Colts Peyton Manning is the best of NFL’s all-time worst

Peyton Manning has been terrific during the past three weeks—except all those times he has thrown the ball to the wrong team. In the past three games, the reigning MVP has completed 105 of 148 passes for 1,046 yards, with eight touchdowns. The problem is that he also has thrown 11 interceptions, his most ever in a three-game stretch. Four of those interceptions have been returned for touchdowns, and the Colts have lost all three games. Mr. Manning’s interceptions combined with his typically stellar play the rest of the time give him a 77.7 passer rating in the past three games. That’s the highest rating an NFL quarterback has ever had while throwing double-digit interceptions during a three-game stretch. Although it probably isn’t any solace to Mr. Manning, he’s in good company: Among those with the top ratings in three-game stretches with at least 10 interceptions are Hall of Famers George Blanda, Fran Tarkenton and Johnny Unitas. — Wall Street Journal

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December 7, 2010, 8:37 am

NFL owner gives injury updates on Twitter

On Wednesday night, the Colts owner jumped head-first into the 21st century and established a Twitter account: @JimIrsay. He was tweeting injury updates and plugging the teams website on Thursday. – Indy Star

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December 3, 2010, 8:22 am

Eagles Michael Vick odds improve for MVP

Odds to win the 2010 NFL MVP

…………………………………..LAST WEEK                 THIS WEEK

Peyton Maninng (IND) QB           7/2                                4/1

Philip Rivers (SD) QB                 15/2                              7/1

Aaron Rodgers (GB) QB             15/2                              15/2

Arian Foster (HOU) RB               8/1                                16/1

Drew Brees (NO) QB                  10/1                              12/1

Tom Brady (NE) QB                   10/1                              9/2

Chris Johnson (TEN) RB             10/1                              18/1

Adrian Peterson (MIN) RB           15/1                              20/1

Michael Vick (PHI) QB               25/1                              5/1

Clay Matthews (GB) LB              25/1                              20/1

Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) RB       25/1                              30/1

Roddy White (ATL) WR              50/1                              40/1

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) WR          50/1                              50/1

Field                                         2/1                                3/1

Source: Bodog

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November 19, 2010, 5:19 am

Tiger Woods still has 40% unfavorable rating

Tiger Woods may reverse the slide in his approval rating with a return to winning ways, the Seton Hall poll said. Woods has a 40 percent unfavorable rating a year after his personal and professional life began to unravel, the survey found. While Woods has a 39 percent approval rating — compared with 45 percent for his rival Phil Mickelson — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning drew a 65 percent favorable score, the poll said. Others with high approval include New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who got a 50 percent favorable rating from the 770 Americans polled, and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, at 49 percent. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre polled at 49 percent, while LeBron James of the Miami Heat came in at 40 percent. By comparison, former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who is accused of lying before a federal grand jury about the use of performance-enhancing drugs, has an approval rating of 23 percent. — Bloomberg

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November 19, 2010, 2:53 am

NFL’s least shown team has been seen in just 2.9 states a week

The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings have a combined 4-12 record and roughly zero chance to make the postseason. But lucky you, they’ve been on your television nearly every weekend this season.

A look at every NFL team shows the Vikings, on average, have been broadcast in a league-leading 38.3 states each week they play, edging the Cowboys by 0.4. The Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles round out the top five, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are last at 2.9 states a week, according to The506.com, a website that uses local listings to track where teams are broadcast.

Most Shown NFL Teams during Weeks 1-10

TEAM…………..TOTAL STATES…… Per-Week Avg.

  1. Vikings…………. 345……..………………38.3
  2. Cowboys…………341…………………….37.9
  3. Colts……………..296……………………..32.9
  4. Giants…………….291…………………….32.3
  5. Eagles…………….284…………………….31.6
  6. Packers…………..281…………………….31.2
  7. Patriots……………280……………………31.1
  8. Jets………………..268…………………….29.8
  9. Redskins………….251………………..….27.9
  10. Dolphins………….229……………………25.4

Least Shown NFL Teams during Weeks 1-10

  1. Buccaneers……….26…………………….2.9
  2. Rams………………32……………………..3.6
  3. Bills………………..34……………………..3.8
  4. Browns…………….36……………………..4.0
  5. Raiders……………..39…………………….4.3
  6. Cardinals……………52……………………5.8
  7. Lions………………..57…………………….6.3
  8. Seahawks………….70……………………..7.8
  9. Panthers……………84……………………..9.3
  10. Jaguars……………105……………………11.7

Source: Wall Street Journal

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November 11, 2010, 7:45 am

NFL star hurt at FedEx store

Joseph Addai experienced a familiar tinge of pain in his left shoulder Tuesday. It didn’t occur on the football field though. Instead, he was taping boxes during a fan event at Monument Circle. After working on a couple of boxes, the Indianapolis Colts’ leading rusher had to switch to his right hand. “It’s still hurting,” he said, as 17 Colts fans waited in line for an autograph. He joked his 90-minute appearance Tuesday equated to treatment, based on how much he handled a tape gun, stuffed boxes with bubble wrap and signed his name to helmets, pictures and other fan items. If the Colts opt to let him test free agency, Addai kidded his next job might be at FedEx, sponsor of the promotion. “I already have a name tag,” he said. — Indy Star

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November 10, 2010, 4:07 am

Bengals Terrell Owens to join Rice, Moss in NFL record book

Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was named the Bills starting quarterback in Week 3, has 13 touchdowns passes in six games.  Fitzpatrick is on pace (30) to become the second Buffalo quarterback to register 30+ touchdown passes in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly (33 in 1991)

Ravens DT Haloti Ngata leads the club with five sacks and is on target (10) to become the first NFL defensive tackle since Warren Sapp (10) in 2006 to reach 10 sacks in a season.

Bengals WR Terrell Owens has reached 1,000 receiving yards nine times in his career and is pace (770; 1,540) to join Pro Football Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice (14) and Titans WR Randy Moss (10) as the only players to have at least 10 seasons with 1,000 receiving yards in NFL history.

RB Peyton Hillis, who was acquired via trade by the Browns in March, leads the team with 644 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Hillis is on pace (1,288 rush yards, 14 rush TDs) to join Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly and Mike Pruitt as the only running backs in franchise history to have 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in a season.

Texans WR Andre Johnson has 14 career games of 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards and needs two such games this season to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (15) and Marvin Harrison (14) for the most in NFL history.

Four-time MVP QB Peyton Manning of the Colts has 2,478 passing yards and is on pace (4,956) to join Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Fouts (1980-81) and Warren Moon (1990-91) as the only players in NFL history to have consecutive seasons with 4,500 passing yards.

Jaguars QB David Garrard has 13 touchdown passes in seven games and is on track (27) to surpass Mark Brunell (20 in 1998 and 2000) for the most touchdown passes in a season in franchise history

Acquired via trade by the Dolphins in April, WR Brandon Marshall has been a welcome addition in Miami.  Marshall, who has reached 100 receptions in each of the past three seasons, is on target (52; 104) to join Marvin Harrison as the only players to have 100 receptions in four consecutive seasons in NFL history.

Source: NFL

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November 9, 2010, 8:24 pm

Eagles are NFL’s best after a bye

  • Opponents have converted just two of 25 (8 percent) third downs of 9 yards or more against the Colts this season. By comparison, opponents have converted 10 of 37 (27.0) third-and-9s-or-more vs. the Eagles.
  • The Colts have won 13 straight games in November dating back to the 2007 season. With a win against the Eagles on Sunday, they’ll move into third place for consecutive November wins behind the 1945-51 Bears (23) and the 1970-74 Dolphins (18).
  • The Eagles’ 11-game winning streak in the week following the bye is the longest in the league since the bye week was instituted in 1990. The Cowboys and Patriots are second at eight. The Patriots’ streak, like the Eagles’, still is active. — Philadelphia Daily News
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November 5, 2010, 5:09 am

Tony Dungy begged to coach Minnesota?

Even though Tony Dungy has told Minnesota he’s not interested in coaching his alma mater, some of Dungy’s former teammates are not willing to accept a no from him and are organizing to personally plead to him for help. — Pioneer Press

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November 4, 2010, 9:16 am

NFL’s most popular ticket in week 8

Week 8: Top 5 Most Popular NFL Matchups BY DEMAND

  1. Pittsburgh Steelers @ New Orleans Saints
  2. Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets
  3. Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
  4. Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars @ Dallas Cowboys

*The NFL Ticket Exchange “Buzz Index” utilizes a proprietary algorithm incorporating site traffic, ticket demand, sales volume, and ticket revenue to calculate each game’s popularity for the week. — Ticketmaster

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October 29, 2010, 4:07 am

Colts Peyton Manning will wait to become NFL’s highest-paid player

Quarterback Peyton Manning’s next contract with the Indianapolis Colts won’t become a reality until after the season. Tom Condon, Manning’s agent, confirmed Sunday afternoon that he had informed team president Bill Polian that Manning wants to focus on football, not finances. Manning, the NFL’s only four-time MVP and winner of the past two awards, becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. “Peyton didn’t want any contract discussions or distractions during the season,” Condon said. “We never really got started. We’ll see what we can get done after the season is over.” If the Colts must use the franchise tag again on Manning, the cost would be a guaranteed one-year contract worth more than $23 million. Colts owner Jim Irsay is committed to making Manning the league’s highest-paid player. – Indy Star

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October 25, 2010, 9:19 am

Colts owner Irsay remains quiet on potential Peyton Manning deal

Colts owner Jim Irsay would not get into details about a potential contract extension for QB Peyton Manning but did say that the two sides have had discussions on the matter. “You get things done when it’s quiet, and it’s quiet,” Irsay said. “That’s the way we want to move forward.” Manning is set to hit free agency after this season. Irsay said back in February at the Super Bowl that he would make Manning the highest-paid player in the NFL, and he reiterated those statements on the first day of training camp. — Pro Football Weekly

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October 13, 2010, 7:20 am

Seahawks dropped 17 spots in NFL popularity contest

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,620 adults surveyed online about the NFL between September 14 and 20, 2010 by Harris Interactive. Certain teams have moved up or down more than others this year. While the Saints’ jump up 19 spots is the biggest move, other movement includes the following:

  • The Seattle Seahawks dropped 17 places on the list from a tie for number 14 last year to number 31 (out of 32) this year;
  • The Tennessee Titans dropped 12 places from number 9 to a tie for number 21;
  • The Baltimore Ravens moved up seven places, from number 26 to number 19; and
  • Two teams moved up 6 places each – the St. Louis Rams, from number 30 to number 24, and the Houston Texans, from number 23 to a tie at number 17.
  • For the second year in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars (32) are at the bottom of the list.
  • One in five Americans who follow professional football (20%) believe the New Orleans Saints will repeat and win the Super Bowl again. One in ten believe it will be the New England Patriots (11%) or Indianapolis Colts (9%), while smaller numbers believe it will be the Green Bay Packers (7%), the Minnesota Vikings (6%) or the Baltimore Ravens (6%). All teams have their die-hard fans and at least a few people believe their team will win the Super Bowl this season.
  • Over half of Americans (53%) say they follow professional football, a slight increase from last year when 51% said so. As might be expected, men are more likely than women to follow football (66% versus 41%). Over half (56%) of both Gen Xers (those 34-45) and Baby Boomers (those 46-64) say they follow football compared to just under half (49%) of both Echo Boomers (those 18-33) and Matures (those 65 and older) who do.

Source: Harris Interactive

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October 13, 2010, 2:03 am

Yankees have been on most SI covers all-time

Michael Jordan tops the list for the number of Sports Illustrated covers of all time. Jordan appeared on the cover 49 times, followed by Muhammad Ali (38), Magic Johnson (23), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22), Jack Nicklaus (22), and Tiger Woods (19).

The New York Yankees top the list for the most appearances by team (70), followed by the Los Angeles Lakers (64), Dallas Cowboys (46), Boston Red Sox (45), Chicago Bulls (44) and Boston Celtics (42).

  • Football graced 748 covers, and hockey 74. Forty-four covers were devoted to horse racing, 5 to dog shows, 3 to bridge, and even 2 to parachuting.
  • With 34 covers, Oklahoma is No. 1 with the most covers of any school in all sports combined (regional editions included). Notre Dame and UCLA follow with 29 covers.
  • The 1989 25th anniversary Swimsuit issue, featuring Kathy Ireland in Baja, Mexico, remains the top-selling Swimsuit issue ever – 5.1 million copies sold.
  • Annika Sorenstam won 72 LPGA tour events and 10 major championships, was an eight-time Solheim Cup team member and women’s player of the year. Number of SI covers: 0.
  • Other fathers and sons have been on SI’s cover, but no family can match the Manning’s with three members who have shared that honor, a total of 13 times.
  • When you create almost 3,000 covers, there are bound to be a few clunkers. Dennis Rodman with a rare bird, Charles Barkley clad in chains, and George Steinbrenner dressed as Napoleon are a few examples that the editors might like to have done over.

