Recent Colts’ News Rains on Team’s Fast Start

You ever have a day where you don’t feel sick, but you don’t exactly feel well either?

That’s been me all day.

Maybe it’s the weather. It’s been that kind of cold, wet day that just gets into your bones.

It could be work. Somehow I have a stack of papers to grade that’s rapidly approaching Rocky Mountain size proportions.

But I really think it’s been the news coming from the Colts lately that has me feeling less than perfect.

After all, don’t we all live and die by our sports teams.

Three days ago, just three little days, Colts’ fans were celebrating a win over their rival, the Tennessee Titans. Everyone was riding into break on a natural high, the kind you get when your team is 5-0 and looking like a Super Bowl front runner.

Since then, the news coming from Indianapolis has been, frankly, a bit of a buzz kill.

First, there’s Peyton Manning’s knee. After 2008, I would have been perfectly happy spending the rest of my life never hearing anything about Manning’s knee again. But against the Titans, Manning got his knee dinged. Now it’s sore.

I’m positive that sore to Manning probably doesn’t mean the same thing as it does to me. I imagine that something Manning considers sore would prompt me to want to stay home and sleep on the couch for the day.

Just how sore is it? Is this a one to two week soreness, or something that will affect Manning’s play for the rest of the season? When the words medical procedure and knee are tossed around, you’ll forgive me if I get a bit jittery.

With a bye this week, and a virtual second one the following week against the Rams, it’s at least a silver lining that this sore knee has time to heal.

Then, there’s Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri has had a strong start to his season, so it’s disappointing to hear that he’ll miss a month or two recovering from knee surgery.

His replacement? Matt Stover. Apparently Bill Polian was challenged to find a kicker even older than Vinatieri. He’s a pretty reliable kicked inside the 40, but obviously doesn’t have the leg to make long kicks now that he’s 41 years old.

Silver lining this time? Vinatieri no longer is asked to do kickoffs. Rookie Pat McAfee has been handling that job nicely. However, if a clutch kick is needed in the next two months, especially against teams like New England and Baltimore, wouldn’t you feel better if Vinatieri was back on the field by then?

The final bit of news may be the most disturbing, and it’s certainly the most bizarre.

The Colts released Ed Johnson yesterday. Today, they announced that his release was based on his lack of performance on the field, and not because of any off-field problems that led to his release in 2008.

Manning and Vinatieri’s situations are injuries. Injuries happen and there’s really little that can be done about that. However, the Johnson situation seems perplexing.

He hasn’t performed, yet he’s been in the starting lineup of a defense that has made tremendous strides since it’s dubious performance against the Dolphins in week two.

He hasn’t performed, yet he was never taken out of the starting lineup. He goes from starter to unemployed in an instant.

Sure, they needed to make room for Stover. You would have thought Chad Simpson would have been back on the cutting block…again. Poor Simpson’s locker must be a folding table with an erasable nameplate.

Why upset the balance of a high performing defense by cutting a big body that’s part of a strong rotation. Is there something here that we don’t know? Either rookie Fili Moala is ready for prime time, or the Colts are being polite by giving Johnson what amounts to an honorable discharge.

Maybe all this news is nothing more than that. Just news. Something to fill up our blogs and inboxes while we shuffle through the long bye week.

I just know I’ll feel better when the Colts take the field again, and prove that not a drop of momentum has been lost from that last start.

 

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Relax Patriots, Tom Brady is going to be just fine.

The sky must be falling in New England.

The Patriots lost a game they usually win, a game where Tom Brady and the offense had the ball with five minutes left and a chance to take the lead.

But they didn’t do it.  Clutch plays came from a guy named Kyle Orton and not one named Brady.

I can only imagine the headlines in New England.  Already I’ve seen multiple articles talking about how Tom Brady isn’t the quarterback he once was.

The golden years are over.  It’s time to move on.

Whatever.

Sure, it’s probably a sign of the Apocalypse that a Colts columnist is writing an article defending Tom Brady.  However, it’s because I do cover the Colts that I can say this.

Tom Brady will be Tom Brady again.  How do I know?  Because Peyton Manning went through the same thing last year.

The average Patriots fan may not remember the 2008 Colts season, but the season started out even worse for Indianapolis than the current season has started for New England.

At one point, the Colts were 3-4.  Manning was simply not Manning.  He was missing receivers.  His throws always seemed a bit off.

And, then, Manning found his sea legs again.

Since an 18-15 win over the Pats, Manning hasn’t lost a regular season game in 14 tries.

After seven games last year, Colts nation was asking the same questions about Manning that New England fans may be asking about Brady today.

Is he done?  Has the window closed?

Manning has since opened the window and kicked in the door.  He’s come back with a vengeance.

Brady’s off to a somewhat shaky start, by Brady’s standards.  Brady is on pace to throw more passes than he ever has before, but his yards per attempt are his worst since 2002, his first full year as a starter.  He’s been off on his deep throws, which explains why his completion percentage is his worst since 2004.

Yet, somehow, the Patriots are a solid 3-2.  They’ve lost two games by a total of 10 points.  They are in much better shape than the 2008 Colts, a team that rallied for an impressive 12-4 record.

