Hmmm…A Closer Look at the Indianapolis Colts’ Schedule

The NFL announces the schedules, and we glance through to see who is coming to our house, and where our team must play on the road.

After that, there is a long wait just to get to training camps. The roster becomes the main focus, and with the Indianapolis Colts, there is the coaching change on top of that.

With Jim Caldwell coming in after Tony Dungy decided to pursue other endeavors, many questioned if anything would change. “Well he is just an extension of Coach Dungy,” many people said, but it still remains to be seen just how different he will be during the ups and downs of the season.

Aside from the coaching focus, there is the health of Peyton Manning, Bob Sanders, and pretty much everyone else on the team it seems. Health concerns have been the story of the Colts for the past few seasons.

Now let’s look at another aspect of the upcoming season: the schedule for the Colts.

Beginning the season at home on a Sunday afternoon against a well-known Jacksonville Jaguars team should be comforting. It is a big game though, because the division will be as tough as ever this year. The Jaguars had an awful season last year, but they have added some new players, and they too are now healthy.

After the first week jitters are gone, the Colts head to Miami to take on the Dolphins and their Wildcat offense on Monday Night Football. The Colts live for the prime-time games, and this one will be no exception. It is their only Monday Night Football appearance this year, and the weather (rain) will play a big factor in this one.

The third week of the season finds the Colts traveling to Arizona to take on the defending NFC champion Cardinals. Luckily for the Colts, this game will be played indoors where they are quite familiar with the field. This should be a great game not only because of the offenses, but both teams are fundamentally sound.

Finally the Colts will come home the following week and take on a reloaded Seahawks team. If this team is healthy, they can be dangerous. They have new weapons on both sides of the ball that could give the Colts fits. If this game were at Seattle, I would be worried, but playing at Lucas Oil should help the Colts in this one.

Sunday Night Football has a great game the next week, with the division rivals squaring off in Tennessee as the Titans host the Colts. The Titans have one of, if not the best secondary in the NFL. The Titans have given the Colts a lot of trouble the last few years, and this one will be no exception.

The Colts get their bye week here in Week Six.

After getting some rest, the Colts make the short trip to St. Louis to handle a less-than-impressive Rams squad.

The next three weeks, the Colts will be playing at home, but two of the three will be tough games. The San Francisco 49ers come first, which shouldn’t be too bad, but then the up-and-coming Houston Texans come to town for a divisional game. After that, it is what is now regarded as one of the best games of the season; the New England Patriots vs. the Colts.

These two have a short history, but what a history it is. Tom Brady and Manning will (hopefully) square off in a game that looks to pick up where it left off after the ’07 game.

Brady is back, and this game has that good feel to it again. It’s just not the same with Brady not playing.

After that tough test, comes another. The Colts travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens in one of the best games of the year. The Colts and the city of Baltimore go way back, and the fans as well as the players, will be jacked up for this one.

The rest of the season; @ Houston, vs. Tennessee, vs. Denver, @ Jacksonville, vs. New York Jets, and @ Buffalo aren’t the marquee games that the first half of the season presents, but that will be a good thing for the Colts.

They Colts will need as much rest as they can get, and depending on injuries and trades around the league, the season could look a lot different than it does now. The Colts will look to win enough games, then look to rest starters going into the final game against the Bills, but lucky for us, that is a long, long way away.

Ranking the Best NFL Team at Every Position

What team has the most talent and depth at any respected position?

Taking a look at the positions, there were many factors that helped me determine who to list.

There have been some off-season moves that have helped turn the tide from a season ago.

Obviously not everyone will agree with these picks, I want to hear from you, what team should be replaced for the respected position?

Starting with the offense:

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Predicting the NFL’s Division Winners in 2009

It is still the preseason, so there is still time to make predictions.

I didn’t make these predictions based upon any preseason games that I have seen so far this year.

These are just predictions, and though some of them seem really obvious, the NFL always has a way of surprising us.

Which team will bust out and take control of their division? Can the Titans or Texans finally get over on the Colts? Will the Cardinals repeat their success from last year? How will the Favre signing in Minnesota play a role in the NFC North?

Here are the answers (that are sure to be wrong).

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Top Five NFL Teams Needing New Stadiums

Look around at the Cowboys new stadium, the Cardinals stadium, as well as the Texans and Colts’ new facilities.

Those are some great pieces of work, but then there are those that are on the opposite side.

These five NFL teams are in desperate need of a new stadium…soon.

With today’s economy, it isn’t looking good for any of these teams, and this could mean some really nasty buildings will only get worse in the coming years.

Sorry to the fans that will have to put up with these stadiums for the next several years. Here they are in no particular order.

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Former Colts Still Looking For Work

Once part of the “Big 3” in the Colts offense, two veterans now find themselves out of work.

