Boy, did I have this pegged wrong! The two areas that I thought would be Indy’s weakness and lead to a Saints upset to begin the 2007 season were the left side of the offensive line and their defense. Rookie LT Tony Ugoh protected Manning’s blind side with perfection and was a bull out there. I don’t see Tarik Glenn’s retirement being a concern anymore after that performance last night vs. an athletic Saints D-line.
Where the hell did that defense come from? CB Marlin Jackson said it best after the game, “I thought we played at warp speed. It was like a race to see who could get to the football first.” If this Indy defense maintains that attitude and motivation the rest of the season, you better believe that this team is going to be in Arizona in February.
Indianapolis did start out rusty in the first half but so did New Orleans. This is typical during the first game of the season. But, that explosion in the second half and the surprisingly superb play of the defense and O-line not only is a tribute to the players, but also to coach Tony Dungy. This man can flat out coach, lead, and knows how to bring a team together. He certainly exemplifies quiet strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment