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Five Things I Think I Think
1. I think the Colts are likely to use a running back-by-committee to replace Edgerrin James. If I had to guess, Dominic Rhodes starts through the middle of October and perhaps through the entire year. Rookie Joseph Addai, the first-round pick who looks like he has pistons for legs, is a frisky and powerful runner who should win the job eventually. When is eventually? That's totally up to Rhodes.
2. I think the Colts gained more with the addition of Adam Vinatieri than they lost with the subtraction of James. Nothing against James, but you can find running backs who will give you 90 percent of a mega-star's production. Curtis Martin was a third-round pick, Terrell Davis a sixth, Jamal Anderson a seventh. Backs don't grow on trees, but you can find them. Look at what the Broncos do every year.
3. I think one of the great underrated aspects of why Indy's offense is so good ever year is continuity. When Peyton Manning broke into this lineup in 1998, the offensive line coach in charge of protecting him was Howard Mudd. And the offensive coordinator who choreographed his offense was Tom Moore. Eight years late the same guys are doing the same job. Very well, I might add.
4. I think I have major questions about the guy who takes over for linebacker David Thornton, whodeparted for big money in Tennessee this offseason. The guy getting the first shot at the job is a total unknown, third-year man Gilbert Gardner from Purdue. He's made just three starts in two years. Thornton was not only a playmaker, but sort of a nerve-center kind of leader on that defense. Gardner will have to be more than just a good player to match everything Thornton brought to this defense.
5. I think the Colts' depth at tight end will be their biggest offensive strength this year. Dallas Clark has become a security blanket for Peyton Manning. And both backups -- Ben Utecht and Bryan Fletcher -- give Indy a good blocker and receiver behind Clark.
Factoid
Defensive tackle Sweet Pea Burns does not go by his given first name, Vincent. In fact, if you call him Vincent, he might not even look. The Colts list his name on the roster as Sweet Pea Burns.
I'll tell you what would be the best matchup in the NFL this year: Colts-Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Sweet Pea Burns enters the game as a sub and lines up at right tackle ... right across from Seahawks guard Pork Chop Womack. Seems like Pork Chop will get the better of Sweet Pea, if nickname strength is any indication.
Fantasy Note
You're probably bored with hearing me talk about this. I wrote it in Sports Illustrated recently and have railed about it on a few talk shows, but if you're making a mid-first-round pick in your fantasy and don't choose Peyton Manning, you're crazy. I'm going to give you one more reason why it's smart to take a guy who's guaranteed to throw for 28 TDs (very likely more without Edgerrin James in his backfield) and 4,000 yards with limited interceptions. That reason is the schedule.
Not that it's easy, but it's meteorologically excellent. The last chance for an inclement weather game: at New England, Nov. 5. After that, the Colts are in their home dome four times and in the south four more times -- in Dallas, in Nashville, in Jacksonville and in Houston.
Why do you pick Neil Rackers at kicker? One, he's good; two, he has a tremendous weather edge, kicking in Arizona. Same thing this year with Manning. He's always going to put up ridiculous numbers and this year those numbers might be even better because of no James and good conditions.
On the Menu
These people at Rose-Hulman are pretty serious about their food. This is one of the places that actually reads what I write about their lunches. Today, the news is good.
Entrée: Broiled chicken with a medium-hot bourbon sauce. I think that's what it was called. Good, moist chicken. Excellent sauce. White rice, romaine salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and shredded carrots, topped by a light ranch. Grade: A-
Drink: Diet Pepsi for the second time this week. Where is Coke Zero? Grade: B
Dessert: Cup of Java City house blend, whatever that is. Not good, but what the heck? I'm in Indiana. Grade: C+
Overall Grade: B+
Camp Confidential
"Hey," Vinatieri said to me when we met. "What are you doing picking the Super Bowl you did?"
Now that's news. A player actually knows that I picked Dallas to beat New England.
"What can I say?" I said to Vinatieri. "I've got to go for the happy ending with Parcells riding off into the sunset after the Super Bowl."
"Well," Vinatieri said. "Keep us in mind. We're pretty good."
He's right. I expected to see and hear a team with a little bit of a 2005 playoff hangover. Maybe there is one deep inside of these guys, but you talk to Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Tony Dungy, Bill Polian, even with the notebook put away, and you don't get a sense of we're really doubting ourselves and God knows if we can ever win the big one.
I know, I know. Manning can't win the big one. Dungy can't coach a team to a win in the big one. And it's true, they haven't. Yet. And maybe there's some deep flaw in both men. Dungy for not being able to get a talented team in Tampa Bay or Indianapolis over the top. And Manning for not quarterbacking the University of Tennessee or the Colts to a championship.
But this year, in my opinion, Indy has its best chance yet. I say that because of Vinatieri. The defense is good enough, with two premiere pass rushers to scare any quarterback. The offense will score a jillion points. "And now we may have the best clutch kicker of all time," said Polian, the general manager who has gotten three teams, Buffalo, Carolina and now Indianapolis, to the brink and never won a Super Bowl.
I know I didn't pick the Colts to reach the Super Bowl, but Vinatieri is going to have a lot to say about whether my prediction comes true or not.
