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Monday Night Football preview - St. Louis at Indianapolis
By Jeremy Harness
October 15, 2005
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After watching the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday crush the San Francisco 49ers 28-3 at Candlestick Park it showed why the Colts will be an NFL force to reckon with all season and it will be no different when the Colts play host to the St.Louis Rams this Monday night.
The Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning and pro bowl running back Marvin Harrison tied the NFL record held by former 49ers Steve Young and Jerry Rice for a quarterback and wide receiver in catches for touchdowns at 85 last Sunday.
Manning who’s had Harrison as on his primary receivers for seven years, just before half time, Harrison had his 84th career touchdown on a short toss on the right side lines from Manning. Harrison scored again with 13:09 left in the ball game with a pass up the sideline for number 85.
The Colts 5-0 going into their next ball game Monday Night against the St.Louis Rams at Indianapolis sit at the top of the power rankings at number one. Much of the credit goes to the Colts defense who continued to hold the opposing offensive line and in last Sunday's game the Colts were able to get to 49er quarterback Alex Smith for 5 sacks without any problems.
The Colts, Robert Mathis had two sacks and one sack each for Dwight Freeny, David Thornton, and Montae Reagor. The Colts who scored on their opening drive in the first half fumbled the ball and didn't complete passes on two third downs something that Colts head coach Tony Dungy had the team work on this week in practice. Dungy a stickler for errors wants to make sure that this Colts team is full proof going into Monday Night's game.
Rams Camp: The Rams who practiced this week in preparation of their Monday Night match against the Colts will have to do it without head coach Mike Martz. Martz who’s been suffering bouts with Endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart valve of the inner lining.
Assistant Coach Joe Vitt who has taken over the duties as head coach for Martz will coach his second game for the Rams this Monday Night. Vitt's background was when the Colts were in Baltimore in 1979-81 as defensive coordinator, Vitt also coached at Seattle and Green Bay as a defensive backs coordinator, and he was linebackers coach while in Philadelphia and Kansas City. "After consulting with Mike, we have all agreed that assistant coach Joe Vitt will be interim head coach of the Rams during Mike's absence." said Rams President John Shaw.
Vitt has the task in his second game with St.Louis to prepare for the undefeated Colts on Monday Night Football. The Rams who come into the ball game at 2-3 are trying to get to .500 doing it against the Colts on both sides of the ball will be a challenge for Vitt and crew.
J-Dogg's prediction: This game is a home game for the Colts. Quarterback Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison will be looking to set the all time touchdown passes record when they hit number 85 on national television.
Harrison and Peyton will have the inner workings going and the Colts who rank number one in defense in the NFL can stop the Rams.
The Rams could only hope to play for an early explosion out of the gate on the Colts if they are going to have a chance. The Rams need to get on the scoreboard early in the first quarter to establish themselves and if they don't the Colts will soon be up by two touchdowns quick.
The Dogg picks the Colts by 10 points for Monday Night Football.
Read Jeremy Harness each week for his prediction calls for Monday Night Football, Jeremy also talks football on Sportstalk each weekend on 1430 KVVN San Jose and 1110 KLIB Sacramento.
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