The Lull

The Storm is coming soon, and before too long, the hype will reach deafening proportions. In many ways, it feels like the whole season has been just leading up to this point. The only advance to the plot comes after the practice reports each day. The impending AFC Championship clash will come down one of health. If the Colts can field their best players, I don't think the Patriots are very well equipped to defeat them. If key rushers like Mathis and Brock don't play, it could make for a very long day. Heading into these playoffs, the Colts only real weaknesses are in the pass rush and on special teams. The rush might or might not be ok, depending on who plays. It's been so long since the Colts could field a defense that resembled the first string, that it's honestly hard to tell. As for the special teams...

Demond and I argue about this a lot, but my position is that we already experienced a full-on special teams melt down last year in the playoff and survived it. I don't believe the coverage units can fail more utterly than they did during the NE game and in the Super Bowl. Hence, I tend not to worry about it. Demond favors an aggressive step of adding Mathis, the Zombie and Bethea back onto the special teams as the Colts did at times during last year's playoffs. For me, that issue comes down to health. If guys are sound physically, ok, but where we really need them is on defense.

In other news:
The Pacers' playoff odds have dropped under 70%. Hmmm, nice calculations guys. Weren't they just at 98% like a week ago?

Whitlock likes the Zombie for Defensive Player of the Year. Who doesn't?

What was the point?!”
– Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, offering a brief review of No Country for Old Men (Sports Illustrated- Apparently Tom isn't a fan of fine cinema. Somehow, the image of a great evil that lumbers on unstoppably in such a way as to make good men despair for the days they've come to see is lost on him. Sometimes, when you are so close to something, you become blind to it. Maybe he should have stuck to a more accessible Cohen Brothers movie like Raising Arizona. Nah, that's probably too smart for him. Better stick with Transformers. Hey Tom, make it a Blockbuster night!

Caldwell is getting lots of looks. I'm really happy for him, as he deserves a chance to move up. Frankly, I'm more worried about losing Chris Polian. I wonder what his dad will offer him to stay?

Check out this sweet site. Browse around a little, there are some cool maps on there.

Here's a nice piece about the Rocket's impending 60 Minutes interview. I loved the Chris Farley show. That was one of my favorite SNL memories.

Jeff Saturday picked up a nice award. He may be among the most universally beloved Colts of all time. The number of 63 jerseys on Sunday's is astonishing. He'll be in the Ring of Honor someday for sure, and with another Super Bowl or two, the Hall of Fame as well.

Demond Sanders: Brady didn't like No Country for Old Men? That's shocking. I had heard he was a huge fan of the entire Neo-Western genre.

In less creepy news, the Tennessee Titans has lost two of their only receiving threats, Bo Scaife and Roydell Williams, in back to back days. That team is done. You always have to be careful of what you wish for in the playoffs, but I think this may be the best scenario for the Colts. They would get the Chargers, and the Pats would get the Jags/Steelers winner.