Posts tagged Ben Utecht
Succeeding in Face of Injuries is Par for Colts Course
Oct 26th
(Brent Smith | Reuters)
Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. It is often said that “NFL” stands for “Not For Long,” and this idea flies in the face of teams who have had sustained success, particularly in the salary cap era. Somehow, someway, the Indianapolis Colts are a team that have found a way to be nearly immune to the forces at play in professional football that exist to make it next to impossible for teams to dominate.
If the Colts are going to continue their success in 2010, it has become clear that they will have to overcome a rash of injuries to key players. In some ways, the task seems insurmountable. The likelihood that the Colts can maintain their record of consecutive 12-win seasons shrinks by the week and by the day. How or why should fans expect the streak to continue, foresee a playoff berth, or have even a shroud of hope that the Colts could actually compete for another chance to play for a world championship?
The reason is pretty easy to locate. Over the last five years the Colts have had to overcome adversity, perform in the face of obvious team weaknesses, and have regularly been considered one of the best teams in the league — and one of the top contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. In all but one of those years they have dealt with the loss of key players for dozens of games. Take a look. More >
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Colts Rookie TE Eldridge Makes Positive First Impression
Jun 28th
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If one thing has proved true about the Colts it is that getting information out of the team about players, particularly when it is not required, is a rarity. Additionally, when the team sings a young player’s praises early on, the outcome tends to prove them out.
Last year, Austin Collie earned early support from the team with a strong work ethic and promising future. He went on to be the most productive rookie wide receiver in the NFL. Rookie cornerback Jerraud Powers was lauded for his uncharacteristic maturity and attention to details. He earned a starting spot that he kept throughout the entire season, when healthy. Other young players, while not in their rookie seasons, who sparked attention from Colts front office ended up playing important roles in the team’s success. These players include Pierre Garçon in 2009, Eric Foster in 2008, Melvin Bullitt in 2008, Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden in 2007, and so on.
After participating in the Colts organized team activities (OTAs) Brody Eldridge has been called a “diamond in the rough.” Pro Football Weekly reports that an unnamed source with the Colts organization stated, “He was really impressive in the OTAs. For a big guy, he is really athletic and showed a lot as a receiver. If teams forget about him, he could be a factor.”
Sue Ogrocki | Associated Press Photo
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Something to Prove: Tom Santi
May 19th
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In the 2008 NFL Draft the Colts selected two tight ends, the first was Jacob Tamme in the fourth round and the second was Tom Santi in the sixth. One of Tamme or Santi was to eventually replace the departing Ben Utecht, with Santi being compared as a Utecht-clone at the time he was drafted.
Unfortunately, since Santi joined the team he has suffered numerous injuries, missing time for shoulder, hand, and back injuries in his first two seasons. Despite these injuries, Santi has shown remarkable potential, mainly as a receiver, breaking out in 2009 against Baltimore when he caught six passes for 80 yards, and showed the kind of hands and straight-line speed that should give fans something to be excited about.
Nick Wass | AP Photo
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