Colts Gab

In a move that comes as somewhat of a shock, the Colts have parted ways with middle linebacker Buster Davis. Scout.com reports that the move came on Monday, a move that comes less than a month after Davis was re-signed by the club.

Davis started last season when starting middle linebacker Gary Brackett was hurt toward the end of the season with injuries. Davis had 24 tackles in three starts out of six games last season. A former Arizona Cardinals third-round draft pick from Florida State, Davis is 5?9,” and 239 pounds. He also has been with the Lions.

The Colts had a great season last year.

Not just great. It was amazing.

They started out the season with a painful loss to the Chicago Bears, 29-13. That was the first time they lost their first game of the season since 2004 when they lost to the Patriots.

The Colts started out with a 3-4 record that year. That was just not how the Colts play.

After that, the Colts shined. After beating the Patriots, 18-15, that was the start of the nine-game win streak. They made it towards a 12-4 record and made the playoffs.

One of the anchors on CBS said that the Colts were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like it. They lost to the Chargers, 23-17, in overtime while the Colts didn’t even have a chance to touch the ball.

After that painful loss, Tony Dungy said that it was over for him in football. After he retired from the Colts and wrote a book called, Uncommon.

The Colts were looking for a new coach. Gladly, they found Jim Caldwell, a man who has been with the staff for quite some time.

What can Caldwell do? Is he the man for the job? Can the Colts show the world they have a running game and they can be Super Bowl contenders?

Let’s see what happens.

Last time, you saw the quarterbacks and how good I explained them. Thank you very much! Now today, I am going to break down the running backs. I know I said fullbacks in the last article, but there is actually no fullbacks, just running backs. Next time, it will be the wide receivers and tight ends. So let’s go!

Joseph Addai: 155 carries. 544 rushing yards. 3.5 yards per carry average. Five touchdowns.

This year was a disappointing year for Joseph Addai.

This is the first time in his NFL career that he has not reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark. After coming off a year of 1,072 rushing yards, Addai looked to dominate more with Dominic Rhodes on his back.

He didn’t.

He was on D-Rhodes’ back. It all started in a 29-13 lost to the Bears. Addai has 12 carries for 44 yards. Pretty decent, but what made it go down was the 3.7 yards per carry average. It was okay.

The next game was horrible though. In a 18-15 win against the Vikings: 15 carries for 20 yards. 1.3 yards per carry average. One touchdowns.

Horrible!

You just don’t see 15 carries for 20 yards. The next game was fabulous for Addai. He started to improve dramatically. He had 16 carries for 78 yards with a 4.9 yards per carry average. It also included two touchdowns but it wasn’t enough in the 23-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Addai had another big game in the next one in a 31-27 win over the Texans: 17 carries for 71 yards and one touchdown, including a 4.2 yards per carry average. Those were very good numbers. Has last two games were great, resulting in 34 carries for 149 yards and three touchdowns, including a 4.6 yards per carry average.

Addai started to go low in his next three games, one including two carries for only three yards. The highest yards per carry average was 2.8! Addai was just having a horrible year.

The next three games were surprising for Addai.

It started out with 22 carries for 105 yards and one touchdown, including a 4.8 yards per carry average in a 33-27 win over the Texans. Addai just has great games over the Texans. He had a total of 39 carries for 176 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4.5 yards per carry average against the Texans.

In the next game, resulting in a 23-20 win over the Chargers, Addai had 16 carries for 70 yards and a 4.4 yards per carry average. The next game was okay. Not very good but pretty decent numbers in a 10-6 win over the Browns: 15 carries for 57 yards and a 3.8 yards per carry average.

In his last three games, Addai dazzled his numbers up very good. He had a total of 53 carries for 232 yards and one touchdowns, including a 4.3 yards per carry average. Those are very good numbers.

How can you say good? Those are spectacular! Miraculous! Just amazing!

Even though his last three games were amazing, the the next four were just the opposite.

It started out in a 35-3 win over the Bengals. Even though it was a killer win, Addai had only 10 carries for 26 yards and only a 2.6 yards per carry average. Then in the next two games, he missed, due to an injury.

His last game was only good in the passing game. The running game was nothing: One carry, four yards, four yards per carry average. But anyways, Addai had a 55 yard touchdown pass in the first quarter in that 23-0 win over the Titans.

Addai ended the season with the stats shown in the big bold letters above. Addai didn’t have much of a big game in the 23-17 overtime loss to the Chargers: 16 carries for 44 yards and one touchdowns, including a 2.8 yards per carry average.

Even though Addai didn’t dazzle this year, he probably will next year. With Mike Hart coming back and Lance Ball and Chad Simpson might have their ways and Dominic Rhodes backing up Joe, Addai can be the 1,000 yard rusher that he once was but still is.