The endless debate has always been which quarterback is better, Manning or Brady.  Colts back their man, Patriots back theirs.  I will tell you this much, though:

Brady faces a challenge similar to Manning’s last year.  Manning has forever proven his worth as one of the top quarterbacks of all time by not only coming back from a knee injury, but by coming back and playing, arguably, the best football of his career.

If Brady’s in the same class as Manning, shouldn’t he do the same?

Do you have any reason he won’t?

I don’t.

No, 2007 won’t be back for Brady, just like Manning’s unlikely to repeat his 2004 touchdown performance.  Still, as the season goes on, you’ll find Brady getting better and better.  He’ll miss Randy Moss less on those depth throws.  As his confidence grows, he won’t rely so much on Wes Welker to bail out a play.

Brady will be back.  The Patriots will be one of the main contenders in the AFC.

So, if you take anything from a Colts supporter, just take this: patience.

It certainly paid off with Manning, so why shouldn’t it pay off for a quarterback in his class?

I just hope he’s back to form sometime after the annual showdown on Nov. 15.

 

 

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The Dime Package: Indianapolis Colts Questions Heading into the Bye

Another week. Another win. Another round of Colts questions.

Don’t think I could get tired of this routine.

 

10. Titans To Be a Big Test, Huh?

I was a little off on that one, yes. In the past, this would have been a down to the wire game.

The Colts started off sluggish—muffed punt, Peyton’s interception. If not for a brilliant play by Antoine Bethea to cause the fumble that set up a short field for the Colts’ first touchdown, it could have been a brutal start.

Still, the Titans never capitalized on the early miscues. Good teams find a way to win when they start poorly. Apparently the Colts are beyond good since they not only found a way to win, but they found a way to humiliate the Titans in what was essentially Tennessee’s season defining game.

It was a statement of how good the Colts are, just as much as how bad the Titans are. 13-3 to 5-11 seems quite conceivable for them.

 

9. Could This Be the Best Indianapolis Colts Team Ever?

The Indianapolis Star’s Eddie Kravitz initially asked the question. A lot of fans, including myself, have always felt the 2005 team was the best team Indianapolis has had—definitely better than the 2006 team that managed to gel in time for the playoffs.

The 2005 was a very dominant team, starting the year off 13-0, before finishing 14-2. Too bad a great season was soured by the opening playoff loss to Pittsburgh.

Through five games, the 2005 team was averaging 21.2 ppg on offense and allowed an amazing 5.8 ppg on defense. That’s a difference of 15.4 ppg.

The 2009 version of the Colts is averaging 27.4 ppg on offense and allowing 14.2 ppg on defense. That’s a difference of 13.2 ppg.

The 2005 team was off to a better start, but it should be noted their numbers slid a little as the season went on. If the ’09 Colts can keep up the pace, they could perform better statistically than their 2005 counterparts.

Not that anyone would really care as long as they performed better in the playoffs.

There’s no doubting this current team has a lot of potential.

 

8. Could Manning Win a Historic Fourth NFL MVP?

He’s certainly the front runner. Drew Brees cooled off after his blistering two game start. There’s several other good stories, but Manning is starting the year off on a tremendous pace.

He’s completing 73.5 percent of his passes. His career best is 67.6. He’s on pace to throw for over 5,200 yards, 45 yards per game over his career best.

Manning may not make the touchdown record, but he’s off to a remarkable start in nearly every other category.

Since it’s never been done, it’ll obviously be hard for Manning to win a fourth MVP award. They’ll be a ton of sentiment for Brett Favre, I imagine, if he leads the Vikings to a 12 win season, but I hope that doesn’t happen.

Manning’s numbers will dwarf Favre’s. Baring a disaster, I see only Brees as his main competition.

 

7. Who’s The Best Rookie So Far?

Tough question. I’ll say this first. This may go down as Bill Polian’s best draft in Indianapolis. Donald Brown, Austin Collie, and Jerraud Powers are all being very productive rookies.

Throw in undrafted Jacob Lacey, and this rookie class has been extremely impressive.

Also, consider this. After the Colts’ draft, most media were praising the Colts for drafting big defensive tackles Fili Moala and Terrence Taylor. Taylor got cut, and Moala has been inactive.

Even with those big blemishes, it’s been a successful group thus far.

That said, I’d have to give the early nod to Lacey. All four of the guys I mentioned have been solid, but the other three were all drafted in the top four rounds.

Few, if any, could have expected Lacey to be productive, let alone play significant minutes for a defense ranked in the top 10 in passing yards allowed. Lacey, who is tied for the team lead with five defensed passes, has been a pleasant surprise.

 

6. Any of The Vets Surprise You?

Okay, I have this to say:

Sorry, Charlie.

I’m really sorry I doubted Caldwell’s decision to bench Tony Ugoh for Charlie Johnson. Johnson was supposed to be a stop gap replacement. It was feared that LT would be the weak link along the line.

Johnson, though, has been spectacular.

Anyone noticed how the Titan’s Kyle Vanden Bosch got consistent pressure on Manning last night? Anyone also notice how Ugoh struggled with him.

Sure, Ugoh looks like a bust, but I think Manning’s blind side is safe with Johnson.

5. So, Assuming Manning is The Offensive MVP Thus Far, Who is The Defensive MVP?

Antoine Bethea. He leads the team in tackles, has two interceptions, and had a huge forced fumble in last night’s games.

