The first half looked a lot like the second game. If wilikins hadn't got the punt return, and jax had been able to put a couple scores up this game might have gone that way too.
The Jaguars nearly ran the Colts into a new dimension in this first 2006 meeting. Here they racked up “only” 191 yards in a losing effort. In their week 14 matchup they would hang an incredible 375 yards rushing on them on their way to a 44-17 annihilation.
If I’m not mistaken, this is the game where one of the sideline crew for Indy was tired of the cameras focusing on the sideline. The director switched to a couple shots and the crew member kept trying to shoo away the camera.
The Colts offensive lines with Manning were always so bad. "But he rarely got sacked! But Howard Mudd!" Yeah, by virtue of his footwork and insanely quick release, he avoided sacks. By virtue of calling blocking schemes at the line, they sometimes ran well. He and his HB's were constantly facing monsters breaching the line and moving them off their spots. Jeff Saturday - a perennially overrated Center - was constantly blown backwards by even mediocre D-Lineman. The Colts defenses couldn't get off the field on 3rd down to save their lives, so Peyton and that offense had to sit there, ice cold, for 38+ minutes of game clock every Sunday. Their Special Teams always gave up huge chunks of return yards (every game against the Chargers), and the coaches were taking bad timeouts (Caldwell) and challenging the wrong plays (Dungy). It's a wonder they ever won games, and not surprising that their playoff runs were frustrating. Peyton Manning is the best QB of all-time, but he had to drag a lot of mediocrity with him into post-season play. ON TOPIC: It's interesting how bad the Colts running game and defense was during the 2006 season, but then both started working in the playoffs. Takes a whole team, not one player, to win Super Bowls.
