It Is Beyond Comprehension That This Team Is So Bad

[objectivecoltsfan]

I always suspected that if we lost Peyton for a season we would have a very hard time winning even one game, but now that it is actually happening, it is stunning to see. We are really getting close to being 0-16 and going down as one of the worst teams, if not the worst team in NFL history. With all of the success that this team has had over the past decade that they would just roll over and not even compete, not win one single game is so completely ridiculous that I don't even know what to think. I know we have some good players, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are the best pass rushing combo in the NFL, we have Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday and so much veteran leadership in that locker room that the though of going 0-16 is almost incomprehensible.

I think this year shows why we have gone one and done so many times in the playoffs. Not only has this team been extremely flawed for the last decade, but we really don't have as much leadership as we though and we have zero intangibles outside of #18.

[hawkeyes]

I totally disagree that we are or will be considered one of the worst teams in history if we go 0-16.... IMO this just goes to show you how narrow a margin there is between winning and losing in the NFL.

This team has a lot of talent on it even with all of our injuries - things just havent went our way this year. I was really hoping for a better performance today, maybe once we have the top picked sealed maybe they will come out and play to win a game.

[objectivecoltsfan]

I totally disagree that we are or will be considered one of the worst teams in history if we go 0-16.... IMO this just goes to show you how narrow a margin there is between winning and losing in the NFL.

This team has a lot of talent on it even with all of our injuries - things just havent went our way this year. I was really hoping for a better performance today, maybe once we have the top picked sealed maybe they will come out and play to win a game.

We would only be the 2nd team to go 0-16 ever, we would go down as one of the worst ever. We haven't even been competitive in a long time.

[Moncrief]

Guys we could have 7 wins if we had scored 1 more touchdown and converted the 2 point conversion.

[deedub75]

Why is it beyond comprehension? ALL of the analysts have been saying that we are at best a 3 win team without Manning for years. I'm very disappointed but not surprised.

[objectivecoltsfan]

Why is it beyond comprehension? ALL of the analysts have been saying that we are at best a 3 win team without Manning for years. I'm very disappointed but not surprised.

I'm not really surprised, it is just shocking to see a team that has had so much success be so terrible so suddenly. Also, I would argue that there is a pretty big difference between going 3-13 and 0-16

[oldunclemark]

Why is it beyond comprehension? ALL of the analysts have been saying that we are at best a 3 win team without Manning for years. I'm very disappointed but not surprised.

Actually..dub..you are right....

People said it and I was insulted by it...We have pro bowl guys...

Well....you are what your record says you are...and we're about to be 0-14

[johnwaynes44]

Guys we could have 7 wins if we had scored 1 more touchdown and converted the 2 point conversion.

And If Ifs and butts were candy and nuts, It'd be Christmas all year!

I really feel sorry for the season ticket holder who are paying good, hard earned money to go and support this crap. If you watch the lack of simple execution of the fundamentals of each play, it is mind boggling the amount of mistakes and poor play of everyone. It just doesn't add up. It is confusing, frustrating, embarrassing, maddening and simply unacceptable. These are pros and they play like chumps. I will never trust this management and coaching staff again. They had better be gone next year, Luck or not.

[deedub75]

Actually..dub..you are right....

People said it and I was insulted by it...We have pro bowl guys...

Well....you are what your record says you are...and we're about to be 0-14

My friends have always ragged on me for being a Colts fan. They would always say the Manning was the only reason we win games. I really couldn't argue much. I would just say that we're gonna ride the success until Manning is gone.

[oldunclemark]

My friends have always ragged on me for being a Colts fan. They would always say the Manning was the only reason we win games. I really couldn't argue much. I would just say that we're gonna ride the success until Manning is gone.

Hang in there......

I may be naive but I think this thing turns around next year one way or another...

The whole Tebow thing shows how much your offense depends on the confidence of your QB...

If Manning plays..we go right back to being a contender...and then folks can say what they want

[turner46992]

I just hope with this off season Irsay does something with this coaching staff, changes our Defense scheme and Realizes that from now on, do not build a franchise around 1 player on 1 side of the ball like we have for the past decade. This season should be a real good eye opener.

[deedub75]

I just hope with this off season Irsay does something with this coaching staff, changes our Defense scheme and Realizes that from now on, do not build a franchise around 1 player on 1 side of the ball like we have for the past decade. This season should be a real good eye opener.

Unfortunately, I don't see much change occurring. Polian already wants Luck and Manning on the team which means more $$$ tied up in QBs and less money to improve the team overall. He will probably overpay Wayne and Mathis and there won't be much improvement.

[Corndog]

I just hope with this off season Irsay does something with this coaching staff, changes our Defense scheme and Realizes that from now on, do not build a franchise around 1 player on 1 side of the ball like we have for the past decade. This season should be a real good eye opener.

What's the point we could bring in the best DC in the NFL and Polian would just take his playbook, use it as toilet paper and then ask the new DC to get him a coffee while he writes up a "real" playbook.

[unitaswestand]

I can't say I expected us to go winless, but it doesn't surprise me the team is playing so poorly. Because I have always seen this with the Colts over the last few years. We have lived with zero room for error for years. If Manning didn't hit the receiver right in stride with a defensive back drapped on him, we get nowhere. The days of us really dominating teams disappeared after 2005 I believe. The last few years, it is always tooth and nail with most teams, coming down to a final Manning drive or Freeney/Mathis getting a sack at the end. But you could tell that without those last minutes, the record could be much different. This was not a dominant team.

That has been what has bothered me about the philosphy on both sides of the ball. The offensive was taylor made for Manning, but I believe he is the only QB in the NFL to be able to run it at that level because you cannot be a hair off on a pass or timing. The "bend but don't break" defense worked fine when Manning could put up 30 points a game.

That is why I asked the question in aother post, how good would the Colts have been with a great HC over the years?? Because when Dungy was here, we had the same problem. Squeeking out so many wins where it could have went the other way.

This is why I don't like free agency and the way players are paid. I know it will never change. But the Colts are made up of a team where probably 8 guys make almost all the money. The Packers will run into that at some point too. If the Colts want to "rebuild" anything, i don't think it starts with getting rid of Manning. Keep Manning if he is health and draft Luck for the future. But I honestly would let go of Wayne, Mathis, Saturday, and Brackett. That is an aweful lot of money these guys have been making, and they are no irreplaceable. I think Angerer is probably a better MLB then Brackett. Mathis is great when Freeney is on the other side and we are ahead, but can disappear at other times. Wayne is fantastic, but Manning has shown you can put Blair White in and still win games. And Saturday has really shown his age the last two years and I think it might be time to put it Pollak or someone else there. That is what I would do if I could play GM. With the money saved there, I would put it into resigning Garcon, getting so secondary or Dline.

That said, I think if Manning is back year health we go to the playofffs.

[rockywoj]

... and Realizes that from now on, do not build a franchise around 1 player on 1 side of the ball like we have for the past decade. This season should be a real good eye opener.

Of course not, I mean, why would we want yet another decade of unprecedented regular season success, 9 straight playoff appearances c/w 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory, and several other near misses that could have easily turned into the Colts' favour on just 1 or 2 plays potentially resulting in several more SB appearances and maybe another 1or 2 SB wins. How utterly flawed it has been to come up with a plan that turned a team into a perrennial SB contender. <rolls eyes>

Honestly, I am infinitely thankful that fickle fans do not run the Colts organization. Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success. This 'ol dog will take a run of 9 out of 10 years any and every time.

[BOONE]

Of course not, I mean, why would we want yet another decade of unprecedented regular season success, 9 straight playoff appearances c/w 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory, and several other near misses that could have easily turned into the Colts' favour on just 1 or 2 plays potentially resulting in several more SB appearances and maybe another 1or 2 SB wins. How utterly flawed it has been to come up with a plan that turned a team into a perrennial SB contender. <rolls eyes>

Honestly, I am infinitely thankful that fickle fans do not run the Colts organization. Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success. This 'ol dog will take a run of 9 out of 10 years any and every time.

Well that 'OL DOG wont hunt.......ficlke? Man if you can't see after this year that Manning has had this team on his back then I dont know what to say lol........"IF" the organization would have did things the right way we would have been a dynasty. If what you say is true then I guess we should have been just fine this year and heck we should even give Caldwell a nice fat bonus! IMO Your logic is a joke, now dont take that personal I just feel like that kind of nonsense is why we have fallen short. Its like this, are QB has never been one to settle for anything less than perfection when it comes to game preparation and if you "could" say the same for this organization you would see many more SB wins and thats a fact. You take your 9 out of 10 run with 1 SB to show for and call it good but I call it proof that we wont make the changes needed to be more than just a reg season power house.

[Blue Horseshoe]

You're Welcome.

[Fatboyslim11]

Guys we could have 7 wins if we had scored 1 more touchdown and converted the 2 point conversion.