Marvin Harrison is the greatest receiver in the Colts franchise, and one of the best in NFL history. Edgerrin James was the Indianapolis rushing attack. After his first few seasons in the league, many thought he was a sure Hall-of-Famer

Edgerrin left for Arizona because of money the year before the Colts won their only Super Bowl, and Marvin refused to take less money to stay with the Colts this offseason. Both are now looking for new teams as Edgerrin was let go by the Cardinals last year.

Dubbed the “Big Three” in Indianapolis, the two paired with Peyton Manning to form one of the greatest offenses the NFL since the Greatest Show on Turf.

Edgerrin’s career numbers have gone down since leaving the Colts, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Not only were the Colts able to pile up the numbers on offense, but the Cardinals have never been a running team, especially now with the Warner to Fitzgerald combination.

Marvin has seen his numbers decline over the last couple of years and many people thought he would retire as a Colt this or next season. A guy that has never been one to talk with the media, Marvin opted to take his game elsewhere and look for another team, instead of staying with the team that got him his Super Bowl ring, as well as a spot in the Hall-of-Fame some day.

I think that both players still have something left in them, especially Edgerrin. They both have enough to help whatever team they join, they just won’t be the same player they once were, which is to be expected.

This just shows that the people in the Colts organization really know how to use their players, and they know how to fit them into the system.

If you find yourself as a Pro-Bowl player for a team that always contends for a Super Bowl, why leave? I hope Reggie and Bob are reading this…

The New Cowboys Stadium: The Spaceship in Arlington

The new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington was built for many different types of events, but really, it is to showcase America’s team.

The venue is the latest state-of-the-art stadium to open its doors. Tonight, the Cowboys hosted a preseason game against the Titans in which they displayed the beautiful architecture.

Texas Stadium has been the home of the Cowboys since 1971, but tonight, the $1 billion stadium steps in to take it’s place—just in a different city.

There is a 60-yard-wide High-Definition TV in this place. Where have you seen that before?

If you guessed nowhere in the world, you are correct.

With many teams wanting a new stadium, and others needing one badly, the Cowboys should realize that they have something special. More importantly, the city of Arlington should be thanking their lucky stars that this was able to be done in today’s economy.

Being from Indianapolis, I can remember what it was like last year when we opened our doors for our home opener during the preseason. Everyone was walking around like a homeless guy that just walked into LeBron James’ mansion.

At Lucas Oil Stadium, we have big screen TVs, spacious seating, and new everything. People are still talking about how nice it is, and how amazing it is to watch the roof and the windows open before the game.

I can only imagine what the fans inside the new Cowboys Stadium are seeing as they walk around tonight.

Secondary To None: The NFL’s Breakout Defensive Backs for 2009

There are certain positions in the NFL that are harder than others.

Everyone knows the quarterback position is the most glamorous, and the wide receiver can be the “all about me” position. The running back position is full of stars, and linebackers are always THE face of a defense.

Then there are the defensive backs.

The defensive backs are primarily responsible for big plays, and are always in the spotlight when something goes wrong.

Not only is it hard to cover the big tall monster receivers, but then having to cover the small, quicker, faster guys the next play. They must also play the game while trying not to commit a defensive penalty, which is almost impossible these days.

There are the elite guys like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders, Champ Bailey, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Adrian Wilson. Then there are the next guys in line. These guys still need to be groomed, but they are the key to the franchise’s success for the future.

Feel free to comment on who YOU think will be some other breakout players in the secondary this season.

Top 5 Rivalries in the NFL

Red Sox and Yankees, Duke and Carolina, Lakers and Celtics, Michigan and Ohio State.

Rivalries are one of the best thing about sports. They provide the most drama and emotion in a particular game. Everyone is on the big stage, and they are giving it their all.

Tempers are tested and emotions are never kept in check. The fights are remembered not only on tape, but etched in our minds forever.

The NFL is no different in that they actually provide some of the best rivalries, because football is such a violent sport. The NFL goes way back, so there is a lot of history to provide great rivalries.

Looking at my Top Five rivalries in the NFL, there will be debate, and their will be questioning…but isn’t that why I wrote it?

Top 10 Offensive Bounce-Back Players in ’09

The 2008 NFL season was not kind to these players listed.

Every one of these players would like to forget last season, whether it be distractions off the field, injuries, or just bad play.

The success of each of these player’s teams depends on how these guys bounce back in 2009.

Let me know if I have left someone off the list that you think should be on here.

Interesting NFL Logos

It is getting late, and I find myself bored once again.

I decided to take a look at some old logos for some NFL teams, and some new logos that were rejected. I soon found out I had compiled quite a list of these. It was time for a slide show!

Some of these are pretty goofy because they are so old, while others (like the Seahawks) logo are really awesome, and better than the one they have now.

Take a few minutes and scroll through some of these amazing logos, and comment on which one is your favorite, and if teams should switch from their current logo.

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