Colts owner Jim Irsay said Friday that the team will make a "competitive" offer to retain linebacker Gary Brackett. "I don't know what the final numbers are going to be," Irsay added, "but it's going to be a sizable commitment in terms of getting it done in a multiyear way."

Gary Brackett could be a hot ticket on the free agent market, but the middle linebacker wants to stay with the Colts. The team would like to re-sign him and the two sides have been talking, The Indianapolis Star reported. In the past, the Colts have treated linebackers like replaceable parts. "Gary has expressed his great desire to retire a Colt," agent Brian Mackler told The Star. "I'm going to do my best to honor his wishes, and Bill (Polian, team president) and I are going to continue to talk."

Unrestricted free agency is coming quickly for Gary Brackett, but the Indianapolis Colts linebacker's agent, Brian Mackler, and Colts president Bill Polian are speaking. "Gary has expressed his great desire to retire a Colt," Mackler said Friday. "I'm going to do my best to honor his wishes and Bill and I are going to continue to talk." Brackett is a seven-year veteran and the Colts' defensive captain and signal caller, but the Colts historically haven't paid top money to keep their linebackers. Mike Peterson, Marcus Washington, David Thornton and Cato June have left as free agents since 2003. Brackett signed a four-year, $10.1 million contract in 2006 that included $3.5 million in bonuses.

The Panthers have reached an agreement with former Colts defensive tackle Ed Johnson, a source told ESPN's John Clayton. Johnson will bolster Carolina's defensive line.

Colts president Bill Polian is focused on extending the contract of Peyton Manning and re-signing linebacker Gary Brackett. "If you're a professional, you recognize that what happens in this game is in the here and now, not the past. You focus on the future," Polian said Friday. "You focus on the task at hand. That's what you are required to do, that's what successful teams do." The quarterback's contract doesn't expire until after the 2010 season, but owner Jim Irsay wants to make Manning the highest-paid quarterback in the league.

Greg Smith of NFL Films brilliantly broke down the specifics of Tracy Porter's already legendary interception of a Peyton Manning pass intended to Reggie Wayne. Because the Saints were unafraid of giving up a long play, Porter was allowed to gamble on the interception as the Colts tried to get a first down. Typically when in man coverage, cornerbacks will backpedal to stay with their receiver, but Porter did not do so.

