Colts have another season to remember, another bitter end

In 18 years of being a Colts fan, it seems like every year is special in its own way, but every year ends with the bitter pill of a playoff defeat. This has been the case in all but three seasons, two in which landed the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft to land Peyton Manning and then Andrew Luck and the other in 2007, when the team defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

2013 was no different than all those other years, with some great moments and some frustrating ones that make you wonder if the Colts' identity will always be contenders that are too weak to impose their will on the opposition.

The best part of this season was without a doubt the team's dramatic 45-44 come-from-behind playoff victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Down 38-10 in the third, I was certain the season was coming to an end, only keeping the game on to see how they would play things out.

It turned out to be a comeback for the ages, as the Colts erased that four-touchdown deficit slowly but surely, and punched their ticket to the Divisional Round. Things started out quickly thanks to Andrew Luck (who will be MVP one day) and Robert Mathis. Once they cut the deficit to 14, I knew it was possible and a few Kansas City mistakes later, the comeback was complete.

Another memorable moment from the 2013 season is Manning's return to the Circle City when Denver came to town on October 20. While Manning received a much deserved standing ovation, the Colts had the last word on that night, being the first team to beat the Broncos this year, 39-33.

Keep in mind the Colts not only beat Denver, but other stalwarts like San Francisco, Seattle and the Chiefs twice. They seemed to play their best against the highest competition, but would falter against the likes of St. Louis (I was there for that debacle), Miami and San Diego.

The Colts traded a No. 1 draft pick for Trent Richardson, which has not panned out. Give him one more year to learn the system before we can say for sure he is a bust. Either way, hopefully a healthy Vick Ballard and Ahmad Bradshaw will give Indy a better running game in 2014, although Donald Brown played admirably throughout 2013.

The season came to an end the way it had a few times during the Manning-era, with a loss to the more-disciplined, organized and better-coached Patriots. It's no shame losing to the Pats in the playoffs, but there really is no worse way to end the season.

Post Manning era may begin early

Over the last few years, Colts fans have begun realizing that the Peyton Manning era will come to a close at some point, but nobody had imagined it coming as early as 2011.

But that may be the case, as Manning has already missed his first game to injury last week at Houston and may be out for quite a while.

This is the time for the other Colts to step up. They need to be motivated and give even more of an effort to show that this 10-year run of greatness was not just because of one player.

I think they will be fine. They probably will not make the playoffs, which would be the first time since 2001. But they will not be 2-14 like everyone else seems to assume.

Let Manning take the year off, completely heal, and then come back in 2012 with comeback player of the year on his mind. If that happens, Indianapolis is a force once again.

Colts can't comeback

Sunday was a rarity for the Indianapolis Colts. They lost a football game. They lost a football game in November. They lost to an NFC team. Peyton Manning could not pull off a last minute comeback.

Despite being outplayed much of the way, the Colts had a lot of things go their way, but still couldn't steal a victory. Philly had the game clinched on a fumble recovery in the games final minutes, but a roughing the passer penalty gave the Colts new life. Javarris James (Edgerrin's cousin) scored a touchdown and the Colts were within two. 

The defense came up with a big stop, but it was the offense that seemed to not be in the game. WIth 47 seconds to go with no timeouts and at your own 26, you would think Peyton Manning could trot the team down the field into field goal range and Adam Vinatieri could finish it off. But after an initial Reggie Wayne reception, the Colts could not connect on deep routes to Pierre Garcon. 

Philly ended the game the way the Colts often do, with a game sealing interception. 

The Colts have had bad luck this year, with nearly all of there players suffering injuries. Austin Collie may be out for the year after taking a cheap shot against the Eagles. But the team as a whole doesn't seem as focused as they were last season. And in a tough AFC, they may need to win the division to even have a chance at defending their AFC crown come playoff time. 

Colts back in first

If it's a big game on a Monday night with half the team on the injured list, the Indianapolis Colts are going to find a way to win. And if their opponent is the Houston Texans and they are playing in Indianapolis, there is no way they are going to lose.

Such was the case Monday night as the Colts built a 17-3 halftime lead en route to a 30-17 victory over the visiting Texans, taking over first place in the AFC South for the first time all year.

Peyton Manning was again solid, and Kelvin Hayden jump started the defense with an INT returned for a touchdown that gave Indy a 14-0 lead. With Freeney and Mathis still healthy on the ends, Houston didn't stand much of a chance at a comeback.

The Colts will be tested throughout the remainder of the season, having to play without tight end Dallas Clark and possibly receiver Austin Collie for the rest of the slate.

But if Manning is behind center, the Colts will find a way to stay good, and new weapons will emerge because of that.

