Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Sports

The race to Super Bowl XL is still on

In Good Hands

Roy Ilkehans

Don't start sipping the champagne just yet. Every year the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team to ever go undefeated, drink champagne when the last unbeaten team loses. 

Most recently, the 1998 Denver Broncos had a 13-0 record before, ironically enough, losing to the Dolphins. 

At 11-0, the Indianapolis Colts are on the verge of keeping the champagne on ice for good. Perennial Pro Bowler Peyton Manning threw for a record 49 touchdowns last year, but Tom Brady and the Patriots were the ones collecting the rings. 

Only five teams have gone at least 11-0 before losing and all five went to the Super Bowl, with four winning it. If I were a gambling man, and I am, I would take Indy to win it all based on that alone. Winning the Super Bowl unscathed is a large enough task, so let's just focus on the rest of the regular season. 

Three of the five remaining games are at home and two of Indy's opponents, Arizona and Tennessee, have a 6-14 record. The Dec. 11 game against Jacksonville looked like trouble until Byron Leftwich broke his ankle and was replaced by David Garrard. Garrard is a talented kid, but lacks the experience and leadership Leftwich possesses. It will be close, but Indy will hang on.

San Diego will be an intriguing opponent Dec. 18. The Colts' defense will have to contain running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the most versatile back in the league. Last year, he torched Indy for 176 yards and a touchdown.

But having to contain the Colts is a monumental task within itself. Whether it's the trio of Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokely blazing through coverage or tight end Dallas Clark finding seams in the defense, the Colts' aerial assault can beat opponents in a variety of ways. 

To top it off, when teams drop seven or eight defenders into coverage, Manning is content to simply hand the ball off. Two years removed from knee surgery, Edgerrin James looks to have regained the speed that turns him from a simple power back to a slashing brute. 

Dec. 24 might be the perfect trap game. Indy will visit Seattle, where the notoriously bad weather may slow Manning down. Shaun Alexander already has 20 touchdowns and leads the league in rushing. He is a consistent home run threat with the power to run over opposing defense. 

Indy's new-found defensive glory will definitely be put to the test; the Colts have allowed just 17 points per game, which is a drastic improvement over last year.

Indy's defensive revival has been led by Dwight Freeney, Cato June, Corey Simon and Bob Sanders. Freeney is a force off the edge, still racking up sacks even with constant double teams. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Simon is a rock in the middle and the Colts were lucky to get him on the eve of the season after he and the Eagles had contract disputes.

June is a converted safety from Michigan. That enables him to roam the sidelines against the run and cover quicker backs and tight ends better than bulkier linebackers. He is always around the ball and has the nose for the big play. 

Safety Sanders stands all of 5-foot-8-inches, but he sets the tone for the secondary with his smash-mouth play and big sticks. He is the emotional leader of the entire unit. When he is at his best, the Colts have a physical, undersized yet cat-quick, ball-hawking defense.

The Colts are like Tampa Bay's defense of a couple years ago mixed with the Rams' Kurt Warner-era offense. In theory, Indy could have home field advantage by Week 14, meaning only two games on the fast turf and the team could be on its way to the Super Bowl in Detroit. 

The questions then become, do you play the starters, for how long do you play them and which stars must you protect meticulously?

Manning obviously wants a ring, but his competitive fire also must burn for a perfect record. Most likely, he'll play to get a lead and get out; he has been one of the NFL's most durable quarterbacks for years. He's not going to sit down peacefully even though the '72 Dolphins might want him to.

So while former Dolphins wait to see if they're going to uncork the champagne, Manning might just be sipping on it all the way to Detroit and Super Bowl XL.

Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu