We all seem to like these 5 big things posts so I’ll start one for this week.   Here are my 5, add yours below!

1) Joseph Addai is a complete back and the haters need to step back.  He will NEVER be an Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson type feature back, and the Colts don’t want him to be.  He had some nice physical runs today and got tough yards.  That fake on Ray Lewis for his TD was GREAT!  His blitz pickups are wonderful and he seems to be a good mentor for Young Donald.  Gone are the days when every NFL team has/needs a feature back.   Addai is the best in the league for our system!

2)  Larry Coyer is the coordinator of the year.  Hands down.  He trusts our young corners to do their job when he sends extra pressure and is not afraid of what will happen.  The blitz on 3rd down early in the game confused the Nevermore’s O-Line so much that FREENEY was UNBLOCKED on the play.  Let me say that again for impact.  Coyer confused an offense so much that they left DWIGHT FREAKIN FREENEY UNBLOCKED!!!  He gets the defense motivated to do their job and puts them into a place to execute.  The Series at the goal-line was a thing of beauty.  Right now Coyer is getting no respect, like the rest of the Colts, in the national media.  Let’s hope that changes.  He deserves it!

3)  I don’t think Peyton was at fault in either INT in this game.  Yes he did try to force the first one into tight coverage, but how many times have we lauded him for putting the ball in the middle of those spots?  On the Reed INT, I think Reggie could have gone up and knocked at that ball a little bit.  I think Peyton was expecting that.  I don’t fault him for either one.   People (read: mainstream media) will say that because of the last couple games with 2 INTs Manning is being required to do too much to “carry” the Colts.  I’ll take 10-0 any season, no matter what Peyton is being asked to do!

4)  Did Clark and Santi on the field together remind anyone else of the Dilger/Pollard combos from earlier in Colts history?  It was nice to see both TEs get a couple looks today.  I think we can get some good matchups for Dallas in the long run by having 2 receiving TEs in there to keep defenses in their base personnel instead of a nickel or safety coverage like we have seen the couple games.  That’s something we don’t get with Gijon.  I will never say that defenses have “figured out” how to stop or contain something.  It’s all execution.  It would be nice to have another way to dictate the matchup on Clark.  Sidenote:  The TD catch by Clark was phenomenal!  My wife calls herself a football fan “by marriage” and she was excited by it.  AMAZING!

5)  Gary Brackett needs to remain a Colt.  The Colts have a history of not giving contracts to LBs.  I understand this philosophy (you have to call it that because it has gone on for so long!) and agree with it almost all the time.  The Tampa-2 that we play is about speed, coverage and tackling.  It’s not overly complex either.  Players can come in and understand the scheme quickly.  Gary is the prototypical Colts LB.  He is the answer key that we use to grade other possible players.  Look no further than the end of last year when we didn’t have him.  This guy is the heart of our quite good D.  This year he will make over 3 mil (according to Colscap.com) and is worth all that and more to our team.  Bill and Jim need to get together and find room to help him stay.