Examiner NFL preview: Five things the Indianapolis Colts must do to regain control of the AFC South

Colts first-year head coach Jim Caldwell (AP Photo)

With the 2009 NFL season less than a week away, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser takes a look at five things the Indianapolis Colts must do to regain control of the AFC South, a division they won five consecutive seasons, 2003-2007 . . .

1) Start fast. Usually, this isn't an issue for the Colts. Last year, it was a huge issue for a legitimate reason: three-time NFL Most Valuable Player/QB Peyton Manning spent the early part of the season shedding the aftereffects of offseason knee surgery, and the Colts limped to a 3-4 start. With Manning healthy, he had one of the most remarkable second-half quarterbacking seasons in recent memory after that, and the Colts finished 12-4. But that was too late to catch the Tennessee Titans, who started 10-0. Indianapolis during its five-year run of AFC South titles never started a season worse than 4-1, and in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 started 5-0, 13-0, 9-0 and 7-0. The Colts don't need to reel off an extended unbeaten streak the first two months of the season, but they can't let Tennessee -- a solid defensive team that isn't likely to go on an extended losing streak -- get multiple games ahead, either.

*** BREAKING DOWN THE ROSTER: IFR Editor John Oehser looks at the 2009 depth chart HERE.

*** THE CUTS: A list of the roster moves to get down to the 53-man limit HERE.

2) Stay healthy. Well, duh, you say. Every NFL team has to stay healthy. True, but the Colts were particularly hurt by injuries last season, even beyond Manning's preseason knee surgery. The offensive line was never completely together, RB Joseph Addai was dinged and bruised all season and S Bob Sanders missed 12 games. The Colts have one of the most-talented front-line rosters in the NFL, and if they can get to the playoffs with it relatively intact, their Super Bowl aspirations are as legitimate as any team's in the NFL.

3) Beat Tennessee. Again, this is fairly obvious, but the Colts dominated the AFC South from 2003-2007 by dominating its division opponents. During that span, they lost to Jacksonville three times (2003, 2004 and 2006), Tennessee twice (2006 and 2007) and Houston once (2006) and one of the Tennessee losses came in a meaningless end-of-season game after the Colts had clinched their postseason seeding. Last year, the Cotls went 4-2 in the division, but after a midseason road loss in Nashville, their hopes for an AFC South title were all but gone. The Colts don't believe in building rosters to combat specific opponents, but the moves the team made in the offseason to improve the run defense and improve the run offense can't hurt against the Titans on October 11 (away) and December 6 (home).

4) Run the ball. With all of the preseason issues -- minor injuries, third quarterbacks and running backs, cutdown dates, etc, -- we haven't discussed this much lately on Examiner, but make no mistake: THE COLTS MUST RUN THE BALL. They finished 31st in the area last season, and beyond the ranking, the inability to run effectively hurt the Colts everywhere, particularly the play-action passing game. The Colts' offense finished outside the Top 10 for the first time in forever last season, and it's far from a coincidence that the run offense was its worst in more than a decade. The Colts probably will never be a Top 10 rushing offense with Manning around, but they need the legitimate threat of a running game to do the things they want offensively. The team drafted RB Donald Brown in the first round, and with Addai healthy and looking fresh in the preseason, there's little reason to think the area won't be more effective this season. The return to health of OG Ryan Lilja will help, too. One of the team's best run-blockers, he missed 16 games last season with a knee injury.

5) Keep DT Ed Johnson and DE Dwight Freeney on the field. The Colts were a solid running defense and very good overall defense when the duo was on the field in 2007, but Freeney missed the second half of the season with a foot injury, and the defense hasn't been as dominant since. Freeney returned to a Pro Bowl level last season, but with Johnson off the team for the last 15 games, the Colts struggled at times to stop the run. Johnson will miss the season opener against Jacksonville because of a suspension, but he will return after that. The Colts' defense is expected to be a bit more aggressive under first-year coordinator Larry Coyer, but whatever the scheme/philosophy approach, the team needs this duo healthy and available.

AFC South Examiners

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

READ "COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: A NEXT-DAY GLANCE AT THE COLTS-BENGALS GAME WITH PRE-CUT DAY COMMENTS FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN . . .

*** READ IFR EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S LIVE IN-GAME BLOG ON COLTS-BENGALS . . .

LAST WEEK'S COLTS NEWS

* QB Jim Sorgi to remain backup behind QB Peyton Manning

* Colts place CB Michael Coe, two others, on waived-injured

* CB Kelvin Hayden says he'll return for regular-season opener

* K Adam Vinatieri taken off PUP list

* Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell finds the positives in loss to Cincinnati

* Colts move S Bob Sanders off the PUP list

MAGNIFICENT SEVENS, 2009 PRESEASON COLTS THOUGHTS

Magnificent Seven I: Seven training camp thoughts and observations

Magnificent Seven II: On the Colts' defensive tackle position and WR Reggie Wayne

Magnificent Seven III: On the Colts' running backs and offensive line