Source: Sports Illustrated: The Covers (Book)

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October 13, 2010, 1:34 am

Peyton Manning’s dad opening sports restaurant at casino

Harrah’s Hotel & Casino will lend a little star power to its entertainment corridor next year. The gaming giant announced last week that it has teamed up with former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning to open a restaurant in Fulton Square, in the casino’s outdoor pedestrian mall. Manning’s, which will open in Fall 2011, will be built across Fulton Street from Grand Isle seafood restaurant, Harrah’s vice president of marketing LuAnn Pappas said. The two-story sports-themed restaurant will feature athletic memorabilia from Louisiana teams including the Saints, Tulane and LSU, and also from the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants, the teams of Manning’s sons Peyton and Eli. “We’d like for it be a place in town where people come to watch a sporting event,” Manning said. “I’ve been excited about Fulton Street for a few years now. I think as New Orleans comes back more and more people come back to our city there’s going to be a lot of interest there.” Pappas said both floors will be used for restaurant dining, but the second floor and balcony will also be available for event rental. Although the restaurant menu has not been finalized, Manning said it will feature fare that is “certainly New Orleans, but with a kind of country Southern flair to it.” — New Orleans Times-Picayune

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October 12, 2010, 7:27 am

Cards Max Hall does something that hasn’t happend since 1976

·        Quarterbacks Philip Rivers (1,759) of the San Diego Chargers, Kyle Orton (1,733) of the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning (1,609) of the Indianapolis Colts have each passed for over 1,600 yards in their team’s first five games in 2010.  Rivers, Orton and Manning give the 2010 season three quarterbacks with at least 1,600 passing yards through their team’s first five games of a season, the first time in NFL history this has been accomplished.

·        Detroit kick returner Stefan Logan had a 105-yard kickoff-return touchdown in the Lions’ 44-6 win over St. Louis, tied for the sixth-longest kickoff return touchdown in NFL history.  Ellis Hobbs (New England, September 9, 2007) holds the league record with a 108-yard return.

The 2010 season is the first since 1970 with at least one kickoff-return touchdown in each of the first five weeks.

·        Chicago running back Matt Forté rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears’ 23-6 win at Carolina.  Forté, who had an 89-yard touchdown catch in Week 1, had a 68-yard touchdown run against the Panthers and is the fifth player since 1970 to record an 85+ yard touchdown catch and 65+ yard touchdown run in the same season.  The last player to accomplish the feat was Warrick Dunn in 2003 with Atlanta.

·        Arizona quarterback Max Hall led the Cardinals to a 30-20 victory over New Orleans in his first career start.  Hall is the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start in Week 5 or earlier since 1976 (excluding the 1987 season), when Jim Zorn started the first game for Seattle in the Seahawks’ inaugural season as an NFL franchise.

·        San Diego tight end Antonio Gates had a touchdown reception in the Chargers’ 35-27 loss at Oakland.  Gates has a touchdown reception in nine consecutive games, the longest streak in NFL history by a tight end and tied for the longest streak in franchise history by any player (Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth).  Only five players in NFL history have recorded a longer streak, led by Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (13 games). Gates, who has a touchdown catch in each of the team’s first five games this year, joins Wesley Walls (Carolina, 1999) as the only tight ends in NFL history with a TD reception in each of the team’s first five games of a season.

·        Arizona safety Kerry Rhodes had a 27-yard fumble-return touchdown in the Cardinals’ win.  Rhodes, who had a 42-yard fumble-return touchdown last week at San Diego, is the first player since Marcus Robertson in 1997 to record a 25+ yard opponents’ fumble-return touchdown in back-to-back games.

·        New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had 12 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 34-10 win at Houston.  Nicks joins Amani Toomer (September 17, 2006) as the only players in franchise history to record 12 catches, 130 yards and two touchdowns in a single game.

