The Indianapolis Colts?
The same team that has comfortably won its division for the last 2 seasons?
The same team that was 2 games from having an unbeaten regular season 2 seasons ago?
The same one. Well not really. For without their star quarterback, Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts are not even a shadow of the team they were.
Never has one player made such a huge difference to the team on the scoreboard it seems.Even when the New England Patriots lost Tom Brady for the entire 2008 season, they still had a winning record and were very unlucky to miss the playoffs.
The difference between Peyton Manning and the next best quarterback has been like the difference between the middle of a gloomy, wet night and the middle of a sunny day.
Curtis Painter has tried and the only reason he's there is because of his youth and that his next best option, Kerry Collins is even worse. Painter can only throw to Pierre Garcon and... that's it.
He's too nervous and not a leader. And as a result his linesmen and supporting cast have all suffered. The defence can only hold them out for so long especially when time with ball is firmly in the opposition's favour.
Not good for an attack so used to the multiple dimensions and facets of Manning's throwing game.
With Peyton Manning's return still quite questionable due to quite a serious neck injury, the Colts will have to look to the future. Furthermore, at 35, Manning ain't a spring chicken anymore. He's had a great career but so did another Colts legend, Johnny Unitas. All great players will be great no more due to age and the fact they've subjected their body to the severe toll of professional, competitive sport.
The Colts have clinched a losing season anyway. Now it's really time to clinch the first pick in next year's NFL draft - and Andrew Luck, the star quarterback of the Stanford Cardinal who will graduate at the end of this season.Luck has the goods to emulate his fellow quarterbacks who went 1st in the draft, Sam Bradford and Cam Newton. He has the leadership abilities and talent to back it up. Just like Peyton Manning. Sweet.
Of course, the whole point of playing sport is to win and knowing the Colts organization, they will not throw away the season just to get a better draft pick. If they did, they'd become only the 2nd team in recent times to finish the season without a win - the other was the Detroit Lions in 2008.
Who have they got left to salvage at least one win from this most miserable of miserable seasons?
Jacksonville Jaguars at home next week - no chance against that defence
Carolina Panthers at home after that - possibly their best chance although Cam Newton is getting better and has really turned the Panthers around (probably their best chance to add to that win against the Redskins earlier in the season)
New England Patriots away - absolutely no chance (in fact, that's why the game has been demoted from its former primetime slot on NBC Sunday Night Football as early as this week!)
Baltimore Ravens away - absolutely no chance
Tennessee Titans at home - possible but the Titans are still chasing a playoff spot.
Houston Texans at home - with the Texans on fire and looking to clinch their first-ever playoff spot, their chances aren't so great.
Jacksonville Jaguars away - probably no chance.
I think the Colts will get 1 win. It'll only be a consolation win in what's been a miserable season for this very proud organization.
Not that I'm unhappy apart from missing the annual primetime Manning v Brady battle.
- Patriots fan
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