Ifs, wouldas and couldas don't count. Much as we hate to admit the reality is we are 0-13.

[dend]

We would only be the 2nd team to go 0-16 ever, we would go down as one of the worst ever. We haven't even been competitive in a long time.

We have not had a lead since the Oct 9 game ! That is uncomprehensible and certainly goes a long way towards qualifying as the worst team ever !!

[Fatboyslim11]

Of course not, I mean, why would we want yet another decade of unprecedented regular season success, 9 straight playoff appearances c/w 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory, and several other near misses that could have easily turned into the Colts' favour on just 1 or 2 plays potentially resulting in several more SB appearances and maybe another 1or 2 SB wins. How utterly flawed it has been to come up with a plan that turned a team into a perrennial SB contender. <rolls eyes>

Honestly, I am infinitely thankful that fickle fans do not run the Colts organization. Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success. This 'ol dog will take a run of 9 out of 10 years any and every time.

I, too, have cheered for the Colts for over 45 years and yes, fans can weigh in with an opinion whether they are long time or new Colts fans. Longetivity is not a criteria. You keep mixing the actual with the "ifs" and "wouldas" in your defense of Polian and his failures. The reality is we have gone to two SBs under Polian, winning one and losing one. The reality is we have failed several times in the playoffs despite having great regular seasons records and the "benefit" of Polian's great "drafting". We have a number of one and done despite sometimes having the number 1 seed with homefield adavantage.

I believe I am as much of an authority on the Colts as you (in reality we are really only giving opinions) having followed them since the 1967 season. I know the team has been good - two SB appearances prior to Polian arrivial (in 1968 and 1971) with one win and one loss. We have also had some very good seasons (NFL championships in 1958 and 1959) during an even earlier era. We even had a couple of good seasons after the midnight dash from Baltimore to Indy that occured prior to Polian's arrival in Indy in 1998. We have had bad seasons too and I will be the first to admit. We have had some horrible teams but I think if you go back through any team with as long a history of the Colts you will find some horrible seasons. This potential 0-16 season under Polian is almost unprecedented - although several NFL teams in the past have only a tie and no wins during the regular season, only the 2008 Lions have lost all their regular season games.

[Go Blue Horseshoe]

Guys we could have 7 wins if we had scored 1 more touchdown and converted the 2 point conversion.

I did not realize this. It is better to say this as opposed to "we go completely blown out every game," but unfortunately the only thing that matters in the end is the win-loss record. If we can't win a game, then we will be considered one of the worst teams ever. I hate that, but there's no way around it. We have three more chances to win one game and not put up a big goose egg for the year. It is embarrassing that our goal is to win just one game and avoid a winless season, but that is the reality. We must win at least one game.

[JColts72]

It's beyond logic that Caldwell is still the coach- I mean look at Texans with Yates as QB, and John Fox adjusting his game plan which has Denver making the playoffs. At this point, it's no longer a bad joke watching thte Cots lose; it's just PATHETIC. This is from a fan follwong them since the early 70's.

[Jaric]

Of course not, I mean, why would we want yet another decade of unprecedented regular season success, 9 straight playoff appearances c/w 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory, and several other near misses that could have easily turned into the Colts' favour on just 1 or 2 plays potentially resulting in several more SB appearances and maybe another 1or 2 SB wins. How utterly flawed it has been to come up with a plan that turned a team into a perrennial SB contender. <rolls eyes>

Honestly, I am infinitely thankful that fickle fans do not run the Colts organization. Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success. This 'ol dog will take a run of 9 out of 10 years any and every time.

So your suggestion is that instead of strengthing the foundation, we just rebuild the house of cards.

[shaunzo]

Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success.

If you've been rooting for this squad for 45 years, then you of all people should be furious as to how this team has faired this season. NOT ONE VICTORY?! How can you defend that? I for one am so happy that there are only three weeks left of this awful, pathetic, farce of a season. After watching the Hoosiers play the other night, I've never been so excited to just move on to watching basketball. At least those kids have some heart.

[gspdx]

So your suggestion is that instead of strengthing the foundation, we just rebuild the house of cards.

I guess it depends on what you call the foundation. I think we picked up some pretty good guys for both the offensive and defensive lines. That would be the foundation. I would do some additional work there. As much as I like Mathis I think maybe we let him walk and pick up a guy in the draft (we should have some pretty high picks). We probably need at least one more quality O lineman. He doesn't need to be a superstar, but solid.

And If a talented QB isn't foundational I don't know what is.