Source: NFL

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October 11, 2010, 6:01 am

Colts don’t know who will start at safety

Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell said today he didn’t know which of four safeties would start in place of Melvin Bullitt, who has been placed on injured reserve with a broken bone in his right shoulder. The Colts, in a flurry of roster moves Tuesday, gave the coach several options from which to choose. In addition to already having undrafted rookie Brandon King and recent free-agent acquisition DaJuan Morgan, the Colts signed sixth-year pro Aaron Francisco and promoted undrafted rookie Mike Newton from the practice squad. “We’ll find out as the week goes on,” Caldwell said. “They have an opportunity, we’ll work ‘em, and we’ll see who emerges.” — Indy Star

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October 7, 2010, 4:32 am

NFL’s biggest butterfinger WR

NFL leaders in dropped passes

1 Randy Moss, Patriots 4
2t Devin Hester, Bears 3
2t Brandon Marshall, Dolphins 3
2t Wes Welker, Patriots 3
2t Steve Smith, Giants 3
2t Hakeem Nicks, Giants 3
2t Dustin Keller, Jets 3
2t Brent Celek, Eagles 3
2t Dallas Clark, Colts 3
2t Fred Jackson, Bills 3
2t Brandon Gibson, Rams 3
2t Mike Goodson, Panthers 3

Source: Stats Inc.

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October 6, 2010, 12:26 am

Bengals Terrell Owens is second to Jerry Rice

• New York Jets running back La Dainian Tomlinson rushed for 133 yards in the Jets’ 38-14 win at Buffalo.  Tomlinson, who now has 25 games with at least 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown for the most such games in NFL history. Tomlinson has 12,831 career rushing yards and passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett (12,739) for the seventh-most rushing yards in NFL history.

• Cincinnati wide receiver Terrell Owens had 10 catches for 222 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals’ 23-20 loss at Cleveland.  It marked the third 200-yard receiving game of his career, tied for the fifth-most in NFL history.  Owens is one of only eight players all-time with at least three 200-yard receiving games and he is the only player to record a 200-yard receiving game with three different teams (Cincinnati, Dallas, San Francisco).  Owens has 15,325 career receiving yards and surpassed Isaac Bruce (15,208) for the second-most receiving yards in NFL history.

• Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning had 352 passing yards in the Colts’ 31-28 loss at Jacksonville.  Manning has 51,493 passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway (51,475) for the second-most passing yards in NFL history.  Manning and center Jeff Saturday started their 158th game together, passing Buffalo’s Jim Kelly and Kent Hull (157) for the most games started by a quarterback-center combination since the 1970 merger.

• Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson had a 48-yard interception-return touchdown in the Packers’ 28-26 victory over the Detroit Lions.  Woodson has 10 career interception-return touchdowns and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson (12) and Saints safety Darren Sharper (11) as the only players in NFL history to have at least 10 INT-TDs.

• San Diego tight end Antonio Gates had seven catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers’ 41-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.  Gates has 503 receptions in 101 career games, reaching 500 receptions in the fewest games by a tight end in NFL history.

• Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez had seven catches for 41 yards in the Falcons’ 16-14 win against the San Francisco 49ers.  Gonzalez (12,012) became the first tight end in NFL history with 12,000 receiving yards.

• Houston running back Arian Foster rushed for 131 yards and had 56 receiving yards in the Texans’ 31-24 win at Oakland.  Foster (537 rush yards, 152 receiving yards) became the third running back in NFL history to total more than 500 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the first four games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and Billy Sims.

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October 4, 2010, 4:25 am

300-yard passing QB’s have .313 winning % this season

Gaudy passing numbers have had no correlation to winning so far this season. Teams are 5-11 when their quarterback throws for 300-plus yards. That includes a 3-4 record for Denver, Indianapolis, San Diego and Dallas. — Dallas Morning News

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October 1, 2010, 6:01 am

Colts Peyton Manning off to best start since 1966

Colts QB Peyton Manning has responded by matching or bettering personal highs in the first three games of a season with 87 completions, 126 attempts, a 69 percent completion rate, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. The only other NFL quarterback with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions in the first three games is believed to be Dallas’ Don Meredith in 1966. – Indy Star

