Peyton Manning tunes up on the Lions
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Peyton Manning orchestrates the Lions destruction
Woe be to all that root for the hallowed Lions, for nary a championship has come there way for many a decade.
A chance meeting with the Championship caliber and current title holders of the NFL Crown jewel, the Super Bowl, resulted in utter destruction being brought down upon the lowly Lions.
For those that scoff and remark about it being only the Lions and what should it matter, need to pay heed that these same Lions finished the last season by defeating the barely playoff bound Cowboys and then adding many positive components to their team in the off season, while the Colts may have dropped just a small amount in caliber.
The game was expected to at least be competitive, until it was learned that Jon Kitna would not be taking snaps that evening.
Lions quarterback Jon Kitna felt a twinge in his back while warming up and decided not to play in Saturday night’s exhibition game against the Colts.
Kitna missed two days of practice during the week because of back spasms. Coach Rod Marinelli left the decision up to Kitna on whether to play against the Colts. Kitna said he felt the twinge when he threw a fade pattern.
source
Oddly, the Lions are nothing without career backup Jon Kitna.
Kitna’s absence had an effect on the entire team. The offense wasn’t nearly as sharp, and it had a carryover effect. The defense was on the field too long and got shredded by Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. That wasn’t a surprise. Manning does that to everybody.
Kitna sets the tempo. The team hasn’t developed to the point where it can overcome his absence. source
After that the Colts needed only to exercise the discipline needed to stay alert in such a one-sided contest.
The Colts were relentless on offense, stingy on defense and dominant on the scoreboard, routing the Lions 37-10 before an announced sellout crowd of 57,101 Saturday night at the RCA Dome. They appeared to be in midseason form.
Before yielding a mop-up touchdown with 40 seconds remaining, the Colts were zeroing in on their most lopsided preseason victory since they handled the Cleveland Browns 37-3 in 1974. source
Peyton was his usual self as well.
Quarterback Peyton Manning and the No. 1 offense played the first half, then retired to admire their handiwork: four drives, 40 plays, 252 yards, 21 points.
The Colts even seemed to cure their earlier in the exhibition season problems with kick returns.
Anything special? After being gouged by two long returns against Chicago, the Colts’ coverage units fired back. They flew downfield on kickoffs and punts, swarmed, converged, tackled. Matt Giordano saved what might have been a breakout kickoff return by Brian Calhoun with a shoestring tackle.
The Colts feel like they are in mid-season form and the Lions are improved, but nowhere near the team that Indy is.
Peyton, as usual, rules.
NFL Football Fan Question How good would the Colts be without Peyton?
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POSTED IN: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, NFL Football, Peyton Manning
1 opinion for Peyton Manning tunes up on the Lions
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Aug 27, 2007 at 1:13 pm
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