49er prep

Coltzilla looks ahead to Sunday

5. Going coocoo for Stone Hands

Bob Sanders won’t be the only Colts’ player making his return to the field this Sunday.   #4WR Anthony Gonzalez,  who saw his 2009 season end abruptly with a week 1 knee injury,  will also be making his return.

Due to his injury and the emergence of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie last season,  Gonzalez finds himself in a battle for a starting job.    Some reports suggest that he’s battling Pierre Garcon for the #2 job,  while others,  like Sports Illustrated’s Peter King,  are suggesting that Gonzalez will be taking over the slot position from Collie.   No word on whether Gonzo will be making an attempt to unseat Camp Battle Participant Reggie Wayne from the #1 job.

Regardless of where he plays, having a healthy Gonzalez back is a major boost for this offense.   Gonzalez has great speed,  is a better route runner than Garcon or Collie,  and has amazing hands,  hauling in over 70% of his targets since being in the league.    His ability to play both the slot and split wide also give the offense some flexibility that they lacked last year with the more specialized Collie and Garcon.

Gonzalez spent a few days in Tennessee this off-season to personally work with QB Peyton Manning,  so I’m looking forward to seeing them get some reps together in the game to see where that timing and chemistry is.    If they can pick up where they left off in 2008,  this group of WRs could put up numbers comparable to the 2004 season.

I’m not a big fan of Training Camp and the Preseason,  mainly because I’m a negative ninny who always expects the worst when it comes to injuries,  but there is a real buzz about the Colts this year,  and I’m excited to see what they have in store for us.   If they can improve in just a few areas,  something the Colts seem to excel at year after year,  they could be better than last year’s team that flirted with a perfect season and was,  I’m told,  still playing games in February.