A closer look at the 2009 schedule

I'm getting kind of burnt out on all of the draft talk, and since the real draft is a little over a week away, l'll hold off any more discussion until after we see who is drafted. 

Surprisingly enough, no one around here has written an in depth analysis of 2009 schedule.  I know shake posted the schedule itself but there wasn't any commentary attached.  So if you don't mind, I'll do a good once over with my predictions of wins and losses and why they may win or lose.

Week 1: Jaguars @ Colts
I don't think too many people around here are very worried about the Jaguars going into next season.  Del Rio took a playoff caliber team and successfully buried them in one fell swoop; the team is just in shambles right now.  They have no receivers, only one good running back, their QB is completely overrated, and their defense is non-existent.  When the Colts are prepared, and by prepared I mean not having to face the defending champs on their turf, or have to deal with Peyton only playing at 50%, they start off the year on FIRE, so I expect nothing less this year.  The game will be over after the first quarter.

Colts win big (1-0).

Week 2: Colts @ Dolphins
I hate when the Colts and Phins play.  I have a lot of flashbacks of Harbaugh pulling 4th quarter comebacks out of his ass when I attended a few Colts-Phins games as a kid living in Miami, because at the time I was a hardcore Dolphins fan.  I still have a real soft spot for the Dolphins, but I hope the Colts crush them.  The Phins can win out the rest of the season for all I care, but when you mess with the best, you deserve to get your face stomped.

As a Dolphins fan, not a Dolphins homer, I recognize that the Dolphins have a lot of problems they need to address to continue to build upon the success they had last season.  They need to add a good pass rusher in a bad way, and obtain another stud CB, and possibly a safety.  Let's just say they need a lot of help on defense.  The only thing that scares me about this team is their running game, that is if they don't draft Percy Harvin like I did in the Stampede Blue draft, because then I might shit a brick.  But even so, Peyton will carve up their defense on the way to another Colts victory.

Colts win (2-0).

Week 3: Colts @ Cardinals
Let me ass you a question:  Who would win in a game?   The Colts, or a unnamed team that has a great passing game, but no run game at all, and a defense that only plays hard when they want to.  I'll go out on a limb here and say it's a no brainer that the Colts would smoke that unnamed team.  The Cardinals are playing right into the strength of the Colts defense here, and I don't see this going well for the Cards.  Of course, this all depends on whether or not the Cardinals want to draft a good running back.  My guess would be that they have to, but will they?  I have no idea.  The main reason I drafted Percy Harvin for the Cardinals in my mock draft was because I didn't think Boldin was going to be sticking around.  He could fill in as a situational half back or a slot receiver.  There will be plenty of teams chomping at the bit to snag Boldin, leaving the Cardinals with 1 great receiver, 1 up and comer, and then Harvin (what's with the Colts having to deal with Harvin in every hypothetical game scenario I come up with? sheesh).  I'm kind of hoping they don't get that bright idea to be honest, but we'll see.

Anyways, back on topic, I just don't see the Colts losing this game.  I see this game ending eerily similar to the Colts-Pats game in 2007, with the Colts coming out on top this time.

Colts win (3-0).

Week 4: Seahawks @ Colts
The big question mark going into next season for the Seahawks is how will Hasselbeck perform?  Will he be the Hasselbeck of old, or perform like an old Hasselbeck with his bad back and broken hip?  Well I don't think he broke his hip, but I do find it funny he has trouble with his back and he has premature balding for a guy in his 30's.  Think about it.

Colts win (4-0).

Week 5: Colts @ Titans
Let me start off by saying, I hate the freakin Titans.  On my list of hated teams, it's the Pats, Chargers, and then the Titans.  I hate their stupid players, I hate their stupid girly jerseys, I hate their overrated coach who should have been shitcanned years ago.  What's the deal with that anyways?  Why is Fisher the longest tenured (bad word to use I know) coach in the NFL right now?  He hasn't won squat in years.  So he was won the division for the first time in 5982395825 seasons and was the #1 seed going into the playoffs last year, big deal.  How do you lose to the Ravens of all teams?  They don't even have a good offense, and their defense is highly overrated, as evident from the nut stomping the Colts gave them earlier in the season.  Granted, I shouldn't be talking too much about teams who can't win their first playoff game as the #1 seed, but still, I want to know why Fisher is still the coach in Tennessee.

The first game against the Titans last season was a complete fluke.  Peyton was just starting to get his groove back, in fact, he had a pretty good game if you take away the Kenton Keith-esque play by Dallas Clark tipping the ball for the defense to intercept the ball.  The problems that would eventually cause the Colts demise in the playoffs were very prevalent in this game.  The Colts couldn't gain two yards on the ground for a first down, Addai missed the game because of an injury (shocker), the third down defense was atrocious, and the defense gave up too many easy plays in crunch time.  Just a bad game all around.  But the Colts will get their revenge.  But like always, it will be a nail biter, and probably come down to the last possession for the Colts, but they'll come through.

