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2008-08-24T12:02:00.006-04:00

Pro-Colts Stuff: December 16, 2007-May 31, 2008

2008-05-31T22:29:00.002-04:00

Hey, readers. This is the last blog that will be written for Pro-Colts Stuff. Good news is, I'm not done blogging about the Colts. I have moved up from a small blogger account to a new network of team-specific bloggers.

Naptown's Finest is the new location of my blog. It is a part of the Fansided blog network. You should check out Naptown's Finest and other Fansided blogs. They are all top-notch and well written by dedicated bloggers. So if you are a blogger who has a link to this site on your blog, change it to Naptown's Finest. If you have been following my blog for a while now or like what you have seen, check out Naptown's Finest. My stuff is posted under the name "Sam".

This blog has been retired. I like Pro-Colts Stuff. I liked the layout and I liked the name, but Naptown's Finest is a better opportunity for me to get readers and a little cash on the side.

Check out Naptown's Finest!

Polian The Draft Genius: 1998

2008-05-26T22:44:00.003-04:00

Bill Polian is the best drafting GM in NFL history. No question there. He consistently gets steals from later rounds and great signings from undrafted free agency. In this 10 part series, we will look at the future Hall of Fame GM and his draft track record to show that he is, in fact, the greatest of all-time.

1998 was a huge draft for the Colts. They had the first pick, and Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning were the two stars of this draft. Ryan Leaf was the larger-than-life personality from Washington State. Peyton Manning was the son of an NFL legend who kept to himself off the field. Polian was starting his first draft as the Colts GM. Let's look at the picks he made and how they turned out.

Rd. 1, Pick 1: Peyton Manning/QB/Tennessee

Next 3 Picks: Ryan Leaf/QB/Washington State, Andre Wadsworth/DE/Florida State, Charles Woodson/CB/Michigan

Looking Back: We were so close to being stuck in the top 5 of the draft for 11 years. There wouldn't be a Super Bowl XLI banner hanging anywhere close to Indianapolis. Hell, there may not even be an NFL team in Indianapolis if Polian would have taken Ryan Leaf, the bust of all busts. Peyton Manning is going to end his career with every notable passing record and with multiple Super Bowl victories. Ryan Leaf is the golf coach at West Texas A&M. What a relief...

Rd. 2, Pick 32: Jerome Pathon/WR/Washington

Next 3 Picks: Corey Chavous/S/Vanderbilt, Jacquez Green/WR/Florida, Tony Parrish/S/Washington

Looking Back: Could have done better. Pathon had two 50 reception seasons with the Colts even though he only played 3 years with the team. He was a mediocre kick returner, only getting one return over 40 yards in 3 seasons with the Colts. He was a decent slot receiver for the young Colts offense of the late 90s, but Chavous and Flozell Adams, two future Pro Bowlers taken within the next 10 picks, would have been much better options.

Rd. 3 Pick 71: E.G. Green/WR/Florida State

Next 3 Picks: Jeremiah Trotter/LB/Stephen F. Austin, Mitch Marrow/DT/Penn, Jammi German/WR/Miami

Looking Back: Can you tell Polian wanted to get the offense rolling? Green was not the best choice right there. It's a good thing Polian drafted Peyton, or else this draft would be left off of his track record. Green played 3 seasons in the NFL, all with the Colts. He only scored 2 touchdowns and never caught more than 25 passes. Hines Ward was the best receiver taken in the third round after the Colts.

Rd. 4 Pick 93: Steve McKinney/C/Texas A&M

Next 3 Picks: Alonzo Mayes/TE/Oklahoma State, Michael Pittman/RB/Fresno State, Az-Zahir Hakim/WR/San Diego State

Looking Back: Finally a strong pick here. McKinney was a solid guard for the Colts for 4 seasons. He helped keep Peyton Manning standing up, which was helpful in his quick development. McKinney is still playing in the NFL today, unlike Green and Pathon.

Rd. 5 Pick 135: Antony Jordan/LB/Vanderbilt

Next 3 Picks: Jerry Jenson/LB/Washington, Jason Simmons/DB/Arizona State, Oliver Ross/OT/Iowa State

Looking Back: Not much to say here. Jordan doesn't have a Wikipedia page and pro-football-reference.com doesn't have his stats. Of course, with the talent left in the draft, this isn't a horrible pick.

Rd. 7 Pick 190: Aaron Taylor/C/Nebraska

Next 3 Picks: David Terrell/DB/UTEP, Alvis Whitted/WR/North Carolina State, Phil Savoy/WR/Colorado

Looking Back: Taylor did not play a game with the Colts, but he had a minorly successful career with the Packers and Chargers that lasted for 5 years. There were no Pro Bowlers left, so the Colts didn't miss out on much.

Rd. 7 Pick 231: Corey Gaines/S/Tennessee

Next 3 Picks: Moses Moreno/QB/Colorado State, Ron James/FB/Miami, Kio Sanford/WR/Kentucky

Looking Back: Gaines doesn't have a Wikipedia page or a pro-football-reference.com page. That pretty much explains this pick.

Grade: I give the Colts a B for this draft. Sure, 5 picks were crap, but the Peyton pick at least has to give this a B, and McKinney solidifies this grade. If this draft looks mediocre to you, remember this. Ryan Leaf could have worn a Colts jersey. Think of how frightening this image is.

That is a horrifyingly real picture from deadspin.com. It was probably taken at a photoshoot so there could be pictures to market immediately after the draft. I should have warned you guys about the gruesome image above. Thank Polian for this not happening.

Looking Forward to 2008: Running Backs

2008-05-22T21:28:00.004-04:00

The Running back position was a bit of a concern coming into this offseason. Joseph Addai struggled big time at the end of the year, and Kenton Keith got arrested. However, the Colts have completely changed that around, and now running back may be the best position on the roster. Here is the rundown on the running back position for the 2008 Indianapolis Colts

Joseph Addai

Addai is coming off of a Pro Bowl year where he started out as an elite running back and ended as a mediocre one. After his amazing game against the Patriots, he faltered due to injuries on the offensive line and wear and tear on the body. However, now he has a great supporting cast around him, and he is ready to destroy the competition.

Joseph Addai had 704 yards in his first 7 games. In the last 8, he had 368. The teams he played against in the second half were not much better than the ones the Colts played in the first half. Addai is one of the most talented backs in the league with a perfect combination of power and speed. That goes well with his pass catching ability and goal line running.

Addai took 58% of the team's carries. That is too much for a player who has never been the main back. For a good comparison of what should be expected of the Colts rushing game next year, look no further than the Minnesota Vikings.

Adrian Peterson took 48% of the team's total caries. Chester Taylor took 31%. That has to be the Colts. Give Joseph Addai 48% of the carries and give Dominic Rhodes 31%. Mike Hart can take the other 21% or split it with Luke Lawton or Kenton Keith. With this carry split, this is what I expect Joseph Addai's stats to look like.

1064 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 426 receiving yards, 37 receptions, 1 receiving touchdown

Dominic Rhodes

Yes, he is back, and I could not be more excited. I will admit it. I was not a Dominic Rhodes fan at all when he played here. However, it was unnatural for him not to be in a Colts uniform last year. Part of the team was missing when he was gone. Now, he is entering his prime, and this will be his best year of his career.

Dominic Rhodes will make the roster this year. There is no doubt in my mind. The media and fans have been assuming that he is involved in the running back competition. He's not. Rhodes is going to play second-fiddle to Addai, like he did in the 2007 playoffs. I expect Rhodes to put up similar numbers to his playoff stats.

Rhodes, the hero of Super Bowl XLI, is getting the veteran's minimum, and he will earn every penny. Rhodes will be great as a change of pace back. Expect the Colts running game to look more like XLI than the second half of the 2007 season. Here is what I expect Rhodes' stats to look like.

585 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 197 receiving yards, 19 receptions, 0 receiving touchdowns.

Mike Hart

The Colts don't usually do sexy picks. The Colts don't have a Heisman winner on their roster. Gonzalez was Ted Ginn's understudy. Addai was unknown compared to LenDale White, who was passed on in favor of Joseph. Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson were role players for great defenses. However, Hart is the Heisman contending, big name from a big school stud the Colts haven't drafted in a long, long time.

Hart was a big name back who just fell down draft boards. Division 1-AA players were taken ahead of him. No names went before him. Finding hidden gems has become more important than drafting proven studs.

Hart will make the roster over Kenton Keith. Keith is a determined blocker, and he can receive out of the backfield. Keith has butter fingers and is a nonfactor blocking. Hart never fumbles the ball, so he will be valuable in close games. I expect him to get 15% of the carries next year, and I also expect his stats to look like this.

270 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 242 receiving yards, 14 receptions, 3 receiving touchdowns.

The Roster Cuts

Here are a list of players I do not expect to make the roster.

Kenton Keith, Luke Lawton, Chad Simpson, Clift Dawson, Justise Hairston.

Keith will end missing the cut, and I do not see him sticking around on the practice squad. He knows he can play somewhere else. Let him. I could see Detroit, Kansas City, or Arizona pursuing Keith. Keith played well this season, but his arrest and more importantly, his drop in the San Diego game, cost him his job.

Luke Lawton is a fairly popular player with the Colts. However, the Colts don't need a fullback. The H-back takes the place of a fullback. Santi and Tamme will take up the roster spot normally given to the fullback. Lawton can find a job on another team. Minnesota and San Diego are both in need of a fullback. They could come calling. If not, there is always the Arena League, where his style prospers in the backfield.

Simpson is my surprise pick for the practice squad. Not only is he an accomplished runner, but he can return kicks as well. For the Colts, that can make or break who gets a roster spot. Simpson will be on the practice squad, and if there is an injury in the backfield or special teams, he will be ready to step up.

Dawson and Hairston both have the same problem. A lack of talent. Both look like they will have to act upon their college degrees or else try the CFL. I don't see them as NFL players.

So to recap, here is the current Colts roster after 2 positional "Looking Forwards"

QB
Peyton Manning
Adam Tafralis
Practice Squad
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Dominic Rhodes
Mike Hart
Practice Squad
Chad Simpson

News Flash: Journalists Are Sissies

2008-05-21T22:42:00.006-04:00

When Indianapolis was awarded the Super Bowl, I expected to here a lot about the weather and the "hick town" image. I didn't expect it to be this bad.

Indianapolis is a northern city (that for some reason is in the AFC South?) where it is cold and snowy throughout the entire winter. A lot of people don't mind the weather up north. It is nice sometimes when there is actually snow at Christmas, or leaving parties late at night require you to wear a coat. However, the fan and media reaction outside of Indiana has shown me what the rest of America is. Sissies.

The average temperature in February in Indianapolis is below freezing. It can be really cold. It gets icy, and I have gotten a few bruises on my ass over the years. Of course, the fans and media are acting like Indiana is located in Antarctica, not the United States.

Gene Wojciechowski wrote an article about how disappointed he was in the owners' awarding of the Super Bowl to Indianapolis. Apparently, Wojisacowski forgot that he works in Connecticut, where I believe it is in fact colder than Indianapolis. He is carrying on like a five-year-old girl about how cold it will be and how he will have to wear a coat and all that crap. Seriously, Wojciblablaski, act like a man.

In other business at the league meetings, NFL owners voted to play the 2012
Super Bowl in Indianapolis, beating out Glendale, Ariz., and Houston."

Indianapolis? You mean, the Indianapolis in Indiana? The place where the
low was 26 degrees with a trace of snow on Super Bowl Sunday this year?

I don't get it. Playing in a Super Bowl is supposed to be a reward, not
a reason to visit your local North Face outlet. And attending a Super Bowl as a
fan is supposed to be the experience of a lifetime, a chance to break out
multiple bottles of SPF 30.

The only things you'll break out in Indy are
space heaters.

So I guess you are saying playing in the Super Bowl is only a reward if it is nice weather? It was a punishment for Jerome Bettis to go to Detroit and get his Super Bowl ring? It was a punishment for Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith to go to Miami during a monsoon and be the first black head coaches to coach in a Super Bowl? Wow, Wojihavenoballski. Stop acting like a prissy little girl and realize that the game is what matters. The game will be played inside if there is bad weather.

I've got nothing against Indianapolis. It's a lovely place to hold car races, a
Final Four, even an NBA All-Star Game every few decades or so. Plus, you can
never go wrong at that downtown Steak 'n Shake.

Gene: You are supposed to patronize us before you insult our city, not after. You apparently do have something against Indiana and the north. You act like you will be going to the pits of hell in 2012, not a nice city that has success with big events. I do have to agree with you about the downtown Steak 'n Shake, though. That place is awesome after games.

And according to The Indianapolis Star, the city's Super Bowl organizing
committee has received $25 million in pledges to build, among other things, an
east-side neighborhood athletic facility, which will be used by the AFC and NFC
champions during the week and then given to a city high school.

The
newspaper also reported that as part of the bid, the committee will provide each
of the 32 NFL owners with "personal concierges" during Super Bowl week. That
makes sense. The concierges will help arrange private dinner reservations,
choose the proper evening parka and forage for firewood.

I would have
voted for New Orleans. I would have voted for Glendale. For San Diego. For
Mexico City. I would have voted for anyplace where you can't buy a snowblower.

Instead, we got Indianapolis. Congratulations.

Here's hoping for
an NFL labor strike in 2011.

1) That first paragraph makes no sense there in the article. Is it a bad thing that people donated money to help rebuild a bad neighborhood and help a very poor community? I don't get it.

2) Parka? Firewood? Indianapolis is, in fact, in the 21st century where you are. Not the 18th when you were born, Wojichexmixski.

3) Mexico City? There is a 95% chance you will be kidnapped there. Gene, you would rather be kidnapped by Mexican bandits than stay a week in a cold-weather city? Go ahead. I'm sure not too many people will miss your senile ramblings on ESPN.com.

4) You are hoping for a labor strike so you don't have to go to Indianapolis. Are you freakin' kidding me? Your job is covering the NFL! You would rather be out of a job than go to Indianapolis? This collumn was so laughably bad, I'm not sure whether to be pissed that you say I live in a city where it is better to not have a job than to come here or to laugh at your inability to make a quality article.

I'm a doctor, you know. I'll send you a prescription for two testicles, and you can get that filled out at any time you want. Before February 2012 will work best.

Here's a big F U, to you, Gene Wojimadoucheski.

The Super Bowl Is Coming to Indianapolis

2008-05-20T16:00:00.003-04:00

http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=0DAD14838662D80B3805451E653C49DD?id=09000d5d80869c8b&template=with-video&confirm=true

The 2012 Super Bowl will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. For Indianapolis, this is the biggest thing to happen to the city since the Colts moved here. The economic factor from this is going to change the city in almost every way.

The Super Bowl Village that will be built will be one of the coolest things you can find in a metropolitan area. However, the biggest effect will happen outside of the downtown area.

With this Super Bowl, the Near East Side is going to be rebuilt. The east side is the ghetto of Indianapolis, and it is not one of the proudest areas of the city. With the money the city got from the NFL and anonymous business donors, that will be changing as neighborhoods and the local high school, Tech High, will be built into an area that can be embraced by the city.

The 2012 Super Bowl is going to be a huge event that should leave a lasting memory on the city of Indianapolis.

