Colts Gab

For the 31st pick of the NFL Draft, many expected the Colts to draft an offensive tackle or someone like that. People were just hoping for someone who can contribute on offense.

But I guess the Colts will do that in the later rounds, picking up Jerry Hughes, defensive end/linebacker from TCU. In my opinion, I really don’t see this as that bad of a pick.

I say Hughes could be one of the futures of the Colts. I think the Colts will rotate him at many positions. He could be a very valuable asset to the franchise. Before we get into this, let’s take a look at his career profile in college and such.

Hughes was probably the anchor of this Horned Frogs’ defense. His last two seasons have been the most significant of his career, putting up 31 tackles and 15 sacks in 2008 and 32 tackles and eleven sacks in 2009.

For his career, Hughes has had 142 tackles, 28 sacks, and three interceptions. Hughes is also a fast athlete for his size at 6′3″ and 260 pounds.

After seeing his stats, it seems like he is one of those combo 3-4 linebackers you see today. Putting up tackles and sacks. But since Indy has lost Raheem Brock, the Colts will look to replace him with Hughes.

The Colts are known for fast defenders. I mean, just look at Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney, possibly the fastest defensive-end combo in the league. Hughes will be just another one of them. He will look to pair up with Mathis, Freeney, and Daniel Muir.

The Colts could also do this, too: put Mathis at left defensive end, Hughes at right defensive end, and Freeney and Muir as the tackles. It might fit better. But the Colts probably might not be look towards that.

Just an idea.

Indy sometimes does a rotation with their ends. Hughes could play DT and sometimes replace Mathis and Freeney at end when they need breaks throughout the game. We seen it happen last season. Sometimes Mathis and Brock went into rotations.

The Colts also do more with Hughes.

They could use him as a DE/LB combo. He could play some minutes at the linebacker position. Since TCU played a different defense, I believe, Hughes will probably have to adjust to the 4-3.

Like I said before, he is playing defensive end as the Colts announced. Bill Polian says the Colts have been looking for third pass-rusher for a while. It could work with Hughes at linebacker sometimes.

The Colts could use him in a blitz package when they put him at LB.

It’ll look pretty good to me.

But as the day ended yesterday, the Colts got who they got and they’re happy to have him. I am, too. I say it’s an excellent pick.

The Colts should get him into business right away. Probably start him somewhere or be in a rotation with Mathis and Freeney. But whatever they do, Hughes is gonna make a difference.

Get excited Colts fans.

This year is gonna be different.

According to NFL Fanhouse, Jim Irsay plans to pay Peyton Manning sometime and it would make Manning the highest-paid player in NFL history.

“We know that Peyton’s going to be the highest-paid player in the league,” Irsay said. “It’ll get done. There’s no question about that, and it’s something we’ll focus on in the offseason.”

And plus, Manning could make up big for this deal if the Colts win the Super Bowl. All is going good for the Colts’
“messiah.”

More of this story can be seen here.

With the Super Bowl a week away, there’s some sad news that has started already for the Colts. Star defensive end Dwight Freeney had a torn ligament which would make it difficult for him to play in the Super Bowl against the high-powered offense of the New Orleans Saints.

“He is under the care of our athletic training staff,” Team Spokesman Craig Kelley said. “Nothing we have seen changes our diagnosis that he is questionable. He has a third-degree, low basketball sprain.”

It means Freeney has a complete tear in the ankle ligament. I see the Dwight playing. I doubt he will not play this game. 100 percent, actually. But even if Freeney does play in my mind, it’s going to be questionable of how effective he will be.

“He has had injuries before where they said [he's] not going to play and he has come back,” Colts tight end Dallas Clark said during the Pro Bowl. “He is a competitor, he is one of the toughest guys on our team and I never expect him to miss anything.”

I think Freeney will be alright. It would be horrible without him. The Colts will lose another important player to squad. There was Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson. Don’t let it be Dwight this time. Especially if it’s Super Bowl time.

Don’t worry.

The Indianapolis Colts look to strive for 14-0 on Thursday Night. And man, what a great week for NFL Network, eh? They got two undefeated teams playing on their channel, exclusively. They got the 13-0 Indianapolis on Thursday Night, like I said, and then the Saints against Dallas on Saturday.

But enough. It’s time to talk Colts. The Colts are going to probably rest a few players throughout the game, but I still think Indy can come out with a win. It really won’t be that hard, really.

I mean, I just can’t see a 7-6 teams getting at a 13-0 team, other than the Chargers in 2005. But the Chargers always get us (maybe not this year, though!). But this is Jacksonville people!

And then after that, Indy has New York, and Mark Sanchez always struggles. Then they end it with the Bills, which would most likely turn out as a win. The last three games look to be very easy. The Colts can get this easily.

Manning is only 95 yards away from 4,000 and one touchdown away from the big 30. Joseph Addai may be striving for 800-1,000 yards there, and Reggie Wayne is already having a fantastic year, and is well on his way to 100 catches.

Meanwhile, the only good thing for Jacksonville on offense is Maurice Jones-Drew, with his running. But David Garrard hasn’t even hit 3,000 yards yet, and only had ten touchdowns. And their leading receiver is Mike Sims-Walker. Let’s compare Sims-Walker and Wayne for a sec:

Wayne: 87 catches for 1,078 yards and 9 TD’s

Sims-Walker: 53 catches for 758 yards and 6 TD’s

Now tell me, who do you think wins this matchup? And Wayne wants 16-0 badly, as well as Manning, so you won’t see them benched. The Colts are going to move up to 14-0 people!

I am thinking of a score of 20-10, or something like that. It looks like a good game, and I am looking very forward to it watching it on TV on Thursday Night.

The Colts and Saints got a huge week.

And also, there’s NFL Network.