His impact on the defense goes way beyond the stats though.

His leadership has been instrumental as the secondary has had to play with two rookies on many occasions. He’s the strength of a unit allowing a mere 5.6 yards per pass attempt.

Think about it. They’ve been without Kelvin Hayden and Bob Sanders, yet the defense is one of the best units against the pass in the league. Bethea’s leadership has a lot to do with that.

 

4. Okay, Enough With The Praise and Sunshine. What’s Been Disappointing So Far?

Is there anything disappointing about a 5-0 start? Everything you could nit pick about, this team has improved itself.

The defense plays one of its worst games ever against Miami, allowing 239 yards rushing. Since then? Three games, 163 total yards rushing allowed. Sure, the Titans got 4.4 yards per rush last night, but the longest run allowed was just 11 yards.

On offense, the running game could be better. However, with Manning and his receivers, the running game really only needs to be effective, not game changing.

It has been effective. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown have both had some good runs, and it helps they’ve combined for over 30 catches and nearly 300 yards receiving.

Individually, even much maligned Tim Jennings has improved. Jennings was almost a goat in last night’s Titans game after backing into a punt that gave Tennessee the ball and a cheap three points. Jennings made up for it in the second half with a great interception that set up the game icing touchdown.

Nit picks, nothing more.

 

3. Changes Were The Headline Heading Into The Season. What About Now?

Oh, the changes are still the headline, but for the opposite reason. As usual, I have yet to hear the pundits who predicted a slide in the Colts’ production because of the changes in personnel and in the coaching staff make amends by pointing out how those changes have actually improved the squad.

No Marvin Harrison. His replacement, Anthony Gonzalez is out. No matter—the Colts have continued on with great play from Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.

No Tony Dungy. No matter—coach Jim Caldwell has been a solid, quiet leader. It’s obvious he expects his players to take responsibility for their duties. It’s shown on the field.

New Defensive Coordinator. No Bob Sanders. No matter—Larry Coyer has made the defense more aggressive. No longer do the Colts need Sanders to provide the defensive fire. They have a multitude of guys that can make game changing plays now.

Change has definitely been good.

 

2. Bold Predictions For The Rest of The Season?

Well, I’d say the division championship is a foregone conclusion. Jacksonville looked like it had a chance after winning two straight division games until they laid a goose egg against Seattle.

That’s not exactly a bold prediction.

Given the rest of the schedule, I see only three games that the Colts could lose. Two are at home (New England, Denver), and one is away (Baltimore). The Colts don’t lose all three of those games.

14-2 is my prediction for the season, if the Colts continue their strong start.

From there, they should be the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. This team can win the Super Bowl.

 

1. Given The Colts’ Playoff History, What Makes This Team Different?

In the past, the Colts seemed to be going through the motions in the regular season. Since the bitter defeat against the Steelers in the 2005 playoffs, the Colts have always seemed to play the regular season out just to get a shot in the playoffs. It worked in 2006 but not in 2007 or 2008.

This year, they seem hungry. A lot of the young guys weren’t on the Super Bowl winning team. They aren’t just playing games to win them to make the playoffs. They are actively trying to make themselves a better team.

In the past, it looked like a job. This team looks like it’s having fun. That could mean the difference between bitter playoff memories, or championship parades in February.

Yes, they’re this good.

 

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Don’t Laugh, But 0-4 Titans Are a Huge Test for the Colts

The 4-0 Colts visit the 0-4 Titans. Sounds like the ultimate mismatch. The Titans are in complete free fall after losing by 20 to a very average Jacksonville Jaguar team. The Colts are riding high, winning the last two games by an average of 19 points. 

Lock of the week, right?

It’ll be the Colts third night game of the young season. Surely you haven’t forgotten the first night game played by Indianapolis. However, considering how long the Colts had the ball on offense, it would be understandable if you forgot.

Andy Warhol would have been proud of the Colts’ 15 minutes of fame. Actually, in a little less than 15 minutes, the Colts offense produced enough points to edge past Miami a little over two Sundays ago.

Save for Manning’s heroics, the story of the game could have easily been the Dolphins’ domination in the running game.

Forgive the pun, but the Wildcat mauled the Colts’ defense for 239 yards.

Time heals all wounds, as the saying goes, but two weeks seems like a short period of time. Since that mugging in Miami, the Colts defense has allowed just 51 yards rushing per game. Impressive, though it’s tarnished a bit when you realize they were facing Tim Hightower and Julius Jones.

This Sunday night, they face Chris Johnson and LenDale White.

The Titans have the league’s seventh rated rushing offense. They are second in yards per carry. What should worry the Colts isn’t so much the stats of how the Titans have run, but of how the Titans actually do run.

Miami is a rushing team built to run between and outside the tackles. Their running backs have a great ability to find the gaps and their offensive line is great at creating them.

It’s almost laughable to suggest Arizona has a running game, so it’s hard to take the Colts holding them to 24 yards on the ground seriously.

Seattle? Well, the Colts are actually built to stop runners like Jones—a speed runner who is most comfortable getting to the outside. Good performance, but hardly impressive.

In fact, if you watched the game closely, you noticed that one Seattle runner ran the ball fairly effectively in limited duty. The ex-Colt Edgerrin James averaged four yards on his four attempts.

Why?