Marvin Reports And Other Minicamp News

2008-05-17T14:47:00.002-04:00

Marvin Harrison reported to minicamp. Not even a shooting he was indirectly involved in can't keep him away. Of course, he did not participate. He is recovering from his knee injury and his arthroscopic surgery on his other knee.

Harrison will NEVER be charged in this case. He did not pull the trigger. He is not guilty of this crime. The conflicting reports automatically make this case ridiculous. I've lost track of them. The kid who got hurt was a boy, not a girl as previously stated, and was hit under the eye, not in the eye. There isn't this third victim who could identify Marvin as the shooter. Marvin was not under a hit because of his dad. His dad has been dead for decades. This case is closed. However, it did ruin his reputation in the eyes of idiots who want the Colts to sink to the level of other, less honorable teams.

In other news,

~Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney did not play because of their surgeries. Sanders had his yearly surgery, this time on his shoulder. Freeney is still recovering from the Lis Franc injury.

~Marcus Howard is out. It was not disclosed as to why.

~Ryan Lilja, Michael Coe, Gary Brackett, and TJ Rushing also missed. Brackett and Coe were undisclosed. Lilja has a knee injury, and Rushing has a pectoral injury. Rushing cannot miss too much time. He has a lot of competition for the kick return job.

~Dominic Rhodes is wearing number 38. Melvin Bullitt wears his previous number 33 now. The picture of Rhodes with the 38 jersey looks really weird.

Gridiron News: May 14th

2008-05-14T22:06:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty bored right now, so I will just talk about the teams who aren't the Colts.

~Spygate is coming to an end. Of course, Arlen Spector is trying his hardest to keep it alive. Way to go Pennsylvania. You couldn't elect a person who cared more about the government than football. I'm disappointed that there are no more punishments, and it really shows the weakness of Roger Goodell. They lose 1 million dollars and 1 first round pick for taping one game, but then when dozens more come including offensive signals and a playoff game, nothing more happens. I would definitely take 3 Super Bowl rings for just a loss of a first rounder and a million dollars. Belichick and the Patriots will end up getting the Barry Bonds treatment with the acknowledgment that their Super Bowl championships are tainted.

~Kenny Wright was cut by the Browns for his arrest last month. There was a disturbance and the police were called. When the cops came to confront Wright, he ran away. The police found an ounce of Mary Jane is his car as well. I don't think he would have been cut if he didn't run away like a wimp. Why would you do that? The police will catch you. This isn't the south in the 60s with moonshine. You can't get away. The NFL is gaining the thug league moniker the NBA has received from the fans and media.

~Terrell Suggs and the Ravens have gotten into a dispute with his franchise tag. The Ravens tagged him as a linebacker, but he wanted the defensive end tag, which earns almost 1 million dollars more. Suggs is a hybird defensive end/outside linebacker. I think it may be time to make that its own position and give it its own tag. This is going to be a frustrating ordeal for the Ravens and Suggs.

There you go. PCS's first Gridiron News.

A Look Forward to 2008: Quarterbacks

2008-05-09T20:12:00.008-04:00

Quarterback. It's been a position of no need for the Colts since 1998. There haven't been QB races in training camp or injuries to worry about. Peyton Manning's backups are seen as often as Ryan Leaf or Jeff George. However, Peyton does not have more than 10 years left, and that is being generous. If there would be a problem with Peyton, who would step up? Well, here is a rundown of the quarterback position for the Indianapolis Colts.

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is entering his 11th season in the NFL and on the Indianapolis Colts. Manning has never missed a start in his NFL career, and he has only missed one play because of injury. Over his career, Peyton has put up some of the top numbers of the decade, broken multiple records, and won multiple awards. Manning has been to 8 Pro Bowls, has been All-Pro 6 times, MVP twice, and the Pro Bowl MVP and Super Bowl MVP once.

Peyton Manning is coming off of a great season when you look at whom he had. He was missing Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez for a large portion of the season, and Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, and Ben Utecht also missed games this year. Now, Peyton will have his full arsenal and is looking to lead the Colts offense back to the top of the NFL rankings.

Last year, the Colts had 4 losses with Peyton playing 4 quarters in three of them. Those three games were against teams who have a 3-4 defense. In those games, Peyton threw 9 interceptions and had a 63% completion percentage. This season, the Colts play four teams who have some sort of a 3-4 defense: The Browns, Steelers, Patriots, and Chargers. Last year, the Browns defense was inept, and they didn't do much to change that. The Steelers with Mike Tomlin are transitioning to a 4-3 Tampa 2 defense, but they still have players who were drafted and signed for the 3-4 defense. The Patriots defense is still old, but they did draft multiple defensive players. The Chargers defense did not change at all this offseason.

The Colts play 3 games against top 5 defenses (Steelers, Patriots, Chargers), 5 more games against defenses ranked 6-10 (Titans x2, Jaguars x2, Packers), 1 defense ranked 11-15 (Vikings), 1 ranked 16-20 (Bears), 5 against defenses ranked 21-25 (Texans x2, Browns, Ravens, Bengals), and 1 game against the league's worst defense (Lions). The Colts have a tough schedule, but the passing defenses for these teams are not as good, as only the Steelers, Patriots, and Titans have top 10 pass defenses. The Lions, Bengals, Vikings, Bears, Ravens, Browns, and Texans all have pass defenses ranked 20th or lower.
My Stat Prediction for Manning: 66.4% completion percentage, 35 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, 17 sacks, 4305 passing yards, 104.5 passer Rating

Jim SorgiJim Sorgi has been the resident bench warmer for the Colts since 2004. However, his job is in jeopardy. The Colts are not happy about his performance last year in the Tennessee game. This year will be his first year in a while when his job is truly in jeopardy. As you can see by the picture above, he has even picked up a second job as a Maytag repairman just in case he gets cut.
Sorgi last year had a 68.3 passer rating in the Tennessee game. Previous to Sorgi coming in, Manning was tearing apart that defense. Sure, Sorgi was throwing to Devin Aromashodu and Craphonso Thorpe, but could he really keep this team in the playoff hunt if Manning got hurt? I didn't think so. The Colts are going to give Josh Betts and Adam Tafralis a chance, and they could try to sign or trade for someone else. Chris Simms could be a possible trade option. The only decent free agents left are Dante Culpepper and Kelly Holcomb. I think Sorgi will have to play very well this preseason to keep his job. Adam Tafralis could get the job, and Betts has as much experience in the system as Sorgi.

Chance of Keeping Job: 50%

Stats If He Does Keep Job: 53.3% completion percentage, 0 touchdown passes, 1 interception, 2 sacks, 102 passing yards, 46.8 passer rating

Josh Betts

Betts has never played in a regular season NFL game. Not once. However, he has had that number 9 jersey since 2006, when he was first signed as an undrafted free agent and has been cut and signed to the practice squad twice. He has been a preseason player since he left Miami of Ohio, where he is second on the career list for pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In the 2007 preseason, he had 3 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 356 passing yards, and a 60% completion percentage against the Cowboys, Bears, and Bengals.

Chance of Making Roster: 20%
Stats If He Does Make The Roster: 46% completion percentage, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 142 passing yards, 0 sacks, 60.6 passer rating

Adam Tafralis

The Colts signed an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, and he has a great chance of making the roster. Adam Tafralis had a great junior and senior year for the Spartans. Last year, he threw 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The year before that he threw 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Lack of competition is the obvious concern, but last year he played great against Kansas State, and the year before that he destroyed the Washington defense. Tafralis also has pretty good legs and ran for 405 yards in the past two years. Tafralis has a quick delivery, but his lack of height is a problem. I think he should be Peyton's backup for 2008.

Chance of Making Roster: 20%
Stats If He Does Make Roster: 60% completion percentage, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 180 yards, 74.3 passer rating

If I was Dungy, my QB roster would look like this

53 man
#18 Peyton Manning
#15 Adam Tafralis

Practice Squad
#12 Jim Sorgi

Let's Make This Official

2008-05-07T17:02:00.004-04:00

Dominic Rhodes has signed a contract with the Colts. 1 year, $605,000. That is cheap for someone who just a year earlier should have been the Super Bowl MVP. Things keep on looking worse and worse for Kenton Keith.

Now, Roosevelt Colvin is the next big name that could be a Colt. He's expressed interest, and he owns a house in Geist.

With the Rhodes addition, the Colts now have 5 players who have played a regular season game for another team: Adam Vinatieri, Keiwan Ratliff, Luke Lawton, and Clift Dawson are the others. With the chance that Ratliff, Lawton, and Dawson won't be with the Colts (which is very likely), the Colts will only have two, and one of them started their career in Indy. The Colts are the best home grown team in the league, and this proves that free agency is just for show.

Guess Who's Back

2008-05-06T22:35:00.004-04:00

Al Davis did the Colts a big favor by drafting Darren McFadden. Dominic Rhodes became the odd man out in Oakland behind McFadden, Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan, and Michael Bush. Now, Rhodes is going to be wearing blue again.

As reported by Adam Schefter, Roto World and Stampede Blue, the Indianapolis Colts are very close to a deal with Dominic Rhodes to be Joseph Addai's complement back.

Here is what Rhodes did in his 5 healthy years in Indy:

550 carries, 2,274 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 649 receiving yards, 20 total touchdowns, 13 fumbles.

The 20 total touchdowns is great for a player who was backup up Edgerrin James for three years. Rhodes will most likely be used in goal line situations where he can power his way through the line. Addai was pretty weak in the red zone last year, so Rhodes will be a great addition. Since the Colts don't have a Randy Moss-like receiver, a goal line back is the next best thing for redzone situations.

Yes, the Colts did draft Mike Hart, but he will still get some carries, and most importantly, he will have two Super Bowl-winning running backs mentoring him along the way. Kenton Keith can pack up his stuff. He's out of here.

This is what I think the carries will look like next year for the backs.

Joseph Addai: 16 carries per game
Dominic Rhodes: 10 carries per game
Mike Hart: 4 carries per game

Sure, this will most likely change depending on Mike Hart's progression or lack there of, but this could be one of the best backfields in the league. Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, the G-men, and Minnesota better watch out. The Colts are gaining on them.

Colts Roster Update

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Dominic Rhodes
Mike Hart

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Charlie Johnson

RT
Ryan Diem
Dan Federkiel

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Philip Wheeler

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Dante Hughes
Michael Coe

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
RB Kenton Keith
WR Sam Giguere
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Foster
CB Melvin BullittC
B Brandon Foster

On Stand-by
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Luke Lawton
DE Jeff Charleston
LB Brandon Archer
CB Keiwan Ratliff

More Roster Moves

2008-05-03T18:22:00.002-04:00

After one day of rookie minicamp, Dungy must have seen great things out of Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme, Mike Pollack, Jamey Richard and Steve Justice. The Colts have cut two veterans to make room for these kids.

Bryan Fletcher, a talented yet underperforming tight end, and Dylan Gandy, the former Jeff Saturday protege both were cut yesterday by the Colts.

Dylan Gandy was supposed to compete for the starting right guard spot. Now, he will look to make another team's roster. Gandy was a strong backup, but I would never consider him a starter. I was surprised that we cut a lineman because of the lack of depth last year. Now, it looks like the right guard spot is Mike Pollack's to lose. Charlie Johnson is his only competition. Steve Justice will be the backup center, and Jamey Richard will be Ryan Lilja's backup at left guard. The Colts should have about 9 or 10 offensive linemen when you include Dan Federkiel and Michael Toudouze.

Bryan Fletcher's release was not that surprising. There was no possible way that the Colts would have four tight ends on the roster. Jacob Tamme is an improved version of Bryan Fletcher, and Fletcher was never meant to be a blocker. He had a dropping problem, a condition that plagued almost all of the Colts receivers last year. I had never thought that Fletcher would make the 53 man roster. This comes as no surprise.

This is not the end of their careers. There are many teams that would like the services of these two. I could see a team like Houston or Oakland going after Gandy. He could really help out a young, underperforming offensive line.

Bryan Fletcher could make multiple rosters. Tennessee could be a suitor, but that's a given. Buffalo is another team that could use Fletcher. Miami could use a tight end like Fletcher.

Both of these guys should be a contributor on an NFL team.

Updated Roster

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Mike Hart
Kenton Keith

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Charlie Johnson

RT
Ryan Diem
Dan Federkiel

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Philip Wheeler

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Dante Hughes
Michael Coe

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
RB Luke Lawton
WR Sam Giguere
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Foster
CB Melvin Bullitt
CB Brandon Foster

On Stand-by
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Chad Simpson
TE Gijon Robinson
DE Jeff Charleston
CB Keiwan Ratliff

Remember, This Is ALLEGED

2008-05-02T17:56:00.005-04:00

However, it still scares me.

Marvin Harrison has been connected to a shooting outside of "Playmakers", his bar, in Philadelphia. A man came to the club at 5 PM and caused a disturbance. On his way out, the future Hall of Fame receiver followed him, and gunfire broke out. The man had his hand grazed by a bullet, and a bystander was hit by shattered glass.

The police determined that it was Harrison's gun which fired the bullets found at the scene of the crime. It was found at his car wash.

No one has been charged with a crime, and the one witness did not identify a shooter. However, there is another witness that is stepping forward to comment. Marvin has been interviewed by the Philadelphia police, and there are no current subjects.

Of course, the fan reception is over the top. On ESPN's boards, which are notorious for being the gathering grounds of the world's biggest idiots, the grammar-deprived posters have compared him to Michael Vick, a dog-killer, and said he murdered someone. If you ever feel like a moron, just go on those boards to read some of the posts.

Now, this is way over the top. Marvin will be charged with a misdemeanor for sure because of gun laws in Philly. As the shooting goes, I would not convict him yet. If it was Marvin, I would think that multiple witnesses would have stepped up. This was in a public place. Marvin isn't Pacman Jones, and he isn't Tank Johnson. Let's calm down on the accusations. There is still a lot of information that is still out there.

What I expect is the more information that comes out, the less likely Marvin was a shooter in this incident.

Looking Forward to 2008: Special Teams

2008-05-01T18:42:00.005-04:00

In 2007, special teams was one of the biggest problems for the Colts. It cost the Colts the first Chargers games, and it wasn't helpful in the 2007 Playoffs Super Bowl run. The Colts haven't had a great returner since Brad Pyatt, who had his career ended by injury. The kickoff coverage is mediocre outside of Darrell Reid. The punt coverage is better than the kickoff coverage because of the team speed, but it still is not where it should be. Well, this is a whole new year, and the Colts have drafted and signed players who could completely revamp the coverage and return games. The Colts may have been anemic in the return game and incompetent in coverage last year, but next year will be different.

Kickoff Coverage

The Colts had a bunch of stupid mistakes last year covering kickoffs. There were multiple offsides penalties and missed tackles. However, the Colts have made some moves with personnel that will make this team one of the premier coverage squads in the NFL.

This offseason, the Colts kept their current special teams stars and then drafted and signed some players with potential to be stars. Darrell Reid, the man who almost killed Chris Henry, and Matt Giordano resigned with the Colts. With those two, the Colts have a great cornerstone for a strong special teams. However, the other 7 coverage men all were subpar. Here is the lineup I would use.

Michael Coe and Matt Giordano are the gunners. These are two of the fastest players on the team, and they should be able to keep the returner from making it to the outside.

Darrell Reid is the wedge breaker. He is big and normally one of the first defenders down the field. He is a Pro Bowl-caliber special teamer.

The other two players on the outside are Jamie Silva and Roy Hall. I would like to keep Hall away from special teams after his shoulder injury, but he is too fast and too big to be on the sidelines on kickoffs.

The five other defenders that I would send out would be Philip Wheeler, Colin Farrell, Brandon Archer, Curtis Johnson, and Ramon Guzman.

With this setup, this is how the kickoff formation would look like:

MC JS PW BA CF AV DR CJ RG RH MG

With this lineup, the Colts will have two of the fastest players in the league in Coe and Giordano being able to shut down the outside. Darrell Reid could very easily be another Colts Pro Bowler this upcoming year. The big defenders are also giants, and the linebackers are solid tacklers.

Kickoff Returns

Since Brad Pyatt's neck injury, there hasn't been a dynamic Colts returner in ages. In the sixth round, a Division III player became the next Colts returner.

Pierre Garcon is the ideal returner for this team. First, he will not play a big role on Sundays when Peyton is on the field. At most he will be a fourth receiver if Marvin is suspended or still injured. Secondly, he is one of the most explosive returners I have seen highlights of. Most would think Joshua Cribbs got put in a Mount Union jersey and starting returning kicks on Pop Warner teams. That's how good he has looked. I don't think there is a question who will be returning punts this year.

However, we have seen returners come and go. Brad Pyatt hurt his neck. Terrence Wilkins became too old. TJ Rushing is now expendable. To be safe in case of a freak injury, the Colts have backup returners. Sam Giguere is a probable practice squad player who could be a quality returner some day. Rudy Burgess and Charles Dillon both were returners in college, and they could be signed to the 53 man roster if Garcon and Giguere would be injured. Speed is never a concern for the Colts.

Here is a Pierre Garcon kick return highlight for those who don't believe how good this kid can be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvzTkNIVEj0

Convinced? I think most Colts fans are, and more importantly, Bill Polian is.

Punt Coverage

The punt coverage and kickoff coverage teams should look similar. Matt Giordano and Michael Coe will be gunners. Coe is not as solid of a tackler as one may want for gunner, but he is as fast as any player on this team. Giordano combines speed and tackling to make an unstoppable gunner. I would like to see the players I listed on my kickoff coverage being on there as well. Philip Wheeler, Curtis Johnson, and Brandon Archer are all solid tacklers who would not let big plays happen.

Punt Return

I think we all know that Garcon will be the returner, but who will be on the line? Last year, Michael Coe made a great block in the Baltimore game. I think he and Giordano should be on the outside to go for the blocks. On the inside, I would like to see big bodies like Quinn Pitcock, Ed Johnson, and Josh Thomas in the middle. Also, an offensive lineman like Jamey Richard wouldn't hurt either for blocking. To drop back and block, linebackers like Tyjuan Hagler and Philip Wheeler would help. With this, they could get some good returns. However, I think we do not have the best blockers for returns, which is why we have had minimal success returning punts.

This is my preseason overview of the special teams. It's mostly guesses, because we don't even know the roster yet. But this is what I think it will look like.

Meet Your Undrafted Free Agents

2008-05-01T10:53:00.004-04:00

The Colts this week signed 13 undrafted free agents, and surprisingly Rudolph Hardie and Bernard Morris were missing from the list. However, the Colts did bring in some of the most highly touted UDFAs left. Here are the players that could be the next Dominic Rhodes or Gary Brackett.

Rudy Burgess/WR/Arizona State-Burgess is a small wide receiver who was recruited by Arizona State to play cornerback. He runs a 4.49 40, and he is listed as a specialist by Colts.com. Burgess caught 34 passes for 467 yards and led the Sun Devils with a 23.1 average on kickoff returns. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I'd give him a 20% chance, mostly because of his returning ability. However, Pierre Garcon was already drafted for that position. I wouldn't count on seeing number 3 in blue in September.

Dan Davis/DT/Connecticut-Davis was a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid at Connecticut, and it looks like he will play tackle in training camp for the Colts. His stats aren't amazing (36 tackles, 1 sack). Chance of Making 53 man roster: I say 0%. Keyunta Dawson and UDFA Eric Foster are better equipped for the pass rushing UT than Davis.

Charles Dillon/WR/Washington State-Like Burgess, Dillon is a returner as well as a wide receiver. Dillon ran a faster 40 time than Burgess (4.96), but Dillon averaged almost 3 yards less returning than Burgess. Dillon had similar stats to Burgess, getting 37 passes for 407 yards. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I say a 19.5% chance. I prefer the versatility of Burgess over Dillon.

Colin Ferrell/DT/Kent State-Ferrell is my dark horse candidate for defensive tackle. He ran a 4.8 40 at his Pro Day. He's 293 pounds! He isn't just a Combine player either. He had 15 tackles for loss and 5 sacks last year. His downside is he is very overrated as an actor. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I give him a 60% chance of making the roster. With no defensive tackle drafted, he has a good chance of replacing Dan Klecko.

Brandon Foster/CB/Texas-Foster is a very small corner (5-7) similar to Jason David and Tim Jennings. Foster is extremely fast (4.28), and he set the Texas record for defensive touchdowns last year with 3. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 25%. He could be a great nickel back in the Cover 2.

Eric Foster/DT/Rutgers-Eric Foster is very small for a defensive tackle (265 pounds), so he may need to bulk up about ten pounds. However, he had 7 sacks last year playing in the offensive-oriented Big East. He will contend for the under tackle position. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 40% chance. If he could get up to 275 pounds and not lose his speed, he would be a 95% chance.

Samuel Giguere/WR/Sherbrooke (Canada)-Giguere is an unknown prospect because of his Canadian roots, but he has everything you want in a receiver. Giguere ran a 4.35 40, and he has a 40 inch vertical. He was second in Canada's NCAA called CIS in receiving. Competition is obviously the biggest issue with him, but a 4.35 40 and a 40 inch vertical is great for a giant wide receiver like him. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 15% chance. His competition level will hurt his chances, but if he can perform well on special teams, he could easily make the team.

Curtis Johnson/DE/Clark Atlanta-Johnson is an undersized (239 pound) defensive end-outside linebacker hybrid who terrorized quarterbacks in the Southern conference. In 21 games for Clark, he got 18.5 tackles and 182 tackles. He was one of the best undrafted players, and he was one of the Colts first signings. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 60% chance. This guy is a freak of nature. He is extremely fast and has been compared to Joey Porter. He will be a steal.

Darren Marquez/OT/Southern Illinois-Marquez is a big offensive tackle who helped the Salukis become one of the best teams in Division 1-AA. He is known as a pass protector and would likely play left tackle. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 30%. I like him, but with three offensive linemen drafted, he may end up being the oddman out.

Jordan Senn/LB/Portland State-Senn is a small but quick linebacker who was 10th in tackles in Division 1-AA. He was a star track runner in high school, so he definitely has a good burst of speed. He played safety during his sophomore year. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 25% chance. It's too bad linebacker isn't a need. Senn could help a team out. Other Cover 2 teams should try to sign him if injuries occur.

Jamie Silva/S/Boston College-As Mike Hart was the sexy pick during the draft, Silva was the sexy signing. Silva was the leader of the Boston College defense, and he was highly touted going into the draft. He had 8 interceptions last year, and he had some success returning punts. Out of all of the undrafted free agents, he is the most likely to make the team. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 75%. Bob Sanders needs a backup.

Chad Simpson/RB/Morgan State-Simpson is the 4th leading runner in Morgan State history, but he only played 2 years there. His freshman and sophomore years were spent as a kick returner at South Florida. He ended up being a letterman in track at Morgan State as well. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 22.5%. He could be the returner the Colts are looking for.

Adam Tafralis/QB/San Jose State-Tafralis is a somewhat fast quarterback with a 40 time under 4.7, but he threw a lot of interceptions (11) last year playing against weaker competition. Chance of Making 53 man roster: .5%. I highly doubt he will beat out Jim Sorgi.

With the adding of the UDFAs, here is my projected roster for the Colts.

53 man roster
QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Mike Hart
Kenton Keith

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Tom Santi
Jacob Tamme

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richards

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Dylan Gandy

RT
Ryan Diem
Charlie Johnson

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Phillip Wheeler

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Michael Coe
Dante Hughes

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
WR Sam Giguere
OT Dan Federkiel
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Archer
CB Brandon Foster
TE Bryan Fletcher

Not Under Contract, But Will Be Signed If Injuries Occur
RB Luke Lawton
CB Melvin Bullitt
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Clift Dawson
WR Sam Burgess

Breaking Down the Draft

2008-04-27T20:30:00.003-04:00

The Colts, again, had great draft. They always say Bill Polian does what no one suspects. This year, everyone thought that linebacker and guard were positions that, even though they lost players there, they wouldn't cover early. Well, the first two picks were Mike Pollack and Phillip Wheeler. The Colts covered all of the needs, and there are still some fantastic undrafted free agents that the Colts could and probably will sign. Here is the breakdown of the draft.

2nd (59th)-Mike Pollak/C or G/Arizona State: At first glance, the Colts drafting a center is a little strange. Jeff Saturday is easily the best center in the NFL, and offensive line is definitely not a huge need. But then after really thinking about it, right guard is wide open for competition, and Jeff Saturday is not young as well. Pollak will be the leader for the right guard spot coming into training camp. Pollak's strength is his strong point, and his main weakness is his size, which allows him to be pushed around by nose tackles. Pollak will be a big contributor whether he is starting or giving Dylan Gandy or Charlie Johnson a break.

3rd (93)-Philip Wheeler/LB/Georgia Tech: Wheeler is one of the fastest linebackers in this draft. With the loss of Rocky Boiman and possibly Rob Morris, the Colts need a little depth at linebacker. Wheeler was recruited by Georgia Tech as a defensive end, so he could be moved in pass rushing situations. Wheeler is versatile enough to play oustide linebacker, middle linebacker, and defensive end. If injuries become a problem again, he could be a key player at multiple positions. Wheeler's strength is his speed, and his weakness is his size.

4th (127)-Jacob Tamme/TE/Kentucky: With the loss of Ben Utecht, Jacob Tamme could be a main target for Peyton Manning. Tamme played on the explosive Kentucky offense alongside Andre Woodson, Rafael Little, and Keenan Burton, so he is used to having great talent around him. It will be interesting to see his blocking ability, which could be helpful in short yardage situations, which the Colts struggled a bit in last year. Tamme's strength is his speed, and his weakness is his strength.

5th (161)-Marcus Howard/DE/Georgia: I have no idea how Marcus Howard fell this far. Howard has the potential to be one of the premier pass rusher in the entire league. Luckily for the Colts, Howard was available here, and we picked him up. Howard will be used as a pass rushing specialist on third downs. With Howard, quarterbacks like Billy Volek will not be able to pass on us. Howard's strength is his speed, and his weakness is his size.

6th (196)-Tom Santi/TE/Virginia: The Colts are definitely set at tight end for the future. They signed Dallas Clark long-term, and now they have 2 rookie tight ends. Santi will be used more as a blocking tight end, even though he can still catch. He led the Cavs in receiving yards and touchdowns per game. His strength is his blocking, and his weakness is his lack of speed.

6th (201)-Steve Justice/C or G/Wake Forest: Out of the centers the Colts took today, Justice is the most likely to actually stay at center. Saturday will be his mentor, and he is expected to take over for him in the near future. Justice's strength is his football IQ, and his weakness is his lack of experience in a pro style blocking system.

6th (202)-Mike Hart/RB/Michigan: This was the sexiest pick of the Colts draft. Hart is a superstar and former Heisman contender that fell in the draft because he is not a combine player. Hart will be a change of pace back for Addai and will help keep Addai healthy. Hart's strength is his aggressive running style, and his weakness is his durability.

6th (205)-Pierre Garcon/WR/Mount Union: I'd never heard of Garcon before today. He went to Division III Mount Union, and he was never projected to be drafted. Garcon's strength is his quickness, and his weakness is his lack of competition in college.

7th (236)-Jamey Richard/C or G/Buffalo: Richard is another interior lineman. Last year against San Diego, the Colts barely could field an offensive line because of injuries. Now, they have much better depth. Richard's strength is his footwork, and his weakness is his lack of athleticism.

With these picks, here is what the Colts pre-UDFA 53 man roster.

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Mike Hart
Kenton Keith

WR
Reggie Wayne
Marvin Harrison
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Devin Aromashodu
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Bryan Fletcher
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollak
Dylan Gandy

RT
Ryan Diem
Charlie Johnson

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Marcus Howard
Josh Thomas
Keyunta Dawson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid

SLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Phillip Wheeler

WLB
Freddie Keiaho
Clint Session

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Dante Hughes
Michael Coe
TJ Rushing

FS
Antoine Bethea
Brannon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

It's Finally Finished

2008-04-25T19:18:00.016-04:00

My 7 round mock draft is finished. This took forever. I tried my hardest not to repeat players or accidently have a team take a player at the same position in 3 straight rounds. However, I'm tired of reading different people's rankings and mock drafts, and I just want this published.

1. Miami Dolphins-Jake Long/OT/Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams-Chris Long/DE/Virginia
3. Atlanta Falcons-Glenn Dorsey/DT/LSU
4. Oakland Raiders-Darren McFadden/RB/Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs-Branden Albert/OG/Auburn
6. New York Jets-Vernon Gholston/DE/Ohio State
7. New England Patriots from San Francisco-Keith Rivers/OLB/USC
8. Baltimore Ravens-Matt Ryan/QB/Boston College
9. Cincinnati Bengals-Sedrick Ellis/DT/USC
10. New Orleans Saints-Leodis McKelvin/CB/Troy
11. Buffalo Bills-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie/CB/Tennessee State
12. Denver Broncos-Ryan Clady/OT/Boise State
13. Carolina Panthers-Chris Williams/OT/Vanderbilt
14. Chicago Bears-Jeff Otah/OT/Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions-Rashard Mendenhall/RB/Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals-Mike Jenkins/CB/South Florida
17. Kansas City Chiefs from Minnesota-Derrick Harvey/DE/Florida
18. Houston Texans-Jonathan Stewart/RB/Oregon
19. Philadelphia Eagles-Devin Thomas/WR/Michigan State
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Phillip Merling/DE/Clemson
21. Washington Redskins-Limas Sweed/WR/Texas
22. Dallas Cowboys from Cleveland-DeSean Jackson/WR/Cal
23. Pittsburgh Steelers-Gosder Cherlius/OT/Boston College
24. Tennessee Titans-James Hardy/WR/Indiana
25. Seattle Seahawks-Kentwan Balmer/DT/North Carolina
26. Jacksonville Jaguars-Trevor Laws/DT/Notre Dame
27. San Diego Chargers-Kenny Phillips/S/Miami (Fla.)
28. Dallas Cowboys-Aqib Talib/CB/Kansas
29. San Francisco 49ers from Indianapolis-Quentin Groves/OLB/Auburn
30. Green Bay Packers-Antoine Cason/CB/Arizona
31. New York Giants-Jerod Mayo/ILB/Tennessee

Round 2
32. Miami Dolphins-Brian Brohm/QB/Louisville
33. St. Louis Rams-Carl Nicks/OT/Nebraska
34. Atlanta Falcons from Oakland-Joe Flacco/QB/Delaware
35. Kansas City Chiefs-Malcolm Kelly/WR/Oklahoma
36. New York Jets-Curtis Lofton/ILB/Oklahoma
37. Atlanta Falcons-Anthony Collins/OT/Kansas
38. Baltimore Ravens-Tracy Porter/CB/Indiana
39. San Francisco 49ers-Duane Brown/OT/Virginia Tech
40. New Orleans Saints-Pat Sims/DT/Auburn
41. Buffalo Bills-Early Doucet/WR/LSU
42. Denver Broncos-Dre Moore/DT/Maryland
43. Carolina Panthers-Fred Davis/TE/USC
44. Chicago Bears-Felix Jones/RB/Arkansas
45. Detroit Lions-Dan Conner/ILB/Penn State
46. Cincinnati Bengals-Cliff Avril/DE/Purdue
47. Minnesota Vikings-Sam Baker/OT/USC
48. Atlanta Falcons from Houston-Charles Godfrey/CB/Iowa
49. Philadelphia Eagles-Patrick Lee/CB/Auburn
50. Arizona Cardinals-Jamaal Charles/RB/Texas
51. Washington Redskins-Calais Campbell/DE/Miami (Fla.)
52. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Justin King/CB/Penn State
53. Pittsburgh Steelers-Antwaun Molden/CB/Eastern Kentucky
54. Tennessee Titans-Dustin Keller/TE/Purdue
55. Seattle Seahawks-Lawrence Jackson/DE/USC
56. Green Bay Packers from Cleveland-Xavier Adibi/OLB/Virginia Tech
57. Miami Dolphins from San Diego-Brandon Flowers/CB/Virginia Tech
58. Jacksonville Jaguars-Jason Jones/DE/Eastern Michigan
59. Indianapolis Colts-Chris Johnson/RB/Eastern Carolina
60. Green Bay Packers-Martellus Bennett/TE/Texas A&M
61. Dallas Cowboys-Josh Barnett/S/Arizona State
62. New England Patriots-Chilo Rachal/OG/USC
63. New York Giants-Tyrell Johnson/S/Arkansas State

Round 3
64. Miami Dolphins-Phillip Wheeler/ILB/Georgia Tech
65. St. Louis Rams-Marcus Howard/DE/Georgia
66. Kansas City Chiefs-Tony Hills/OT/Texas
67. Carolina Panthers from NYJ-Matt Forte/RB/Tulane
68. Atlanta Falcons-Jonathan Goff/ILB/Vanderbilt
69. New England Patriots from Oakland-Terrence Wheatley/CB/Colorado
70. Chicago Bears from San Francisco-Earl Bennett/WR/Vanderbilt
71. Jacksonville Jaguars from Baltimore via Buffalo-DaJuan Morgan/S/North Carolina State
72. Buffalo Bills-Jordy Nelson/WR/Kansas State
73. Kansas City Chiefs from Denver via Minnesota-Terrell Thomas/CB/USC
74. Carolina Panthers-Quintin Demps/S/UTEP
75. San Francisco 49ers from Chicago-Mario Manningham/WR/Michigan
76. Detroit Lions-Erin Henderson/OLB/Maryland
77. Cincinnati Bengals-Donnie Avery/WR/Houston
78. New Orleans Saints-DaJuan Morgan/S/North Carolina State
79. Houston Texans-Reggie Smith/CB/Oklahoma
80. Philadelphia Eagles-Marcus Harrison/DT/Arkansas
81. Arizona Cardinals-Eddie Royal/WR/Virginia Tech
82. Kansas City Chiefs from Minnesota-Mike Pollack/C/Arizona State
83. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Andre Caldwell/WR/Florida
84. Washington Redskins-Oniel Cousins/OT/UTEP
85. Tennessee Titans-Tyvon Branch/CB/UConn
86. Seattle Seahawks-William Franklin/WR/Missouri
87. Detroit Lions from Cleveland-Red Bryant/DT/Texas A&M
88. Pittsburgh Steelers-Kirk Barton/OT/Ohio State
89. Jacksonville Jaguars-Roy Schuening/OG/Oregon State
90. Chicago Bears from San Diego-Chad Henne/QB/Michigan
91. Green Bay Packers-John David Booty/QB/USC
92. Dallas Cowboys-Ray Rice/RB/Rutgers
93. Indianapolis Colts-John Greco/OT/Toledo
94. New England Patriots-Zach Bowman/CB/Nebraska
95. New York Giants-Drew Radovich/OG/USC
96. Washington Redskins-Tom Zbikowski/S/Notre Dame
97. Cincinnati Bengals-Tashard Choice/RB/Georgia Tech
98. Atlanta Falcons-John Carlson/TE/Notre Dame
99. Baltimore Ravens-Keenan Burton/WR/Kentucky

Round 4
100. Miami Dolphins-Taveres Gooden/OLB/Miami (Fla.)
101. St. Louis Rams-Ezra Butler/OLB/Nevada
102. New York Jets-Kevin Smith/RB/UCF
103. Atlanta Falcons-Thomas DeCoud/S/Cal
104. Oakland Raiders-Ahtyba Rubin/DT/Iowa State
105. Kansas City Chiefs-Orlando Scandrick/CB/Boise State
106. Baltimore Ravens-Beau Bell/ILB/UNLV
107. San Francisco 49ers-Frank Morton/NT/Tulane
108. Denver Broncos-Shawn Crable/OLB/Michigan
109. Carolina Panthers-DeMario Pressley/DT/North Carolina State
110. Chicago Bears-Caleb Campbell/S/Army
111. Detroit Lions-Mike McGlynn/OG/Pitt
112. Cincinnati Bengals-Wes Woodyard/OLB/Kentucky
113. New York Jets from New Orleans-Jeremy Zuttah/OT/Rutgers
114. Buffalo Bills-Chris Ellis/DE/Virginia Tech
115. Philadelphia Eagles-Barry Richardson/OT/Clemson
116. Arizona Cardinals-Eric Young/OG/Tennessee
117. Minnesota Vikings-Craig Steltz/S/LSU
118. Houston Texans-Brad Cottam/TE/Tennessee
119. Denver Broncos from Washington-Brian Johnston/DE/Gardner-Webb
120. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Steve Johnson/WR/Kentucky
121. Seattle Seahawks-Jermichael Finley/TE/Texas
122. Cleveland Browns-Jack Williams/CB/Kent State
123. Pittsburgh Steelers-DJ Hall/WR/Alabama
124. Tennessee Titans-Chris Harrington/DE/Texas A&M
125. Jacksonville Jaguars-Steve Justice/C/Wake Forest
126. Tennessee Titans from Dallas-Dexter Jackson/WR/Appalachian State
127. Indianapolis Colts-Rudolph Hardie/DE/Howard
128. Green Bay Packers-Peyton Hillis/FB/Arkansas
129. New England Patriots-Chevis Jackson/CB/LSU
130. New York Giants-Dwight Lowery/CB/San Jose State
131. Philadelphia Eagles-Jamar Adams/S/Michigan
132. Buffalo Bills-John Sullivan/C/Notre Dame
133. Baltimore Ravens-Chad Rinehart/OG/Northern Iowa
134. Tennessee Titans-Steve Slaton/RB/West Virginia
135. Green Bay Packers-Trae Williams/CB/South Florida

Round 5
136. Kansas City Chiefs from Miami-Lavelle Hawkins/WR/Cal
137. St. Louis Rams-Carlton Medder/OT/St. Louis Rams
138. Atlanta Falcons-Nick Hayden/DT/Wisconsin
139. Denver Broncos from Oakland-Darius Reynaud/WR/West Virginia
140. Kansas City Chiefs-Kendall Langford/DT/Hampton
141. Carolina Panthers from NYJ-Andre Woodson/QB/Kentucky
142. Chicago Bears from Carolina Panthers-Bobby Byrd/OT/Washington State
143. Jacksonville Jaguars from Chicago Bears-Harry Douglas/WR/Louisville
144. Detroit Lions-Jonathan Wilhite/CB/Auburn
145. Cincinnati Bengals-DeJuan Tribble/CB/Boston College
146. New Orleans Saints-Ali Highsmith/OLB/LSU
147. Buffalo Bills-Owen Schmitt/FB/West Virginia
148. Denver Broncos-David Roach/S/TCU
149. Arizona Cardinals-Stan Kelgar/OLB/Purdue
150. Minnesota Vikings-Martin Rucker/TE/Missouri
151. Houston Texans-Bruce Davis/OLB/UCLA
152. Philadelphia Eagles-Donald Thomas/OG/UConn
153. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Mike Hart/RB/Michigan
154. Washington Redskins-Jonathan Zenon/CB/LSU
155. Cleveland Browns-Jameel McClain/ILB/Syracuse
156. Pittsburgh Steelers-Ben Moffitt/LB/South Florida
157. Tennessee Titans-Jordon Dizon/OLB/Colorado
158. Jacksonville Jaguars from Seattle-Kenny Iwebema/DE/Iowa
159. Jacksonville Jaguars-Kellen Davis/TE/Michigan State
160. San Diego Chargers-Marcus Griffin/S/Texas
161. Indianapolis Colts-Arman Shields/WR/Richmond
162. Green Bay Packers-Darrell Robertson/DE/Georgia Tech
163. Dallas Cowboys-Shannon Boatman/OG/Florida State
164. New England Patriots-Josh Johnson/QB/San Diego
165. New York Giants-Jacob Tamme/TE/Kentucky
166. San Diego Chargers-Frank Okam/NT/Texas

Round 6
167. Dallas Cowboys from Miami-Letroy Guion/DT/Florida State
168. St. Louis Rams-Kevin O’Connell/QB/San Diego State
169. Oakland Raiders-Trevor Scott/DE/Buffalo
170. Kansas City Chiefs-Johnny Dingle/DE/West Virginia
171. New York Jets-Pedro Sosa/OT/Rutgers
172. Atlanta Falcons-Doug Legursky/C/Marshall
173. Baltimore Ravens-Robert Felton/OG/Arkansas
174. San Francisco 49ers-Cody Wallace/C/Texas A&M
175. Chicago Bears-Vince Hall/ILB/Virginia Tech
176. Detroit Lions-Gary Guyton/OLB/Georgia Tech
177. Cincinnati Bengals-Adamm Oliver/DE/Georgia Tech
178. New Orleans Saints-Gary Barnidge/TE/Louisville
179. Buffalo Bills-Adam Kraus/OG/Michigan
180. St. Louis Rams from Denver-J Leman/ILB/Illinois
181. Carolina Panthers-Marcus Walker/CB/Oklahoma
182. Minnesota Vikings-Carlton Powell/DT/Virginia Tech
183. Denver Broncos from Houston-Alexis Serna/K/Oregon State
184. Philadelphia Eagles-Chris Hopkins/TE/Toledo
185. Arizona Cardinals-Franklin Dunbar/OT/Middle Tennessee State
186. Washington Redskins-Andre Fluellen/DT/Florida State
187. Kansas City Chiefs-Chauncey Washington/RB/USC
188. Pittsburgh Steelers-Simeon Castille/S/Alabama
189. Seattle Seahawks-Jalen Parmele/RB/Toledo
190. Cleveland Browns-Adrian Arrington/WR/Michigan
191. Philadelphia Eagles-Michael Grant/CB/Arkansas
192. San Diego Chargers-Ryan Torain/RB/Arizona State
193. Minnesota Vikings from Jacksonville-Spencer Larsen/ILB/Arizona
194. New York Giants from Green Bay-Barry Booker/DT/Virginia Tech
195. Miami Dolphins from Dallas-Jehuu Calcrick/FB/Michigan State
196. Indianapolis Colts-Joey Haynos/TE/Maryland
197. New England Patriots-Andy Studebaker/OLB/Wheaton
198. New York Giants-Justin Tryon/CB/Arizona State
199. New York Giants-Jamey Richard/C/Buffalo
200. Philadelphia Eagles-Chase Ortiz/DE/TCU
201. Indianapolis Colts-Titus Brown/DE/Mississippi State
202. Indianapolis Colts-Kory Lichtensteiger/C/Bowling Green
203. Philadelphia Eagles-Kirk Elder/OG/Texas A&M
204. Miami Dolphins-Durant Brooks/P/Georgia Tech
205. Indianapolis Colts-Corey Lynch/S/Appalachian State
206. Baltimore Ravens-Mark Bradford/WR/Stanford
207. Cincinnati Bengals-Jack Ikegwuonu/CB/Wisconsin

Round 7
208. Miami Dolphins-Brian Stamper/OT/Vanderbilt
209. Minnesota Vikings from St. Louis-Jacob Hester/FB/LSU
210. Kansas City Chiefs-Brandon Coutu/K/Georgia
211. New York Jets-Erik Ainge/QB/Tennessee
212. Atlanta Falcons-Allen Patrick/RB/Oklahoma
213. Oakland Raiders-Ernie Wheelwright/WR/Minnesota
214. San Francisco 49ers-Wilrey Fontenot/CB/Arizona
215. Baltimore Ravens-Jonathan Hefney/S/Tennessee
216. Detroit Lions-Jordan Grimes/OG/Purdue
217. St. Louis Rams from Cincinnati-Thomas Brown/RB/Georgia
218. New Orleans Saints-Matt Spanos/C/USC
219. Buffalo Bills-Ryan O’Hara/QB/Central Oklahoma
220. Denver Broncos-Rodrick Johnson/OLB/Oklahoma State
221. Carolina Panthers-Dorien Bryant/WR/Purdue
222. Chicago Bears-Will Arnold/OG/LSU
223. Houston Texans-Adarius Bowman/WR/Oklahoma State
224. Buffalo Bills from Philadelphia-Bryan Smith/OLB/McNeese State
225. Arizona Cardinals-Mike Dragosavich/P/North Dakota State
226. Oakland Raiders from Minnesota-Tommy Blake/DE/TCU
227. Denver Broncos from Tampa Bay-Jimmie Kaylor/P/Colorado State
228. Washington Redskins-Jacob Hester/H-B/LSU
229. Tennessee Titans-Colt Brennan/QB/Hawaii
230. Philadelphia Eagles-Jeremy Geathers/DE/UNLV
231. Cleveland Browns-Bo Ruud/OLB/Nebraska
232. Atlanta Falcons-Taj Smith/WR/Syracuse
233. Seattle Seahawks from Jacksonville-Taylor Mehlhaff/K/Wisconsin
234. San Diego Chargers-Brandon Carr/CB/Grand Valley State
235. Dallas Cowboys-Matt Flynn/QB/LSU
236. Indianapolis Colts-Dennis Dixon/QB/Oregon
237. Green Bay Packers-Robbie Powell/C/Purdue
238. New England Patriots-Marcus Henry/WR/Kansas
239. Kansas City Chiefs-Maurice Purify/WR/Nebraska
240. Baltimore Ravens-Rafael Little/RB/Kentucky
241. Carolina Panthers-Rocky Schwartz/S/Houston
242. Washington Redskins-Bobbie Williams/S/Bethune-Cookman
243. Chicago Bears-Jamie Silva/S/Boston College
244. Cincinnati Bengals-Bernard Morris/QB/Marshall
245. Miami Dolphins-Ryan Grice-Mullen/WR/Hawaii
246. Cincinnati Bengals-Maurice Murray/DT/New Mexico State
247. Chicago Bears-Andrew Bain/OG/Miami
248. Chicago Bears-Geoff Schwartz/OT/Oregon
249. Washington Redskins-Adam Spieker/C/Missouri
250. Carolina Panthers-Joe Jon Finley/TE/Oklahoma
251. Buffalo Bills-Anthony Aldridge/RB/Houston
252. St. Louis Rams-Sammie Stroughter/WR/Oregon State

Colts Draft Board 1-50

2008-04-20T12:22:00.006-04:00

On April 26th, Tony Dungy, Bill Polian, Chris Polian, Tom Moore, Ron Meeks, Jim Irsay, Jim Caldwell, Pete Ward, and Bob Terpening will go to the Colts facilities, go into a conference room, and stay there for almost two days. That's draft day for you. Teams have to have a lot of prospects lined up. Here's what the Colts' draft board should look like next Saturday.

