The Coltzilla Draft Board
Jan 20th
Darron Cumming | AP Photo
The Coltzilla Draft Board will will examine NFL prospects at each position, focusing on the team’s greatest needs and best fits. It will list 10 players at each position, which will be updated regularly, in order of assumed need.
Indianapolis has a solid core, so the draft will be more about upgrading and adding depth. The Colts greatest focus this off-season should be the offensive line. A primary attribute for potential Colts linemen is the ability to play at more than one position.
Other key need areas are safety and one-tech defensive tackles (run stoppers).
At each other position, the Colts are probably looking for nothing more than depth, unless key players like Joseph Addai are not signed. With Addai’s future still in question, the secondary need areas will be currently rated in order as: running back, cornerback, linebacker, tight end, wide receiver, and quarterback. Coltzilla will cover the quarterbacks just to analyze what players are coming out, even though it is unlikely that Indianapolis will use a pick for depth behind Peyton Manning.
Check in regularly to examine the draft board. Please include your discussion, suggestions, and indicate what players you think might be a good fit for the 2011 Colts. Coltzilla will use this input to create as many draft profiles as possible leading up to the draft.
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Did Injuries Affect the 2010 Colts?
Jan 19th
Colts fans are stuck in limbo. The Super Bowl is still two weeks away, so talking about the off-season seems premature. Before fans get to that point, it is worthwhile to take a look back at 2010 to gauge where the Colts franchise will be when the draft and summer activities roll around.
One of the biggest impacts on Indianapolis in 2010 was the unprecedented number of injuries the team had to play through. The Colts placed 18 players on Injured Reserve, and two others on the injured/waived list — including Taj Smith, who rejoined the Colts. This number does not include injured players who missed multiple games throughout the year, but still managed to hold onto a roster spot.
Below are three ways to examine Indy’s injuries in 2010.
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How the Colts can Fix the Offensive Line
Jan 11th
Right guard Mike Pollak and right tackle Jeff Linkenbach prepare to block pre-snap. (Jonathan Daniel | Getty Images)
No unit on the football field lives and dies by the concept that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link more than the offensive line. When one player screws up an assignment along the line it can cause a total breakdown in protection.
Since Tarik Glenn retired following the 2006 Super Bowl Championship season, the Colts have played at least one offensive lineman out of position. Charlie Johnson, the Colts starting left tackle in 2009 and 2010, is not a true NFL-caliber left tackle and was not acquired to play that position. He had success at right tackle in the Super Bowl when Ryan Diem went down with an injury and has looked good at the guard positions, but left tackle is asking Johnson to play over his head. More >
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Indianapolis Colts 2011 First String Currently Features Painter, Swenson
Jan 11th
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Curtis Painter talks with a coach during the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Indianapolis, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)
UPDATE: I misread the Rotoworld entry on Robert Mathis, and inadvertently marked him as a free agent beginning this year. Thankfully, he is under contract for one more year. Post updated to reflect this. Apologies for any confusion!
For all intents and purposes, the 2011 season has begun for the Indianapolis Colts. And if the team were preparing for their first game of the 2011 season, Curtis Painter would be lining up under center and Brett Swenson would be practicing tee shots.
OK, OK, it’s sensationalist and nobody expects that to actually happen. Owner Jim Irsay has gone on record as saying that the Colts will make Peyton Manning the highest-paid player in the NFL. And after Adam Vinatieri’s season, in which he went 29 of 31 (including the playoffs), and was perfect on 52 XPs, it is hard to imagine the Colts wouldn’t do what is necessary to re-sign him. Vinatieri has also expressed an interest in completing his career in Indy. But what does the roster currently look like to start 2011?
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Jets v. Colts: After Review (Wild Card Weekend)
Jan 10th
Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri celebrates after he hits a would-be game winning 50-yard field goal. (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
After a painful sixteen game regular season — rife with injuries, frustrating slumps, and a lack of identity — the Colts 2010 effort officially ended Saturday night after a last minute drive that was capped by a Jets field goal. What makes the loss difficult to take — even though most fans realized the team’s playoff berth was an admirable accomplishment in its own right — is that the Colts should have won.
The initial fan reaction to the game has been all over the board, with fingers pointing in different directions. Some argue that the defense is responsible for the loss because they allowed the Jets to keep the ball for a vast majority of the second half, and yielded over 150 yards on the ground.
Others blame the Indianapolis special teams units for making costly mistakes and allowing long returns, specifically Antonio Cromartie’s long return on the final drive of the game that allowed the Jets to have a short field for a field goal try.
Still others insist that Coach Caldwell is primarily responsible for calling an ill-advised timeout with less than 30 seconds to go, which allowed the Jets offense to get their heads together for a back-breaking first down play that made shaky place kicker Nick Folk’s job much easier.
The reality is, all of these fans are right to a degree, but none of them — even taken together — completely explain how the Colts managed to let this game slip away. More >
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Quick Reaction: Jets 17, Colts 16
Jan 8th
Justin Tryon with an interception... what a great pickup this year by Polian!
Highlights:
- I never expected the game to be the defensive battle that it turned out to be, but I did expect the outcome that resulted.
- While I think Caldwell did a nice job keeping the team focused throughout the season, he made some terrible coaching decisions in this one.
- Pierre Garcon had one great game, atoning for many bad games in my opinion.
- The 2010 season has been an incredible season, made even more incredible by the fact that they made it to the playoffs at all. If they had even survived the game, I don’t think they could have challenged the Steelers.
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Jets v. Colts, and Things of that Nature (Wild Card Weekend)
Jan 8th
Can the Colts construct another deep playoff run? (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts are going to face a familiar playoff opponent in the wild card round of the 2010 playoffs. The New York Jets have to come back to Lucas Oil Stadium and will certainly have redemption squarely in their sights.
Rex Ryan is an emotion-filled coach who will likely have his team seeing red, hungry for payback after the Colts kept the gang green from its first Super Bowl berth since Super Bowl III in 1968. Players like Darelle Revis, Mark Sanchez, and Shonn Greene will likely lead the rally call to come into Indianapolis and trounce the smaller faster team that bested them just under one year ago.
One thing that could play in the Colts favor is that quarterback Peyton Manning and his primary receiver Reggie Wayne got a good look at the Jets in the playoffs last year. There is little doubt that there will be adjustments on both sides of the ball by both teams but with a crowd that has proved capable of making it very difficult for teams to play during the Colts late-season playoff push, some might think the Colts have an advantage. More >
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Indy Sports Coverage – Wildcard Weekend
Jan 8th
Each week, Coltzilla brings you highlights from local sports coverage of the Colts with an emphasis on player interviews. Pre-game interviews go up throughout the week. Post-game interviews are posted shortly after the game. Hope you enjoy!
It’s Wildcard weekend of the 2010 season, and the 10-6 Indianapolis Colts welcome the 11-5 New York Jets to Lucas Oil Stadium. The winner moves on, the loser goes home.
UPDATED – Inside The Huddle, More Local Coverage – Tuesday morning
UPDATED – Sports Jam, SportsLocker – Monday afternoon
UPDATED – Local Post-Game Coverage – Sunday evening
UPDATED – Colts Pre-Game Show – Saturday evening
UPDATED – Peyton Manning Interview – Saturday evening
UPDATED – Bill Polian Show – Saturday evening
UPDATED – Local Pre-Game Coverage – Saturday afternoon
UPDATED – Replacement Huddle Up Indy – Saturday morning
Inside The Huddle:
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