Because he ran it straight into the gaps and between the tackles. North-south runners have historically given the Colts trouble.

Johnson and White may be the best north-south running tandem in the league. Sure, Johnson likes to break wide when he can, but he’s one of the few smaller backs that’s productive between the hashes.

How the night will go will be decided on the first offensive possession for the Titans.

Where safeties Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea line up will tell you what to expect for the evening.

Against Miami, even when they were in the Wildcat formation, Bullitt and Bethea played deep. Often it was them coming up to make a play, but not after the Dolphin runners have sliced through the front seven.

If defensive coordinator Larry Coyer has the safeties deep again to respect the pass, expect a frequent dose of Johnson and White.

If the safeties do play deep, what exactly are they respecting? A 36-year-old journeyman quarterback with a 68.9 passer rating and six interceptions in four games? This is what scares them?

Yes, Kerry Collins’ story was a nice one in 2008. The old castoff made good with the Titans and led them to the best record in the AFC. However, 2008 was the first year Collins had finished with a passer rating of over 80 since 2002.

There’s a reason Tennessee is his fifth team. Collins simply isn’t consistent.

His completion percentage is his worst in four years. His average yards per attempt are his worst since the Clinton administration. Even when not taking a sack against Jacksonville last week, Collins still only managed a paltry 5.9 yards per toss.

Coyer, this game has eight men in the box written all over it. 

Otherwise, it could be another long night on the field for the Colts’ defense.

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Don’t Laugh, But 0-4 Titans Are a Huge Test for the Colts

The 4-0 Colts visit the 0-4 Titans. Sounds like the ultimate mismatch. The Titans are in complete free fall after losing by 20 to a very average Jacksonville Jaguar team. The Colts are riding high, winning the last two games by an average of 19 points. 

Lock of the week, right?

It’ll be the Colts third night game of the young season. Surely you haven’t forgotten the first night game played by Indianapolis. However, considering how long the Colts had the ball on offense, it would be understandable if you forgot.

Andy Warhol would have been proud of the Colts’ 15 minutes of fame. Actually, in a little less than 15 minutes, the Colts offense produced enough points to edge past Miami a little over two Sundays ago.

Save for Manning’s heroics, the story of the game could have easily been the Dolphins’ domination in the running game.

Forgive the pun, but the Wildcat mauled the Colts’ defense for 239 yards.

Time heals all wounds, as the saying goes, but two weeks seems like a short period of time. Since that mugging in Miami, the Colts defense has allowed just 51 yards rushing per game. Impressive, though it’s tarnished a bit when you realize they were facing Tim Hightower and Julius Jones.

This Sunday night, they face Chris Johnson and LenDale White.

The Titans have the league’s seventh rated rushing offense. They are second in yards per carry. What should worry the Colts isn’t so much the stats of how the Titans have run, but of how the Titans actually do run.

Miami is a rushing team built to run between and outside the tackles. Their running backs have a great ability to find the gaps and their offensive line is great at creating them.

It’s almost laughable to suggest Arizona has a running game, so it’s hard to take the Colts holding them to 24 yards on the ground seriously.

Seattle? Well, the Colts are actually built to stop runners like Jones—a speed runner who is most comfortable getting to the outside. Good performance, but hardly impressive.

In fact, if you watched the game closely, you noticed that one Seattle runner ran the ball fairly effectively in limited duty. The ex-Colt Edgerrin James averaged four yards on his four attempts.

Why?

Because he ran it straight into the gaps and between the tackles. North-south runners have historically given the Colts trouble.

Johnson and White may be the best north-south running tandem in the league. Sure, Johnson likes to break wide when he can, but he’s one of the few smaller backs that’s productive between the hashes.

How the night will go will be decided on the first offensive possession for the Titans.

Where safeties Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea line up will tell you what to expect for the evening.

Against Miami, even when they were in the Wildcat formation, Bullitt and Bethea played deep. Often it was them coming up to make a play, but not after the Dolphin runners have sliced through the front seven.

If defensive coordinator Larry Coyer has the safeties deep again to respect the pass, expect a frequent dose of Johnson and White.

If the safeties do play deep, what exactly are they respecting? A 36-year-old journeyman quarterback with a 68.9 passer rating and six interceptions in four games? This is what scares them?

Yes, Kerry Collins’ story was a nice one in 2008. The old castoff made good with the Titans and led them to the best record in the AFC. However, 2008 was the first year Collins had finished with a passer rating of over 80 since 2002.

There’s a reason Tennessee is his fifth team. Collins simply isn’t consistent.

His completion percentage is his worst in four years. His average yards per attempt are his worst since the Clinton administration. Even when not taking a sack against Jacksonville last week, Collins still only managed a paltry 5.9 yards per toss.

Coyer, this game has eight men in the box written all over it. 

Otherwise, it could be another long night on the field for the Colts’ defense.

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DIme Package: Questions for the Indianapolis Colts at the Quarter Pole

Colts’ General Manager Bill Polian likes to comment how you break a season into quarters. Polian, then, must surely be pleased at the perfect first quarter his team has put together. So, with a fourth of the games done, let’s look at 10 questions concerning the Colts and the NFL.