1. Chris Long/DE/Virginia
2. Vernon Gholston/DE/Ohio State
3. Sedrick Ellis/DT/USC
4. Glenn Dorsey/DT/LSU
5. Darren McFadden/RB/Arkansas
6. Brandon Albert/OG/Auburn
7. Jonathan Stewart/RB/Oregon
8. Derrick Harvey/DE/Florida
9. Jake Long/OT/Michigan
10. Keith Rivers/OLB/USC
11. Phillip Merling/DE/Clemson
12. Rashard Mendenhall/RB/Illinois
13. Ryan Clady/OT/Boise State
14. Devin Thomas/WR/Michigan State
15. Jeff Otah/OT/Pittsburgh
16. Chris Williams/OT/Vanderbilt
17. Limas Sweed/WR/Texas
18. Trevor Laws/DT/Notre Dame
19. Kentwan Balmer/DT/North Carolina
20. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie/CB/Tennessee State
21. DeSean Jackson/WR/Cal
22. Chris Johnson/RB/ECU
23. Jerod Mayo/ILB/Tennessee
24. Mike Jenkins/CB/South Florida
25. Quentin Groves/DE/Auburn
26. Felix Jones/RB/Arkansas
27. Aqib Talib/CB/Kansas
28. Lawrence Jackson/DE/USC
29. Anthony Collins/OT/Kansas
30. James Hardy/WR/Indiana
31. Tracy Porter/CB/Indiana
32. Matt Forte/RB/Tulane
33. Fred Davis/TE/USC
34. Dan Conner/MLB/Penn State
35. Mario Manningham/WR/Michigan
36. Marcus Howard/DE/Georgia
37. Antoine Cason/CB/Arizona
38. Malcolm Kelly/WR/Oklahoma
39. Early Doucet/WR/LSU
40. Carl Nicks/OT/Nebraska
41. Justin King/CB/Penn State
42. Calais Campbell/DT/Miami (Fla.)
43. Sam Baker/OT/USC
44. Brandon Flowers/CB/Virginia Tech
45. Gosder Cherlius/OT/Boston College
46. Andre Caldwell/WR/Florida
47. Cliff Avril/DE/Purdue
48. Xavier Adibi/OLB/Virginia Tech
49. Terrell Thomas/CB/USC
50. Martellus Bennett/TE/Texas A&M

Early Colts Schedule Outlook

2008-04-18T19:41:00.003-04:00

The schedules were released a few days ago, and I'm here to talk about the Colts' schedule. I can sum it up in one word: KILLER. It sucks when you are in a division with 3 other teams that actually can contend. It doesn't help that they are playing the AFC North, who has Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Good thing Favre retired, or else we could feasibly be playing 5 teams that could win Super Bowl XLIII. Here's the schedule*, and which games I think are guaranteed wins and what games the Colts will have to play their best to win.

1
9/7
CHICAGO BEARS
8:15 PM
NBC
2
9/14
@ Minnesota Vikings
1:00 PM
CBS
3
9/21
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
4:15 PM
CBS
4
9/28
BYE
-
none
5
10/5
@ Houston Texans
1:00 PM
CBS
6
10/12
BALTIMORE RAVENS
1:00 PM
CBS
7
10/19
@ Green Bay Packers
4:15 PM
CBS
8
10/27
@ Tennessee Titans
8:30 PM
ESPN
9
11/2
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
8:15 PM
NBC
10
11/9
@ Pittsburgh Steelers
4:15 PM
CBS
11
11/16
HOUSTON TEXANS
1:00 PM
CBS
12
11/23
@ San Diego Chargers
8:15 PM
NBC
13
11/30
@ Cleveland Browns
1:00 PM
CBS
14
12/7
CINCINNATI BENGALS
1:00 PM
CBS
15
12/14
DETROIT LIONS
1:00 PM
FOX
16
12/18
@ Jacksonville Jaguars
8:15 PM
NFL Network
17
12/28
TENNESSEE TITANS
1:00 PM
CBS

Guaranteed Wins
v. Chicago Bears, v. Houston Texans, v. Detroit Lions, v. Cincinnati Bengals, v. Baltimore Ravens, @ Houston Texans, @ Green Bay Packers

The schedule is so tough, I can only find seven games right now that don't worry me at all. The Bears, Lions, Bengals, and Ravens are going to be cellar-dwellers in their divisions. The Packers are too one-dimensional, and the Texans can't beat the Colts.

Probable Wins
@ Minnesota Vikings, @ Tennessee Titans, v. Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Colts are near unbeatable at home in the regular season, and it will be interesting to see if there will be any differences with the move to Lucas Oil Stadium or "The Lube" as it is called. That's why I think the Jags are NOT going to beat the Colts at home. The Titans and Vikings could beat the Colts, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Will Be Close, but the Colts are going to be favored
@ Pittsburgh Steelers, @ Cleveland Browns, v. Tennessee Titans.

The Titans game is only up here is because of the chances that the starters won't be playing after the first quarter. The Browns and Steelers will be tough, but I don't see the games being blowouts either way.

Bring Your A Game, Colts
v. New England Patriots, @ Jacksonville Jaguars, @ San Diego Chargers.

Versus the Chargers-REVENGE! Versus the Patriots-Sort of revenge, but I want to crush them regardless of previous outcomes. Versus the Jaguars-This. Is. Our. Division.

My Prediction: 13-3. I see the Colts beating every team on the schedule besides the road game against Jacksonville, the Titans home game, and the Browns game. The Browns are looking for revenge, the Jags are going to be great, and the Titans will be playing the scrubs. The Colts will be the number two seed in the AFC behind the Patriots. This year, however, they will go all the way.

*Courtesy of Colts.com

Quick Colts Mock Draft

2008-04-17T22:30:00.003-04:00

There is nothing really to explain. The Colts have 9 picks, and here's what I think they will do with them come draft weekend. I will not give us Chris Long, Darren McFadden, Keith Rivers, etc. This will be realistic.

2nd-Chris Johnson/RB/ECU
3rd-John Greco/OT/Toledo
4th-Rudolph Hardie/DE/Howard
5th-Arman Shields/WR/Richmond
6th-Joey Haynos/TE/Maryland
6th-Titus Brown/DE/Mississippi State
6th-Kory Lichtensteiger/C/Bowling Green
7th-Bernard Morris/QB/Marshall

All of these guys have been getting interest from the Colts. The only stretch on their is Lichtensteiger, who is projected as an early 6th rounder. I wish I could have fit in Jack Williams, but Hardie and Shields are too good to pass up right there. Corner isn't a huge need for now, depending on what we do with Hayden this offseason. With this draft, the big needs like running back, offensive line, and defensive end are covered. This may be the best possible draft.

What I Tell You???

2008-02-27T18:30:00.004-05:00

Didn't someone say Rob Morris and Booger McFarland would be cut? I remember some great, intelligent blogger saying that Morris and McFarland wouldn't be back. Yep. I called it. Hopefully this luck carries over for March Madness. I would love to win some cash for my psychic ability. Too bad I will go with some homer pick like Notre Dame-Butler in the championship. It's just nature.

Well, if you made it through my ramblings, here is the link to the article. Just ignore the meaningless cuts below. I guess this didn't deserve a full article.

I love this move. According to Colts Cap, the Colts had about $2.58 million in cap, so this move should put them at about 10 million. What does that mean? Polian has some more leniency in the draft, free agency, and resigning. With $10 million, the Colts can resign Matt Giordano, Rocky Boiman, Derrell Reid, and Ben Utecht with enough cap space to sign all of our draft picks. This was a great move, Irsay and Polian. Cutting useless players, so we can improve our team with young players. Way to go. Now make my prediction of a Super Bowl XLIII win come true as well. I'm counting on you guys!

Catching Up On A Busy Week

2008-02-22T15:48:00.003-05:00

I haven't blogged about the Colts for a while, so I have to catch up on two big stories.

Dallas Clark Gets the Franchise Tag and Signs Long-Term Almost Immediately: I wasn't surprised when Clark got the franchise tag. He is the best free agent the Colts had, and normally those players get the franchise tag even if they are expected to sign long term. What I didn't expect was him to sign so soon. It was less than a day after. Someone at Elias needs to see if that is a record. I thought it was a misprint on the ESPN Bottomline. He signed a 6 year contract. That's pretty long. He will be a Colt for the rest of Peyton's career and probably the rest of his.

Ryan Lilja Also Signs: Lilja or Scott? Lilja or Scott? I didn't care who they signed. They are pretty much the same player. I can't say which one is better, and I couldn't tell them apart if they were in a police lineup. However, I can't complain with the money Lilja got. I thought he would get 5 million dollars, but he only got 4. That's a pretty good sign. Hopefully that will leave some cap.

Current Cap Situation: According to coltscap.net, we have 2.5 million and change left. That's enough to resign Utecht or Giordano and Fletcher. With the imminent cuts, the Colts could get that number to between 10 and 14 million. That would be enough to resign all of the good free agents besides Scott, who everyone knows will leave with the Lilja signing. The Colts are in a good place with the cap. This offseason will be better than last year when the Colts lost everyone. Maybe we can put our sights on DeShaun Foster or Julius Jones. They should be pretty cheap. Hey, you never know...

In and Out

2008-02-15T16:46:00.006-05:00

The Colts are getting to the time of inevitable cuts. All teams want to free up cap space for free agency. The Colts have always been a team with a little less cap than the rest of the league. Mike Peterson, Cato June, Marcus Washington, Larry Triplett, David Thorton, Nick Harper, Jason David, and Edgerrin James are just a few of the names of Colts that were not resigned because of money issues. Well, now the Colts are going to have to cut some people. These 3 will be the most probable cuts.

Booger McFarland-First of all, no one call him "Anthony". A nickname like Booger is far too awesome to be replaced with a dumb name like Anthony. Now, the reason he will get cut is because he is set to earn a boatload of cash this upcoming season. $6.85 million is just way too much for a defensive tackle coming off of a major knee injury. He's getting more money than Gary Brackett, Joseph Addai, and Marlin Jackson combined. He's gone. Ed Johnson is a better version of him for less money.

Rob Morris-With the emergence of Tyjuan Hagler and the stacked draft class of linebackers this year, he is really just taking up a roster spot. He can't defend the pass, which is basically what Tampa 2 linebackers have to be able to do to keep their job. He would earn $1.4 million in 2008.

Charlie Johnson-What can I say? Johnson is awful. He's one of the worst offensive linemen I've ever seen play for a Howard Mudd-coached Colts team. He cannot pick up the blitz, and he isn't strong enough to create lanes for running backs. He would earn $465,000 in 2008.

These three are just extra weight for the Colts. With their contracts gone, they would gain about $8.3 million by not having to pay their base salaries. Add that onto the already open cap, and the Colts will have $18 million open. However, most of that would not go to free agency. They still have to resign free agents.

If they resign Dallas Clark, Ryan Lilja, Jake Scott, Rocky Boiman, Ben Utecht, and Ed Johnson, they would have to pay around 17.6 for all of those guys using my contract guesstimations. Add that onto the draft money they would have to pay, and it would be over the salary cap. Last year, they paid around $3.18 million dollars on their draft picks besides Anthony Gonzalez. Since the Colts traded their first round pick this season for Tony Ugoh, I didn't add in the first rounder (props to shakennbaken.blogspot.com for first posting this info).

What does this mean for the Colts? Either Ryan Lilja or Jake Scott will not return at least for the money they could earn. I believe they could get around $5 million on the market each. If you let one of the go, the Colts would have enough money to pick up some free agents off the market. Here are the top 5 players the Colts should look at in free agency.

Derrick Ward/RB/New York Giants-It seems like the Giants have found their backs in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, making Derrick Ward a probable free agent even with his restriction. Derrick Ward broke his leg halfway through the year, but he was one of the best receiving running backs in the league prior to the injury. If the Colts can afford him, he would be a great addition to the team as a third down/change of pace back.

Chris Clemons/DE/Oakland Raiders-The Colts had trouble getting pressure on Billy Volek and Phillip Rivers in the playoff loss, so a pass rusher wouldn't be a bad addition, especially for a cheap price. Josh Thomas should be gone, and the Colts need another defensive back to replace him as well.

Ernest Wilford/WR/Jacksonville Jaguars-The Colts need a very tall wide receiver. They need a Randy Moss but for the price of a second day pick. Ernest Wilford could give the Colts a deep threat who doesn't have to be extremely talented. He averaged 11.5 yards per catch last year, and that was the worst year of his career! He could be a valuable asset in the Colts offense.

Mike Doss/S/Minnesota Vikings-This idea has been brought up before, and I intend on keeping it alive. Doss was a very good player for the Colts, and if it weren't for his ACL tearing, the Colts secondary in 2006 would have been one of the deepest in recent NFL history. The Colts need another backup safety with experience. Doss fits that bill pretty well.

Isaac Sopoaga/DT/San Francisco 49ers-The Colts don't have a giant defensive tackle on the roster. Quinn Pitcock and Edward Johnson are both around 300 pounds, but they don't have the powerful defensive tackle that Corey Simon gave the Colts. Sopoaga could be that tackle.

These 5 players will all be inexpensive and should be good impact backups. None of them deserve to be starters, but they all could make a huge difference off of the bench.

*Courtesy to Coltscap.net for all of the contract information.

The Holy Trinity of Embarrassment

2008-02-04T13:03:00.000-05:00

Ecstasy is the only word to describe the feeling any football fan outside of the Northeast felt. The 18-0 Patriots LOST. It felt like it would never happen. The team that was caught cheating, has a smug head coach, has numerous cheap players, and a thug as a star wide receiver LOST! If the 1999 Yankees were the Evil Empire, what are the Patriots? I would say that they are the Sith, led by Emperor Belichick himself.

If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!

So I mentioned the trilogy. Here it is. The Patriots never look ahead of everything. That's why they didn't make a book or patent anything. Oh wait.

Way to go Patriots. I see you took the one game at a time policy to heart. That's embarrassing. The father of all embarrassments.

Well, it can't get worse. I mean, their star QB didn't laugh at the thought of them scoring 17 points? Oh wait.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kJ2yK5C9Ae4

"We're only going to score 17 points? Hahahaha!" Hey Brady, you only scored 14 points. Hahahaha! Son of all embarrassments.

Well, I mean, it's not like they were going to break a big record anyways. They were just a normal team. No shame in losing. Oh wait.

18-1. So they are the best team NOT to win the Super Bowl. The Sith were the worst team not to win the Rebel War (nerd!). 19-0 is just a dream. It will never be accomplished, and this just proved it. Perfection is impossible. The Patriots will be forgotten. They are just a ghost.

The trinity of embarrassment. In the name of the book, and of the laughing, and of the holy loss.