Now that's more like it

Coming off one of their worst performances in recent memory, the Indianapolis Colts showed their true colors Sunday night, clobbering the visiting NEw York Giants, 38-14 at the home opener at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Everything the Colts did wrong in their Week One opener against Houston changed for the better when the Giants came to town. The first sign that this was going to be one of the best games I've ever seen the Colts play was the emergence of the run game on the opening drive. Both Jospeh Addai and Donald Brown were effective the whole night. The Colts never had so many running plays in the Peyton Manning era.
Brown scored the opening touchdown untouched from seven yards out. But the drive that really showed that the Giants had no chance was when Manning took over at the Colts one-yard line, marched to midfield using mostly runs, and using the play action to find an open Dallas Clark at the 30 and running in the end zone for the second score of the day.
By halftime, it was 24-0, and effectively over.
Much hype was made about the showdown between Peyton and his little brother Eli Manning, who quarterbacks the Giants. I was hoping both would play well because Eli is my fantasy QB. But he did not. But then again he didn't have much of a chance. The Colts defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, sacking Manning multiple time and forcing two fumbles. They also intercepted him in the first half before the win was sealed.
Eli did throw two touchdowns and despite his bad game, was my fantasy scoring leader for the week with 14 points.
I mentioned last week that the first Sunday was great for my fantasy team and bad for the Colts. The second week was the complete opposite. My fantasy team bombed with uncharacteristically quiet outputs from Chris Johnson, Greg Jennings and Pierre Garcon. My big mistake was sitting the Colts defense in favor of Carolina, who totaled one point in their loss to Tampa Bay.
Hopefully the Colts take their good play on the road and have anoher inspired effort in Denver Sunday.
Around the NFL
I don't ever recall a week with so much parody. Miami won in Minnesota, the Bears downed the Cowboys in big D, the Bucs beat the Panters, the Jets without Darrelle Revis stopped New England and the Steelers dominated in Tennessee. It's odd that teams like Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and the Bears are 2-0, while preseason SUper Bowl contenders Minnesota, Dallas and San Francisco are looking at 0-2 starts.

Great fantasy day, bad reality day

One of the best days of the year is the opening Sunday of professional football. Although my main focus is on the Indianapolis Colts, I also enjoy seeing how my fantasy players are doing. Sunday's games proved to be frustrating in terms of reality, but my fantasy team, Holy Roller, had a record-setting week and looks primed to be a contender throughout the season.
I wish I could say the same about the Colts. The Houston Texans showed that they were improved and wanted the game more than Indy did. Houston was more focused and ran Arian Foster for 231 yards and three touchdowns. At no point did the Colts have the lead.
Although there were many times during the game where I just figured that the Colts were going to pull it out because they always do, something about this one seemed like it was finally the Texans' turn. It was opening week and they had been specifically preparing for this game because they were 1-15 against the Colts all-time, including two big blown leads in the last two games played in Houston.
Although Peyton Manning played great, the offensive line struggled and wide receiver Pierre Garcon dropped a few passes and failed to make big plays like he did all year in 2009. An Austin Collie fumble early in the fourth quarter really took the team out of their rhythm. They would have had the ball at the Houston 10, going in for a score that would have made it a three-point game.
But the biggest concern of the game was the run defense, that looked every bit as bad as they did in 2006 when Maurice Jones-Drew ran all over the bumbling defense in a December game in Jacksonville. The defense also suffered the loss of Bob Sanders, who is out indefinitely with torn biceps. Arian Foster had a break out day, and that was way too much for the Colts.
Foster's big day wan;t too much for my fantasy team, that scored an incredible 166 points in a 166-34 victory over my opponent. That's right, I won by 132 points. No other team in the league even scored 132. Foster had 50 points for me, which would have been enough to beat my opponent on his own. But just for show I had Chris Johnson, who had 30 points, the third most in the whole league behind Foster and the Bears' Matt Forte. I beat my opponent at every position, with the help of Visanthe Shiancoe, Pierre Thomas and Eli Manning. Greg Jennings also had a touchdown for me.
I am confident that the Colts will get back on track as they host the New York Giants in the second ever "Manning Bowl." It's a home game on a Sunday night, but New York is really good and the Colts could be 0-2 if they do not improve from what they did on Sunday in Houston.
I still think they bounce back.
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I thought the Calvin Johnson no-TD at the end of the Lions-Bears game in Chicago was a bad call that cost the Lions the game. It was clearly a catch for many reasons. He had the ball in control across the goal line. That's all you need. He also had his feet in bounds and came down with the ball. The refs were wrong for interpreting it the way they did.
Bob Sanders is one of many key players around the league that will miss serious time to an injury. Kris Jenkins of the Jets and Ryan Grant of the Packers are both out for the season.