[Blue Horseshoe]

Of course not, I mean, why would we want yet another decade of unprecedented regular season success, 9 straight playoff appearances c/w 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory, and several other near misses that could have easily turned into the Colts' favour on just 1 or 2 plays potentially resulting in several more SB appearances and maybe another 1or 2 SB wins. How utterly flawed it has been to come up with Peyton Manning who turned a team into a perrennial SB contender. <rolls eyes>

Honestly, I am infinitely thankful that fickle fans do not run the Colts organization. Try cheering for the same team for 45 years, maybe then some of you will gain a little bit of historical perspective to balance your unrealistic bias of success. This 'ol dog will take a run of 9 out of 10 years any and every time.

There, fixed it for you.

[Jaric]

I guess it depends on what you call the foundation. I think we picked up some pretty good guys for both the offensive and defensive lines. That would be the foundation. I would do some additional work there. As much as I like Mathis I think maybe we let him walk and pick up a guy in the draft (we should have some pretty high picks). We probably need at least one more quality O lineman. He doesn't need to be a superstar, but solid.

See, now we're talking my language. I agree with this almost 100%, except I think we need more than one more quality O linement. The sooner that Diem and Linkenbaker pack their bags the better this team will be. I would like to see more or Reitz too. But yeah, this is what I'm talking about when I talk about building a foundation.

And If a talented QB isn't foundational I don't know what is.

It most definitely is. But if you don't build a floor and some walls, all you have is some concrete. Now, it might be really nice concrete, but it's not going to keep you warm at night.

My point was that we need to build a more balanced team, instead of just hoping our QB can mask the flaws of the other 52 guys on the roster.

[rockywoj]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

[indy1888]

We would only be the 2nd team to go 0-16 ever, we would go down as one of the worst ever. We haven't even been competitive in a long time.

I haven't checked in a few weeks, but last time i did we were on pace statistically to be worse then that 08 Lions team that did not win a single game.

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion if it would be the worst team ever, but there would no be question that if this team finishes without a win that they must be right there in the discussion.

[LUVTHESHOE]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

If every teams goal is to win the super bowl, then I am sorry we don't compare to pitt. and new e. However if the goal is to have the best regular season and 1st round disappointments, then we are a dynasty. I am and always will be a huge Colts fan, but in a year this horrible doing the same thing week after week, we can't just say yea but look at our past. The Atl. Braves are the greatest dynasty in the regular season and 1 title and nobody ever even talk about them and greatness.

[supremecoltsfan300]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

I don't know what separates you from the colts bashers.....almost all of us, including me, think we will compete for a sb again next year with a healthy peyton manning and a new coaching staff. No one is bashing the colts, they just pretty much want the same changes that you agree should happen.

[deedub75]

I don't know what separates you from the colts bashers.....almost all of us, including me, think we will compete for a sb again next year with a healthy peyton manning and a new coaching staff. No one is bashing the colts, they just pretty much want the same changes that you agree should happen.

I don't think we will compete for a Super Bowl next season even with a healthy Peyton and a new coaching staff. We need a lot more than that. Texans and Titans have improved and the division is getting tougher so winning the division won't be as easy. If we don't make some wholesale changes and get younger at some positions we are in trouble.

[CanuckColtsFan]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

this

[dn4192]

You determine to me how bad a franchise is by evaluting it based off all of it's starters playing. When the Bucs lost all those games to start the time they were bad talent wise. When Detroit a few seasons back went 0-16 if you looked at their talent from top to bottom they were average at best. Now look at the Colts, if all of your roster was 100% healthy, where would they be record wise? Now yes health is part of any team, but for me you have to evaluate the team off of whom they have and how they would be at 100%.

[Superman]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

Very well put.

[mahagga73]

I totally disagree that we are or will be considered one of the worst teams in history if we go 0-16.... IMO this just goes to show you how narrow a margin there is between winning and losing in the NFL.

This team has a lot of talent on it even with all of our injuries - things just havent went our way this year. I was really hoping for a better performance today, maybe once we have the top picked sealed maybe they will come out and play to win a game.

uh 0-16 is one one of the worst teams in history,what planet are you from?What is it about no wins and losing every single game do you not understand?On1 other team has done it and this one surely will

[dn4192]

uh 0-16 is one one of the worst teams in history,what planet are you from?What is it about no wins and losing every single game do you not understand?On1 other team has done it and this one surely will

You have to look at more then just record...

