Peyton Could Take This Team to the Superbowl

[GoGoColts]

With the improved running game, better run defense, and minor upgrades in all areas except corner, This team would go 14-2 and be the number 1 seed in the AFC.

[19colt]

I have no doubt that you are absolutely correct.

They would be 4-0 right now (3-1 at worst) with Peyton playing. Shame really. Excites me for next season though - lets hope guys like Freeney, Mathis, Bethea and Angerer stay healthy as well as the main skill guys on offence.

[England Colt]

That's a really big call. I mean, we're having absolutely awful luck with other injuries, would even Peyton manage to win every week with the offensive line shot up like it is at the minute?

[dn4192]

Even with a 100% healthy Peyton this team would still struggle maybe to 9-7. There are way to many questions on teh offensive line and defensive backs nad now with other injuries cropping up we would really struggle.

[GoGoColts]

That's a really big call. I mean, we're having absolutely awful luck with other injuries, would even Peyton manage to win every week with the offensive line shot up like it is at the minute?

This roster, even with injuries, is better than the 2009 team that lost to the Saints.

[ruksak]

Even with a 100% healthy Peyton this team would still struggle maybe to 9-7. There are way to many questions on teh offensive line and defensive backs nad now with other injuries cropping up we would really struggle.

I feel the same, 10-6 at best. Yes, there are improvements, but I feel we're doing some things that might undo some of that. Namely, the secondary. They have been poor and the scheme has made them look even worse.

[England Colt]

I feel the same, 10-6 at best. Yes, there are improvements, but I feel we're doing some things that might undo some of that. Namely, the secondary. They have been poor and the scheme has made them look even worse.

I agree with this. Another major problem is drops from our recievers, those would happen regardless of who's playing Quarterback!

[GoGoColts]

If Peyton were healthy we would be at least 3 -1 at this point. Realistically, we would have to lose to the patriots, Ravens, and Saints plus lose 3 divisional games to dip below ten wins.

The realistic worst case scenario would be to lose to the Patriots, Saints, Titans (once), and the Texans to put us at 11-5.

The losses just aren't there on the schedule.

[cmgww]

I agree with the OP. It's a domino effect. The secondary looks terrible b/c they are on the field so much due to the offense's ineptitude (better the other night but still only had the ball 21 minutes). Thus, they wear down, as does the entire defense. This team, agree or not, IS built to play with a lead. The D can make stops and has, but with Manning it's a different game....And as for the WRs dropping passes, that's timing (except for Garcon, he only makes circus catches!). Collins was terrible with that. Painter is better but nowhere near Manning in getting the ball right where it needs to be. Collie was blatantly held by the jersey and missed a pass (can't remember when but it was a terrible no call)

This offense is built to be run with precision by Peyton. Plain and simple. Remember last year when he had that rough stretch b/c of injuries to just about everyone? No collie, clark, addai? He slumped and forced things. But then he settled down, we found a running game and made the playoffs.

We'd be 3-1 easily right now with Manning....though going forward with the injuries I don't see 14-2, more like 11-5 or 10-6...but playoffs for sure and then who knows (or would have known?)

And let's face it, Manning CALLS the offense. The only reason he isn't right now is b/c it's forbidden by the NFL (only OC can speak to QB in helmet)

Christensen is in deep doo b/c Manning ran the show.

But in summary, it all goes back to Manning. The poor D, the secondary, etc. Manning was the "eraser" on offense...

[CCH]

I agree that we would easily be 3-1 or 4-0 right now with Peyton, but I'm not sure our final record would be that good with our shaky secondary. We'll just have to see how they do against the Saints and Patriots, it probably won't be pretty. I thought we were a 12-4 team in the preseason with a healthy Manning, and I'm sticking with it.

[sfergson727]

How much longer will Freeny play, I wonder....For a NFL player, he's a senior citizen, as is Jeff Saturday. (Can't remember about Mathis) My point being, we may get Manning back next year, but there will be more holes to fill with our aging players. It's a huge shame that this season is squandered, father time does not wait for injuries to heal.

