It's alive! ALIVE!

by BigBlueShoe on Jan 9, 2008 9:46 AM EST in Colts News Comment 7 comments

Slowly but surely, the monster known as the Indianapolis Colts is coming back to life. Since about early November, the monster has periodically frightened opponents, but has not been able to show its true fangs. Players like Jake Scott, a guard by nature, started games at RT. Ramon Guzman, a special teams player and linebacker, played at DE. Aaron Moorehead, garbage collector or grocery bagger by trade, started two games at WR. The Colts starters missed a total of 88 games this season. The constants for the team were Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday, Gary Brackett, Ed Johnson, Kelvin Hayden, and Marlin Jackson. Even DPOY Bob Sanders missed a game (Week 5 against Tampa Bay).

Today, for the first time in months, the monster started to feel like its old self again:

...Colts' sixth-year head coach said he received word that when the team resumes practice on Wednesday all players except perhaps tight end Ben Utecht probably will be available.

"That will put us the healthiest we've been in a long while," Dungy said Monday as the AFC South Champion Colts (13-3) prepared to play the AFC West Champion San Diego Chargers (12-5) in an AFC Divisional Playoff game at the RCA Dome on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Colts, who have had a variety of starters miss more than 90 games this season with injuries, were without eight players in the December 30 regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans.

They were:

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison (knee), wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (foot), cornerback Tim Jennings (concussion), defensive back Keiwan Ratliff (hamstring), offensive tackle Ryan Diem (knee), defensive tackle Raheem Brock (rib), Utecht (shoulder) and defensive end Robert Mathis (knee).

Dungy said team trainers told him only Utecht may not be ready by Wednesday.

"Everybody else should be ready to go," Dungy said. "One of the benefits of the bye, I think, is going to pay off for us."

The key addition in that list is Marvin Harrison. It also goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: The key to any kind of Super Bowl run is Marvin's health. If he is indeed healthy and ready to play like the Marvin of earlier this season, the Colts will win the Super Bowl again. Marvin stretches the field, and there is no CB in this league that can shut him down for four quarters.

It seems like forever since we've seen a full and complete Colts squad. Considering that this patchwork unit managed 13 wins and a 5-1 record in the toughest division in football, it is truly scary to think of how they will play at full strength.

Scary in a good way, that is.

Update [2008-1-9 11:29:51 by BigBlueShoe]: Per usual, King Richard beat me to this injury update two days ago.

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Utecht's value

Even though all of us fear Ben's propensity for putting the ball on the ground, he does one important thing well: block. In the two TE set, he basically frees up Dallas Clark to be a receiver. With Phillips and Merriman coming to town, his availabilty is especially important. If he can play effectively, this may free up Addai from having to chip one of the two of them on a lot of plays.

Having nearly everyone back is going to be nice, for sure.

The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in the stars, but in ourselves.

by Coltsfan58 on Jan 9, 2008 10:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

gaoijgaisjg

You are raining on my parade BBS, I posted this info a couple days ago. =P

Go Colts!

by KingRichard on Jan 9, 2008 11:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

YES

IM THE KING DONT YOU EVER FORGET THAT!

Go Colts!

by KingRichard on Jan 9, 2008 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah anyone who loses 3 fumbles

shouldn't ever have the ball in their hands. 3 fumbles from a non-RB that's awful he should be cut.

What's that Utecht only fumbled twice, losing only one. So which Colts player am I thinking of that lost there fumbles?

It's Reggie Wayne.

my blog http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com/

by shake n bake on Jan 9, 2008 1:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

well..

However true that may be, let's look at their catch to fumble ratio:

Wayne - roughly 35 catches to 1 fumble
Utecht roughly 16 catches to 1 fumble

Wayne > Utecht

Go Colts!

by KingRichard on Jan 9, 2008 1:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wayne is better than Utecht?

http://orly.yarly.org/orly.jpeg

My point is the Utecht always fumbles idea some people have gotten is an exaggeration.

Utecht also caught a higher % of the passes thrown to him than and TE or WR that had 25 or more passes thrown to him. It was already mentioned he's also great blocker.

He's not a star player by a long shot but he is a key role player and definitely a useful player that I hope is back in a Colts uniform after this season (he'll be a RFA).

my blog http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com/

by shake n bake on Jan 9, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs