Colts Season Ends

For the second consecutive year the Colts season ended with a whimper on the field at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The Colts, who I really thought were destined to be this years world champions were simply outmanned and outcoached by the Patriots again yesterday.

The post mortem on the 2004 version of the Colts will not be pretty, but what led them to this point was as fun and as exhilarating as any season the Colts have had since their arrival in 1984. The team won its second consecutive AFC South title. They finished with a 12-4 record. Peyton Manning won his second consecutive MVP award. Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeney and Edge are all going to the Pro Bowl. Marvin was signed to a long contract extension. Brandon Stokley was resigned. Freeney led the league in sacks. PM broke Dan Marino’s record for most TD passes in a season and finally, and possibly most important, the city and the team have come to an agreement for a new stadium and revenue plan that should keep the team in Indy for at least 30 years.

Unfortunately, what most will remember is how the season ended. How this prolific offense managed just 3 points in the biggest game of the season. How the much maligned defense stayed strong and stout for 2 and a half quarters and the O couldn’t take advantage of it. How a team who was on loud all season, played like they got there using the run.
The longest pass was 18 yards. There were turnovers. For some reason we ran the screen to Edge all day long with minimal results. Coach Dungy sure came up with a doozy of a game plan. Not! It was a manageable 6-3 at the half. A three and out and we had the ball again. Yet we continued to try and run against what is the best linebacking crew in the league.

So we go into the long off-season. Obviously defense is our most glaring need in the draft, especially linebacker. We also have some serious free agent issues to resolve. Edge and Ryan Diem are probably the most notable. And this team has to get tougher. Mentally and physically. If we are going to play poorly at Foxboro in January, then we have to make sure we don’t have to go there. Had we won the game in September, this one would have been at home. We have to figure out a way to play strong all season and have no let down after the bye.

Jacksonville and Houston are improving. Pittsburgh looks poised to stay strong for a while. The Jets and Chargers were both surprisingly good this season. Winning will be difficult, but the ground work is there. We are not a team in disarray; rather we are a team that is close to the top. We just need a little more toughness and a little more talent on D.

I look back on this season with many fond memories. It was so much fun. But today really hurts. I just have no inclination to talk to anyone or even be around anyone. I want to go home and curl up on the couch with a bowl of spaghetti and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want to laugh, I don’t want to “feel better” about the loss. That’ll come. Today I just feel empty and frankly, let down. Next week I’ll watch the Championship games because I love NFL football. Later this week I’ll be okay and I will be the Colts biggest fan again. Right now I just want them to go away.

Last year I thought if we got over on NE it would have been a huge upset. This year I feel we were the better team going in and I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. Peyton Manning is already talking about next year. I guess that is all he really can do. Me, I am going to wallow in my own self pity for a day or two before I start focusing on the draft and next year.