NFL - Sports Rumors

Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:15 pm EST

Was there collusion in ending to Colts-Titans game?

By Joe Zedalis

Jeff Fisher

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Profootballtalk.com is reporting there may have been some form of collusion between Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy as to the matter in which the final snaps of Sunday's game were handled. The Cleveland Browns could file a grievance since they would have made the playoffs depending on the outcome of the game.

In a Thursday morning appearance on WFAN in New York, Titans quarterback Kerry Collins said that his team took a knee with a six-point lead and less than two minutes to play because it was known that the Colts wouldn't call their final timeout.

Said Fisher, according to a Thursday item in the Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel: "Let me just say, I knew he wasn't going to use [the time out]. Tony and I were on the competition committee for a long time."

Source: ProFootballTalk.comNew WindowCleveland Plain DealerNew Window

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374 Comments

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  1. JakeK
    1. Posted by JakeK Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

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    League probably won't do anything but give warning, possible fine. Actually makes not making the playoffs hurt more.
  2. Jaws
    2. Posted by Jaws Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:27 pm EDT

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    Probably not 1st, but I don't really care. Collusion? Why don't the Browns file a grievance that the Colts didn't even try to play their best for 60 minutes. Is not trying to win cheating in reverse?
  3. Doug
    3. Posted by Doug Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

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    tony dungy has way too much class for anything like this to take place.
  4. Paula's Old Man
    4. Posted by Paula's Old Man Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    As a Browns fan, I must comment, and ask why would Cleveland file a greivance. We did not make the playoffs, as a result of shooting ourselves in the foot, thus, why would a greivance help. Would we get an extra, much needed draft pick. Whoopdee Dooooo.......everyone knew the Colts were going to throw the game....duhhh!!!!
    Go Browns!!!
  5. Chico
    5. Posted by Chico Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    Not that big a deal, the Colts still would have had to score a Touchdown with less than a minute remaining and no timeouts! And their offense couldn't move the ball all game anyway!
  6. deeznuts
    6. Posted by deeznuts Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    Leave two of the class acts of the NFL (Fisher & Dungy) out of the offseason mudslinging of the losers in the league
  7. ben_doverimdriving
    7. Posted by ben_doverimdriving Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    let's see, they were down by 6 and had some wannabe throwing incompletions all over the place while their starters rested in a meaningless game for them. what about the rest of the teams that just played scrubs? fischer "knew" that dungy just wanted to get outta there, not like they planned the whole outcome of the game.if the colts wanted to win, they would have left manning & co. in, end of story.
  8. yankee doodle 41
    8. Posted by yankee doodle 41 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    The only reason the N.E. Pats stayed with their starters was becase they wanted the 16-0 record, Brady wanted the touchdown record and Moss wanted the receiving record. If not for those factors, N.E. would have done the same. But, I didn't like it either. Colts wanted no more injuries this year, they finally have their whole team together for the first time this year except for Freeny.
  9. Catherine L
    9. Posted by Catherine L Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    I love the comment that someone lost respect of Dungy because they felt like the Colts didn't try. We made sure we wrapped up our playoff spot. Why didn't Clevland? Stop crying, you should've beat Cinci. Don't blame Indy for missing the playoffs, win more games next year.
  10. akindians
    10. Posted by akindians Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    As a Cleveland fan, I am not shocked that the Colts weren't going to do what they had to do to win the game. The Browns not making the playoffs are the Browns' fault and no one else. We lost and should have won against Oakland, Pittsburgh (game two), Arizona, and Cincinnati. Our solice is knowing we are a better team and will become even better with a pick ahead of Tennessee.
  11. M
    11. Posted by M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    maybe if the patriots had filmed it from the sideline there would be some evidence to show the league...lol!
  12. Albert S
    12. Posted by Albert S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    If I wanted to watch pre- seaon football and the end of the season.... the colts gave it to me.
    One thing for sure , If Payton goes down to a career ending injury ( a little curse) the colts will be history
    Go BROWNS...Go PATRIOTS
  13. Albert S
    13. Posted by Albert S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    If I wanted to watch pre- seaon football and the end of the season.... the colts gave it to me.
    One thing for sure , If Payton goes down to a career ending injury ( a little curse) the colts will be history
    Go BROWNS...Go PATRIOTS
  14. Albert S
    14. Posted by Albert S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    If I wanted to watch pre- seaon football and the end of the season.... the colts gave it to me.
    One thing for sure , If Payton goes down to a career ending injury ( a little curse) the colts will be history
    Go BROWNS...Go PATRIOTS
  15. Pegleg 1
    15. Posted by Pegleg 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm EDT