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September 30, 2010, 5:00 am

LB Hagler returns to Colts roster

Attrition is getting to be a problem with the Indianapolis Colts linebackers. Tyjuan Hagler is at least a short-term remedy. The team re-signed its former starting outside linebacker Wednesday, shoring up the position for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville. “It’s good to be back home where I know the system,” Hagler said. “It’s been my home for the past five years, and now we can add another one to that.” Hagler, a 2005 fifth-round draft pick, wasn’t re-signed after last season. He landed in Seattle but was cut when rosters were trimmed to 53 in early September. Hagler had spent recent weeks at his home in Cincinnati, waiting for an opportunity. That came when injuries pecked away at the Colts. — Indy Star

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September 30, 2010, 4:56 am

Colts workout former Broncos running back

Former Broncos running back Justin Fargas worked out at Indianapolis. – Denver Post

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September 29, 2010, 8:04 am

Peyton Manning’s Colts close to perfect when not turning ball over

Peyton Manning directed a turnover-free offense against the Broncos. The Colts are 34-2 in the regular season since Manning’s arrival in 1998 when they don’t turn the ball over. They’ve won 26 straight when they play without a turnover. The league record is 36 straight wins by the San Francisco 49ers from 1988-2000. — Indy Star

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September 27, 2010, 5:19 am

Cowboys, Texans game most popular week 3 matchup

Top 5 Most Popular NFL Matchups BY DEMAND

1. Dallas Cowboys @ Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints
3. Tennessee Titans @ New York Giants
4. San Diego Chargers @ Seattle Seahawks
5. Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos

Source: NFL Ticket Exchange “Buzz Index” that utilizes a proprietary algorithm incorporating site traffic, ticket demand, sales volume, and ticket revenue to calculate each game’s popularity for the week.

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September 24, 2010, 3:12 am

NFL is week’s No. 1 TV program

NBC claimed the week’s No. 1 program in “Sunday Night Football” (9.2/24 in 18-49, 23.10 million viewers overall for Colts-Giants), which delivered one of the franchise’s top five scores to date despite being a lopsided game. And ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” doubleheader ranked second and third for the week in demos with the early game between the Ravens and Jets (6.3/20 in 18-49, 14.97m) and the nightcap between the Chiefs and Chargers (5.5/18, 11.89m), which did well despite not wrapping until after 1 a.m. in the East. — Variety

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September 22, 2010, 6:18 am

Colts exec: NFL players helmets are private property

Jeff Lasiter, an Indiana University graduate who resides in Greenwood, possessed the NY Giants Brandon Jacobs helmet. At least temporarily. Lasiter, 30, wouldn’t relinquish the helmet during a tug-of-war with a Colts’ game-day staffer. He let go when a stronger presence arrived. “In just a few seconds a sheriff popped up right in front of me,” Lasiter said. “He demanded the helmet.” Lasiter had the full support of those around him, but thought better of pushing the issue. “Everyone around us was like, ‘Don’t let go. Don’t let go,’ ” he said. “When the sheriff showed up, it was either going to be me going, or the helmet going.” An NFL spokesman said Monday that the league is looking into the incident. Jacobs could face a fine for his actions. Lasiter had to settle for a game ball and some serious airtime on NBC. He called the football “a token.” “I would have preferred the helmet, by far,” Lasiter said. There wasn’t a chance he was going to exit Lucas Oil Stadium with Jacobs’ headgear, which carries a price tag of $250. “It’s not a finders-keepers policy,” said Pete Ward, Colts chief operating officer. “Generally at our stadium, if a ball goes into the stands, we let the fans keep it. A helmet’s a different matter. “We don’t have a policy on helmets in the stands, but they’re custom- fitted for the player. The player needs it to play the game. That’s private property.” — Indy Star

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September 21, 2010, 7:25 am

Tony Dungy, Jerome Bettis endorse soup

Super Bowl winners Tony Dungy and Jerome Bettis are teaming up to launch the Campbell’s Chunky soup All Pro Dad pledge, which encourages dads to make small changes that can make a big difference at home. Dads that take the Pledge will also have a chance to enter to become one of five Chunky All Pro Dads that will attend the 2011 Pro Bowl, to be held in Hawaii on January 30. — Business Wire

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September 21, 2010, 3:20 am

Archie Manning TV gambling odds

How many times will Archie Manning be shown on the Live Broadcast of the Sunday Night Football game between the Giants & Colts?

