Friday, October 22, 1999
COLTS SCOUTING REPORT
Keys: Manning, James, Harrison
Offense
• QUARTERBACK: Peyton Manning has reached franchise-player status by taking every snap (1,296) since his career started 21 games ago. He's second in the NFL with 11 touchdown passes, fourth in quarterback rating and last week against the Jets delivered his third fourth-quarter comeback.
• RUNNING BACK: Ricky who? Rookie Edgerrin James rushed for 100 yards in his first three games, the first time a player has done that in five years. He hasn't done it the last two weeks, but he's still fourth in the NFL in rushing. He's the only Colts running back with a carry and has been effective picking up blitzes.
• RECEIVERS: Marvin Harrison is courting the Pro Bowl. Harrison, a do-it-all player with stretch-the-field speed, is tied for the NFL lead in catches (37) and touchdowns (seven) and is second in yards with 553.
Jerome Pathon and E.G. Green are solid complementary players with a combined 24 catches that includes Green's long of 50 yards. Both are fighting knee injuries, and they started practicing lightly this week but are expected to play. The Colts also have been getting good production from rookie free agent Terrence Wilkins out of Virginia. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound Wilkins has scored two touchdowns the last two games, and his speed allows Harrison to move into the slot on third down.
The Colts use two tight ends 90 percent of the time because they have two good ones in Ken Dilger and Marcus Pollard. Sometimes they are used in the backfield as H-Backs.
• OFFENSIVE LINE: One of the primary reasons for Manning's success is these guys simply don't let him get hit. He has been sacked just 24 times in his 21 games, twice this season. It's a young unit with proof you build starting from up front. The oldest starters are their two top picks from the 1997 draft, left tackle Tarik Glenn and right tackle Adam Meadows. It's not a great short-yardage team, but who cares when you have Manning and Harrison?
DEFENSE
• DEFENSIVE LINE: They got a solid upgrade over the winter when they gave Giants right end Chad Bratzke $9 million to sign and picked up left end Shawn King from Carolina after he missed all last season with a bicep injury. The Colts, next to last in rushing defense last season by allowing 11 100-yard games, didn't give up one this season until last week against Jets running back Curtis Martin. Right tackle Ellis Johnson is a force.
• LINEBACKERS: The Colts are 28th in defense and could use a young playmaking linebacker, but 34-year-old Cornelius Bennett is still quite active and leading the way on the strong side. His 24 recovered fumbles are the fourth most in NFL history, one behind Dick Butkus. They are expecting big things from rookie right outside backer Mike Peterson, their second-round pick from Florida.
• SECONDARY: Cornerbacks Jeff Burris and Tyrone Poole look to be having better years than last season. Burris set up the Colts' last-minute field goal last week with a goal-line interception, and they held Keyshawn Johnson to five catches for 45 yards. The Colts are in trouble without Poole. When he went out for a quarter against the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe lit them up for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Former Bengals cornerback Thomas Randolph is playing behind rookie nickel cornerback Steve Muhammed, a college teammate of Bengals rookie safety Cory Hall (Fresno State). Jason Belser and Chad Cota are competent safeties and good hitters, but they aren't the swiftest.
• SPECIAL TEAMS: Wilkins is from the same Virginia high school as Eric Metcalf, the NFL's all-time kick returner, and it looks like he's ready to carry the torch. He has a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown and is averaging nearly 10 yards per punt return. Rookie punter Hunter Smith has the lowest net in the NFL (28.9 yards per kick), a huge downgrade from former Colt Chris Gardocki. Kicker Mike Vanderjagt is 7-of-10 with a miss from 50-plus and a block.
Bengals Stories
Poll: Reinstate Pete, put him in Hall
McKeon, Reds 'miles apart'
Harnisch, Reds disagree on surgery
Xavier's Price lifts weights, expectations
Campbell Co.'s Ballinger among XU walk-ons
Bell should have managed Reds
Lakota rivalry goes prime-time
Conference crowns will be claimed this weekend
Football team joins Kings' championship charge
St. Xavier moves up to No 1. in poll
Ryle vs. Boone County: More than just a rivalry
Boone back has big gains, little to say
Playoff scramble heats up in N.Ky.
This week's football schedule
CINCINNATI FOOTBALL PICKS
Northern Ky. football picks
Enquirer polls
Ohio football computer ratings
Ohio Football Polls
CINCINNATI HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
Edgewood knocks off top-seeded Summit
MAC media predict lost year for Miami
Miami still has shot at bowl
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
Overachieving Summit golfers reach for top
Sullivan leads Boone County to title
UK fans lose in local broadcast feud
Unbeaten Falk leads march to state tennis tourney
Williamsburg 76, Hillcrest 20
