| Anthony Holds. 1st December, 2008 - 1:01 pm
 After a wild year that started off with a spate of unexpected dysfunction, looked like it might not get better, and then took a dramatic positive turn, the Indianapolis Colts are positioned for a five-game regular season finish in which they control their destiny.
Some things pertinent to the AFC playoff picture happened last weekend. Both the New York Jets, in their destruction of Tennessee’s perfect season, and the New England Patriots came up with statement wins that firmly established them as contenders. But with head-to-head tiebreakers over the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens, the Colts have put themselves in a good position of their own. If they win out over the next five weeks they will be the top wild card in the conference (assuming, of course, that disaster does not strike Tennessee in the form of several more losses for the Titans, in which case a 6th straight AFC South divisional title would be possible).
Up next in the run to playoff position? The Cleveland Browns, who have been beset by all sorts of problems in a season that many thought would see them ascend into the ranks of the AFC elite. After a playoff near-miss last year in which they went 10-6 and had several players, including wide receiver Braylon Edwards and quarterback Derek Anderson emerge as rising stars, the wheels seem to have come off in 2008. Anderson has not played up to expectations was replaced by former Notre Dame star Brady Quinn at quarterback the last two weeks and now steps back into the lineup after a season ending finger injury to Quinn. Edwards has been of;, standout tight end Kellen Winslow has been largely ineffective and very unhappy. Locker room issues from discontent to staph infections have divided the organization.
All of these things make Cleveland seem like easy pickings for the Colts this week, except that A) the game is in Cleveland, and B) the Browns have come up with a couple of games in ’08 that show what they’re capable of. The most notable of these, of course, was a surprising 35-14 Week 6 domination of the then undefeated New York Giants, handing them their only loss of the year thus far. So this one has all the markings of a classic “trap game”. The good thing for Colts' fans is that the team has traditionally not fallen into such traps. One of the enduring strong points of the team during the Dungy Era has been an ability to prepare and play with consistent effort and energy against lesser teams. Running back over the team’s losses from the last few years, with the exception of a December road loss at the hands of the Texans in ’06, there are no shocking upsets there.
So it looks good for the Colts to come away from this week’s game 8-4 if they bring their best effort to Cleveland on Sunday. They would then take a five-game winning streak into home games against Detroit and Cincinnati, a road contest against the deflated Jacksonville Jaguars, and a final home game against a Tennessee team that may well have clinched the AFC’s number one seed by that time. Running the table is a distinct possibility.
On offense, the Colts continued to make strides against San Diego this past Sunday night. They ran the ball decently, setting up a fairly effective play action game. Manning, with the exception of an underthrown deep pass to Marvin Harrison that would have been six, had another extremely effective game, highlighted by a brilliant play call on 4th and inches near midfield with time winding down. With everyone in the stadium expecting a quarterback sneak or a handoff, Peyton play-faked to the running back and hit Harrison 15 yards downfield to put the Colts in position for Adam Vinatieri to hit a 51-yard game winner (thus redeeming himself for his 29-yard game-ending miss in last year’s 23-21 heartbreaking loss to the Chargers).
The only real negative on the offensive side of the ball was that center Jeff Saturday left the game with a strained calf. The doctors are saying he is most likely out for 3-4 weeks. He vows to be back for the playoffs, though, and his backup Jamey Richards, who started the first two games of the season, played well in the second half of last week’s game. The seasoning he’s acquired over the last couple of months, along with the stability the rest of the line has experienced over the last six weeks, makes it seem like a good bet that he’ll be able to adequately hold down the fort until Saturday returns.
Defensively, the Colts were Sunday what they are: a hard-working, fast, and opportunistic, if undersized, defense that gives up yardage but seems to find a way to make the big play when they need it. Defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are both in top form, and their pressure on Phillip Rivers was one of the big difference makers on the day. Mathis’ sack and strip during a key Chargers' drive in the first was huge. He finished with 1.5 sacks. Freeney didn’t put a sack in the column but spent the day harassing and hounding Rivers into hurried throws and questionable decisions. If those two can keep playing that way, they’ll give the Colts a chance against anyone. Against the run, as they’ve been for most of October and November, the Colts were adequate and kept LT and Darren Sproles from victimizing them too profoundly. All-Pro safety Bob Sanders was out with lingering swelling and soreness in his right knee, and it looks as if the team is going to hold him out for as long as he needs, with an eye on his being completely healthy for a playoff run. The unexpectedly good play of Melvin Bullitt at his position has made that waiting game possible for the team.
The road becomes more and more clear for Indianapolis with each passing week. It is still on them to make good on the promise that suddenly exists, but they are undoubtedly well-positioned for an exciting and successful run down the home stretch. Now let’s see what they do with it. |