[GoColts8818]

I agree with the OP. It's a domino effect. The secondary looks terrible b/c they are on the field so much due to the offense's ineptitude (better the other night but still only had the ball 21 minutes). Thus, they wear down, as does the entire defense. This team, agree or not, IS built to play with a lead. The D can make stops and has, but with Manning it's a different game....And as for the WRs dropping passes, that's timing (except for Garcon, he only makes circus catches!). Collins was terrible with that. Painter is better but nowhere near Manning in getting the ball right where it needs to be. Collie was blatantly held by the jersey and missed a pass (can't remember when but it was a terrible no call)

This offense is built to be run with precision by Peyton. Plain and simple. Remember last year when he had that rough stretch b/c of injuries to just about everyone? No collie, clark, addai? He slumped and forced things. But then he settled down, we found a running game and made the playoffs.

We'd be 3-1 easily right now with Manning....though going forward with the injuries I don't see 14-2, more like 11-5 or 10-6...but playoffs for sure and then who knows (or would have known?)

And let's face it, Manning CALLS the offense. The only reason he isn't right now is b/c it's forbidden by the NFL (only OC can speak to QB in helmet)

Christensen is in deep doo b/c Manning ran the show.

But in summary, it all goes back to Manning. The poor D, the secondary, etc. Manning was the "eraser" on offense...

This isn't true. Honestly the offense has been called well. Everyone loves to talk about Gruden ripping into our defense on Monday night. Well Collinsworth in the Steelers game commented more than once on what great play calls the Colts had they just weren't hitting them. Namely Painter's over throw to Garcon. Follow that up to the Bucs game and you heard Jaws talk very highly of the Colts play calling on offense. Christensen is proving he knows what he is doing out there. It's not his fault if Painter doesn't make every throw. If he did he would be a starter some place in the NFL not a back up. A lot of fans are quick to blame the players not making the plays on the coaches. Just because the guys don't make the plays doesn't make it a bad play call.

[19colt]

Manning has made the OL look good his whole career. The OL is actually improved slightly this year and has shown more of a running game so far than in the last few seasons. Addai is also healthy where as the last few seasons he has been battling injuries. It is fair to say Manning would be playing some awesome football right now with Clark and Collie healthy if he himself was healthy.

This season could have been a perfect storm for Manning and the offence to break some records. Unfortunately we will have to wait til next year when the OL will be even better after the experience of this season.

[GoColts8818]

Manning has made the OL look good his whole career. The OL is actually improved slightly this year and has shown more of a running game so far than in the last few seasons. Addai is also healthy where as the last few seasons he has been battling injuries. It is fair to say Manning would be playing some awesome football right now with Clark and Collie healthy if he himself was healthy.

This season could have been a perfect storm for Manning and the offence to break some records. Unfortunately we will have to wait til next year when the OL will be even better after the experience of this season.

How quickly people forget that it was the o-line that should have been the MVP of Super Bowl XLI and that it wa the o-line tha blocked for Edge when he lead the league in rushing twice. We had one of the best o-lines in football up till 2008 with or without Peyton.

[19colt]

How quickly people forget that it was the o-line that should have been the MVP of Super Bowl XLI and that it wa the o-line tha blocked for Edge when he lead the league in rushing twice. We had one of the best o-lines in football up till 2008 with or without Peyton.

It is not so hard to run block vs 6 in the box and safeties so deep they could be in the stands.

Agree with you on the Superbowl MVP however.

[GoColts8818]

It is not so hard to run block vs 6 in the box and safeties so deep they could be in the stands.

Agree with you on the Superbowl MVP however.

Funny we saw a lot of that after 2008 and thos guys couldn't run block against those guys.

We had a 1000 yard rusher every year of Peyton's career except for one from 1998 threw 2007. The o-line had something to do with that. They also had a factor in Manning being one of the least sacked QBs in the NFL. Don't get me wrong Peyton's release also helps with that but if the line was no good we wouldn't have had two pro-bowlers in Glenn and Saturday if they were that bad over that run.