Magnificent Seven IV: On Indianapolis Colts C Jeff Saturday, RB Joseph Addai and umpires (p2)

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4. A pressure situation. While there's not pressure on the Colts to win Thursday, there pressure will be just as real for many of the Colts' younger players and lesser-known rookies. The Colts use the preseason finale as the final – and in some cases, best – chance to evaluate such players, and Colts President Bill Polian and Head Coach Jim Caldwell each said this week roster spots could be decided in the game. Each year, the Colts have an extensive list of rookies contributing and each year, that list includes rookie free agents and late-round players. Many such players will be playing in the third and fourth quarter Thursday, a time when safety Melvin Bullitt – who made Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2007 – said pressure is real no matter how a rookie may approach the situation. “I always talk to them,” Bullitt said. “I tell them, 'Look, just go out and play football. You'll be all right.' I tell them that, but it's easier said than done. They're like, 'You know, you don't know what's going to happen.' You really don't, so you have to go out there and play your best.”

3. All over the place. One of the most analyzed positions of the Colts off-season has been the wide receiver position, and Caldwell this week gave another indication of how the position might look this season. Caldwell gave no specifics on who will be playing where, but did say the versatility of the receivers likely will be something that will be utilized this season. Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez have worked on the outside and in the slot in the past, and second-year veteran Austin Collie worked at each spot this preseason. Pierre Garcon returned last week and showed again his big-play ability on the outside. “We’ve always been a team that’s used multiple formations and different sets and put people in a lot of different places because of the fact that we have a lot of versatile guys, and I think you’ll continue to see that,” Caldwell said. “We had quite a bit of shuffling in-and-out last night. Some of it was by necessity, more so than design, but in other cases it’s what you may see or can anticipate in the future.”

2. Getting better. Another major off-season topic has been the improvement of the running game. The Colts ranked 31st and 32nd in the NFL in rushing the last two seasons and improving the area was a priority entering training camp. Running back Joseph Addai has been candid in preseason about the need to improve, and said this week even without Saturday and Johnson in the lineup, he has seen progress. “I feel like we are getting better,” Addai said. “I think everybody in house, we all are getting on the same page if that makes sense. Everybody is on one accord. Everybody’s making the effort to get it better. I think the club, we kind of feel good about that. We had some sparks during the preseason. We showed that now we just have to carry it on in the regular season.”

1. As good as ever? With the Colts, that has become one of the biggest questions entering each season. They have won 12 or more games an NFL-record seven consecutive seasons, and they have made the postseason a league-high eight consecutive seasons. So, are the Colts as good as they have been? As last season. Early indications are yes. Gonzalez and safety Bob Sanders, who played a combined three games last season, have practiced throughout training camp and preseason and appear to have real chances to make season-long contributions. Elsewhere, the Colts may have the best group of skill players they have had in Manning's career, and there are fewer weaknesses on defenses than in recent memory. It's hard to match a 14-0 start and an AFC Championship season, but the Colts look as strong as they ever have entering a recent season.

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