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4)Still in it. Spent a lot of the week thinking how amazing it is that one of the storylines around the Colts this week is that they're still in it and the season's not over. Amazing, too, that Caldwell correctly took time on Wednesday to point that truism out to players. What's amazing is that these things need to be said about a team that is 5-3 at the season's midway point – and in first place in the AFC South. First place – and people are talking about still being in it. Such is the remarkable run of success the team has had. An NFL-record seven consecutive seasons with 12 or more victories and six AFC South titles in seven seasons. But what's being reminded all week is true – the Colts are still very much in it, and in fact, they're probably more than just in it. Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher said this week he considered the Colts still the team to beat, and that's true. They still have the best quarterback in the division, the best pass-rusher and when running back Joseph Addai and wide receiver Austin Collie return, their skill players will be more than good enough to produce enough offense to win down the stretch. And don't forget: although the Colts haven't been in a tight race too often during their recent run, they were in a tight spot just two seasons ago when they were 3-4 after seven games. They won their final nine games that season to make the playoffs as a wild card. So, still in it? Yes, the Colts absolutely are.
3)Powers returns. Cornerback Jerraud Powers likely will return this week, and considering Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens continues to be a force at age 36, it's a good time for the second-year corner to move back into the lineup. Powers was playing at a high level before missing two games with a foot injury, and seems on the cusp of moving into Pro Bowl consideration. He has shown flashes of playing at that level in two seasons, and you get the idea if he can stay on the field for a long stretch, he has a chance to move soon into a level with the league;s elite corners.
2)Study in contrasts.The Colts will play host to the Bengals Sunday, and if you want a glimpse into how the difficulty of what the Colts have accomplished for the last decade, look no further. The Bengals, like the Colts, were fortunate enough to select a franchise quarterback No. 1 overall in the draft around which to build. And since selecting Carson Palmer, the Bengals have had their share of success, making the playoffs twice. But they also have struggled some seasons and have had more difficult seasons than successful ones. There are those nationally who discount what Indianapolis has accomplished in the last decade as merely the fallout of the team having selected Peyton Manning No. 1 overall in 1998, but a lot more has to happen beyond drafting a franchise quarterback.
1)Got to mention it. Tried to make it through Magnificent Seven without mentioning injuries, and not surprised to not pull it off. Too many big ones at too many key positions. Perhaps the most interesting news on the injury front came Monday, when Colts President Bill Polian talked about the issue on his weekly radio show, and said the recent slew of injuries had left the roster as thin as any he had been around. That's significant considering he has run teams for two and a half decades, but what was as significant was when he said he believed a lot of the players out with injuries would begin returning in late November, or at the latest, early December. That, he said, would give the Colts an opportunity to put together a strong stretch run. And that, indeed, is what this season is starting to feel like. Unlike so many previous Colts seasons that were about when the team would clinch playoff positioning and whether or not resting starters was a good idea, this season is going to be about surviving until the Colts can get healthy and then winning cluch games in Decemnber – i.e., a typical season for a playoff contender.
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