week 3 home dogs are more often bad bets. there is a reason why they are dogs in what is usually viewed as the "warm up" game for the season (game 4 often seen as a throw away for many teams). it is because they are inferior.
i think Indy 1st half could be a good bet. pey pey and crew are supposed to play the entire 1st half and maybe into the 3rd quarter. on the flip side, Detroit has been handily beaten by Atlanta and Cleveland in the first half. As well, Stafford vs Indy 1st team dee could have difficulties.
The Colts will show off their front-line players for an extended time this afternoon in Detroit against the Lions. But it's unknown just how much they will actually reveal.
While in the midst of a preseason aimed at preparing the team for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against Jacksonville, coach Jim Caldwell must wrestle with how much of the team's offensive and defensive playbooks to expose.
"Oftentimes teams will not show everything they are going to do during the course of the season," Caldwell said. "They don't want to give the opposition any prior notice."
Yet if a team has made changes during the offseason, it must give players every opportunity to acclimate themselves to those changes. The Colts have a new defensive coordinator in Larry Coyer and a new special teams coordinator in Ray Rychleski. On defense, the Colts have been more aggressive -- with more blitzing -- during the first two preseason games than in previous seasons.
"For the most part, if you're going to use something, you better practice it in this league," Caldwell said. "It's not something you can unveil the week that you're preparing for a team and expect to be good at it. There is a delicate balance."
So, how much do the Colts hold back during the preseason? "Not a whole lot. You really can't, not if you want to be really effective," Caldwell said.
Out of action
Eleven players are not expected to make the trip to Detroit because of injuries: defensive end Raheem Brock (hand), tight end Colin Cloherty (foot), cornerback Michael Coe (groin), wide receiver Sam Giguere (foot), safety Matt Giordano (groin), running back Mike Hart (ankle), cornerback Kelvin Hayden (hamstring), cornerback Jacob Lacey (undisclosed) and guard Ryan Lilja (shoulder). Safety Bob Sanders (knee) and place-kicker Adam Vinatieri (knee/hip) remain on the physically unable to perform list.
While in the midst of a preseason aimed at preparing the team for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener against Jacksonville, coach Jim Caldwell must wrestle with how much of the team's offensive and defensive playbooks to expose.
"Oftentimes teams will not show everything they are going to do during the course of the season," Caldwell said. "They don't want to give the opposition any prior notice."
Yet if a team has made changes during the offseason, it must give players every opportunity to acclimate themselves to those changes. The Colts have a new defensive coordinator in Larry Coyer and a new special teams coordinator in Ray Rychleski. On defense, the Colts have been more aggressive -- with more blitzing -- during the first two preseason games than in previous seasons.
"For the most part, if you're going to use something, you better practice it in this league," Caldwell said. "It's not something you can unveil the week that you're preparing for a team and expect to be good at it. There is a delicate balance."
So, how much do the Colts hold back during the preseason? "Not a whole lot. You really can't, not if you want to be really effective," Caldwell said.
Out of action
Eleven players are not expected to make the trip to Detroit because of injuries: defensive end Raheem Brock (hand), tight end Colin Cloherty (foot), cornerback Michael Coe (groin), wide receiver Sam Giguere (foot), safety Matt Giordano (groin), running back Mike Hart (ankle), cornerback Kelvin Hayden (hamstring), cornerback Jacob Lacey (undisclosed) and guard Ryan Lilja (shoulder). Safety Bob Sanders (knee) and place-kicker Adam Vinatieri (knee/hip) remain on the physically unable to perform list.
QB Peyton Manning and center Jeff Saturday are featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's NFL preview issue that hit newsstands Friday. . . . Lions coach Jim Schwartz told Detroit media Friday that Daunte Culpepper will start at quarterback today and play into the second quarter, with rookie Matthew Stafford playing into the third.