Over/Under                    1.5

Source: Bodog

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September 17, 2010, 8:00 am

Panthers, Titans have NFL’s fewest 300lb players

The NFL has 377 players weighing at least 300 pounds:

Team…. Number of 300 lb players

  1. Cowboys 17
  2. Broncos 15
  3. Ravens 14
  4. Packers 14
  5. Chargers 14
  6. Eagles 14
  7. NY Giants 13
  8. Seahawks 13
  9. Steelers 13
  10. Raiders 13
    11. Pages: 1 2 3
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September 16, 2010, 4:58 pm

Could Bob Sanders return to Colts this season?

The latest injury and surgery will keep safety Bob Sanders out of the Indianapolis Colts’ lineup for the foreseeable future, possibly until the playoffs. The two-time Pro Bowl selection and 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn right biceps tendon. The Colts plan to keep Sanders on the 53-player active roster as they monitor his rehabilitation. Pinpointing a time for Sanders’ return is difficult. “He had the very same operation on the other arm last year and healed up within somewhere between 10 and 12 weeks,” Colts president Bill Polian said on NFL Network’s “Total Access.” “Right now we’re leaving him on the 53-man active roster, hoping and anticipating that he’ll be back some time before the season ends.” Michael Thieken, an orthopedic surgeon with Ortho Indy, believes a more realistic timeframe is about four months. That would mean Sanders could miss the remainder of the regular season, but perhaps be back for the postseason. — Indy Star

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September 16, 2010, 8:24 am

Patriots are NFL’s best interconference team

NFL teams with the top five interconference records since realignment in 2002:

Team………………………………Record……….Win %
New England Patriots…………28-4-0…… .875
Indianapolis Colts……………. 25-7-0….. .781
Tennessee Titans…………….. 23-9-0 …… .719
Pittsburgh Steelers…………… 23-9-1……. .712
San Diego Chargers…………. 20-12-0…… .625

Source: NFL

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September 16, 2010, 12:34 am

Green Bay is at the bottom of NFL’s money list

Buffalo remains a very small market. Its total personal income of $42.2 billion is the second-lowest in the league. Only Green Bay — coincidentally, the Bills’ opponent next Sunday — is smaller at $11.0 billion. — Business First of Buffalo

Metro Area……..Team……..Total personal income

  1. New York……….Giants, Jets……..$998,776,802,000
  2. Chicago…………Bears……………..$418,929,328,000
  3. Washington……Redskins…………$309,087,825,000
  4. Philadelphia…..Eagles…………….$271,942,711,000
  5. San Francisco…Raiders/49ers….$257,760,699,000
  6. Houston………..Texans……………$255,634,931,000
  7. Dallas……………Cowboys…………$254,768,727,000
  8. Boston…………..Patriots…………..$246,470,938,000
  9. Miami……………Dolphins…………$229,379,809,000
  10. Atlanta………….Falcons……………$199,746,764,000
  11. Seattle…………..Seahawks………..$166,902,102,000
  12. Detroit………….Lions………………$165,310,707,000
  13. Phoenix………..Cardinals…………$149,611,389,000
  14. Minneapolis…..Vikings……………$149,594,215,000
  15. San Diego……..Chargers…………$139,344,668,000
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September 15, 2010, 4:29 am

Bob Sanders done with Indianapolis Colts

At year’s end, Bob Sanders is done as a Colt. It was worth the financial risk to bring him back this season. He was making only $2.75 million, a relatively humble total, especially given the fact there’s no salary cap this season. Next year, though, he was due to make $5 million. And the year after that, $7 million. Sad but true, he may not just be done as a Colt, he might be done as an NFL player.  – Indy Star

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September 15, 2010, 2:00 am

Colts WR Gonzalez believes he wasn’t given fair shot

The way we hear it, a big part of Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez’s frustration with his reserve role in the offense is due to the fact that when WR Pierre Garcon was injured during training camp, WR Austin Collie got most of the reps working on the outside. Collie really came on strong, leaving Gonzalez to feel as though he never got a fair chance. — Pro Football Weekly

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September 13, 2010, 6:17 am

10 NFL teams have sold out all home games

Only 10 NFL teams -- Baltimore, Denver, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Washington — have sold out all eight regular-season games this season. — North County Times

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September 10, 2010, 8:05 am