Reasons to Feel Significantly Better About the '09 Colts v. the '08 Colts

Recently, Paul Kuharsky, AFC South blogger for ESPN.com, did a series covering each of the AFC South teams, polling fans on a number of topics.  Kuharksy then reported the highest rated response from the options given and provided his own answer and commentary to support his conclusion.  The topic this post will discuss and respond to is below:

How should Colts fans feel about their team as compared to last year?

• Significantly better
• Slightly better
• Slightly worse
• Significantly worse
• About the same

Right now, 48 percent of you say slightly better. Reasonable, but incorrect. Even though I think they're capable of winning the Super Bowl and like how they addressed the interior defensive line and running back, I say slightly worse. Losing Tony Dungy has to hurt at least a little and while Marvin Harrison wasn't the same, his departure can also have an effect.

In my honest opinion, I think the poll results and Kuharsky's opinion are both wrong.  I will discuss why I think Kuharksy is wrong first and then move on to explain why I think Colts fans should feel significantly better about their team as compared to last year.

Kuharsky, You're Wrong

Kuharsky cites the loss of Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison as reasons why Colts fans should feel slightly worse about the team this year.  However, in my opinion, and with all due respect, the loss of Dungy is not a reason for fans to feel worse about our team's ability to succeed. 

First, Caldwell may not be the same guy as Dungy but he's worked with Dungy for a decade and in many respects, plans to follow the same general plan Dungy has had in place for the Colts for years.  Second, what changes Caldwell has made to the team, so far, have only served to increase our likelihood to succeed.  Bringing in Coyer and moving toward a larger, stronger, defensive philosophy is welcomed by Colts fans, many who have been asking for this for years.  Bringing in Rychleski as the new special teams coach is highly popular and can only improve the Colts special teams which has been horrid for years as well. 

The only potential loss from Dungy's retirement will be in the leadership department; when the team needs to stay together if it suffers through a rough patch.  We don't know yet whether players will rally around Caldwell, be inspired by Caldwell, or respond to Caldwell in the same way they did Dungy.  Whatever impact that has on the team, I find it unlikely that it will outweigh the improvements we've seen Caldwell make to this point.  Additionally, from an environmental perspective, that he is not as steadfastly loyal to players may encourage players to work even harder to ensure they still have a job here.  Caldwell does not appear shy to make changes if he thinks it is best for the team.

In terms of Marvin Harrison, again with all due respect, the Colts have been without Marvin Harrison for the better part of two years now.  Marvin Harrison was gone the day he injured his knee and never returned.  Not only did Marvin Harrison not prove to be the offensive weapon he was in the past, there were times when he hurt our offense through his lack of effort, physical limitations, or other mental issues he has not had in the past.  Suggesting that "not having Harrison" would be a reason for Colts to feel "worse" about our chances is simply not paying attention to Harrison's relative absence from having an impact last year at all.

Accordingly, I don't think Kuharsky's big reasons to feel slightly worse this year have a great deal of merit and in both cases, I think they may actually be reasons to feel more confident moving forward.

Why Fans Should Feel Significantly Better About The Team This Year

Oh let me count the reasons.

1)  PEYTON MANNING

Really Paul?  You really forgot this one?  Peyton Manning missed all of summer work outs last year, came into the season out of rhythm, and played with a broken leg for four to five games.  During those four to five games Manning had to compensate for lost leg strength, couldn't execute the stretch play, and used the remainder of the season to try to get "back to normal..." and despite his impressive performance and league MVP honors, I'm not sure he ever fully did.  This year he can put on the weight he lost last year, refine his mechanics and form to normal, get his timing down with receivers, and likely not have issues throwing some of the passes he struggled with all last year.  This reason alone would be enough to feel significantly better about our team this year but it certainly doesn't stop here.

2)  JEFF SATURDAY/OFFENSIVE LINE

If it isn't enough to have a hobbled Hall of Fame QB, the QB of the offensive line went down with injury, missed a number of games, passed on surgery, and played injured the rest of the year.  Saturday will now come into the season healthier than he's been in a year. 

Add to that the experience Pollak had last year, which all but guaranteed to make him a better player this year, and include all of the other linemen who gained a great deal of experience, as injuries riddled the line, and you'll see that our starting group will be better and healthier; and our back-ups will be more experienced and more prepared to rotate in if and when they're needed.  More importantly, with a healthy offensive line we can establish continuity and chemistry amongst the starting group which is all but certain to improve Peyton's protection and our run blocking.  I've not mentioned any of the linemen we picked up either.

