Vanderjagt: 'I just don't see us getting better' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press TORONTO -- Indianapolis Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt says star quarterback Peyton Manning must show more emotion, coach Tony Dungy is too nice and many players on the NFL team lack passion. I'm not a real big Colts fan right now, unfortunately," the Canadian kicker told The Score, a Toronto-based cable sports TV network. "I just don't see us getting better." The 10-6 Colts' season ended with an embarrassing 41-0 road loss to the New York Jets in the AFC wild-card game. The loss dropped Manning's NFL postseason playoff record to 0-3, which Vanderjagt said justified talk that Manning can't win the big game. "All week before the Jets game I'm like, '(No.) 18, we're going to handle it, me and you we're going to win this game.' And he's like, 'Yeah, yeah, OK.' "And I'm like, 'Peyton, show some enthusiasm, you're the quarterback and we need to win this game.' I just don't see it from him." Vanderjagt said the Colts' offense desperately needed a fiery, smashmouth leader. "We need somebody who is going to get in people's face and yell and scream," said Vanderjagt, who joined the Colts in 1998. "I've gone over there to the offense and said, 'Come on.' "They're just like, 'Mike, go sit down. You're the kicker.' I have more emotion probably than anybody. I want to win, I want to win bad. When I miss a field goal I bang my helmet because I hate being imperfect and I can't tolerate watching 11 guys just walk off the field after you get stuffed and really show that you don't care. That is frustrating to me." In his first season with Indianapolis, Dungy transformed the team into a playoff squad, but Vanderjagt felt Dungy was too laid back to make the Colts a Super Bowl contender. "Coach Dungy, he's just a mild-mannered guy. He doesn't get too excited, he doesn't get too down and I don't think that works either. "I think you need a motivator, I think you need a guy that is going to get in somebody's face when they're not performing well enough. Peyton and Tony are basically the same guy. They work hard, they mark their Xs and Os and go out and execute. If it doesn't happen, there's nothing we can do about it." Vanderjagt signed a $7.75 million, five-year contract extension with the Colts in November 2000 that made him the NFL's highest-paid kicker at the time. Should the guy's comments be dismissed just because he's a kicker? He may have valid points, but he's getting lambasted because he's "not a real football player."
They had a coach who wasn't mild mannered. PLAYOFFS! Don't talk to me about PLAYOFF'S, We can't even win a game. or We couldn't do DIDLY POOH Maybe those players should look in the mirror.
what a great point, pgabriel..i didn't even think of that when i skimmed this article...mora was a hardass, and they thought he didn't mix well with the team...maybe it's just the guys on the team!??
All week before the Jets game I'm like, '(No.) 18, we're going to handle it, me and you we're going to win this game.' And he's like, 'Yeah, yeah, OK.' I'm not sure if Peyton's reaction is due to his personality or the fact that it was a kicker trying to get him psyched up. Nevertheless, Vanderjagt is a part of the team and his opinions matter, it has nothing to do with the position he plays. I've never been impressed with Manning as a team leader or "field general". He spends way too much time between plays telling everyone else on the offense how to do their jobs, instead of focusing on his own (that sentiment has been voiced by several Colts players as well); he also audibles entirely too much, almost as if he needs to prove how smart he is by changing every single play at the line. And, of course, the next big game he wins will be the first.
I saw this on SC and thought it was hilarious. He really needs to shut his mouth. As an aside, does anyone else find it hilarious that mr. golden boy manning turns into an INT machine, esp in the big games? Kinda reminds me of how Favre used to be.
No real football players ever respect the kickers. If a kicker was running around getting in everones face trying to hype them up I'm sure 90% of those players would either laugh or ignore him. Speaking on Manning. I hear that many players are getting tired of his anticts of always calling audibles at the line and putting on a show like he is going to outsmart everyone.
I've read that nearly 40% of the time, Manning is faking audibles at the line, just to make the defense scramble and keep them on their toes. I thought of Mora as well when I read this. That guy was as fiery as they come, and they still couldn't advance in the playoffs. I don't know what to think about Manning. I thought he would be the Tim Duncan of the NFL... mild mannered, yet one of the best quarterbacks in the league within 3 years. His playoff flameouts have me a tad worried. If James ever returns to form and Dungy continues to improve the defense, I'd feel much better about the team's prospects. I'm not a Colts fan, so it doesn't bother me too much any how.
Manning has 1 receiver and no running backs right now coupled with a merely average offensive line. Give him something to work with, and we'll see what happens. I don't think Manning is a Favre or Vick quality QB. I think he's probably on a rung immediately below that. Might change as he gets older, though. He doesn't depend on athleticism, so he's just going to improve with age.
Vanderjagt is a kicker with a linebacker’s mentality. He’s also a big dude, 6’5” 211, and played basketball and soccer in high school. (The soccer may be how he ended up as a kicker). He’s the kind of guy who thrives on pressure. He didn’t have a great year percentage wise, but against Denver(?) this year, in the snow, he kicked a 50+ yarder in the last minute to tie, and another 50+ yarder to win in overtime. That’s why he gets the $$$. He thrives on that kind of pressure and if he sees his guys not really into the game I’m sure it would drive him nuts. He’s also no spring chicken. He kicked around the CFL for 5 years before going to the NFL so this is not some kid making these comments. I saw that interview and couldn’t believe what he was saying. He is a bit of a free spirit kind of guy, but I think he was trying to shake things up with the team. He saw them taking a step back and he’s challenging them to step up, and he’s prepared to jeopardise his place on the team to do it. Dungy and the team can either respond positively to this, or have him run out of town. My take is that either would be ok for Vanderjagt, he just can’t deal with things staying as they are.
Mikey should look at what Dungy did for Tampa Bay, then look at the weaknesses of the Colts. Tony Dungy is exactly the coach that team needs.
I don’t think he was saying Dungy is a bad coach or Manning is a bad QB. He’s saying the team, including the coach and QB, needs to approach the game with more emotion, get the adrenaline working for them. Look what an emotional guy like Gruden did with TB this year. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. (And I don't think he's talking about Mora style rants either. I think he's talking about Gruden style emotion.)
Gruden inherited a team that was already very good though. Dungy and Monte Kiffin built a defense that has been consistantly good for about 6 years. The coaching change may or may not have pushed them over the top, but Dungy took that team from the laughingstock of the league to inches away from the Super Bowl.