Sad day for Colts

The happiest moment in Indianapolis Colts history was without a doubt Marlin Jackson's interception of Tom Brady in the final minute of the 2006 AFC Championship Game. The play had cemented the Colts as conference champions for the first time and ended the Colts' recent playoff struggles against the New England Patriots.
Colts fans will always remember and love Marlin Jackson for that play that gave the city so much joy. But Jackson will no longer be suiting up for the Colts, in fact, in 2010, he will suit up against them when the Colts visit the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson signed a contract with the Eagles today and will most likely play safety for the team.
Although injury prone, Jackson was always effective when he was in the game for the Colts. He always seemed to make the key play at the right time, none more important that the prolific pick in the AFC title game. Still as the only Indianapolis Colts team to win a Super Bowl, the 2006 season was special. And Jackson's INT was the defining moment of that season.
The man who will always be known as Peyton Manning's backup has left Indy as well today. Instead of backing up Peyton, Jim Sorgi will backup Eli, as he signed with the New York Giants today. It will be strange not to see Sorgi on the sidelines and throughout preseason.
One thing is for sure, the Colts will need to sign another quarterback. As reliable as Peyton has been, Curtis Painter is not going to cut it if he is asked to play any meaningful time.
Two recognizable faces in Indy Colts history are gone in one day. Not to mention Raheem Brock, Freddy Keiaho and Ryan Lilja who were all released this week.
Things are changing for the Colts. But they always do. I hope things work out for them just like they have in the past. They have been the one team that has been able to plug in the pieces and replace players on a yearly basis.
The offensive line are the secondary are going to be the key areas the team should look at in the draft this April. Because of all the departures, this year's draft is going to be as important as ever.

Super Bowl XLIV thoughts

So I'm finally getting around to discussing the Super Bowl. Being a huge Colts fan, it's important to realize what a great season it was.
A great season filled with record breakers, thrilling come from behind wins and a pursuit of perfection, came to a bitter end on February 7 when the Colts fell to the New Orleads Saints 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
I was confident about the Colts chances heading into the big game. The media was hopping on the Saints bandwagon, but the Colts had dealt with that before when everyone backed the Jets in the AFC title game. Plus Manning was going to eat up that 26th ranked Saints defense.
When the Colts took a 10-0 lead in the final minute of the first quarter, I was all but sure they were going to win. The Defense was playing well and always relishes playing with a two score lead.
But the unit never faced anyone as good as Drew Brees in 2009. Brees would go on to be the MVP of the game, moving the ball up and down the field as if he were Peyton Manning. The short passes killed the Colts.
The momentum of the game changed with the onside kick Saints coach Sean Payton called to open up the second half. The Colts had a four point lead and thought they were getting a chance to add to it with the ball in Peyton's hands.
But New Orleans recovered (maybe, no way to know for sure under the pile, but the refs called it that way) and the Saints took their first lead on a Pierre Thomas touchdown run.
But the Colts responded with a Joseph Addai touchdown and it looked as if they weathered the storm. They just needed to close them out.
The Saints dominated from then on out, scoring the game's final 15 points, incuding a Tracy Porter pick six that all but put it out of reach for Indy.
It still would have been nice if the Colts could have scored a touchdown at the end and at least forced an onside kick attempt.
New Orleans deserved it, no doubt. But I still think that if these teams were to play ten games, the Colts would win seven. Remember that Dwight Freeney was hobbled all night and Reggie Wayne was clearly not himself after tweaking a knee injury in Friday's practice.
It was the toughest loss a Colts fan could take. To come so close, only to be disappointed in the end. Colts fans aren't even used to losing regular season games, let alone a Super Bowl defeat.
As disappointing as the ending was, 2009 was a memorable year. In no year (not even 2006), was it so fun to be a Colts fan from week to week. Every week you knew they would be met with a tough challenge, and every week you knew they were going to find a way to win.
November 15's triumph over New England will always be one of my favorite sports memories since I was at Lucas Oil Stadium when it happened.
The team proved the critics wrong by winning two playoff games after a long layoff. Jim Caldwel did a phenomenal job.
Before the year began, experts forcasted the Patriots, Steelers and Chargers to be stronger than the Colts. After all, Indy lost a Hall of Fame coach and receiver.
But coming out of the AFC, it was the Colts, the good old reliables. The model of consistency.
2009 was great, but in 2010, they need to take it just one step furthur.

