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The Story of the 2009-2010 Indianapolis Colts
Written By: Sam Galea.
The Indianapolis Colts could possibly be on their way to their second Super Bowl in the past five years, this Sunday night, when they take on the New Orleans Saints. What brought them here? What problems did they have? I’ll take you through their offense, and let you know a bit more about the team.
Peyton Manning could possibly be on his way to becoming the best quarterback of all time, and is the best at this time at fooling defenses, and reading them. The NFL's best quarterback spots something he doesn't like- a linebacker set to blitz from the blind side, or perhaps a cornerback sneaking up. Now begins the Peyton Shuffle. Shouting. Stomping. Waving his arms like a marionette gone wild. Choreographed chaos, really. Every defense is a matrix, and no one in football solves them like this year's Most Valuable Player.
What keeps the Colts offense rolling so well every week? The fact that they know each defense and that Peyton can switch up the game plan with a wave of his arms. Peyton Manning is one of the few quarterbacks that can ready a defense so quickly and change a play up at the line with a snap of the fingers.
Sure, it helps the team out in general, but how about for Jeff Saturday? This guy has to know what the heck Peyton is doing, and tell every other offensive lineman what Peyton just ran. Saturday, a four time Pro Bowler, is one of the best at keeping 320+ pound nose guards from taking his main man to the ground.
Now, I know the Colts are a contender year in, and year out (Yeah, I’m biased, so what?), but this year was more of a challenge. With their number two wide receiver, Anthony Gonzalez getting hurt in the first game of the season, and missing the entire year, to their main man on defense, Bob Sanders missed most of the year… again.
To add on to injury trouble, the Colts had to go through another transformation- A new head coach. When Tony Dungy retired, their assistant coach and quarterback coach, Jim Caldwell was called in to try and take over the head coaching job in Indianapolis. Caldwell was very dependent on Dungy, as the two were together since 2001, back when they were with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Caldwell has certainly lived up to the expectations, becoming the first rookie head coach to lead a team to a Super Bowl.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was a bit iffy on Caldwell going into the season. The last time he was a head coach was in 2000, when he coached Wake Forest to an awful 2-9 record. Sure, the skill level in Indianapolis is next to no contest as supposed to the 2000 Wake Forest team, but I was worried. He certainly put those worries to rest, and proved all of the people who doubted out here wrong, as he lead the Colts to a 14-2 record, the two losses coming when their starters only played for less than a half, in each game.
Sunday, will be the ultimate test for Indianapolis, as they take on the New Orleans Saints. Hopefully Wale was right, when he said ‘You are close, but no cigar like the footballers from New Orleans’.
Written By: Sam Galea.
The Indianapolis Colts could possibly be on their way to their second Super Bowl in the past five years, this Sunday night, when they take on the New Orleans Saints. What brought them here? What problems did they have? I’ll take you through their offense, and let you know a bit more about the team.
Peyton Manning could possibly be on his way to becoming the best quarterback of all time, and is the best at this time at fooling defenses, and reading them. The NFL's best quarterback spots something he doesn't like- a linebacker set to blitz from the blind side, or perhaps a cornerback sneaking up. Now begins the Peyton Shuffle. Shouting. Stomping. Waving his arms like a marionette gone wild. Choreographed chaos, really. Every defense is a matrix, and no one in football solves them like this year's Most Valuable Player.
What keeps the Colts offense rolling so well every week? The fact that they know each defense and that Peyton can switch up the game plan with a wave of his arms. Peyton Manning is one of the few quarterbacks that can ready a defense so quickly and change a play up at the line with a snap of the fingers.
Sure, it helps the team out in general, but how about for Jeff Saturday? This guy has to know what the heck Peyton is doing, and tell every other offensive lineman what Peyton just ran. Saturday, a four time Pro Bowler, is one of the best at keeping 320+ pound nose guards from taking his main man to the ground.
Now, I know the Colts are a contender year in, and year out (Yeah, I’m biased, so what?), but this year was more of a challenge. With their number two wide receiver, Anthony Gonzalez getting hurt in the first game of the season, and missing the entire year, to their main man on defense, Bob Sanders missed most of the year… again.
To add on to injury trouble, the Colts had to go through another transformation- A new head coach. When Tony Dungy retired, their assistant coach and quarterback coach, Jim Caldwell was called in to try and take over the head coaching job in Indianapolis. Caldwell was very dependent on Dungy, as the two were together since 2001, back when they were with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Caldwell has certainly lived up to the expectations, becoming the first rookie head coach to lead a team to a Super Bowl.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was a bit iffy on Caldwell going into the season. The last time he was a head coach was in 2000, when he coached Wake Forest to an awful 2-9 record. Sure, the skill level in Indianapolis is next to no contest as supposed to the 2000 Wake Forest team, but I was worried. He certainly put those worries to rest, and proved all of the people who doubted out here wrong, as he lead the Colts to a 14-2 record, the two losses coming when their starters only played for less than a half, in each game.
Sunday, will be the ultimate test for Indianapolis, as they take on the New Orleans Saints. Hopefully Wale was right, when he said ‘You are close, but no cigar like the footballers from New Orleans’.