3)  DONALD BROWN

It's one thing to have Addai and Rhodes as your RBs, when neither is really able to be as productive as you'd like.  It's another thing entirely to have two 1A caliber options at RB to use as weapons on the ground and as potential safety valves for Peyton Manning.  Brown brings the type of game-breaking threat out of the backfield that the Colts haven't had since Edgerrin James' first two years in the NFL.  I think pairing him with Addai, and considering Hart's full recovery and additional year of experience in the Colts system, gives fans ample reason to feel significantly better about the Colts this year.

4)  WIDE RECEIVERS

It is hard for Colts fans to imagine saying this but I believe it is true.  The Colts wide receivers will be better this year because Marvin Harrison is not here.  As discussed above, he really wasn't productive last year, nor reliable.  However, Anthony Gonzalez is poised to have his first 1,000 yard season as a receiver, giving Peyton his first pair of 1,000 yard receivers in three years.  Add to that the development of Pierre Garcon earning him praises from Polian, the amazing upside and ability of Collie, and the compliments Roy Hall has received in his development and you have the deepest group of WRs the Colts have had in a long time.  There is no reason to believe that a productive third receiving option will not find its way out of that trio, nor to believe that the Colts won't have a full arsenal of legitimate back-ups at receiver.  I know most of these guys are not household names yet, like Marvin Harrison, but sit back and watch as our passing game steps it up a notch with this bunch.

5)  TIGHT ENDS

Dallas Clark is a constant but what is more important is the foundation Bill Polian laid at this position two drafts ago.  When the Colts took Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi they were looking to replace the departing Ben Utecht (wouldn't take much).  Last year the two young ends were injured but return healthy this season.  More importantly, they have had a year to digest the Colts offensive scheme, playbook, and adjust to the speed of the game in the NFL.  Hmm... what else were they missing last year that kept them from having a bigger impact during the season?  Oh yeah!  Peyton Manning will have a full summer to establish timing with these guys this season, along with Gijon Robinson.  I am confident that all three of our TEs are more valuable then Utecht was, have higher upsides than Utecht did, and will all be better players than they were last season.  IE - We're set to see a great deal of improvement from our young TEs, only adding to the weapons Manning has at his disposal.

That covers the offense... how about defense?

6) DEFENSIVE TACKLES/DEFENSIVE LINE

Holy schnikeys!  The amount of talent and size the Colts have added this off-season at the DT position is breath-taking.  Is there any doubt AT ALL that, whatever rotation of defensive tackles makes it onto the regular season roster, our ability to stop the run will at least marginally improve?  I'm being modest so as to not get our hopes up but seriously, our run defense is better day 1 with the talent we've added on the inside than it was all of last season. 

Oh but wait!  That's not all folks!  With larger DTs, many of whom also excel at penetrating, getting push or otherwise rushing the passer, there is little doubt that the amount of attention opposing offensive lines can afford to place on our DEEP group of DEs will be reduced.  Reducing the amount of attention you place on Freeney/Mathis = certain doom for your QB.  In short, our pass-rush from the front four is all but guaranteed to improve is well. 

7)  BOB SANDERS

Last year was one of Sanders' roughest years fighting injury.  This year, after a summer to rest, he will surely enter the season healthy.  Now, what is important is the changes that have been made on defense and how they impact Sanders.  With a stouter front seven, Sanders will be relied on less to sacrifice himself in confrontations with offensive linemen and will be able to sit back more and pick out who to destroy, like he used to.  This will improve his longevity and effectiveness on the defense and will likely result in massive infliction of pain against his enemies.  Accordingly, Bobzilla is back and with his new friends, poised to terrorize the league once more.

8)  MARLIN JACKSON/CORNERBACK

Some believe Jackson's pass coverage skills are suspect.  And to a degree they're probably right.  However, few will argue that they'd rather have Tim Jennings in the game than Marlin Jackson.  Accordingly, his healthy return to the lineup will be very welcome.  What's more, he's in his contract year.  He has A LOT to prove and A LOT of time to make up for from his injury last year.  The result?  He should play very hard and have a wail of a season. 

He too will benefit from the stouter front 7 and will be less likely to miss time with nicks and dings he tends to pick up laying the wood against his opponents.  The experience Tim Jennings got last season, as much as I'm not a Jennings fan, certainly will help him make an impact this year at the nickel.  His familiarity with the scheme, with the role both inside and out, and playing against NFL competition in games when it matters, should make him more valuable on the field.

QUESTION MARKS

The only position on the field I'm unsure of in LB at this point.  Sure, OT is questionable in terms of depth but overall the OL should be better than last season.  On the other hand, LB shouldn't be any worse but I don't know if there's a big reason to suspect that it can be better (outside of the DT trickle down theory).  Time will tell. 

Additionally, as much as there are reasons to be confident that special teams can improve under Rychleski, who will return kicks and punts is still up in the air.  We'll have to see how that situation develops before we can use it as a reason to feel any better or worse about our chances this season.

Those are my thoughts, what are yours?