Colts Week 3 Recap and QB Controversy

            It took three games but the Colts finally look like a team that is capable of winning some games this year. After being annihilated by the Houston Texans in Week 1 and losing to the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, the Colts came pretty close to beating the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday night.

            

            In the loss to Pittsburgh the Colts played incredibly well on defense, like the kind of defense you expect to watch the Steelers play. The front seven for Indianapolis really showed how much talent they actually have. Pro-Bowl defensive ends, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, put pressure on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger the whole game. The two combined for two fumbles, three sacks, and five tackles. The linebackers for the Colts also did a good job of containing the Steelers running backs and held them to just 67 yards rushing. That’s where the good news stop for the defense, as the cornerbacks and safeties for the Colts got lit up. They gave up catch after catch after catch as the Steelers racked up 350 passing yards.

           

            
            So now let’s get to that quarterback controversy I alluded to in the title of this post.

            
         Excluding the Colts’ final drive in the 4^th quarter that lead to a touchdown, the offense only accounted for two field goals which equals a whopping six points. In my honest opinion, this inability to score falls right on the quarterback’s shoulders and those shoulders belong to Kerry Collins. Collins threw the ball 29 times but only got 93 yards, an average of 3.2 yards per pass. 3.2 yards per pass average is nowhere near effective and will never win a game.

Kerry Collins. I'm gonna take flak for saying this, but a good rule to coach by would be "don't start a guy that has a gray beard"

            
            In the 4^th quarter Collins was pulled from the game because he was suffering from “concussion-like symptoms”. So who went into the game? Curtis Painter! Yes, the guy I have supported since August 26^th (after the preseason game against the Packers) finally came onto the field to lead the offense. The first two drives were disasters for Painter and he was making me look like an idiot. On the third drive though, Painter led the Colts down the field and into the endzone to tie the game at 20-20. For about the 8 minutes that Painter played, he went 5/11 for 60 yards.

           

            
            I’m sure most of you are wondering why I love Curtis Painter so much. So let’s start at the beginning shall we? Painter spent three years as the starting quarterback at Purdue University. In each of his three seasons he averaged a 60% completion percentage and 21 touchdowns.

            
            Let me say this, I absolutely hate the Purdue Boilermakers and all their teams. Mainly because they are a rival to Notre Dame, but also so many Purdue fans around Indy seem pretty arrogant. So when I found out the Colts drafted a Purdue quarterback I was a little more than upset.

            
            I became even more upset after Painter started getting playing time in 2009 and 2010 in the preseason and games that didn’t matter. To say Painter was dreadful would be an understatement. It seemed like just having Painter on the field was a hazard to everybody on the offense. Painter would fumble constantly, and when he didn’t fumble he threw interceptions or horrible passes.

            
            When Peyton Manning got injured and Painter was looking like the only option for the Colts, I knew immediately that the 2011 season was already down the drain. One night though, I decided I would practice my sports journalism skills and do a play-by-play analysis of the preseason game against the Packers. This would be the 3^rd preseason game for both teams, and in the NFL, the third game is the one that you treat like a real game. This would also be the game that changed my entire perception of Curtis Painter.

            In the first half when all the starters were in for both teams, Painter threw for two touchdowns and made several good passes. With the score 10-7 and the Packers leading with 1:55 left in the 2^nd quarter, Painter got the offense down the field and into the redzone. There he threw a beautiful pass into the corner to Reggie Wayne to take the lead into halftime, 14-7. This is the game that sealed the deal for me and my support for Painter. Those two quarters against the Super Bowl Champion Packers was excellent for a guy who’s been a backup for two seasons.

            
            
            After this game I realized that the best option for the Indianapolis Colts was to start Curtis Painter in place of Peyton Manning. Painter showed a lot of improvement and skill in the two quarters against the Packers, way more than Kerry Collins did against the Cincinnati Bengals in his preseason game. Painter deserves to the starter, esp. since Kerry Collins has been absolutely horrible, because is the best quarterback on the Colts roster. I have faith in the guy, everybody in Indy should too. Plus, I was right about Notre Dame QB, Tommy Rees, so have some faith in me.

Curtis Painter

            
            There’s a lot of talk in Indianapolis that the Colts should sign another quarterback. The possible players include Brett Favre, David Garrard, and Mark Bulger.  Let me just say, that would be a HORRIBLE idea.

1. A new QB would want money. That money would have to come from current player’s salary. It’s not fair to keep shuffling QB’s and getting rid of players that made the roster at the beginning of the season.

 2. A new QB would have to learn the Colts’ complicated offensive plays. (Plays that Painter has been studying 
for 3 seasons).

 3. It would take too long for a new QB to learn those plays, and if he did learn it, it would be too late in the season to make a difference in the playoff race. The Colts only hope to make the playoffs is to use one of the QB’s currently on the roster.

 4. Along with learning the plays and offensive system, the new addition would have to get timing down with all the receivers. (Again, Painter has been practicing with these receivers for three seasons). The receivers would also have to learn how the QB’s mind and body works, i.e. how fast does he throw the ball, what does he do on third downs, etc.

 5. None of those three possible QB’s I listed would be an upgrade. Brett Favre? PUH-LEASE. He hasn’t had a good season since 2009. He’s way too out of shape to be effective. David Garrard? He was no all-star in Jacksonville, why would he be in any different in Indy? Marc Bulger? Oh god, if they sign him I will not watch one more Colts game this season.

            
            I have a suggestion for a possible QB, how about Brady Quinn? You know, one of the most prolific passers in Notre Dame history. Think about all the great passers that have played at Notre Dame, and Quinn was one of the best statistically. Quinn is currently on the Denver Broncos roster as a backup to Kyle Orton and fan favorite, Tim Tebow. There is no chance that Quinn sees any playing time in the near future. I have a hard time believing that he is happy with his current situation. I want to know why he wasn’t an option before the season started.

Brady Quinn at Notre Dame.

            

            At this point in the season, unless the Colts sign Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers, there is no reason to bring in a new quarterback. The Colts coaches need to start Curtis Painter or Kerry Collins. The coaches and front office need to just face the fact that this season is going to be hard to get through. It will be interesting to see what the Colts do this week. I’ll update this post if anything happens.
UPDATE 9/27/2011- Colts have signed quarterback Dan Orlovsky. "O" as I will call him, was a part of the Colts during the preseason but was cut after the Colts signed Kerry Collins. O was signed as "insurance" for Painter and Collins.