Sports legacies are built and destroyed, fair or unfair, by postseason performances. This is especially true for quarterbacks during Super Bowls, when over 100 million people are watching. The quality of the competition inevitably elevates during the postseason, so quarterbacks shouldn't be expected to post the same type of gaudy numbers against the 85 Bears (12.4 points per game, 51.2 passer rating) as they do in an easy Week 12 game against the 08 Lions (32.3 points per game, 110.9 passer rating). But at the same time, teams will infrequently win if their most important player significantly declines in the most meaningful situations. This issue has been a frequently discussed one in the aftermath of Peyton Manning's arrival on the doorstep of being anointed the best quarterback ever and his quick dismissal with one simple interception by Tracy Porter. Below is a sampling of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks, all of whom have a wealth of playoff experience, comparing how they have performed in the playoffs and the regular season. Here are some interesting insights gleaned from the data: - While Peyton Manning's winning percentage has dipped significantly in the playoffs (-26.7%), his also sizable decline in passer rating (-8.0%) is slightly better than Tom Brady, who is frequently compared to Joe Montana as a big game quarterback. While Brady is a Reche Caldwell dropped touchdown pass from having an even better winning percentage and a fourth Super Bowl, some of that clutch reputation might be overstated. Though Brady's passer rating is 85.5 in 18 total playoff games, it elevates to 94.5 in those four Super Bowl appearances. - Even though he played in an entirely different era and only passed for 152 career touchdowns, Bart Starr's differentials quite simply jump off of the page. Starr and the Packers were an unstoppable force throughout the 1960s when they won five titles. His passer rating jumped from 84.6 to 104.8 during his 10 career playoff games, of which he won nine. - As expected, Joe Montana was even a little bit better during the playoffs (95.6) than he was while setting records in the regular season (92.3) with the 1980s 49ers. What is even more impressive about Montana is that he frequently had to contend with those vaunted Bears and Giants defenses of the era during the playoffs. - Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman are two Hall of Famers who likely wouldn't be if they played for the 70s Saints or 90s Bucs instead of Super Bowl dynasties, but they very clearly elevated their performance in the NFL's second season. Bradshaw's passer rating was 17.1% better in the playoffs, while Aikman's was 8.2% better. - Dan Marino is frequently lauded for his comebacks, but his numbers indicate he was a better quarterback during the fall of October than the winter of January. - The active quarterbacks are listed below and bold and feature Drew Brees on the top end, his San Diego replacement Philip Rivers on the bottom and a whole collection of others in the median. - The Kurt Warner HOF credential debate will continue to percolate until he is voted in or no longer is eligible, but these numbers unquestionably bolster his case. His passer rating jumped up from an excellent 93.7 to a modern era best of 102.8, while his winning percentage also was excellent. Warner's two Super Bowl losses were in the final seconds and by three points and four points, though his win was one Kevin Dyson yard from becoming an overtime game. - The outspoken Fran Tarkenton has the distinction of having the biggest decline during the playoffs, going from 80.4 to 58.6. He also was 0-3 with a 43.7 rating during his three Super Bowls. Player: Rating Differential (Playoffs, Regular), WP% Differential (Playoffs, Regular) * Quarterbacks listed in terms of passer rating differential percentage. Bart Starr: 23.9% (104.8, 84.6), 36.0% (0.900, 0.662) Jim Plunkett: 21.3% (81.9, 67.5), -38.8% (0.490, 0.800) Terry Bradshaw: 17.1% (83.0, 70.9), 11.5% (0.737, 0.661) Drew Brees: 12.8% (103.7, 91.9), 19.7% (0.667, 0.557) Ken Stabler: 11.8% (84.2, 75.3), -15.4% (0.538 , 0.636) Kurt Warner: 9.7% (102.8 , 93.7), 20.1% (0.692, 0.576) Troy Aikman: 8.2% (88.3, 81.6), 20.7% (0.688, 0.570) Warren Moon: 4.9% (84.9, 80.9), -40.6% (0.300, 0.505) Joe Montana: 3.6% (95.6, 92.3), -0.7% (0.696 , 0.701) John Elway: -0.3% ( 79.7, 79.9) -0.2% (0.636, 0.637) Brett Favre: -0.3% (86.3, 86.6), -14.4% (0.542, 0.633) Phil Simms: -1.9% (77.0, 78.5), 2.6% (0.600, 0.585) Eli Manning: -2.0% (77.6, 79.2), 0.5% (0.571 , 0.568) Ben Roethlisberger: -4.9% (87.2, 91.7), 17.3% (0.800, 0.682) Donovan McNabb: -7.5% (80.0, 86.5), -9.6% (0.563 , 0.623) Peyton Manning: -8.0% (87.6, 95.2), -26.7% (0.500, 0.682) Tom Brady: -8.4% (85.5, 93.3), 3.5% (0.778, 0.752) Randall Cunningham: -8.8% (74.3, 81.5), -28.2% (0.417, 0.581) Roger Staubach: -8.9% (76.0, 83.4), -12.0% (0.632, 0.718) Johnny Unitas: -9.0% (68.9, 75.7), 5.5% (0.667, 0.632) Dan Marino: -10.8% (77.1, 86.4), -26.9% (0.444, 0.607) Steve Young: -11.4% (85.8, 96.8), -12.4% (0.600, 0.685) Jim Kelly: -14.3% (72.3, 84.4), -16.2% (0.529, 0.631) Bob Griese: -16.2% (68.3, 81.5), -17.8% (0.583, 0.709) Philip Rivers: -17.3% (79.2, 95.8), -39.6% (0.429, 0.710) Steve McNair: -19.4% (66.7, 82.8), -14.7% (0.500, 0.586) Fran Tarkenton: -27.1% (58.6, 80.4), 6.0% (0.545, 0.514) Click here to vote for who you believe is the greatest playoff quarterback of all-time?

Colts president Bill Polian said Wednesday that he blames the team's offensive line and special teams play for their Super Bowl loss to the Saints. "Our offensive line, by our standards, did not have a good game," Polian told the team's website. "They were outplayed by the Saints' defensive line. Our special teams, in terms of handing the ball ?- both in the return game and on the onside kick ?- were outplayed by the Saints. Therein lies the result. It had nothing to do with strategy or preparedness or toughness or effort." Polian's comments aren't the first time that the Indianapolis' offensive line has caught criticism following a postseason loss. Peyton Manning said there were "problems in protection" following a loss to the Steelers in the 2005 AFC divisional round.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning told ESPN Radio's Michael Kay that it was hard to watch brother Peyton's Colts lose in the Super Bowl. "I was rooting so hard for my brother," the younger Manning said. "I've obviously been there in the Super Bowl (two seasons ago against the Patriots), and you prepare all season and it's so hard to get to that situation, so hard to get there. I just felt for him. "I got to speak to him after the game a little bit, and I talked to him today. He's doing good. I just told him he did everything he could, and without him on that team, they wouldn't be anywhere near what they've done or capable of doing." Eli agreed with Kay that the Colts would be a 6-10 team without Peyton, who has been criticized after the 31-17 loss. "No question," Eli said. "I think he makes every player on that team better. ... I think he's earned the respect of every coach, player, announcer, anybody who is a fan of football."

Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney would like to his team pursue linebacker Keith Bulluck if he doesn't re-sign with the Titans. "To have a guy who has the experience that he does around the locker room ... that would be a tremendous help," Freeney said recently. Bulluck and Freeney were teammates at Syracuse. Bulluck, recovering from ACL surgery, is slated to become a free agent in March if the Titans don't re-sign him. "He is a tremendous athlete, tremendous talent, and a great guy off the field and I am definitely pulling for him, hoping that his knee comes back together, which I know it will," Freeney said.