And I know I was rough on Belichick comparing him to Palpatine, so I already have your response in video form.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UFfobQftP5k

18-1

Colts in Canton?

2008-02-03T12:01:00.000-05:00

Since the Hall of Fame committee decided who would get in (congrats to Art Monk, Darrell Green, Andre Tippett, Fred Dean, Emmitt Thomas, and Gary Zimmerman), it brought up discussion of who will get in later on in the future. The Colts are one of the most talented teams in the league, and it looks like they will have many future Hall of Famers. Eric Dickerson is the only Indianapolis Colt in the Hall of Fame, but he will be joined by many. Who will it be? Well, let's just see what my elaborate star system says.

Here's the system. Six stars are locks. If they retired today, they would be in for sure. Five stars are a few improvements in a statistical categories, but they will definitely get in barring injuries or trouble with the law. Four stars have had a great career, but need to have very solid years for the rest of his career. Three stars have to step it up and become Pro Bowlers for the majority of the rest of his career. After I rank the veterans, I will do the rankings for the young players. I will just use "In" and "On the Bubble" to measure their chances.

****** (6): Peyton Manning, Adam Vinatieri, Marvin Harrison, Tony Dungy- Peyton Manning has played 10 years. He is averaging more than 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns a season. If he plays eight more years as he intends, he will definitely break every notable passing record. He's a lock even if he retires today. Adam Vinatieri has won 2 Super Bowls on his feet. He is the most clutch kicker in NFL history, and he has been a starter on 5 Super Bowl teams, an amazing stat. He'll get in without a doubt.

Marvin Harrison may end his career coming close or breaking some of Jerry Rice's records. He's been very consistent over his long career, and he hasn't had many injuries until this past year. If his knee can recover, he will add onto his illustrious career. Dungy is the best regular season coach of the 21st century. He has led the Colts to 6 straight playoff births and 5 straight AFC South titles and 12 win seasons. Dungy added a Super Bowl ring to his resume, assuring him of being a Hall of Famer. Being the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl didn't hurt either.

***** (5): Dwight Freeney & Reggie Wayne: Freeney and Wayne are two draft picks that make Bill Polian a genius. Many of the Colts starters have been drafted on the second day or even signed as an undrafted rookie, but these two first-rounders have lived up to their pick. Freeney gets consistent pressure on the QB, and he normally hurries the QB into bad throws. Reggie Wayne came on strong when Marvin Harrison got hurt, and he only needs three or four more good years (1000 yards & 8 touchdowns) to become a lock.

**** (4): Bob Sanders, Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark: Bob Sanders is the superstar, Clark is the X-factor on offense, and Jeff Saturday is the superstar offensive lineman. Sanders has had injury problems, but it is hard to deny that he does the most with less. He is under 6 feet, I tower over him, but he could kill me with one spear tackle. He won the Defensive Player of the Year last year, and if he can stay healthy, there's a good shot he can win it again. Jeff Saturday has made the All-Pro team 3 straight years, and he anchors the line. Dallas Clark had 11 touchdown catches this year, and when he doesn't drop balls, he is making big plays.

*** (3): Gary Brackett, Robert Mathis, Anthony McFarland: Gary Brackett is the leader of the defense, and he has had 3 good years, but he needs to be a Pro Bowler and have 110 tackles and 2 interceptions for the rest of his career. Mathis is very good, but he has been living in the shadow of Dwight Freeney and does not get much recognition. Booger McFarland's injury hurt his chances, but he has been a solid lineman and has been on 2 Super Bowl-winning teams.

Since the young players have not played enough to be considered, I will base it on the pace they have started at. These players have 2 or 3 years experience.

In: Joseph Addai & Antoine Bethea-Addai has 2842 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns. He is definitely on a good pace. Bethea will play in his first Pro Bowl this year, and he is a great ball-hawking safety. He's compiled 5 interceptions and 12 batted balls over his two years.

Bubble: Marlin Jackson & Kelvin Hayden-It's hard to separate the two. They both play the same style and have the same role in the defense. If one gets in, the other will. Right now, they will need to improve to become Pro Bowlers, but they have been very good, especially in big games.

I may have overshot some of these, but it is very easy to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hopefully I can come back to this in 15 years and see that all of these guys are in the Hall of Fame. Probably not, but a man can dream can't he?

C'mon-Everyone's Doing It!

2008-02-02T22:52:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl is coming up, tomorrow in fact, and everyone has to make a prediction. Even people who don't watch football pick this game. You can gamble on everything from the coin toss to the halftime show. I haven't had an NFL blog in a while--mostly due to post-losing depression--so I felt like I need a short, sweet, and to the point prediction.

Here is the score. You can take this to Vegas, because if I'm good at one thing, it's picking games. 24-23 Giants. Stephen Gostkowski will miss a game-winning field goal off of the crossbar, and Adam Vinatieri will then fly to Glendale, and kick a field goal from the same exact spot, making it easily. All non-Patriots fans will all cheer until they go hoarse, for the Evil Empire of the NFL will have fallen short.

Stats
Eli Manning throws 1 touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress on a 58 yard go route in the third quarter, and he throws one interception which is picked off by Adalius Thomas and returned to the Giants' 35. He throws for 234 yards while going 19 for 34.

Brandon Jacobs has a career day with a 124 yards on 18 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Ahmad Bradshaw comes in late in the game to burn some clock, getting 24 yards on 9 carries.

Plaxico Burress has the touchdown catch along with eight other catches for 108 yards. Most of them are compiled on slants and drags.

Amani Toomer, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, David Tyree, and Sinorice Moss catch the other 11.

Justin Tuck leads the Giants with 2 sacks. Antonio Pierce has 11 tackles with 2.5 for a loss. Gibril Wilson will have an interception. Osi Umenyiora will force and recover a Laurence Maroney fumble.

Tom Brady will throw an amazing 53 passes for 379 yards, completing 41 of them. He will throw for 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Laurence Maroney will run the ball 10 times for 47 yards. Heath Evans will run it twice for 5 yards, both within the 10 yard line.

Randy Moss will have 3 catches for 61 yards, but no touchdowns.

Wes Welker will have 9 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Kevin Faulk will have 15 catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Donte Stallworth will have 2 catches for 79 yards, 59 coming on a big first quarter pass.

Laurence Maroney, Heath Evans, Jabar Gaffney, Troy Brown, Ben Watson, and Kyle Brady will catch the rest.

Richard Seymour will have 8 tackles, leading the Pats. Adalius Thomas will have a pick and 2 sacks.

MVP: Eli Manning. Like XLI, the backs may have had a better game, but Manning will have led them to victory, shaving 9 of the 15 fourth quarter minutes off of the clock.

GOAT: Stephen Gostkowski. You can't miss a game-winning field goal.

If any of these, especially the score, come true, I will change this blog's name to Manlove for Manning. You can bet on it. You better.

I Plead the Fifth!

2008-01-23T21:53:00.000-05:00

The fifth round. The somewhat late point of the draft. I consider it the forgotten round. It isn't considered very low where the players thank the gods they got drafted, but it isn't high enough for the players to be cocky. Before we get to the 3 prospects, let's see some of the notable Indianapolis Colts to come out of the fifth round.

Golden Tate/RB/1984: To be honest, I don't know anything about him. He was a fifth round pick in 1984, but I can't find anything else on him. But what I do know is that his namesake plays for Notre Dame. Hey dad, have your son study the playbook a bit more.

Brad Scioli/DE/1999: Scioli wasn't very good, but his name sounded like Ravioli, so I think that's why he stayed around for so long.

Robert Mathis/DE/2003: Mathis is a great pass rusher. Pass rushers always seem to fall. How often do you here about the great pass rushers getting drafted in the top 10?

Jake Scott/OG/2004: Scott may have played his last game for the Colts against the Bolts. He's a free agent and may not be back.

Tyjuan Hagler/LB/2005: Hagler was a no-name special teamer at the beginning of the year. Now he's a starting linebacker on one of the top defenses in the league. Funny how a few injuries can make a career.

Roy Hall/WR/2007: Does the name ring a bell? No? Well, it will in a few years. This guy is for real. The Colts offensive machine will continue for a long time with Anthony Gonzalez and Roy Hall.

So that leads us to 2008. Where will the Colts go? Here are the 3 guys the Colts should look out for. The Colts have already touched on running back, guard, and linebacker.

Bobbie Williams/S/Bethune-Cookman: The Colts have had some success with small schools defensive backs (Antoine Bethea ring a bell?), and Williams is a ball hawker. The Colts have some good young corners, but they need another safety.

Johnny Dingle/DE/West Virginia: Dingle could definitely succeed in a pass rushing situation, where the Colts definitely need help.

Joey Haynos/TE/Maryland: Haynos is a giant! 6-8!?!? That's amazing. However, he isn't a blocker. He had 67 receptions combined the past two years.

The Colts have to go with Dingle here. However, like the Colts' Craphonso Thorpe and Kosuke Fukudome of the Cubs, stink it up, and you have a bad nickname forever. No one wants to be called Dingleberry, no matter how immature and funny it is.

Who Said A Little Depth Would Hurt?

2008-01-20T13:30:00.000-05:00

Round 4 now. The Colts have been getting some quality players in the later rounds. Kevin Smith and Adam Kraus would make the offense all the more potent. However, they still need depth at some defensive positions, which will be the main target on the second day. Here are the top 5 prospects for the Colts to get in the fourth round.

Greyson Gunheim/DE/Washington: This is Greyson's second appearance. He is projected as a 4th rounder, so he could be the Colts' pick right here. He is a speedy defensive end who plays like Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney.

Bryan Smith/LB/McNeese State: I guess you could question the level of competition, but the 40 doesn't lie. He is an extremely fast linebacker, and he is pretty good in the pass rush, which may be good if Freeney doesn't regain his form.

DJ Parker/S/Virginia Tech: Parker is an undersized safety who is very strong. Who does that remind you of? Coming from Virginia Tech, he is very fast and could help on special teams.

Zach Bowman/CB/Nebraska: Bowman is coming off of back-to-back serious knee injuries. His draft stock has plummeted due to this. However, he is insanely talented and may have been a star if he didn't get injured. The Colts may want to take a chance on him and see if he can pull and Antonio Cromartie.

Louis Holmes/DE/Arizona: Another defensive end. Holmes has all the talent in the world. He just can't put it together. The Colts may want to give him a chance. He could be great with his combination of size and speed.

The Colts here should take Bryan Smith. Smith is reminiscent of a Tampa 2 linebacker. He is fast and can get to the ball. The Colts need some depth at linebacker. He could be a valuable asset if there would be another trend of injuries like the Colts had at linebacker this year.

The Draft Clock Is Ticking (Round 3)

2008-01-19T11:26:00.000-05:00

The Colts really don't have very many needs. They have one of the greatest QBs in NFL history. They have a Pro Bowl running back. They have two future Hall of Fame receivers not to mention a fantastic slot receiver coming off of his rookie year. The offensive line is very good when healthy. Dallas Clark is a great tight end. The defensive line has improved in the run game. The linebackers are great. The secondary is the best in the league. However, it never hurts to get more depth. In the third round, there are some prospects that really stand out. Here are my top 3.

Ben Moffitt/LB/South Florida: Moffitt is insanely fast. Don't pay attention to his 40 time (4.68), he plays as fast as any first round prospect at linebacker. His amazing performance against West Virginia really stood out. The problem with him is apparently he is an idiot. His wife (!?) came out and said she was allegedly doing his work. The Colts don't need someone who is illiterate.

Greyson Gunheim/DE/Washington: First, props to Greyson's parents for giving him the coolest name ever. Second, Gunheim is very fast. Josh Thomas is a good defensive end, but he's slower than a fat guy on a segway. The Colts need a third down specialist. I do think that they should try to get Mark Anderson in a trade with the Bears, maybe using this pick. Anderson is phenominal and would make this defensive line much better in the pass rush.

Adam Kraus/OG/Michigan: Kraus is a very, very underrated guard for Michigan who could also play center in the pros. The Michigan offensive line was one of the best, if not the best, in the nation this year. The Colts need a backup guard, and Kraus could fill that role easily.

My pick here would be Adam Kraus. Remember that I had the Colts taking Kevin Smith in the second round. Kraus should be able to replace Ryan Lilja/Jake Scott next year or be able to wait behind Dylan Gandy. Either way the Colts need a new interior lineman. Kraus should be a star in the future.

Draft Time...In 3 Months (Rd. Two)

2008-01-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

Well, the Colts aren't in the playoffs. That means we get to enjoy Phillip Rivers, Igor Olshansky, Shawne Merriman, and Rodney Harrison interviews. Here's to those hoping a massive case of laryngitis sweeps through the Chargers locker room. But enough about them, let's get to the point of the blog.

It's draft time, baby! Yeah. I love the Draft. 12 months of prognosticating all comes down to this. We get to see Ted Ginn being taken number 9 and then look around at everyone with a classic 'WTF' look on their faces. The draft is all fun and games before a stupid GM takes a kick returner over your favorite player. But I digress.

The Colts do have some problems that they need to fix. They may lose some people this offseason and need replacements. Here is my 2 cents (but in my case, 2 marks) on what the Colts should do with their 6 current picks.

2nd round

The Colts traded their 1st round draft pick for this year for Tony Ugoh. That was a good deal. Ugoh could end up being a star. However, that means we have to wait through 60 picks before the Colts will end up taking someone barring a draft day trade. Here are the 5 players who are projected around the late 2nd round that I think the Colts should take. For projections and stats, I use WalterFootball.com, my personal favorite draft site.

Anthony Collins/OT/Kansas: I bet most of you are surprised I would pick an offensive lineman, especially a tackle. Let me explain. Either Ryan Lilja or Jake Scott will be gone next year. I guarantee it. Collins is a big guy who could play guard for the Colts. He is pretty mobile with a 4.98 40 time, so I think he would have no problem adjusting to a zone blocking scheme.

Kevin Smith/RB/UCF: Addai slowed down big time at the end of the year. I think he needs someone more reliable than Kenton Keith (catch the ball!) in the running game behind him. Smith dominated in college football last year and should have won the Heisman. I think he will be a fantastic pro, and if he falls down here, he should be snatched up as quickly as possible.

Titus Brown/DE/Mississippi State: If Freeney or Mathis is to get injured again, they need a defensive end that can get to the quarterback. Brown plays a lot like Freeney and Mathis using speed over size. I like him a lot.

John Carlson/TE/Notre Dame: All of the Colts' tight ends are free agents this year, so drafting another wouldn't be a bad choice. I also don't think Hunter Smith and Rocky Boiman are cutting it as Domers. I need some more to feel whole.

Erin Henderson/OLB/Maryland: Henderson is big, but he is also very fast. He runs a 4.58 40 time, yet he is 6-3. If Rob Morris does not come back, he should be a good backup for Freddie Keiaho. Also, Craphonso Thorpe needs some competition for the prized "Dumbest Name Ever" contest. Did his parents think he was a girl. It's A-A-R-O-N if you are a guy. C'mon now, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. That's a mental slip-up.

So let's say all of these people are there at the 61st pick. If I could choose one of them, I would go with Kevin Smith. Smith is my boy. He is one of my favorite players, mostly for the fact that he is underrated and I feel the need to rate him. I think he could be a valuable asset for the Colts to give Addai a break and transition into a two-back system. I think Addai is great, but a 2 back system is better for a team to win. Look at the 2004 Patriots, 2005 Steelers, and the Colts of last year. Smith would be a great pick.

