffs. He is the clear heir apparent to Harrison. The blue-eyed Gonzalez is of European and white Cuban descent.


Former first round draft choice Dallas Clark out of Iowa is one of the top tight ends in the league, who sometimes lines up as a wideout and in the slot and consequently had 11 TD receptions in 2008, the most of any TE.


There are two rookie backups at tight end, fourth round pick Jacob Tamme from Kentucky, who has star potential; and Tom Santi from Virginia.


The starting defense is all-black once again. Matt Giordano, now in his fourth year out of Cal, has incredible speed and athletic ability but has yet to be "allowed" to start. Even when starting strong safety Bob Sanders went down after Week 2 with yet another injury, the team is apparently going with second year player Melvin Bullit over Giordano, even though Giordano is listed as Sanders' backup on the team's depth chart.


End Josh Thomas has started games when Dwight Freeney has been injured, but remains a backup. He's fast and always gets more than his share of tackles when he plays.


Rookie linebacker Jordan Senn out of Portland State has been used thus far only on special teams.


NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5


APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 18


GRADE: D
 

Don Wassall

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This blog page on ESPN asks Colts fans which starter they'd like to see replaced. Soft as cheese RB Joseph Addai is the consensus choice, but I found it interesting that every other player mentioned is also black, except for one who jokingly mentions Peyton Manning.


[url]http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcsouth/0-9-65/The-Colts--starte rs-you-d-like-replaced.html[/url]
 
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