Five Things I Think I Think
1. I think the Colts are likely to use a running back-by-committee to replace Edgerrin James. If I had to guess, Dominic Rhodes starts through the middle of October and perhaps through the entire year. Rookie Joseph Addai, the first-round pick who looks like he has pistons for legs, is a frisky and powerful runner who should win the job eventually. When is eventually? That's totally up to Rhodes.
2. I think the Colts gained more with the addition of Adam Vinatieri than they lost with the subtraction of James. Nothing against James, but you can find running backs who will give you 90 percent of a mega-star's production. Curtis Martin was a third-round pick, Terrell Davis a sixth, Jamal Anderson a seventh. Backs don't grow on trees, but you can find them. Look at what the Broncos do every year.
3. I think one of the great underrated aspects of why Indy's offense is so good ever year is continuity. When Peyton Manning broke into this lineup in 1998, the offensive line coach in charge of protecting him was Howard Mudd. And the offensive coordinator who choreographed his offense was Tom Moore. Eight years late the same guys are doing the same job. Very well, I might add.
4. I think I have major questions about the guy who takes over for linebacker David Thornton, whodeparted for big money in Tennessee this offseason. The guy getting the first shot at the job is a total unknown, third-year man Gilbert Gardner from Purdue. He's made just three starts in two years. Thornton was not only a playmaker, but sort of a nerve-center kind of leader on that defense. Gardner will have to be more than just a good player to match everything Thornton brought to this defense.
5. I think the Colts' depth at tight end will be their biggest offensive strength this year. Dallas Clark has become a security blanket for Peyton Manning. And both backups -- Ben Utecht and Bryan Fletcher -- give Indy a good blocker and receiver behind Clark.
Factoid
Defensive tackle Sweet Pea Burns does not go by his given first name, Vincent. In fact, if you call him Vincent, he might not even look. The Colts list his name on the roster as Sweet Pea Burns.
I'll tell you what would be the best matchup in the NFL this year: Colts-Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Sweet Pea Burns enters the game as a sub and lines up at right tackle ... right across from Seahawks guard Pork Chop Womack. Seems like Pork Chop will get the better of Sweet Pea, if nickname strength is any indication.
Fantasy Note
You're probably bored with hearing me talk about this. I wrote it in Sports Illustrated recently and have railed about it on a few talk shows, but if you're making a mid-first-round pick in your fantasy and don't choose Peyton Manning, you're crazy. I'm going to give you one more reason why it's smart to take a guy who's guaranteed to throw for 28 TDs (very likely more without Edgerrin James in his backfield) and 4,000 yards with limited interceptions. That reason is the schedule.
Not that it's easy, but it's meteorologically excellent. The last chance for an inclement weather game: at New England, Nov. 5. After that, the Colts are in their home dome four times and in the south four more times -- in Dallas, in Nashville, in Jacksonville and in Houston.
Why do you pick Neil Rackers at kicker? One, he's good; two, he has a tremendous weather edge, kicking in Arizona. Same thing this year with Manning. He's always going to put up ridiculous numbers and this year those numbers might be even better because of no James and good conditions.
On the Menu
These people at Rose-Hulman are pretty serious about their food. This is one of the places that actually reads what I write about their lunches. Today, the news is good.
Entrée: Broiled chicken with a medium-hot bourbon sauce. I think that's what it was called. Good, moist chicken. Excellent sauce. White rice, romaine salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and shredded carrots, topped by a light ranch. Grade: A-
Drink: Diet Pepsi for the second time this week. Where is Coke Zero? Grade: B
Dessert: Cup of Java City house blend, whatever that is. Not good, but what the heck? I'm in Indiana. Grade: C+
Overall Grade: B+
Camp Confidential
"Hey," Vinatieri said to me when we met. "What are you doing picking the Super Bowl you did?"
Now that's news. A player actually knows that I picked Dallas to beat New England.
"What can I say?" I said to Vinatieri. "I've got to go for the happy ending with Parcells riding off into the sunset after the Super Bowl."
"Well," Vinatieri said. "Keep us in mind. We're pretty good."
He's right. I expected to see and hear a team with a little bit of a 2005 playoff hangover. Maybe there is one deep inside of these guys, but you talk to Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Tony Dungy, Bill Polian, even with the notebook put away, and you don't get a sense of we're really doubting ourselves and God knows if we can ever win the big one.
I know, I know. Manning can't win the big one. Dungy can't coach a team to a win in the big one. And it's true, they haven't. Yet. And maybe there's some deep flaw in both men. Dungy for not being able to get a talented team in Tampa Bay or Indianapolis over the top. And Manning for not quarterbacking the University of Tennessee or the Colts to a championship.
But this year, in my opinion, Indy has its best chance yet. I say that because of Vinatieri. The defense is good enough, with two premiere pass rushers to scare any quarterback. The offense will score a jillion points. "And now we may have the best clutch kicker of all time," said Polian, the general manager who has gotten three teams, Buffalo, Carolina and now Indianapolis, to the brink and never won a Super Bowl.
I know I didn't pick the Colts to reach the Super Bowl, but Vinatieri is going to have a lot to say about whether my prediction comes true or not.