Rounds 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 should be coming soon.

Booing Or Beating: Which One's Worse?

2008-01-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

Those classless Colts fans struck again. First they pump in sound to the stadium. Wait, I'm sorry. We used our black magic to mess with the CBS broadcast. We are so evil do it with every other broadcast on CBS. Don't forget we turned up the heat in the RCA Dome for the AFC Championship Game, which forced Tom Brady to throw that late interception. Now, we are booing 14 year old girls for wearing an opposing teams' jersey. Aren't we the worst?

Anna Grant, a 14-year-old girl from New Hampshire, won the Punt, Pass, and Kick contest and was being honored at the Colts game. When they got to calling her name, the Colts fans booed. She was so scarred by this that she started laughing. I am just shocked. Booing a rival's fan? That's crazy. I've never heard of that before. Colts fans should be ashamed. Booing is a mortal sin! The Patriots, of course, are perfect and would never do something like that.

They just cheap shot (props for Stampede Blue for referencing readers to this) opposing team's fans and relatives after the game.

Brian Wormstead, his friend, and his cousins (who are Jaguars fans) were leaving the Patriots-Jags game when they were approached by drunk Patriots fans. The fans were being annoying, or as I say, Patriot fans, and were told to make like a banana and split (pwnage). They then proceeded to beat the living daylight out of the fans.

Anna Grant is going to remember the intense booing by getting to flip the coin to start the game. Wormstead and his friends will remember this with their cuts and bruises.

So let me get this straight. Colts fans are terrible people for a friendly booing, and the Patriots fans who assaulted a woman get no mention in the media. That seems fair. Patriots fans seem certain that the Colts are classless for booing someone. In 2006, I went to the Georgia Tech-Notre Dame game in Atlanta, and my sister (10) and I were booed. Where's my story? Why aren't I flipping the coin for Notre Dame? I didn't care. I laughed. It was funny.

What did she expect going into a rival's stadium wearing a rival's shirt? A standing ovation and for us to bow down to her? No way, Jose. That's not how it works. It's booing, get over it. It didn't hurt anyone. She was fine.

The Patriots and Jaguars fans who were assaulted have gotten zilch. This is crazy. This happened on Patriots' property in a Gillette Stadium parking lot. How does booing become front page news on ESPN.com, while this is buried in the Boston Herald. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Speaking of classless

Here is video footage of a giant taunting from the Patriots. Peter Griffin is behind it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q92uRlCpmk

This episode sucked. This was easily the funniest moment in it. I was watching this, and suddenly this becomes a musical. I had to check the TV Guide on my TV to see if I was watching Family Guy. Here's what I noticed.

~The refs have an endless amount flags. That's awesome.

~I like how all of the players besides Brady were dancing, but then when they get back to the locker room, they are all mad at Peter.

~Why is there a marching band? Do the Pats have a band? Why are there bands in the NFL?

~Where are the names on the back of the jersey?

~Peter is a pretty good singer for not being able to speak coherently.

~What is Shipoopi?

That's my blog. Remember fans. Don't boo. Assaulting is all right. Booing is crossed the line.

Should They Stay or Should They Go?

2008-01-15T19:43:00.000-05:00

It's the offseason now. Man. Offseason time. Well, I guess it is time to talk about free agents. The Colts have 15 contracts that are out. They need to get to work on signing some of them and ditching the rest. Here is are the players they SHOULD (notice I said should, not can) keep and who they shouldn't. These are in order by importance for the ones who should be resigned. The ones who are leaving are in order by how quickly they should be cut.

Keep the Jersey

Dallas Clark, TE: Clark has to stay. I don't care how they do it. Clark needs to be in Indy next year. He is one of Peyton's favorite targets. He will probably get the franchise tag and get a long term contract in 2009 when they get more cap room.

Ryan Lilja and Jake Scott, OG: To be honest, I don't care which one they keep. They just have to keep one of them. The Colts have pretty good depth on the offensive line, and I'm sure they could dig up another player to play guard effectively. They are interchangeable. To be honest, I could not tell them apart. They are just the offensive guards. Just keep one, and let the other walk.

Ed Johnson, DT: Ed Johnson got a one year contract for being an undrafted free agent. I guess 31 teams are bummed they didn't pick up this guy at one point in the draft. Legal problems smeagol problems (hehe Smeagol), he is awesome. He got into a little trouble at Penn State, but I don't think that is out of the ordinary for students there. The 80 year old head coach was in trouble for road rage! He should have been taken much higher than he was. The Colts could get him for pretty cheap due to his inexperience.

Darrell Reid, DT/ST: Darrell Reid deserves to be resigned just for that hit against Tennessee. Chris Henry is probably still dazed. However, Reid was a bright spot on a horrendous special teams unit. He was always the first one down the field, and he's a defensive tackle. He isn't needed on defense, but he is a Pro Bowl-caliber player on special teams.

Bryan Fletcher, TE: Fletcher is a very good H-back who never gets to play due to Utecht. He was phenominal in the first Chargers game, but he couldn't see the field again. I don't know why. He's a good player. The Colts should resign him.

Matt Giordano, SS: Bob Sanders is great, but he has had an injury problem. Giordano nailed Bo Scaife and LACERATED HIS LIVER! He lacerated a liver. Talk about a hard hitter. He had an interception return against New Orleans early in the year. I want him to come back, but he could be a star for another team.

Rocky Boiman, OLB: Rocky Boiman is a very capable linebacker who fits in well with the Tampa 2. He could be resigned for cheap--Under $1 million--and he would be great for rotating in with Tyjuan Hagler.

Dylan Gandy, C/G: Dylan Gandy has been Jeff Saturday's backup for a few years now, but he is ready to be a starter at guard. He will replace Jake Scott or Ryan Lilja.

Clean out your locker, son. You're out of year

Aaron Moorehead, WR: Please, Moorehead. Just leave. You're terrible. If you do come back, you will be behind Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Hall, Devin Aromashodu, and a new wide receiver I will address later in the blog. Buh-bye, Aaron.

Dan Klecko, DT: Sorry, Kleck. You were a star in 2006 when you came in as a fullback in goal line situations. But now, you have been replaced on offense by Luke Lawton and on defense by numerous new defensive tackles. Adios, Klecko.

Craphonso Thorpe, WR: See Moorehead. He is only ranked higher because he is a good returner, but that's why the Colts have TJ Rushing, who was great at the end of the year. So long, Crap-honso.

Ben Utecht, TE: I can't wait for the sucker team that picks up Utecht. I bet he will get a giant contract due to his fairly good season, but any Colts fan knows that he drops way too many catches, and when he does catch them, he fumbles. See ya later, alligator.

Josh Thomas, DE: Thomas stepped up fairly well when Freeney went down. However, the Colts will get Freeney back next year along with hopefully a more matured Keyunta Dawson and Jeff Charleston. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya, Josh.

In Other News!!!

~You know that new wide receiver I was talking about? His name is Courtney Roby. Roby was a former receiver for the Tennessee Titans who didn't play in the 2007 season. The Titans are normally taking players from the Colts (e.g. Nick Harper, David Thorton, Corey Simon, Gilbert Gardner, Ben Hartsock), but now the Colts are picking up some old Titans. Courtney Roby, who played at North Central High School in Indianapolis and IU, may make the roster for the Colts come training camp time. The Colts also picked up linebacker Kyle Shotwell, defensive end JJ Milan, tight end Zac Herold and offensive linemen Tala Esera.

~Bob Kravitz, a columnist for the Indianapolis Star, wrote an article that said that Dungy should leave on his terms. Great, the problem is that he talked about he disappointed he was with only one championship. To be honest, I wanted more championships. The Colts could have won more championships, but they won one. Since 1984 (the Colts' first year in Indy), these are the teams that haven't won the Super Bowl-Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Bengals, Browns, Chargers, Chiefs, Eagles, Vikings, Lions, Falcons, Saints, Panthers, Cardinals, and Seahawks. I'll take one Super Bowl and some disappointing postseasons over being any of those teams. I don't know about you, but being the Braves of the NFL is better than being the Cubs of the NFL.

~The Colts are in trouble with the media. At halftime, the hometown fans booed a 14 year old girl who won a punt, pass, and kick contest. She was from New Hampshire and was wearing a Patriots jersey. Okay, there are two types of booing. There is agressive and non-agressive booing. Booing does not have to be in bad taste. I'm sure they didn't hate her or want ill on her. It was all in good fun. Ease up. Stop trying to find flaws in a classy organization.

~Tyjuan Hagler was resigned today. 1.417 million dollars for one year. That's a pretty good deal on both ends. We get to keep a starter for very cheap, and he gets a pay raise. Everyone is happy.

~The Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and quarterbacks coach/assistant head coach Jim Caldwell have interviewed for the Redskins job. I'll consider that the Rooney Rule technique. Gregggggggggggggggg Williams will get the job fairly soon.

Hey...I've Seen This Before!

2008-01-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

C'mon Colts. I mean, I know you were having trouble following up the Super Bowl win, but don't recycle material. The Colts losing in the playoffs? Seen it. One and done seems to be a growing trend for the Colts. Sometimes the breaks are bad, but this time, it was the other team who had the injury problem. LaDanian Tomlinson went down with a knee injury. Phillip Rivers was hurt due to, well, sucking. He wasn't even touched, and it's FieldTurf. Of course, this injury is a benefit. Phillip Rivers is one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. We know that Antonio Gates was hurt, and Lorenzo Neal missed the game. The Colts had everyone not on injured reserve in this game. It is amazing that they lost to such an undermanned team. It shows motivation. Last year, the Colts had no motivation. They were just a normal team. Guess what. They won it all. In 2005, they could have played for the Dungy family. They lost to a Steelers team that was just not as talented. The Colts don't respond well to motivation. I know it's weird, but it's true. Next year, the Colts can hope for NOTHING. They don't need any trouble with the coaches. They don't need high expectations. They need NOTHING. However, there are more outrageous reasons why the Colts lost. Little patterns I have noticed that are a coincidence.

The Year After

Last year, the Colts were coming off of a disappointing year where they were the number one seed in the AFC. They won it all the next year. Eh. That's just once. Or is it. When the Colts lost even when they had home field advantage, the Steelers beat them on their amazing run to the Super Bowl. The year before, they went 15-1 in Ben Roethlisberger's first year. This is a trend that has been going on for a while. The Patriots had the best record in the AFC in 2003, and they won the championship in 2004. However, the Patriots did win the championship in 2003, which is a snag in the pattern. In recent history, this seems to be more than a coincidence. The Chargers were 14-2 last year, and maybe they are on a mission. If the Chargers would somehow win it all, this would have to be mentioned in the main stream media. 4 times in 5 years? That would be too much to ignore.

Football Gods

I don't know who the football gods are, but they must have decided that one was enough for the Colts. I know every team has injuries and blah, blah, blah, but the Colts were without Marvin Harrison, Anthony Gonzalez, Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, Tony Ugoh, Ryan Diem, Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock, Dwight Freeney, Rob Morris, Tyjuan Hagler, Freddie Keiaho, Antoine Bethea, Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, and Bob Sanders at some point in the year. I would like to see the Patriots win a game without Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Ben Watson, Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Richard Seymour, Michael Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, and Vince Wilfork for a road game. That's what the Colts had to deal with against the Chargers. Sure, it didn't mean anything in the playoffs, but what about momentum. You can't continue to build momentum when everyone is missing games. This showed in the playoffs. The Chargers did not have very many injuries until the playoffs. They had the momentum. The football gods decided that the regular season wasn't enough. They needed for Joseph Addai, Kenton Keith, Jake Scott, Reggie Wayne, and Bob Sanders to get banged up. The football gods show no mercy.

DO NOT REST THE STARTERS!

This may not be a reason why they lost, but it is a reason why they didn't win. Let me elaborate. The Giants and Chargers are not the best teams in the league, but they are on a roll and in their conference championships. You know why. They played their starters. Eli Manning is on fire, and the Chargers defense is unstoppable. They didn't rest their starters. This is a simple reason why the Chargers dominated the Colts yesterday.

I have nothing left to say but, Super Bowl XLIII here we come!

And He's the Defensive Player of the Year

2008-01-12T09:50:00.000-05:00

Bob Sanders can do it all. He can play the run, he can play the pass, and he can beat the Flash and Superman in a footrace. Here is a montage of the ten best Bob Sanders facts circulating on the internet right now. Note that these are all 100% true. Everything said is true*

10. 70% of the Earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Bob Sanders.

9. They once made a Bob Sanders edition of Clue, but they stopped selling it because the result was always the same. Bob Sanders in the secondary with a spear tackle.

8. Death once had a "Near Bob Sanders Experience".

7. Bob Sanders tackled the inner-city violence problem...for a four yard loss.

6. Bob Sanders' dreads are pound for pound the hardest and most durable substance on Earth, making him the only player in the NFL to wear a helmet for the other team's protection.

5. Bob Sanders let Tom Brady live because Bob doesn't kill women.

4. Bob Sanders knows the ending to the Sopranos, but he won't give away the ending. He did mention that Tony wouldn't be seen wearing a Patriots hat anytime soon.

3. When you rearrange the letters in Bob Sanders name, you find what he told Tony Dungy separates themselves from the rest of the league. "Badness Bro!"

2. Bob Sanders like his ice the same way he likes his New England Patriots: crushed.

1. Bob Sanders invented black. In fact, he invented the entire color spectrum of invisible light. Except pink. Tom Brady invented pink.

I know. You all are probably to busy "LOLing" to continue reading, but there is actual news to get to.

~Ben Utecht is questionable with a shoulder injury and T.J. Rushing is probable with an illness. Utecht needs to play. An H-back like him makes a huge difference in the passing game. Rushing playing would definitely help the return game. He has one kick return for a touchdown this season. However, on defense, he may never see the field. The Colts rarely use the dime package, and they won't against a team who runs a two back formation.

~On the other side of the field, Antonio Gates is doubtful with a dislocated toe, Lorenzo Neal is questionable with a broken fibula, Nate Kaeding is probable with a fibula injury, and Antonio Cromartie is probable with an illness. Gates will not play, and if he does, he will be very ineffective. Neal may play, but a blocker should have trouble coming back from a serious leg injury. Kaeding being injured sounds reminiscent of Adam Vinatieri's injury against the Chargers in Week 10. Cromartie's illness will be about as significant as the af2.

~The Indianapolis Star ran an article on Phillip Rivers' maturity. They are talking about his work ethic, but the big question is his behavior. We've all seen the taunting against Denver. A quarterback taunting is a joke. They can't even be touched, and now they are taunting opposing QBs? Maturity is definitely a problem, but not for the Colts.

~The Patriots and Jaguars play tonight on a game that can only be considered "win-win" for Colts fans. If the Jags and Colts win, the Colts will have one more game in the Dome against a team they have already topped two times this season. If the Pats and Colts win, the Colts can get revenge for a loss earlier in the season, and they get to end the perfect season.

I'd like to thank the guys who came up with the Bob Sanders facts. All of you are brilliant. We (or me) here at Pro-Colts Stuff love the facts. GO COLTS!

*All of the facts are in fact, false. Except for number 2. and 1. and 5.