[deedub75]

You determine to me how bad a franchise is by evaluting it based off all of it's starters playing. When the Bucs lost all those games to start the time they were bad talent wise. When Detroit a few seasons back went 0-16 if you looked at their talent from top to bottom they were average at best. Now look at the Colts, if all of your roster was 100% healthy, where would they be record wise? Now yes health is part of any team, but for me you have to evaluate the team off of whom they have and how they would be at 100%.

If all of our roster were healthy then that would mean a healthy Peyton which would mean that we would be a much better team. We have always been an average team plus an above average QB. You can't evaluate a team at 100% healthy because no team has or will every be 100% healthy. You have to base them on who they have, their stats and their record. The Colts are at the bottom or near bottom of very statistical category and the record is 0-13.

[ReMeDy]

What's the point we could bring in the best DC in the NFL and Polian would just take his playbook, use it as toilet paper and then ask the new DC to get him a coffee while he writes up a "real" playbook.

"No I would not!... Dollar bill toilet paper is much more durable."

[everybodysgotone]

You Colts bashers are funny.

The team is coming off of a decade of nearly unprecedented success. During this past decade, there are what, two teams (New England & Pittsburgh) that can compare. Across the decades there are maybe two franchises that have generally had consistent success (Pittsburgh & Dallas).

Great teams like the Giants, 49ers, Bears ... what have they really done lately? Giants are up and down, more down than up. 49ers have been a non factor for over a decade, until this year. Dallas, much the same ... an up and down team that has not come close in more than a decade to the excellence the Colts have enjoyed for hte past 10 years. If not for my being a Colts fan and wanting to see them succeed, I think it would be hilarious for the Colts to wallow in crap for the next twenty years and then come back and see how you longingly yearn for the great Colts teams of the 2000s, led by HOF Peyton Manning.

HOF great Dan Marino, one SB appearance, 0 SB wins. Brett Farve, what, 2 appearances one loss. Green Bay had a good run, then fell well off, now re-emerginng. Yeah, they are also one of the storied franchises, that were crap through the 70's and 80's and into the 90's.

How long has it been since NY Jets won a Super Bowl? The Bill's had an unprecedented run of success making 4 consecutive SBs, but as bad luck would have it, they failed to win even one. How successful were they before that run and how successful have they been since?

How long has it been since the Raiders were great? What about everybody's trendy favorite, the San Diego Chargers, just how great have they been over the past 10, 20, 30 years?

Run down the list of teams, MOST are generally wallowing in mediocrity, maybe rising to a high level for a year or two, but then falling right back down.

I am as disappointed as anybody over this season. Believe me, I bleed blue. As bad as it has been this year though (which is as bad as it has ever been in a single season, and there were sure a LOT of those bad seasons through the late 70s, the 80s, and into the 90s), I still view this year as an aberration. I think with the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, the return of good health in general, the development of some good young key prospects (Castonzo, Nevis, Angerer, Carter, Lefeged, and yes, even Donald Brown), this down year affords the team the opportunity to finally add some top end elite draft prospects.

Am I a Caldwell Fan? Nope, not at all. I am happy they got rid of Coyer and I too would like to see a new head coach and an evolution to a more aggressive style in general. Coaching aside, though, I see the glass as two thirds full with the Colts readily perched to go from a historic fall to a historic rise in 2012, re-emerging as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

If Manning comes back healthy and if the team as a whole can finally avoid this disturbing injury jinx that has befallen them over the past three years, then I will be utterly SHOCKED if the Colts do not sit nearly a top of the standings in 2012, holding a realistic shot to once again make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl for the 10th time in 11 seasons. I believe the same prospects will hold true for a good 2 to 3 years thereafter, too, with a healthy Manning.

If Manning cannot make it back, then this season may have proved to be a godsend in allowing the Colts to select the most singularly hyped QB of the past 25 years. Perhaps it is that in having such an atrociously bad season, LUCK is actually on the Colts' side.

Disappointed in this year's futility, I certainly am, but overly fussed, nope, not at all. The Colts brought me a decade of joy after three decades of despair. In my book, that buys some good will, for my memory is long. As hopeful and optimistic as I am for the Colts' immediate future, though, there is a part deep inside of me that fears that in 20 to 30 years from now, I will look back at the past ten years as being the best of times for the Colts' franchise and glad as all spit that I was wise enough to recognize and enjoy the greatness while it happened, rather than to whine and complain for what could have been if the ball had bounced the Colts way just a few more times. I understand and recognize just how thin the line between winning and losing realistically is and I know that the fans of, oh, about 28 other teams would give up their first born to have their team of choice enjoy a decade of success like the Colts have just had.

