SI did it's preview of the AFC South Division teams. Here are some nuggets from the writer, Mr. Don Banks:
It is by no means a make-or-break season for Dungy in Indy, but his work will be highly scrutinized this year as everyone watches how his talented Colts respond to the dejection of last January's hasty playoff exit. Will there be any hangover for the club that started 2005 13-0 but lost three of its last four? Or will Dungy's go-back-to-work mantra resonate with his team, steeling its resolve and making it even more inclined to keep its eyes on the prize?
How the players respond this season after last year's loss in the playoffs will be interesting. The team never let the media hype get to them last year, but the loss of Dungy's son did. How will they handle the constant media scrutinty this time around?
Banks also talks about his "impact player" in the AFC South. Guess who?
Joseph Addai, Indianapolis
Do not count me among those who believe the sky is falling in Indy with Edgerrin James' departure to Arizona during free agency. The Colts won't have the same explosive running attack, but if they fall short again this season, it won't be due to the lack of a dependable rushing threat. The combination of Addai, the team's first-round draft pick out of LSU, and veteran Dominic Rhodes won't replace James, but it will move the chains enough to get the job done. Addai is a versatile back who can find and hit the holes, can catch the ball when need be and knows when to step up in a pass-protection role. Playing on the Colts' dome-field carpet should accentuate his speed and quickness.
Finally, Banks states what we at Stampede Blue have stated for a while now: losing Adam Vinatieri to the Colts was a big blow for the New England Patriots.
Kickers are always impact players. And while the notion that the Colts' swapping of Mike Vanderjagt for Adam Vinatieri looks like an even exchange from many angles, it really isn't, because there's absolutely no way to match Vinatieri's record when it comes to making clutch kicks. Vinatieri is known for his successes when the stakes are at their highest. Vanderjagt? While he's the most accurate kicker in NFL history, he hasn't measured up when the games mean the most. With the Colts still chasing their elusive Super Bowl dreams, which veteran kicker do you think will inspire more confidence should a postseason game boil down to a swing of his right leg?
Hope the Cowboys fans took note of my empahasis in Banks' article. Mr. Banks is starting to make a little sense these days.