 

10. What the heck is wrong with the Tennessee Titans?

Sitting at yesterday’s Colts game, I heard more gasps for the Titans’ score than I ever heard for the Patriots’ score. That says a lot about how shocked the Lucas Oil crowd was at how badly the Jaguars were beating the Titans.

The Titans have lots of issues. They are giving up 27 points a game. Their defense just let David Garrard torch them for 323 passing yards. Garrard actually became the third quarterback this year to pass for over 300 yards against the Titans. That’s nowhere near the defensive production they got in 2008.

Frankly, this isn’t a team that’s built to win shootouts. While opposing quarterbacks are having career days, their own gunner, Kerry Collins, is struggling with a passer rating under 70. Their rushing game is still strong, but Collins has thrown six interceptions already. He threw seven all of last year.

 

9. So, easy win for a 4-0 Colts team facing the 0-4 Titans, right?

Not by a long shot.

Sunday night’s game is a season-saving game for the Titans. Lose it, and the Titans might as well book family vacations for January. However, the Colts will be in for a struggle. The Titans will be at home, on Sunday night, with pride and the season on the line. That’s a dangerous situation for any visiting team.

The Titans are calling for a “code blue” for the game, asking their fans to wear Titan blue for the divisional showdown. It would be more appropriate, considering the team’s record, to call for a code red.

 

8. Which divisional foe is in the best shape to challenge the Colts right now?

Win or lose Sunday night, the Titans have a long climb ahead of them. The nod right now would have to go to Jacksonville, if only because they’ve beaten both Tennessee and Houston. I’m still not sold on this Jacksonville team, and think their wins in the division speak more about the issues the Texans and Titans have than how good the Jaguars are. Still, with a 2-1 division record, the Jags are in the best shape of the three.

 

7. How are the Colts so successful with so much youth on offense?

It’s a lot of different things. Part of it is obviously Peyton Manning. Manning makes players better because he demands so much of the guys around him. There’s no denying Manning’s leadership presence on this team.

But don’t think for a minute that these guys don’t have talent.

Pierre Garcon is becoming a very legitimate deep threat. He runs good routes and has reliable hands. However, he’s also an amazingly good downfield blocker. He reminds me of Hines Ward in that way.

Austin Collie just seems to have a football mind. Did you realize his first five catches went for first downs? And his touchdown against Seattle was just a perfect play.

Donald Brown is a hard-nosed runner who’s a perfect compliment to Joseph Addai. I like how the tandem looks now, and can’t wait to see how it looks in December.

And don’t forget Polian drafted all these guys. It’s funny that all the changes that were spelling doom for the Colts may have actually made them better.

 

6. Addai still making you pay in fantasy?

I know, it’s what I get for being a non-believer. I cut Addai, pick up Hightower, and he stinks. So, did I pick Addai back up? Of course not. The Colts defense couldn’t do that again, so I picked up Julius Jones. Even Jones laughed at that. Meanwhile, Addai gets picked up by someone else and I’ll probably overpay to get him back. Such is the humiliation I deserve.

I did pick up Garcon, so the fantasy gods can get off my case now. Please?

 

5. Speaking of the defense, why are they so much better?

I honestly don’t see a difference with defensive coordinator Larry Coyer’s blitzing style. They blitz, but that hasn’t been the difference this year. What’s been the difference is the aggressiveness.

Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney have been defensive forces so far. They’ve combined for 10 sacks already. It helps that they know they have a defensive backfield behind them that is fast and gets to the ball to make plays quickly.

How often can you play two rookie corners and a backup at safety, yet have a top 10-rated pass defense? I was so happy to see Melvin Bullit with a captain’s patch, because he’s played exactly like the guy he’s replaced—Bob Sanders—with his ability to make plays at the line and back in the passing game.

Even the linebackers have been playing well, which means they’ve been tackling well.

Coyer has obviously preacher the fundamentals and had them step up their pressure. It shows.

And this is all without Sanders, Kelvin Hayden, and Gary Brackett. Suddenly, this is a very deep defense.

 

4. Are the Colts the best team in the league right now?

I’m not sure they are the best team, but they are definitely in the discussion.

Peyton Manning is playing better than I’ve ever seen him play, even better than 2004. He may not be setting records, but he’s bringing along a fairly young offense with superb passing.

Donald Brown and Joseph Addai seem to be finding their groove in the running game.

And the defense. Wow. Two straight games where the defense made a statement in shutting down the offense. If they keep this up, I could see three or four defenders making the Pro Bowl this year. Wouldn’t that be a pleasant switch?

This team is definitely playing on all cylinders right now.

 

3. What’s a top five list of teams look like right now?

I’d probably go with the Vikings at five, the Patriots at four, Saints at three, Colts at two, and then the Giants at one.

The Giants just seem like a complete team. Eli Manning has looked great working with all new receivers. They have a powerful running games, and their defense is extremely deep. I’d give them the nod over the Colts based on their defense right now, but it’s close.

The Patriots will keep getting better as Brady’s knee gets stronger. The Saints and Vikings appear to be the cream of the NFC crop.

 

2. After four games, does the quality of the Colts’ schedule look any different?

First of all, the Colts got a weird schedule quirk this year. They had one home game in September. Yesterday’s win over Seattle was their lone game at Lucas Oil until November. However, starting with the Nov. 1 game against the 49ers, the Colts finish the year with six of 10 at home. That’s a good way to end the year, and it makes the strong start even more important.