I hope Addai helps out the Colts’ running game that can lead the Colts towards their third Super Bowl win in their franchise history. Addai looks to be great next year.

Watch. You’ll see.

Dominic Rhodes: 152 carries. 538 rushing yards. 3.5 yards per carry average. Six touchdowns.

Rhodes is my favorite running back ever!

Rhodes proved himself as a better running back than Addai last year, and that is why the Colts want Rhodes to stay with them still. Rhodes was a huge X-Factor to the team last year. Rhodes, in my opinion, is the man.

Even though his first two games of the season weren’t that good: four carries for seven yards, including a 1.8 yards per carry average. Even though that wasn’t that good, but his “X-Factorness” and backup running back skills were pretty helpful when it came to those kind of stats.

In a 23-21 loss to Jags, Rhodes had two carries for 24 yards. That included a 12 yards per carry average, the best yards per carry average in a game than any other Colts’ running back on the team!

Rhodes next three games were just amazing. He had this combined total of dynamic stats: 62 carries for 216 yards and three touchdowns, including a 3.6 yards per carry average. Those are very good stats, for a backup.

Dom’s best game as a starter came against the Lions when he had 20 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4.3 yards per carry average.

Rhodes also helped out the team as he and Clifton Dawson, who is now released by the team according to Bryan Brackney at The Colts Corner, took the load in the Titans game. Well, not Rhodes, but Dawson.

Rhodes ended the season with decent stats for a backup. He had four carries for 12 yards and a three yards per carry average.

Rhodes looks to re-sign with the Colts with a small amount of pay, due to that he wants to stay with the team and leave some cap room for the team. Let’s hope Rhodes can lead the team to a fabulous Super Bowl win next year.

Chad Simpson: 15 carries. 45 rushing yards. Three yards per carry average. One touchdown.

Simpson is one of those helpful third-down backs. He will probably make the team as a fourth-string running back, behind Mike Hart next year or he might make the practice squad. Lance Ball might also mike the practice squad too.

Simpson did well in the pre-season. His best game in the pre-season came in a 23-20 lost to the Panthers as Chad Simpson had four carries for 27 yards and a 6.8 yards per carry average. Simpson ended the pre-season with 16 carries for 49 yards and a 3.1 yards per carry average.

Simpson’s first game came in a 34-14 lost to the Packers as Simpson had two carries for one yard with a horrible .5 yards per carry average. Even though that happened, it was his first game.

His best game against in a 31-21 lost to the Titans in which Simpson had four carries for 23 yards and a 5.8 yards per carry average.

His first touchdown came when he and Rhodes took the load in a 31-21 win over the Lions. Simpson had seven carries for 17 yards and one touchdown, including a 2.4 yards per carry average. Even though the carry average isn’t that good, Simpson was.

Simpson looks to help out the Colts in short-yard plays and might be a kick-off return specialist. He might also play a lot in the last game of the season. There are a lot of possible chances if Simpson will play next year. He looks to stay with the team, though.

Good luck Chad!

Lance Ball: 13 carries. 83 rushing yards. 6.4 yards per carry average. Zero touchdowns.

According to Colts Gab, they say that the Colts have re-signed Lance Ball. And on the Bryan Brackney article, they say that Lance Ball might be on the practice squad. I think Ball will make the team but probably might not play. He might play on the practice squad but we’ll see.

Even if Ball does make the practice squad, let’s just break down of what he’s got.

His pre-season stats are no doubt, amazing! In the pre-season, he had 31 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including a 4.4 yards per carry average.

Ball only played one game in the regular season. Ball had the stats that are shown above. He did amazing. There is an NFL video of Ball doing spectacular starting in the 23-0 win over the Titans.

Ball looks to help out the Colts big time next year. Let’s see how he does. He’s gotten a great start in his first NFL game, but can he do more? We’ll find out next year.

The Colts had a great season last year. Not just great, it was amazing. They started out the season with a painful loss to the Chicago Bears, 29-13. That was the first time they lost their first game of the season since 2004, when they lost to the Patriots.

The Colts started out with a 3-4 record that year. That was just not how the Colts play. After that, the Colts shined. After beating the Patriots, 18-15, that was the start of their nine-game win streak. They improved to a 12-4 record and made the playoffs.

One of the anchors on CBS said that the Colts were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like it. They lost to the Chargers, 23-17 in overtime, while the Colts didn’t even have a chance to touch the ball.

After that painful loss, Tony Dungy said that it was over for him in football. After he retired from the Colts and wrote a book called, Uncommon, the Colts were looking for a new coach. Gladly, the found Jim Caldwell, a man who has been with the staff for quite some time.