Reality check from a fan since '74 -

The AFC South was formed in 2002 and includes two new and/or expansion teams. JAX entered in 1995. HOU entered in 2002. Also, the Houston Oilers became the TEN Titans in 1997. If not for playing in a weak division for a decade the Colts would not have won as many games as they did, and thus would not have had as many postseason opportunities. Fact. Regular season wins are hollow compared to one&dones in the postseason and sub-.500 postseason winning percentage. Is it good we beat the lower tier teams? Sure. You're supposed to when you're good. But we've performed sub-par against the top tier teams when all the chips are on the table. I got just as much, if not more satisfaction, watching the Harbaugh led teams come out of the tough AFC East in '95 and '96 at 9-7 to make the postseason....most particulary the amazing '95 season. But......to each his own. Prior to that, not much to talk about except for '87 and the Bert Jones teams of the mid-late '70s.

Of the teams you mentioned, just a handful have had remarkable eras defined by their postseason success/championship titles. The '70s and '00s Steelers (although standing alone in the league remaining consistently competitive since 1969); Cowboys of the '70s and '90s; 49ers of the '80s; Raiders of the late '70s-early '80s; Packers of the '60s. And one you didn't mention (whether justified or not we're talking about results only).......Patriots of the 00's.

The Colts aren't close to comparing to any of the eight dominant eras posted by the teams listed above ^ here. As far as the SD Chargers are concerned, they stand as one of the biggest under-achieving franchises of all time in my mind because they've had very talented teams over the years but have never been able to win a title. Honorable mention for dominant eras would be late 90s Denver Broncos and 80's Redskins.

Manning's all-time career W/L record within in the AFC South (43-12):

16-2 vs. HOU

14-5 vs. JAX

Manning is also 13-5 vs. TEN

Manning's all-time career W/L record vs. our old AFC East rivals (26-25):

5-7 vs. MIA

7-10 vs. NE

7-4 vs. NYJ

7-4 vs. BUF

The Colts are 9-10 in the postseason during the Manning era including 1-1 in SBs (they also have a SB win in 1970 and 2-2 mark historically).

During the Indianapolis era, prior to Manning, the Colts were 2-3 in the postseason with zero SB appearances.

__________________

NY Jets are 7-7 in the postseason since 1998 with zero SB apearances (they also have a SB in 1968)

PITT Steelers are 12-5 in the postseason since 1998 and are 2-1 in SBs (they also have SB wins in 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979....most SB titles with 6-2 mark historically)

DAL Cowboys are 1-5 in the postseason since 1998 with zero SB appearances (they also have SB wins in 1971, 1977, 1992, 1993 and 1995 with 5-3 mark historically).

NY Giants 6-5 in the postseason since 1998 and are 1-1 in SBs (they also have SB wins in 1986 and 1990 with 3-1 mark historically)

SF 49ers are 2-3 in the postseason since 1998 with zero SB appearances (they also have SB wins in 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994.....the only team with 1.000 SB win percentage at 5-0).

CHI Bears are 3-4 in the postseason since 1998 and 0-1 in SBs (they also have a SB win in 1985 with 1-1 mark historically).

GB Packers are 7-7 in the postseason since 1998 and 1-0 in SBs (they also have SB wins in 1966, 1967, 1996 with 4-1 mark historically).

OAK Raiders are 4-3 in the postseason since 1998 and 0-1 in SBs (they also have SB wins in 1976, 1980, 1983 with 3-2 mark historically).

SD Chargers are 3-5 in the postseason since 1998 and have zero SB appearances (they lost the only SB they've ever played in).

____________

(not mentioned but noteworthy) DEN Broncos are 4-4 in the postseason since 1998 and 1-0 in SBs (they won back-to-back SBs in '97 and '98 with a 2-4 mark historically).

(not mentioned but noteworthy) NE Patriots are 14-6 in the postseason since 1998 and 3-1 in SBs (they have no prior SB wins and a 3-3 mark historically).

____________

Where do the Colts go from here.....that's the $1,000,000 question. Are we going to trend toward a more balanced team as we move from the Manning era into the future or will the team remain unbalanced for the most part, as it has been for years? Building winning legacy in terms of postseason success and titles or mediocrity in terms of winning within a weak division......let's see what they give us. The 2012 offseason should be the most interesting in years and there could be a lot to look forward to if the team plays it's cards right. The AFC South is finally becoming more competitive.....we're going to have to make the right moves.