Also, of their remaining road games, only the Baltimore one looks to be real tough. Sure, the home schedule got tougher. The 49ers and Jets look significantly better than forecasted, as do the Broncos. The Patriots game is always tough. Having all those at home really helps.

 

1. Any final comments on yesterday’s game?

Loved the pink accents to the uniforms. Great cause, and it was cool to see so many players take part. The best one? Ed Johnson. Just something about a 300-pound defensive tackle in pink shoes that just puts a smile on your face.

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The Dime Package: The Indianapolis Colts’ 10 Greatest Running Backs

With Edgerrin James making a return to Indianapolis this week as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, I thought it would be appropriate to look at the greatest running backs in the history of the Indianapolis Colts.

Please note, this is only a look at running backs who played in Indianapolis. This is not a slight against the Baltimore Colt greats like Lydell Mitchell and Lenny Moore. It’s just that many Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts’ fans look at the history of the team in two parts.

Since my history with the team deals primarily with Indianapolis, I’m concentrating on the backs that did their running in the Circle City.

Though the Colts have had a sketchy history in Indianapolis, there’s some surprisingly deep amount of talent on this list as you head up to number one.

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The Dime Package: It’s Colts Question Time

I really love the time between weeks three and four of the season. We’ve seen teams enough to start to get a feel for who may or may not have a good year. Still, there’s a long season left and even an 0-3 start doesn’t mean you should start booking your beach house in January just yet. For the Colts, we’ve seen a lot, yet you know there’s still 13 games left on the schedule. So, without further ado…

 

1. Are you seriously going back to the question format again?

Why not? Every writer has a niche, right? Fellow BR writer Kyle Winslow has that cool “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” theme to his writing. SI‘s Peter King has the “Ten Things I Think” gimmick, and ESPN‘s Bill Simmons has claimed the recycled ’80s references as his thing.

What’s left but this? So, I came up with The Dime Package and 10 questions to answer about the Colts’ season.

Yeah, I like the “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” better too.

2. Okay, so explain yourself. Did you give up on Joseph Addai too soon?

Yes. Yes, I did. Here’s a story from the fantasy league I’m in. I had complained that in the one year that I thought it was great to have a Colts player, I didn’t. So, I finally traded for one:: Joseph Addai. Sure, I’d rather have had Dallas Clark or Reggie Wayne, but beggars can’t be choosers.

So, what did I do with Addai? I promptly cut him and picked up Tim Hightower before the game.

Ouch. Apology letter to Mr. Addai on the way.

But as far as his actual on-field production, what we saw out of Addai against Arizona is what we can expect. He can be productive rushing the ball and can make plays in the passing game. He’s not a 20 carry back, but that’s really a dying breed anyway.

Frankly though, Addai is going to be pushed all year by Donald Brown. Brown can obviously play, and I think it’s a good thing that they are splitting duty.

Still, it’s a telling sign that late in games we see Brown, not Addai.

3. The biggest news of the last few days is Dwight Freeney’s injury. Will this kill the momentum the Colts have had to start the season?

Not as much as you think. You obviously never want an injury like this to happen, but at least the timing is decent. The next three weeks have Seattle visiting Indianapolis, then a trip to Tennessee, followed with the bye week. Even if he somehow misses four weeks, St. Louis is the opening game following the week off.

That’s not a bad schedule to miss your starting defensive end. Seattle will run the ball because they simply aren’t a good passing team without Matt Hasselbeck. The Tennessee game will be tough, with or without Freeney, but then you hit the bye. Even with Freeney, I’d say the Colts are in good shape if they hit the bye week at 4-1.

4. Sounds like you think the Titans will win the game in week five. Are the Titans prime to bounce back?

I don’t think anyone can argue that the Titans are the league’s best 0-3 team. They have talent, but as their three losses have shown, they have issues. Their special teams is surprisingly suspect. Their vaulted defense is showing gaps, but not in the places you’d expect. The defensive line has done decently well without the departed Albert Haynesworth, but the secondary is not as strong as it was last year.

But can they make a comeback? With three losses already in the books, you figure they’ll have to go 10-3 the rest of the way to make the playoffs in a stacked AFC. They still have road games against the Colts, Patriots, and a surprisingly good 49ers team. They still have to play at Houston as well. They have some tough home contests against Arizona and San Diego. Can they get through those and their other games with only three losses? I doubt it.

They’ll be better than their 0-3 record suggests, but the Jets’ loss may be the one that kills the season for them. Nine-and-seven suddenly looks right, and that’s not making the playoffs this year.

5. Are you giving the Colts the division already?

Wow, sure does sound like it, doesn’t it? I don’t see the other two division foes making much noise now. Jacksonville has shown us that they are a one trick pony. Maurice Jones-Drew won them the Houston game, but did little in their two losses.

Meanwhile, Houston has got to be one of the most puzzling teams in the league. You have great defenders like Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans, yet they’ve given up 86 points in three weeks! Steve Slaton seems to have the sophomore slump, though I can’t tell you why they don’t involve him more in the passing game. Wasn’t Gary Kubiak supposed to be an offensive genius?

And one final note on Tennessee. Do you see Kerry Collins, at 37, leading a 9-0 stretch like Peyton Manning did with the Colts last season? No, I don’t either.