What can Caldwell do? Is he the man for the job? Can the Colts show the world they have a running game and they can be Super Bowl contenders? Let’s see what happens.

Today, I am going to break down the Colts. Every single player. Today, I start with the quarterbacks. Next time, I’ll go straight towards the running backs and fullbacks. Then, the time after that, it’s wide receivers. So you get the trend. Let’s get started!

Quarterbacks

Peyton Manning: 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 4,002 passing yards, and a 95.3 quarterback rating.

Peyton Manning started out horrible last year. After skipping training camp and missing the pre-season, Manning started out his first game of the season with a 81.8 rating. Even though he had no interceptions, the Bears dominated as Manning only completed 30-of-49 passes.

His next two games went worse. He had one touchdowns and two interceptions in both of those games. In the second game of the season, Manning had a 72.6 rating against the Vikings, with one touchdown and two picks. Manning had, almost, the same exact stats the next game against the Jaguars and had a 59.0 quarterback rating.

So, in his first three games of the season, Manning had three touchdowns and four interceptions with a 71.1 quarterback rating. After that horrible start, Manning improved to two touchdowns and only one interception, including a 101.0 rating.

The next game, Manning proved himself once more with three touchdowns and, finally, no picks! He finished with an amazing 134.7 rating. Manning improved deeply and was becoming a fine star. The Colts kept winning and winning.

Manning’s best game came against the Jaguars. He had three touchdowns and no picks with a dominant 140.7 quarterback rating. The 364 passing yards showed the pass game was on, while the running game wasn’t. It was a 31-24 win, as Keiwan Ratliff picked off David Garrard for a touchdown.

Manning ended the regular season with a 23-0 win over the Titans. Manning had a 158.3 rating as he went seven-for-seven and one touchdown with no picks. The 95 passing yards all went in the first quarter, and Jim Sorgi took it from there.

Manning ended the season with the stats shown above. Manning also won the MVP award, which looked to guide him towards a win in San Diego. Though Manning and the Colts lost, he showed pretty decent numbers. He had 310 passing yards, along with a touchdown and no picks. The 90.4 rating came when Manning went 25-42 on his passes.

Peyton Manning looks to guide the Colts to a playoff spot next year. He needs to. He has to. Lets hope Manning wins another MVP and guides himself and the Colts to their fourth Super Bowl and win it. Manning looks to earn his second Super Bowl ring while Tom Brady is worrying that Manning is only one ring behind. Can Manning do it?

Of course. He’s strong. He’s never missed a game. He only missed one play in his entire career while starting. He’s smart. Well, of course. Why else did he have 49 touchdowns in 2004? Good luck, Manning.

Jim Sorgi: No touchdowns, no interceptions, 178 passing yards and a 87.9 quarterback rating.

Jim Sorgi is probably one of my favorite backup quarterbacks. He has six touchdowns and one interception in his career. That is actually pretty good for a backup. He has a career 89.9 quarterback rating.

Sorgi disappointed the Colts in the 2007 regular season, when the Colts lost to the Titans, 17-14. It ended on a fourth down pass, when Sorgi threw to Devin Aromashodu, who is now on the Bears and a Super Bowl XLI champion, who failed to make the catch because of the swarming defenders.

Sorgi has been a great player with the Colts. Even though he was horrible in the pre-season when he had no touchdowns and one interception, he is better in the regular season.

Sorgi proves himself that he can stay with the Colts because he shows Lucas Oil Stadium that he is consistent in the last game of the season. Right now, it looks like Sorgi might lose his job. According to Bryan Brackney at The Colts Corner, he said that the Colts were the only scouts to look at Nate Davis’s Pro Day.

What does that mean? The Colts are looking for a new backup and they also checked out Mark Sanchez, according to the Bryan Brackney article. I think Jim Sorgi will still stay.

He was mostly the star of the 23-0 win against the Titans. He completed 73 percent of his passses, 22-for-30, and threw for 178 yards. His average passing yards a play was almost six (5.9). He also had a 87.9 quarterback rating.

Sorgi didn’t run that good though. He had five carries for only eight yards. He had close to two yards per carry average (1.6). Sorgi can still be a good backup, but he is kind of horrible. Just saying: In Madden 2006, Jim Sorgi had a 65 overall rating along with some guy named Travis Brown.

Can Sorgi be a good backup? Can he be a potential starter with some team? The Vikings could take a shot but it might be a little too risky. At 28 years old, he still has a lot to learn. He is improving. Why not? I would love to stay with the Colts, just getting payed to do nothing while Manning is at work. Heck, that would be a good life.

