Indianapolis Colts LB Clint Session (Phil Coale/AP Photo)R
Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian said the team set several goals before each season, but to make no mistake:
Going unbeaten is not one of those goals.
Polian, speaking on his weekly radio show Monday, said the Colts will play to win when they play the New York Jets on Sunday, and that the primary issue deciding who plays and for how long will be based on health.
But it will not based on pursuing an unbeaten season.
“Sixteen and oh is not a goal,” Polian said. “It's not something that anyone here starts the year saying, 'We want to be 16-0.' We realize in many cases – in the vast majority of the cases – it's unrealistic. It has been done before. In terms of records, I think we've set every record that we can this season. It has been wonderful. It's great and it ought to be celebrated. But 16-0 is not an issue for us.”
“I've said many times before, 'It's perfectly fine for fans and for media and others to have their issues and view the world as they view it.' That's what makes the world go around. It's fun. People talk about it. It keeps people gainfully employed and that's a good thing.
“But our issues are not necessarily other people's issues and 16-0 is not our issue.”
Polian on Monday also addressed:
*The Colts' ability to remain focused: Our focus really is on playing as well as we can play against the next opponent, whoever that may be. In this case, it happens to be the Jets. That has served us well for 23 straight games. Then, after that, our focus will be on playing whomever we get in the second round of the playoffs. That's the way we've approached things. I know that sounds strange if you're not in this building and you're not in this business, but the only way to achieve anything meaningful in this business is to focus on the immediate moment, because that's the only thing you can control. You can't control anything that goes on outside of that. You can't control what other teams do. The only thing you can control is what you do. It takes a great deal of maturity and a great deal of experience and a great deal of wisdom to realize that. Fortunately, (Colts Head Coach) Jim Caldwell has done a tremendous job of reinforcing that continually with our team. We start from Day One of minicamp with the idea we're going to focus on the immediate target at hand and we'll worry about all of the other stuff later. We have a saying, which we all got from (Penn State Head Coach) Joe Paterno: 'Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves.' We've concentrated on the little things and that's what we'll continue to do. Our focus isn't on the last game. Our focus is on the next game, whoever that may be and whomever that may be against.
*The genesis of that focus: “The vast majority of it is coaching. The second part of it is veteran leadership, guys who say, 'Listen to one voice. Listen to Coach Caldwell. Listen to what he tells you.' The third part is organizational culture. As an organization, we accept the fact that it's, 'Next Man Up,; that it's, 'Take Care of the Little Things and the Big Things Take Care of Themselves.;' that the next opponent is the most important opponent and the only opponent. All of those things to one degree or another make up that mindset, but the vast, vast majority of it is coaching.”
Reviewing Colts President Bill Polian's weekly radio show . . .
* Part One: WR Anthony Gonzalez likely will be game-time decision this week. Here.
* Part Two: Polian: You want to win every time you take the field. Here.
* Part Three: Polian: "16-0 is not a goal." Here.
* Part Four: Polian: "Whatever our opponents' concerns are, are their concerns." Here.
Reviewing Colts President Bill Polian's weekly radio show . . .
* Part One: WR Anthony Gonzalez likely will be game-time decision this week. Here.
* Part Two: Polian: You want to win every time you take the field. Here.
* Part Three: Polian: "16-0 is not a goal." Here.
* Part Four: Polian: "Whatever our opponents' concerns are, are their concerns." Here.
COLTS COVERAGE.
CALDWELL VAGUE ON PLAYING TIME VERSUS JETS. HERE
COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: NEXT-DAY LOOK AT COLTS-JAGUARS. HERE
COLTS BEAT JAGUARS, 35-31: HERE
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: DEBUNKING A MYTH ABOUT HOW THE COLTS MIGHT APPROACH THE REST OF THE SEASON. HERE.
QUOTING THE COLTS. HERE.
MANNING ON PLAYING STARTERS THURSDAY: "THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR." HERE
DOES PEYTON MANNING GET TOO MUCH RESPECT? HERE
POLIANS' CONTRACTS EXTENDED. HERE
COLTS FANS OWE RB JOSEPH ADDAI AN APOLOGY. HERE
*** CATCH UP WITH ALL THINGS COLTS ON INDY FOOTBALL REPORT. HERE
*** READ JOHN OEHSER'S INDIANA PACERS COVERAGE. HERE.
Comments
just a suggestion;
1. send Buffalo Bills letter of consession !
2. save big bucks NOT traveling to Buffalo, Avoid Costs, and avoid Travel Risks.
3. Garenteed, no players will be injured.
4. Everyone gets an extra week of rest !
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