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    Nobody threw the game except the browns. They are the one's that made the season nobody else.
    Anyway the Chargers will beat Tenn. this weekend so end of story.
  16. AC23
    16. Posted by AC23 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:53 pm EDT

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    The Colts got their first-round bye two weeks ago and that was enough. As far as I'm concerned, Dungy shouldn't even have played the starters on Sunday. After losing key players like Harrison and Freeney to injury, there is just too much risk. Their goal is to go perhaps repeat as the champs (Pats will take care of that, if they don't chokie), not to win some meaningless games. It's not the Colts' fault that the Browns have to depend on them to win.
  17. Robert
    17. Posted by Robert Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

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    Everyone knew days before the game that the Colts were going to rest most starters. And I'm sure Dungy didn't care about what was going to happen with the Titans or the Browns! While I think the Browns are a better team than the Titans it doesn't matter, maybe next year they will get 11 wins and not have to worry about what happens in Week 17!
  18. jmw3088
    18. Posted by jmw3088 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Collusion is not the same thing as what the Titans are admitting. Knowing that Dungy's view on competition meant that he wouldn't force them to punt is not the same thing as Dungy making an agreement to allow them to win.
  19. Robert
    19. Posted by Robert Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

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    Everyone knew days before the game that the Colts were going to rest most starters. And I'm sure Dungy didn't care about what was going to happen with the Titans or the Browns! While I think the Browns are a better team than the Titans it doesn't matter, maybe next year they will get 11 wins and not have to worry about what happens in Week 17!
  20. Big D
    20. Posted by Big D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

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    Geezzz are we that bored that its a who played to win and did'nt the desert of the day.It only was that the teams that played hard for a complete 16 game season and the ones who completed the task at hand had the option and used that to the best of each team. Colts did what they have done all year and played the healthy players and rested the ones they could they only rested to many for some but to call it cheating is far fetched,had worked hard to be able to what they did and will be as healthy as they have been for quite some time.BEWARE
  21. lazy
    21. Posted by lazy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    Dungy disgraced the city and the fans by not even calling a timeout to force the Titans to kick a game winning field goal. Resting players is one thing, but just laying down and giving up is another. Dungy owes all NFL fans who wasted any time watching that game an apology.
  22. Kenny
    22. Posted by Kenny Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    So what?!
  23. Jason
    23. Posted by Jason Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    The colts also played Jim Sorge at quarteback instead of Peyton Manning. Maybe the browns can file a greivance for that as well.
  24. Jason
    24. Posted by Jason Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    the colts also played jim sorge at quarteback instead of peyton manning. maybe the browns can file a greivance for that as well.
  25. Jordan
    25. Posted by Jordan Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:43 pm EDT

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    Titans were on the Colts 24 yard line. If they called a timeout, Titans kick an easy FG and go up by 9 with less than 20 seconds to play. The odds of the Colts getting the necessary TD and FG to win the game in under 20 seconds would have been 10 million to 1. Don't see what the big deal is here. The Colts obviously wanted to get out of that game healthy and had no vested interest in the playoff picture. Browns would have lost to SD, just like the Titans will without Scaife and Williams, with VY not 100% either.

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