So now you know them Colts’ quarterbacks. One is consistent, one is not as much. This is a good one-two punch of quarterbacks. What is going to happen? Will the Colts get Nate Davis? Yeah, probably. No chance they get Sanchez. Davis looks to be a great backup for the Colts.

We’ll see sometime soon. So this wraps up part one. Stay tuned for part two of running backs and fullbacks. That looks to be good. This is Breaking Down the Colts. Thank you for reading and you have a nice day.

The Colts have waived running back Clifton Dawson. Dawson, who appeared in 13 games in 2007 for the Colts and Bengals as an undrafted rookie from Harvard, made just two appearances a season ago before landing on injured reserve in early November with a concussion.

ProFootballWeekly.com reports that the Colts may have a great shot at getting RB Dominic Rhodes back:

Although it is a relatively small-market organization, few clubs push the limits of the salary cap as routinely as the Colts, which is largely a testament to the headlining talent they’ve acquired over the years. Of course, one of the consequences of such a strategy is their difficulty securing the role players needed to fill out the roster. The salary-cap squeeze already has pushed solid LBs Freddy Keiaho and Tyjuan Hagler out the door, and it’s now hampering their ability to re-sign an offensive player they’d really like to retain: RB Dominic Rhodes. The ninth-year veteran completed his second tour of duty in Indianapolis in 2008, and was arguably more effective than starter Joseph Addai.

The fact that Rhodes has not landed anywhere yet is compelling evidence that the Colts have a realistic opportunity of eventually inking him to a manageable deal, but don’t expect it to happen until after the draft. The Colts already have worked hard at trimming the roster fat, and there’s not much more they can do without knowing how the events over draft weekend will unfold. One thing we have heard is that Indy would rather re-sign Rhodes to a cap-friendly deal than take a flier on a late-round running back who hasn’t proven anything at the NFL level.

The Indy Star reports that the Colts have added a veteran LB:

The Indianapolis Colts added a veteran presence to their linebacker corps, signing free agent Adam Seward to a one-year contract. “Adam’s looking forward to the opportunity,” Mike Hoffman, his agent, said Friday evening. “He’s a good match for the Colts.” Seward, 26, was a fifth-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2005 who appeared in 40 games, two as a starter, the past four seasons. The 6-2, 250-pounder collected 45 career tackles while also seeing extensive playing time on special teams.

The Colts today signed running back Lance Ball, linebacker Buster Davis and offensive lineman Dan Federkeil.
Terms of the new contracts were not disclosed.

Ball joined the team’s practice squad in October and was activated for the final regular-season game against Tennessee, totaling 83 yards on 13 carries. Davis, claimed off waivers from Detroit, was in six games with Indianapolis last season, starting three of the final four at middle linebacker. He originally was a third-round draft pick by Arizona in 2007.

Federkeil, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2006, has played in 22 games with Indianapolis, including three starts last year at right guard. He also was a reserve at right tackle and on special teams.

Vic Carucci of NFL.com is reporting that the Bills may have a big-time opponent this season for their 2nd annual game in Toronto. As the schedule-makers continue to put the leagues 2009 schedule together, Carucci says that the opponent for the Bills in the 09 game could be Peyton Manning and the Colts.

The article says that Manning and the Colts are the NFL’s leading choice to be the Bills’ opponent, according to a league source. The announcement could come during the March 22-25 owners’ meetings in Dana Point, Calif.

Last season the first regular season game between the Dolphins and Bills in Toronto was a bit of a bust. The ticket sales for the game was a bit “sluggish,” and the league and Toronto promoters who are paying $74 million over five years for five Bills regular-season and three preseason games at Rogers Centre, want a big-name team coming to Toronto for the game to take on the Bills.

The hope for the Bills and Toronto is that the is that the addition of Owens will help change the game in Toronto, and that a game vs the Colts would have a much bigger ticket interest than the one vs the Dolphins last season.

Colts executive vice president Bob Terpening says that he is planning to retire on June 1st after more than 30 years with the team. Terpening is one of the Colts’ longest-tenured staff members and someone who played a key role in contract negotiations. He is one of the few remaining faces from the Colts’ time in Baltimore and worked closely with team owner Jim Irsay over the past quarter century.

Terpening first joined the organization in 1970 when he graded films, then took a job in the New England Patriots scouting department in 1971. He rejoined the Colts six years later as a college scout and worked his way through the ranks, staying with the team as it moved to Indianapolis in 1984. He has been the team’s executive vice president since 2000.

The Colts know that someday Peyton Manning will not be their QB, and with that they are planning for the future, as they are going to hold a private workout with USC QB Mark Sanchez before his April 1st Pro Day. The thought of the Colts doing a private workout could indicate that they feel Sanchez could be a solid QB of the future, and he could sit and learn from Manning.