I’m not saying the Colts have the division, but it sure is theirs to lose.

 

6. Do we suddenly have a wide receiver controversy on our hands?

I would think so. Pierre Garcon has been nothing short of spectacular in his relief of Anthony Gonzalez. Seven catches in two games isn’t a lot, but it’s what he’s managed to do in those seven catches: two touchdowns and over 19 yards per reception. Toss in his 17-yard run against the Cardinals in which he literally ran over an Arizona defender, and you really have to wonder how the Colts can justify not getting this guy the ball even when Gonzalez comes back.

Besides, do you see Gonzalez making the 52-yard touchdown play like Garcon did against the Cardinals?

I don’t either.

7. Anyone else impress you so far this season?

On offense, obviously the rookie RB Brown has looked good in his limited time. He hits the hole hard and is tough to break down. He’s a better between-the-tackles runner than Addai, and can hold his own against no. 29 in the passing game.

However, the real highlight on offense has been Dallas Clark. I thought Clark would be better this year now that Harrison is gone. However, he’s on pace for 96 catches and 1500 yards. He won’t get those numbers, but it’s very realistic for him to reach 80 catches and 1100 yards.

His versatility is going to give defenses fits. Defenses have to account for Clark in multiple spots on the field. This allows the Colts to always play matchups with him and the other receivers. Not only has he done better, but it’s making the entire offense better as well. He’s a big reason why Manning has been magnificent so far.

On defense, Antoine Bethea is the one that really stands out to me. He doesn’t have the presence that Bob Sanders has, but there’s no denying that Bethea is a leader when he’s on the field. He’s made some great plays all over the field. The Colts must make resigning him a top priority in the offseason.

8. Disappointments?

It would be so easy to put Tim Jennings here, but his play improved quite a bit against Arizona. So, my disappoint actually lies with an entire unit: the linebackers.

With our added beef on the defensive line, and Larry Coyer’s more aggressive defensive schemes, I was expecting more plays out of our speedy linebackers. Clint Session has done okay, and it hasn’t helped that Brackett has been hurt. Still, the linebackers aren’t making the plays that they should.

Session is the only linebacker to be in the top five in tackles for the team. For a unit that relies on speed, that isn’t a promising sight. Our defensive backs are being forced to come up to make a lot of plays, and that’s one of the biggest things to be address moving forward.

9. Speaking of moving forward, how does the Colts’ schedule look now?

Based on early returns, I would say the top four teams in the AFC are the Colts, Patriots, Jets, and Ravens. The Colts face each of those other teams later this season. Those will be the barometer games to see how good this team can be. However, the schedule as a whole looks favorable. The Colts get two of those team above at home (Patriots, Jets), and really only have two tough road games left (Tennessee, Baltimore). If the defense plays more like it did in week three, and not like it did in week two, then this is a 12 or 13 win team. The next two opponents, the Seahawks and Titans, will both test the Colts’ run defense.

10. Finally, the next opponent is Seattle. Why will this game be special?

It will be special for the one player who will have little impact on the actual game. Edgerrin James signed with Seattle, and has managed only six carries for 13 yards in the last two games. James is at the end of his career, but hopefully Colts fans will remember what a career it was. James did a lot for this franchise, and I’m sure I’m not alone when I felt bad that James left town right before we won the Super Bowl. In fact, I know Colts’ owner Jim Irsay felt this way since he gave James a Super Bowl ring.

I hope the Colts do something special when he comes back. He’ll probably get a video collage and some kind words. I hope they skip protocol and put James in the Colts’ Ring of Honor. He definitely deserves to be there.

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Cardinals Are the Perfect Matchup for the Colts

After the Colts’ showcased a miserable display of run defense against the Dolphins on Monday, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see that the Cardinals are favored in the Sunday night matchup.

Watching Miami have their way with the Colts’ defense must have Cardinal fans salivating at the possibility of what Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and company can do.

While the prospect of Warner and Peyton Manning battling it out will be great TV, I really like the Colts’ defense to bounce back this week.

The Colts are built to face teams like Arizona.

Let’s focus on the defense first.

How can a defense bounce back after the shellacking they took against the Dolphins?

The Colts will be facing a Cardinal team currently ranked 25th in the league in rushing. The Cardinals are averaging a mere 79 yards per game. They are a face first (then second, then third) offense and running the ball isn’t exactly their focus. When the Cardinals do run, they only get 3.5 yards per carry.

The Cardinals will live and die by the pass. That just happens to be the Colts’ defense’s specialty.

The Colts are leading the league in passing yards allowed. A 26 yard gain is the longest passing play the Colts have allowed so far, also best in the league, and they have yet to allow a touchdown pass.

All this, even with Tim Jennings involved.

Yes, I know the arguments against these facts.

The Colts play soft coverage. Defense backs seem to stay seven yards off their receivers. Jennings is usually somewhere in the next area code. But, the Colts don’t give up any big plays. Even with the cushion, the Colts are only allowing a 59 percent completion percentage.

Granted, the Colts have great stats because Jacksonville and Miami ran the ball. However, Jacksonville actually passed more than they ran, and Miami put the ball in the air 33 times. 61 passes have been thrown when the Colts defense is on the field, and they have only given up 278 yards.

That’s barely 4.5 yards an attempt.

