Tip to the AFC South Blog, Dallas writer sees the Colts back in the Super Bowl
The Colts reached the Super Bowl despite the absence of Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders for 17 of the team’s 19 games because of a torn biceps muscle. Indianapolis also played 18 games without starting wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, and starting cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden combined to suit up for only 16 of a possible 38 games.
Still, the Colts won their first 14 games to claim the AFC’s home-field advantage. Indianapolis then shut it down, losing the final two games of the regular season while playing their reserves. The Colts then paddled both wild-card teams — Baltimore and the Jets — to reach the Super Bowl.
Now Sanders, the NFL’s 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, is back. So is Gonzalez, who caught 57 passes in 2008, as is Hayden. Indianapolis used its first-round draft pick to add yet another undersized speed pass rusher — TCU’s Jerry Hughes. He’s a future Pro Bowler in Indy’s defensive scheme.
On paper, the Colts are a better team than the squad that finished 16-3 a year ago and took a lead into the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. That makes Indianapolis the favorite to win it all in 2010. So put the Colts atop the Dallas Morning News’ annual offseason rankings.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
