For the 12th time in 14 years the Indianapolis Colts have clinched the AFC South title and are going to the AFC Playoffs. The Colts home field victory over the Houston Texans was their 10th victory of the season and put them in third place, currently behind New England and Denver, but this could change in the next two games. Andrew Luck threw a pick six in the first quarter to give the Texans their only touchdown but got down to business in the second quarter with scoring passes to wideout Hakeem Nicks and tight end Dwayne Allen respectively. Texan quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick left the game with a broken leg in the second quarter, leaving only rookie Tom Savage to run the Houston offense. The second half was run about as conservatively as it could get with only one field goal by each team to figure in the scoring. The Colt defense played well but with several key Texan offensive figures including star wideout Andre Johnson and Fitzpatrick out of the starting lineup, they got a big break. Running back Daniel Herron was effective in the second half, eating up yardage and clock.
Reggie Wayne got his 209th start as a Horseshoe which is a team record. He also has played in 142 winning games for the Colts which is also a team record. Now perhaps they will sit number 87 down until the playoffs. The injury to his bicep has rendered him ineffective in the several games and he needs to rest so he can make a contribution in the playoff run. This is the last year of his current contract so you never can tell what his status with the team will be next year.
For inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson it was a first in a nine year career. After eight frustrating seasons with the Cleveland Browns, the 31-year-old will be playing in his first playoff game … as a Colt. Jackson leads the Horseshoe in tackles with 120 and has 4 sacks. He has been a really good pickup for the Big Blue. Rookie linebacker Jonathan Newsome has been a real find for the Horseshoe defense. Splitting time at the right outside line backer spot with Eric Walden, the 5th round pick has 20 tackles and more importantly 4.5 sacks to his credit. The experts predict a big future for the former Ball State Cardinal.
Meanwhile Colt kicker Adam Vinatieri made his 28th field goal of the season. That’s on 28 attempts, folks! He is the Robin Hood of field goal kickers. Automatic Adam has 33 successful field goal attempts carrying over from last season. At age 41, Mr. V is the senior active player in the NFL. Right now he looks like he could play another ten years, he’s THAT GOOD!
Andrew Luck, our own number 12 has gotten the reputation as the NFL’s strangest “trash” talker. Considered the ultimate “nice guy,” Luck gets in the opposing defenses collective heads during the course of a game by complimenting them on their play. Several opponents have testified that instead of bad mouthing or threatening them, number 12 will yell “great hit” or “nice play” which is really weird. One opponent, a Redskins linebacker said “Never heard anything like it. After I took him down, he patted me on the shoulder and said way to go. That was a great hit! It really confused me!”
Quarterback Kyle Orton led the Buffalo Bills to 21-13 victory over the heavily favored Green Bay Packers last Sunday. Playing at home, the Bill’s Defense shut down the supposedly invincible Aaron Rogers, holding him to 17 completions on 42 attempts and picking him off twice. Orton led the Bills offense to 4 field goals by Dan Carpenter. The Bills also scored on a 75 yard Marcus Thigpen punt return and a safety. Orton is a Purdue grad playing in his 10th NFL season. The former Boilermaker has played for five NFL teams, the Bears, the Bronco’s, the Chiefs, the Cowboys, and now the Bills. He is considered to be a adequate game manager and competent backup. He has faced the Pack as a starter for four of those teams on eight different occasions. His record as a starter against the Pack is five wins as opposed to three losses. Nobody has a better record against them, and the victories have come with four different teams. The Pack may want to think about acquiring him as a backup to Rogers just so they don’t have to face him on the field again.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Weekly View Sports Department.
snicewanger@yahoo.com