Now, the Real Season Starts

2008-01-11T17:29:00.000-05:00

The Colts are heading into their big playoff matchup against the San Diego Chargers. The Colts and Chargers did play in Week 10, but the situation is much different from that game. Here is what has changed over the past nine weeks.

~The Colts are not coming off of a tough game against New England Patriots. This time, the Colts have two weeks of rest.
~In this game, the Colts will have future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, touchdown machine Dallas Clark, rookie stud Tony Ugoh, veteran lineman Ryan Diem, quality run blocker Charlie Johnson, breakout linebackers Tyjuan Hagler and Freddie Keiaho, and defensive tackle Raheem Brock.
~Phillip Rivers' best target Antonio Gates will most likely miss the game, and even if he plays, he will not be at full strength.
~The Colts are now more prepared for Darren Sproles in the return game.
~This game happens to be in the RCA Dome, so the crowd is pro-Colts, and there will not be rain.

The Colts are in line to win this; however, you can't overlook any opponent. The 3-4 defense has had success against the Colts, especially in the playoffs. New England beat them in 2003 and 2004. Pittsburgh knocked them off in 2005. Last year, their closest game was against the Patriots. Now, they can reverse the pattern. All they have to do is win.

Starting Lineups

Colts
QB-Peyton Manning
RB-Joseph Addai
HB-Ben Utecht
WR-Reggie Wayne
WR-Marvin Harrison
TE-Dallas Clark
OT-Ryan Diem
OG-Jake Scott
C-Jeff Saturday
OG-Ryan Lilja
OT-Tony Ugoh

DE-Josh Thomas
DT-Ed Johnson
DT-Raheem Brock
DE-Robert Mathis
OLB-Tyjuan Hagler
MLB-Gary Brackett
OLB-Freddie Keiaho
CB-Kelvin Hayden
FS-Antoine Bethea
SS-Bob Sanders
CB-Marlin Jackson

K-Adam Vinatieri
P-Hunter Smith
LS-Justin Snow
H-Hunter Smith
RS-TJ Rushing

Chargers
QB-Phillip Rivers
RB-LaDanian Tomlinson
FB-Lorenzo Neal
WR-Vincent Jackson
WR-Chris Chambers
TE-Brandon Manumaleuna
OT-Marcus McNeill
OG-Kris Dielman
C-Nick Hardwick
OG-Mike Goff
OT-Jeromey Clary

DE-Luis Castillo
NT-Jamal Williams
DE-Igor Olshansky
OLB-Shawne Merriman
ILB-Matt Wilhelm
ILB-Stephen Cooper
OLB-Shaun Phillips
CB-Antonio Cromartie
FS-Marlon McCree
SS-Clinton Hart
CB-Quentin Jammer

K-Nate Kaeding
P-Mike Scrifes
LS-David Binn
H-Mike Scrifes
RS-Darren Sproles

The X-factors

Colts
Tony Ugoh, OT: Ugoh is in his first game against the 3-4 defense. In this scheme, he will be relied upon to stop the blitzing outside linebackers, in this case sack artists Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. Ugoh is a very mobile offensive tackle, much more mobile than Michael Toudouze, the backup who played in Ugoh's place against the Chargers. If the linebackers cannot get consistent pressure on Peyton Manning, he will be able to find holes in the Chargers secondary.

Chargers
Chris Chambers, WR: The Chargers will not have Antonio Gates for this game. In my opinion, this shouldn't make a huge difference in the passing game. The Colts linebackers are fast enough to cover a tight end, and tight ends rarely have success against the Colts. However, the Colts are definitely going to focus on the run this game. There will be eight men in the box for almost the entire game trying to stop LaDanian Tomlinson. This means that Chris Chambers will have single coverage against Marlin Jackson. Chambers needs to get separation from Jackson and the Colts' secondary in general. Jackson, Sanders, Bethea, and Hayden are the hardest-hitting secondary in the league. If Chambers gets rattled, this could be a long day for the San Diego offense.

Key Matchups

When the Colts have the ball
Peyton Manning versus Antonio Cromartie: This is battle number two for the Pro Bowlers. Last time, Antonio Cromartie intercepted three passes, including a one-handed circus catch that is now a Youtube legend. Now, Peyton will have Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez. Cromartie will have to play lock down defense on Reggie Wayne to keep him out of the game. If Wayne gets going, this game will be O-V-E-R.

When the Chargers have the ball
Bob Sanders versus LaDanian Tomlinson: Did you know LaDanian Tomlinson wears a tinted mask so he never has to look Bob Sanders in the eyes? Not really, but yeah. This week, LT has to look him in the eyes, since he will be coming after him. Although his name is awesome, Brandon Manumaleuna does not command the safeties' attention. Sanders will pretty much be a fourth linebacker this week. If they can stop the run game, there will be no way the Super Chargers can move the ball.

Head-to-Head matchups

Colts pass offense versus Chargers pass defense: The Chargers have the advantage here. Even though I think Peyton will bounce back, the Chargers dominated him last time. I can't give the Colts the benefit of the doubt.

Colts run offense versus Chargers run defense: I will give it to the Colts. Joseph Addai has been injured all year. If these two weeks can heal him, then the Chargers are in trouble. The inside linebackers and safeties are just not good enough to stop the run.

Colts pass defense versus Chargers pass offense: Obviously, the Colts. The Colts pass defense is crazy good. It's the best in the league. The corners hit hard and aren't afraid to put themselves in danger for a big hit. The linebackers are very fast, and Gary Brackett is the best linebacker in pass coverage.

Colts run defense versus Chargers run offense: I will go with the Chargers. The Chargers have the best running back in the league. However, he is very inconsistent. The Colts are just a year off from having one of the worst run defenses in NFL history. This is closer than it appears, however. Sanders has been great in run defense, and LaDanian Tomlinson did nothing last week besides score a touchdown and show his awesome running sideways skills.

My Homer Prediction
Colts 24 Chargers 7: Peyton Manning will have three touchdown passes, all to Marvin Harrison. LaDanian Tomlinson will have 78 yards and a touchdown run, but Phillip Rivers will throw three interceptions and lose a fumble. Joseph Addai and Reggie Wayne will each lose a fumble as well.

Some other pro-Colts tidbits

~Tony Dungy may step down. Again. This happens every year. I was sure that last year was his last year. At the beginning of this year, I knew it was his last year. Now that I am looking it in the eye, it's sad. He's the biggest coach in this city since Slick Leonard. It would be sad if the Colts lost a legend like that. However, I could see him take an advisory role in the front office. Jim Caldwell would most likely be his successor, but don't count out Peyton Manning if player-coaches is allowed like it is in the NBA. He's already the offensive coordinator. I would love to see Peyton running practice and taking snaps at the same time. Bill Cowher and Pete Carroll would also be looked at. If those happen, I will be disgruntled until they led the Colts to a Super Bowl.

~TJ Rushing and Tim Jennings have been the only players to miss practice this week due to an injury (Bob Sanders does not practice on Thursday). For the most of the year, the injury list has been a novelette. Now it's a returner who ate a bad hot dog and a nickelback who has had a concussion for a long time. It feels like the first week of the year. Knock on wood that this continues for the remainder of the postseason, and all of the Colts will be healthy enough to lift the Lombardi Trophy in Glendale.

~The Colts have 17 rookies on the roster and the IR, 12 on defense. I guess the draft and free agency don't equal winning, huh?

~Bob Sanders won Defensive Player of the Year. It's only a matter of time before he is elected Overlord of Indiana. If they do run a ballot for that. He's winning, and he's got my vote.

~This could be the last game in the RCA Dome, and more importantly, the last time fans will be able to leave through the real doors (not the revolving doors Bob Sanders slams) and be thrown out almost to the railing. Good times. Good, good times.

~The Colts are not the only team playing this weekend. The Giants are playing the Cowboys, where the three days of vacation with Jessica Simpson and Jason Witten (Mr. Third Wheel!) will surely affect the way Tony Romo throws a football. The Packers and Seahawks are playing in the *Yawn, falls asleep* Bowl. The Jaguars and Patriots are playing in the Teams That Annoy Me Bowl.

Remember, tune into the Colts-Chargers game at 1:00 PM Sunday on CBS, being broadcast by Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf. Also, do not forget: Bob Sanders pities Mr. T.

~

He's Back!!!

2007-12-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

For most of the Colts' season, they have been out of the national media. They haven't been chasing an undefeated season. They haven't had a player with an outburst or controversy. Yesterday, that changed with some great news about Marvin Harrison.

Marvin Harrison has been a Colt since 1996 and before this year, had only missed 3 games all year long. Against the Broncos, the usually consistent Harrison went down with a bruised knee on a freak accident. When Joseph Addai ran to the right, he was tackled right next to Harrison, who was blocking for the second-year running back. When Addai went down, he landed on Harrison's knee. After seeing the highlights, the outlook was not good. He went down awkwardly and looked to be in a lot of pain. However, the bruised knee was much better than what most would have thought. Everyone would have assumed that a bruise couldn't keep Harrison out too long, but that was not the case.

Harrison sat out the next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After the bye week, Harrison made an appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It appeared that his knee injury was gone, but something must have gone wrong. Nine weeks went by. There was speculation that the injury was much worse, and he may never put on a Colts uniform again. Colts fans were ready to move on with this season. Now, after two days of full practices, Marvin is ready to play in the regular season finale against the Tennessee Titans.

Marvin Harrison is the greatest receiver in Colts history. He is a definite first ballot Hall of Famer. He may not make the biggest impact on the field, but the Colts need another target. With Harrison back for the playoffs, Peyton Manning now has his favorite receiver back in time to play the stingy defense they are bound to face in the AFC Divisional Round. They are either going to play San Diego, Pittsburgh, or Jacksonville. For those teams, they need everyone they can get.

With Marvin in the game, the Colts do not have to use Dallas Clark in the slot like they did last year in the playoffs and for most of this year. With Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Anthony Gonzalez, Dallas Clark will now be covered mainly by linebackers. As he has proved time and time again, linebackers can't cut it against him. Work in Ben Utecht, Bryan Fletcher, and Joseph Addai in the passing game, and they are right up there with the Patriots.

What will this mean in the playoffs? This changes everything for the Colts offense and the opponent's defense. The Colts now have three wide receivers that Peyton has a strong connection with. As he proved in the San Diego game, backup receivers do not work well with Peyton. Craphonso Thorpe and Devin Aromashodu are not going to cut it with number 18. Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning are the greatest QB-WR duo in the history of the NFL. Harrison coming back changes the entire playoff landscape.

Sit 'Em or Start 'Em?

2007-12-24T10:53:00.000-05:00

The Colts have locked up the division and bye week. This Tennessee game only matters to the Titans. If the Colts lose, bummer. If they win, great. The Colts do not need this game. However, it will be important to keep everyone healthy and rested for the playoff game. This will involve sitting players at the right time and playing others in the right places. This is how I would run this team if I were Coach Dungy.

Peyton Manning has been the key to this team's success over the past 10 years. He is already fourth in touchdown passes for a career, and he will break almost every major passing record over the next seven or eight years. They cannot risk him getting injured. Peyton should play the entire first quarter and maybe the first series in the second. In week 2, the Titans got good pressure on Peyton. The Colts can't risk him going down. If he plays the first quarter, the Colts should be able to score 14 points which may be enough to stay in this game.

Joseph Addai should not get more than five carries. Addai is getting banged up badly. He appeared to hurt his ankle against Houston to go along with a back and shoulder injury. Kenton Keith should be able to do well enough to keep the Colts in this game.

For the receivers, Wayne should play the whole game. He is a very safe player like most Colts receivers. He does not take big hits when he can help it. His chances of getting injured should not be very high. Gonzalez can play in some places, but he did bruise his foot last week. Maybe 15 snaps for him. He is inexperienced. I would also like to see a Marvin Harrison appearance, even if it is only for one snap.

Dallas Clark should play the entire game. I would, however, avoid sending him over the middle. He seems to be getting hit harder than any other Colt. He has to play in the playoff game. Ben Utecht has been getting banged up the past two weeks. No need to play him. Bryan Fletcher should get good playing time against Tennessee.

The offensive line should get regular playing time. No one is truly hurt besides Ryan Diem, but he will probably not play at all. The offensive line needs to protect whomever is playing. They can't let anyone get injured.

The defensive line should be the same as it has been over the past two weeks. Robert Mathis and Raheem Brock can have another week to rest their injuries. Keyunta Dawson, Dan Klecko, and Quinn Pitcock will be able to get some well needed experience. Dawson and Pitcock are both rookies, so any experience is good.

The linebackers should play like it was a regular game. Tyjuan Hagler, Rocky Boiman, Clint Session, Freddie Keaiho, and Gary Brackett all should get their normal playing time. They do not have any injuries, and no one should expect them to get injured.

The defensive backs will also stay the same as last week. Antoine Bethea should not play. He is too vital to this secondary for him to miss a game against a good quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger or David Garrard. Everyone else, however, should get good playing time.

Overall, the offensive stars should see less snaps than they would on a normal game. This Colts defense should be able to shut down a bad Tennessee offense. The offense needs to score around 24 points to win. Even with the backups in, that is more than likely. This strategy should be able to keep the stars healthy and clicking for their playoff game most likely against Pittsburgh or San Diego.

Colts-Raiders Preview & Prediction

2007-12-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

A year has passed, and not much has changed for these two NFL franchises. The Oakland Raiders are still a laughingstock, and the Colts are still dominant. However, the Raiders aren't everyone's favorite laughingstock. That pseudo-honor goes to the Miami Dolphins. The Colts are also not THE dominant team. That's the undefeated New England Patriots. Randy Moss and Cato June are not with their former teams, and for some, it's noticable. There are about as many JaMarcus Russell sightings in Oakland as there were last year, and the Colts' defense still goes by 'Bob Sanders and those other 10 guys.' Not much has changed for these two franchises, and the game score will show that.

Key Matchups

Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell v. Colts Secondary
The Raiders are probably going to give JaMarcus Russell his first serious look at the playing field in his NFL career. Of course, he gets the honor of facing the leagues best pass defense. Antoine Bethea or not, this secondary is dominant. Bob Sanders is one of the top safeties in the league. Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden punish receivers with their hard hits. If the Colts backup defensive line can get pressure on the QB, Russell may have a tough day.

Colts WR Reggie Wayne v. Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha
This is a battle of greats. Without Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning has been looking to Reggie Wayne more often, and his stats show it. Wayne has been one of the top receivers in the league and is a great deep play threat. However, he isn't facing a pushover in Asomugha. Asomugha was on All-Pro last year with good reason. He dominated with 8 interceptions and 19 passes deflected. This year, his stats are less prominent, but that may have to do with the Raiders run defense that disappeared after a good 2006. Watch out for this matchup. It may decide if Jim Sorgi comes into the game in the third quarter or in the fourth quarter.

Key Players

Bob Sanders
Sanders is all over the field. Justin Fargas has been one of the best backs in the league this year. If Sanders can shut down Fargas, then the pressure will be on Josh McCown and JaMarcus Russell to make plays.

Derrick Burgess
The Colts' offensive line is banged up. Burgess will need to get pressure on the QB to keep the Colts' out of the endzone.

My Prediction
45-14 Colts

Right now, the game has started and it is tied, but the Colts are driving. My crappy TV keeps on cutting out. I'm going downstairs.