Colts win (5-0).

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: Colts @ Rams
This will be a blowout.  The Colts just don't lose after a bye week.

Colts win (6-0).

Week 8: 49ers @ Colts
I was going to say this would be another blowout, but I'll give Singletary and the 49ers a little bit of respect.  They seem to play hard and fight until the end.  So instead of a blowout, the Colts will probably win by 20.

Colts win (7-0).

Week 9: Texans @ Colts
I think the Texans are the Colts' biggest competition this season, no guff.  The Titans will regress back to a 10-6 team at best, but I can totally see the Texans overtaking them as the #2 team in the AFC South.  Hell, they could even make the playoffs.  Their secondary and linebacking corps is pretty shaky (it has to be, otherwise they wouldn't have signed Cato June and Busta Davis).   Their offense on the other hand, is nothing to sniff at.  Andre Johnson is a sick receiver, and Steve Slaton, well, he showed the Colts he isn't to be taking lightly by the cleat marks he left in the defense's face.  If they could just find a reliable and non-injury prone QB to pair up with Johnson, and rely on their running game a bit more, they could be a very good team on offense.  But not good enough.  The Colts won't let the Texans beat them at home yet.  Much like the Titans game, it will be a nail biter until the end, with the Colts coming out victorious.

Colts win (8-0).

Week 10: Patriots @ Colts
After Brady went down last year (lol), all the hype and tension of this rivalry kind of died out.  Did anyone else get this feeling?  For some reason, we started becoming, dare I say, friends with the Pats fans?  The thought of such makes me nauseous right now.  I still watched the game of course, and hoped the Colts would break out of their funk and dominate the Pats, which didn't happen.  But the win, Brady-less or not, was pretty sweet.  Still though, we need to get this rivalry jump started again!  SCREW THE GODDAMN PATS AND THEIR CHEATING COACH!  GET PISSED COLTS FANS, THE PATS ARE THE ENEMY!  WE OWE THEM AT LEAST 20 MORE BEATINGS!  We need to go into next season hating the freakin Pats more than ever!  Who cares if their writer is a nice guy, and writes good stories, and is anti-everything Belichick stands for and all that?  I hate his guts!  I wish you luck Patriots, all bad.

Colts win in glorious fashion (9-0).

Week 11: Colts @ Ravens
Why does the NFL even schedule us to play the Ravens?  I mean, the gimme win is nice and all, but come on, show a little mercy on their fans would ya?  Yeah I'm kidding, screw the Ravens, enjoy the loss boys!

Colts win (10-0).

Week 12: Colts @ Texans
Hmm.  Two Texans games within a 4 week span?  Interesting.  I kind of wish they kept Rosenfail.  I think after this win, the Colts will win the division and basically cruise through to the playoffs.

Colts win (11-0).

Week 13: Titans @ Colts
I find it kind of interesting that the Colts last game they will actually have to care about is in week 12.  I expect the Colts to come out with guns blazing mind you, and try to sweep the Titans for the first time in a while.  Man that will feel really good.  Another slugfest, another Colts victory.  After last season, there's no way the Colts can lose close games again.  They've all but mastered the art of insanely amazing comebacks that aren't playoff games.

Colts win (12-0).

Week 14: Broncos @ Colts
This win is as sure as the day is long.  I don't even know the last time the Colts lost to the Broncos.  Granted, this is a different team run by different people, but I think the Belichick curse will live on here and the Broncos are going to suck really bad next season.  Colts win in a blowout and lock up the #1 seed.

Colts win (13-0)

Week 15: Colts @ Jaguars
And here's where it gets interesting.  The Colts have already won the division and locked up the #1 seed.  They have a chance to continue on with their undefeated record and become the 2nd team in 3 years to complete an undefeated regular season.  Do you go for it, or do you say screw it and play it safe?  If I were the head coach, I'd say probably go for it.  I'm greedy, and I like dominating people too much to throw away a perfect season.  I think Caldwell will play the starters at least for this game.

Colts win (14-0).

Week 16: Jets @ Colts
This game depends on whether Caldwell wants to actually win it or not.  If he rests the starters, they'll probably lose, therefore ruining a perfect regular season.  But if he wants to have some balls and go for the win, they'll kick the shit out of the Jets.  But I'll just go ahead and say Caldwell isn't going to be stupid and risk getting any of his star players hurt in his first season as the head coach.  Wise move indeed.

Colts lose (14-1).

Week 17: Colts @ Bills
This game will be predicated on what Caldwell decides to do for the Jets game.  If he goes for it all, expect nothing less than a good ol' fashioned butt kicking.  If he rests the starters like he probably will, it could go either way, but I'll just give the victory to the Bills for the hell of it.

Colts lose and end the season with 14-2 record.  Thoughts?