The Sports Guru

Projected Record

13-3, 1st Place AFC South

Projected Schedule W/L

@NY Giants (L)
Houston (W)
Jacksonville (W)
@NY Jets (W)
Tennessee (W)
Washington (W)
@Denver (L)
@New England (W)
Buffalo (W)
@Dallas (L)
Philiadelphia (W)
@Tennessee (W)
@Jacksonville (W)
Cincinnati (W)
@Houston (W)
Miami (W)

After 13 weeks in 2005 the Indianapolis Colts were 13-0. People were compairing them to the 1972 Miami Dolphins. It wasn’t ‘if’ they won the Super Bowl, it was ‘when’. People were talking perfection. Then came a loss on the field, then a much more tragic loss off of it. The day Head Coach Tony Dungy lost his son they team effectively lost their season. Lost their edge. A home playoff loss to Pittsburgh made it official, and another off-season of ‘what-ifs’ for Peyton Manning and Co. ensued. As Dungy’s Colts head into 2006 the hunger seems renewed. They know there was an opportunity lost, and you never really know how many opportunities you are going to have. They’ll have to deal with the loss of Edgerrin James. They’ll have to deal with expectations, and the pressure that comes with the ‘what-ifs’. Tony Dungy has moved on from his loss, choosing to use his loss as motivation. If we have learned anything from Dungy, his team will likely do the same, and are primed and ready to go after that ellusive Championship.

Team Strengths – Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, need I say more? There really doesn’t need to be much more said. Peyton Manning is arguably the best in the game, and he and Harrison are the best in history when it comes to TD connections. Sure, they lost James, but they gained something that might be more important, the best closer in NFL history. Adam Vinatieri joins the Colts after 10 seasons in New England which saw Vinatieri win 2 Super Bowls and numerous games with his right foot. I may be wrong but I don’t remember seeing Vinatieri miss a kick that really mattered. His arrival alone could be the difference for the Colts. Even without James this offense is going to score points. Manning can still creep toward 50 TD’s. But when a game is close, and points are at a premium, having a guy like Vinatieri should take alot of pressure off the Colts’ Offense. Often overshadowed is the defense, that has slowly crept up the ratings and finished in the top 15 in the league last season. The expectation would be Top 10, and if the Colts can get there, watch out!

Team Weaknesses - If there are any questions for the Colts it is the running game, where Dominic Rhodes and Jospeh Addai are trying to replace Edgerrin James. Report out of camp have been favorable for both and this could be a strength as we hit the stretch run. The O-Line might also be a concern, even though they are considered one of the best in the league. I say this only because the last time we saw the group Joey Porter was running wild at Manning. The Steelers did this to everyone the last 8 weeks of last season, of course, so this may just be a aberration. There was a key loss on the defense during the off-season, as well, that has Dungy concerned. Defensive Captain David Thornton left for Tennessee and will be replaced by Gilbert Gardner. Gardner has seen limited action in his first 2 seasons but will be relied on to be a factor in the Cover 2 scheme that Dungy runs.

Best Case Scenario – A first title for the most successful regular season team the past 5 years. I have to admit, even though I am a Bronco fan a part of me would love to see Dungy get a ring. he has been so close, so many times that it just seems fitting. Manning is poised to have a huge year and could approach the TD record he set in 2004. The Colts are looking for the running game not to miss a beat, and even more importantly, need their RB’s to pick up the blitz, something James did a good as anyone. If the defense plays to it’s ability, this could easily be a Top-5 unit.

Worst Case Scenario - The Colts face the Patriots in the playoffs. I know, they beat a depleted Pats team in Foxboro last season. That excorsized the demons, right? Not in my opinion. Peyton needs to beat Brady and Belichick on the big stage, in the playoffs. To get there the Colts need to keep Manning on the field, because behind him there isn’t much. Backup Jim Sorgi was injured during camp and will miss a large part of the season. The Colts are looking to address this, but ask the Bears, put all your eggs in one QB basket and you are asking for trouble.

My Opinion - Yep, I have the Colts losing their opening game in NY. Not because I think the Giants are a better team, or even because I actually think it will happen. But after going 13-0 and all the press that went with it I think it would be a relief for Indy to lose that first game and get it out of the way. After that, however, a weak division shuld enable the Colts to clinch another division crown by Week 10. After that the problem for the COlts will be staying sharp, and it will be interesting to see how Dungy plays it if the Colts have everything wrapped up with a couple games to play. It is hard for a team to stay sharp if they pull up at the end of the season, and I expect the Colts to go full throttle all the way through week 17. As for teh results? I need to see Peyton Manning beat Tom Brady in January. Better yet, the Colts as a team beat the Patriots as a team in January. Until I see it, I am not predictiing it. After dominating the the AFC South, getting a 1st Round Bye with the 2nd seed in the AFC. What happens next…My playoff predictions are coming up next week!!

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