Colts headed back to Miami

They've done it. The Indianapolis Colts beat the New York Jets, 30-17 Sunday, to qualify themselves for Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. It is the second time in four years in which the Colts are headed to the Super Bowl. Both times, it has been in Miami. 

I was very nervous before Sunday's game. Not that I didn't think they were going to win, but because the Jets were sure that they were. Every match-up seemed to benefit the Colts. They had the home field, the better quarterback, and they had been prepping for the Jets since they lost to them December 27 in the infamous "pull your starters" game.

But the Jets had fate. Every time the Jets and Colts had previously met in a big game when the Colts were big favorites, the Jets would pull the upset (See Super Bowl III). They had confidence. Rex Ryan was already planning the Super Bowl parade route. They were cocky and they were on a roll, winning four games in a row and seven of eight. They had the league's  number one defense and running game. 

Reasoning was for the Colts, but karma was certainly for the Jets. Which would win out?

Thankfully, reason would. 

The first half was pretty nerve wracking. Indy was unable to capitalize on good drives, settling for a pair of short range Matt Stover field goals, while the Jets had a big play touchdown from Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards. 

A Joseph Addai fumble put the Jets in prime position to take a commanding 21-6 lead, but were held to a field goal. 

The turning point in the game came on the Colts' last drive of the first half when Peyton Manning connected with Austin Collie four plays in a row, including a 15-yard touchdown throw. Manning was quickly figuring out the Jets defense.

The Jets missed a field goal in their first second half possession and the Colts responded with a Manning TD pass to Pierre Garcon, who broke an AFC championship game record with 11 catches. 

From then on out, the Colts defense held on. Another Manning TD pass to Dallas Clark with just over eight minutes to go pretty much clinched it for the Colts. Sanchez was having a good game, but there was no way he was going to conduct a 10-point comeback in eight minutes. Not against the Colts defense. Not this year. 

This win was as sweet as they come. Although I didn't have the overjoyed feeling that I had when they beat the Patriots in the AFC title game three years ago, this was as sweet in a number of ways.

ESPN praised the Jets all week. NFL "experts" were saying that they matched up well with the Colts and that Indy blew it by not eliminating the Jets when they had a chance. "Experts" picking against the Colts is nothing new. I actually hope they continue the Colts-hate because it has worked for us so far. 

When the Colts were ahead 20-17, Reggie Wayne caught a pass from Manning and was headed up the field before fumbling the ball and then quickly recovering. Immediately, I thought of the AFC Championship Game three years ago, when Wayne had a similar play with just two minutes to go in a game where the Colts trailed. Parallel? Yes. Maybe fate was on the Colts side. 

The Colts are a well-oiled machine. The model of consistency in the NFL. What a decade it has been. 115 wins, Manning's four MVPs, playoffs in nine of ten seasons and two Super Bowl trips. 

What they are missing is that second Super Bowl ring. That's all that's on their minds right now. The Saints are the best team the Colts will face all year. It will be a challenge. But it's a challenge the Colts are certainly up for. 

If the game is close, there is no QB I'd rather have than #18. There is no defense I'd rather have than the Colts' fast and furious. And there is NO coach I'd rather have than Jim Caldwell. The question before the season was if Caldwell could fill Tony Dungy's shoes. With one more win, he outgrows them. 

Baltimore blunders aid Colts in win

The Colts beat the Ravens 20-3 last night to qualify for the AFC Championship Game for the third time in seven seasons. They will host the winner of today's New York Jets-San Diego Chargers game next Sunday.
The Indianapolis defense was the star of the day, forcing four turnovers and holding the Ravens to three consecutive three and outs in the first half. The Ravens could only muster a field goal on their first possession and did not score the rest of the way.
The Colts were in control from the outset. Every time Baltimore had an opportunity to sthe shift the momentum, they were hurt by either a penalty or a fumble. The most memorable play of the game will have to be when Ed Reed intercepted a Peyton Manning pass in the third quarter only to have the ball stripped from him by Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon.
Another Reed interception was called back due to a pass interfearance penalty. When Ray Rice had a big run in the fourth quarter for the Ravens, he fumbled the ball and the Colts recovered. Even in the first half, Baltimore had a 60 yard kick return called back for holding. And of course there was the Ray Lewis helmet to helmet hit on Austin Collie near the end of the first half that gave the Colts a first and goal.
Collie caught a touchdown pass from Manning to put the Colts up 10-3 late in the second quarter. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Colts came back down the field and scored with three seconds remaining on a four yard pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne.
Tired of hearing media criticism that they would be too rusty and unable to win with so much time off, they came out and played one of their best games of the season. The two weeks of practice definitly paid off.
The fun continues. Regardless of who wins today, the Colts will be at home, and that is a very good place for them to be.

Colts loss ugly, on to playoffs

It wasn't fun watching the Colts' 30-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on the television at Bourbon Street Sunday. I'm sure it was even less fun for the Colts.
The game had little meaning - since the Colts' blew their shot at a 16-0 regular season the week before when they rested the starters in the third quarter against the Jets. After seeing the conditions they had to play in Buffalo, it may have turned out to be the right decision after all. It wasn't, but having to play full throttle in a Buffalo blizzard with nothing seeding-wise on the line would have been dangerous.
The Colts had one good drive the entire game - when Donald Brown capped off a drive that was almost exclusively short passes to Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark with a one-yard touchdown run.
Peyton Manning stayed in the game long enough to get Wayne and Clark each 100 receptions on the season. Clark becomes the first tight end in NFL history to catch 100 during a season.
Curtis Painter looked just as bad as he did last week. The defense had no answer for Fred Jackson, who had 212 rushing yards by the time the Colts escaped the game they had even less intention of winning than the week before.
While heading into the playoffs on a two-game slide certainly is not ideal, the Colts should be healthy a week and a half from now when they host the Ravens, Bengals or Jets. Regardless of the outcomes this weekend, the Colts will be playing a good team that has momentum coming off a big playoff win.
For now, it's a bye week for the Colts. I'm looking forward to this weekend's match-ups and hoping the Colts get a good draw.

Caldwell's decision puzzling; Colts lose

The streak is over. The pursuit of perfection has ended. But it didn't have to. 

For the first time since October 27, 2008, the Indianapolis Colts have lost a regular season game. It was the New York Jets that pulled out a 29-15 decision at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis on Sunday. 

Losses happen. But the way they lost this game will have Colts fans around the country wondering "what could have been" for years. Leading 15-10 in the third quarter, head coach Jim Caldwell pulled Peyton Manning and a number of other starters. The Jets quickly took the lead and easily held on. 

Rookie QB Curtis Painter was awful in relief of Manning. He had more turnovers (2) than first downs (1). His third quarter fumble was returned for the go-ahead touchdown. So much for going for 16-0. I guess the Colts really meant it when they said that 16-0 means nothing and the real goal is later on. 

That's fine. But how does sitting your best players on December 27 help you win the big game in February? Do the Colts really need three weeks of doing nothing to prepare for the first playoff opponent? 

Caldwell's decision was conservative, but if history says anything, he was wrong. In years in which the Colts had their seeding already locked up with regular season games still to play (2004, 2005, 2007,2008), the Colts have lost all but one playoff game. In 2005, they took the same approach, resting players the final two weeks, and lost their first postseason game to Pittsburgh.

The one recent year in which the Colts did not clinch anything prior to the last games (2006), they rode the momentum they had to a Super Bowl title. 

I know each year is a different set of circumstances, but why not and go for it if you are undefeated? Caldwell, were you that afraid someone would get hurt? If it was so important to get rest, why did the starters play against Jacksonville last week and why did they play more than a half Sunday? 

All of this is puzzling. 

Caldwell's decision did not help Painter. Him and the second team were booed loudly almost each time they got on the field. It wasn't fair to a rookie, who was drafted in the 7th round and had never played before, to be put into a game against the NFL's number one defense. 

Manning wanted to play. Caldwell cheated his players out of the chance of a perfect season (if starters played, Colts would likely have won and beat Buffalo next week too). Worse, he cheated the loyal fanbase out of something special. 

And for what? Just in case Peyton got injured they needed to rest him? Peyton has been playing every game for 12 years and was never injured during a game. Why would you think that was likely in the fourth quarter against the Jets? He hadn't been touched all day.

The first half of the game was filled with almosts. The Colts almost connected on a number of long pass plays, but drops and overthrows prevented them from taking  a big lead into halftime. Now I know why they wanted that big lead. 

They should have tried to win the game - with the players that were most likely to win that game. The Jets are in the middle of the playoff race and Caldwell and the Colts have tainted that race by giving the NYJ a win they more than likely would not have had if the starters had played. 

Although I am against the decision against the Jets. Caldwell and I agree on something: 16-0 is not the primary goal. The primary goal comes in the postseason. The story of the 2000s Indianapolis Colts comes down to this year's playoffs. 

No one will knock them should they win it all twice in a decade. If they don't, they will seem more and more like the 1990s Atlanta Braves, the 1980s Chicago Bears and the 2000s Detroit Pistons. How in the world did they only win one? 

It's all about playoff match-ups now for the Colts. They anxiously await their opponent of the Divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Hopefully it will be a good match-up for Indy.