Remember, this is a Colts’ passing defense that sent an NFL record for the lowest number of touchdown passes allowed: six. That’s less than one for every two games played.

Sure, they annoy you with their ability to play six yards off on third and five, but there’s no denying that the Colts play well against the pass.

Warner, Fitzgerald, and company may not have the field day you expect.

So, what about the Colts’ offense? How will it stack up to the Cardinals’ defense?

The Cardinals’ defense is currently fifth in rushing yards allowed. That’s a stout defense, and I’m sure the numbers will be just as good after the Colts’ game since the Colts simply don’t run the ball.

The Colts are 29th in the league in rushing. They don’t run the ball particularly well, but they also don’t try particularly often.

The Colts’ strength, like the Cardinals, is passing. The Colts are third in passing, and Manning is second in passer rating, only behind the Saints’ Drew Brees. Despite being 25th in attempts, the Colts are averaging nearly 300 yards per game passing.

Opposite them will be a Cardinal defense that gives up over 230 yards in the air per game, which gets them no better than 18th in the league. These mediocre stats were compiled against the aerial circuses of San Francisco and Jacksonville. Those aren’t exactly pass heavy teams.

Make no mistake about it, the Cardinals are a strong team, but their one weakness is going against the Colts’ strength.

While the casual NFL fan will tune in to see two of the league’s better passers dual it out, the teams’ fans will know this game will be won by whichever defense can slow the other’s passing attack down the most.

The Colts clearly have the edge there.

Now, if I could only convince Jennings the game is actually in Indianapolis…

 

 

 

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Peyton Manning’s Heroics Save Colts Yet Again

There are a lot of topics that could be discussed the day after Indianapolis’ thrilling 27-23 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.

I could talk about the Colts’ defense or lack there of.

I could talk about Miami’s fifty-seven minutes of domination, only to end the game with a series of perplexing decisions.

I could talk about how surreal it was to see Tiger Woods slap Manning on the back after the opening touchdown throw.

But, all I really want to talk about is Peyton Manning.

Last night was a career milestone for Manning. He tied Johnny Unitas for fifth all-time in career TD’s. He also passed Johnny U. in franchise lore, having the most wins in Colt history with his 119th victory (Unitas had 118 victories with the Colts and one with the Chargers).

What’s impressive is how Manning earned that record. His stat line is pretty good at first glance, 303 yards on only 23 pass attempts and two touchdowns.

However, dig deeper and you get a sense of how great those numbers really are. Manning earned them while spending less than fifteen minutes on the field.

The Colts were manhandled in time of possession. The Dolphins owned a three-to-one advantage in that category. The Colts’ defense just simply couldn’t get off the field. The Dolphins controlled the clock with an offense that ran for over 200 yards.

Bill Polian has been quoted in the past as saying that time of possession is one of the most overrated stats in football. It certainly was last night. With less than fifteen minutes of possession, the Colts generated 27 points. The accomplishment was how in sync they were despite spending most of the game as spectators.

For anyone who has ever played sports before, you know there’s a certain element of rhythm in athletics. The more you play, the more you find your groove. It’s very difficult to sit cold and come out and perform.

But that’s exactly what Peyton Manning did. Time and time again, the Dolphins churned clock and often produced a score.

Now, check the box score. From the second quarter on, every time the Dolphins scored, the Colts answered back. Back-and-forth. The Dolphins would seemingly drive down the field at will, the defense looked spent, and the Colts’ chances in the game looked bleak. Yet, Manning was always there with an answer.

I’m sure this will be one of a million Manning articles written today. A thrilling Monday Night Football win coupled with breaking the franchise record of an iconic quarterback will give the media lots to talk about.

And it’s with good reason. Manning proved last night why is name gets mentioned with the greats of all time.

For many teams, there’s a certain golden age you can look at and say “those teams were special.” The 49ers have the ’80s and early ’90s with Montana and Young. The Packers have the great teams of the ’60s. The Browns have there powerful teams of the ’50s.

For the Colts, they’ve always had the Unitas era and the team that won “The Greatest Game Ever” in 1958. Unitas, Raymond Berry, Art Donovan, etc. The roll call from those teams is an impressive who’s who of football history.

But make no mistake about it, this is the Colts’ second golden age.

Seven straight playoff appearances. Six years of 12+ wins. A Super Bowl victory.

The list of Colts’ players during this run does not come close to the Colts’ teams of Unitas. Sure, Marvin Harrison is Hall of Fame bound. Jeff Saturday, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney are great players. But this golden age of Colts football is here because they have No. 18 behind center.

By all accounts, Miami should have won last nights game. They ran the ball down the Colts’ throats. They made the Colts all but abandon the running game. Manning got to throw only 23 passes.

Yet, Manning made the most of his meager opportunities. Miami played an amazing game, but at the end, they didn’t have anyone that was going to will their team to win.

Manning did.

The last drive was classic Manning. Manning hit three of his four passes, all for 15 yards or more. The last play, Manning quickly read the all-out blitz and hit Garcon, who made some great moves in route to a score. Manning was in command in that final drive.

It’s something a lot of fans have come to expect from Manning, maybe even take for granted. But it’s definitely something we need to savor.

Manning won’t be around forever, but while he’s here, he’s sure given the Colts one helluva ride.

 

 

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