Magnificent Seven XVII (part two . . .)

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3. Debunking the momentum theory. Sometimes, a theory gets discussed so much and so many people believe it, it's assumed to be fact. Such is the case with the theory that the Colts have lost momentum in the postseason. This is intertwined with the theory that the Colts have choked in the postseason in seasons past. Here's an argument against those who believe the Colts have lost momentum by resting starters late. The first time they rested starters was in 2004, when the Colts won eight consecutive games before resting their starters in the final three quarters of a loss to Denver. Indianapolis the following week played a near-perfect game in the first round of the playoffs in a victory over Denver. The following season, they rested the starters for two weeks, then had a first-round playoff bye before losing to Pittsburgh in a Divisional Playoff game. I don't disagree that this was the Colts' most disappointing postseason loss of the decade, but I would disagree that it was momentum that hurt the Colts. I would say the Steelers by that point were playing very, very well and there were some mental errors defensively early in the game that had nothing to do with momentum. Mostly, the death of Dungy's son in December sapped a lot of the energy from the team, and the energy the team had for 13 games never returned. The Colts rested their starters again in the 2007 regular-season finale, and two weeks later lost to San Diego, 24-20. The team appeared to have momentum early. It took a 7-0 lead and appeared to be heading for a touchdown to move ahead, 14-0, before Marvin Harrison fumbled deep in San Diego territory. The biggest thing that killed the Colts' momentum in this game? The absence of DE Dwight Freeney with a foot injury. The Colts had almost no pass rush in the second half of that season and team that can't get to the quarterback has a tendency to lose postseason momentum in a hurry. The Colts last season also rested their starters throughout much of a victory over Tennessee in the regular-season finale then lost to San Diego in overtime in the first round of the playoffs. Since that game, the play-starters-late-in-the-season-or-lose-momentum faction has become so loud to make their side seem to some like fact, but the reality was that Indianapolis last season perhaps had the worst team it has had in the last seven years. Getting that team to 12-4 with a struggling offense line, a struggling defensive interior and a quarterback who didn't get healthy until midseason was perhaps the most impressive accomplishment by the Colts in the last decade. In San Diego last January, I never got the feeling I was watching a team that had lost momentum by resting guys the week before. I got the feeling I was watching a team that could have used two or three more weeks of resting guys, because the team just plain looked tired.

2. Listening to the masses. Or in this case, the players. LB Clint Session spoke this week about wanting to pursue an unbeaten session. Freeney spoke the words of a veteran this week when he said they don't give trophies for 16-0. He also spoke wisely when he said it was obvious how little 16-0 meant when the New England Patriots lost to the New York Giants following an unbeaten season in 2007. The Patriots were widely and incorrectly considered one of the great teams of all-time throughout that season and two years later, all that's remembered is their walking off the field after losing to the New York Giants. That's not to say going for 16-0 had anything to do with the Patriots losing the Super Bowl following the 2007 season, but it doesn't point out the pointlessness of aiming for an unbeaten season if it means exposing a team that has flirted with the injury breaking point – see: Colts injury report the last two weeks – all season to further critical personnel losses.  The reality is as much as any player does or doesn't want to go for an unbeaten season, the Colts won't let that influence the decision. Nor should they.

1. What the Colts should do. Rest, rest, rest. The Colts can't win the Super Bowl if Manning is out. They almost certainly can't win it without Freeney, Wayne or TE Dallas Clark, either. One of the main storylines around the Colts is how they have overcome injuries to S Bob Sanders, CB Marlin Jackson, LB Tyjuan Hagler, CB Kelvin Hayden and WR Anthony Gonzalez this season to remain unbeaten. But the NFL is still a players' league, and it's not silly to think one of the reasons the Colts have played on a razor-thin margin in recent weeks – rallying from fourth-quarter deficits five consecutive weeks – is that they are playing at less-than-full capacity. Is it really smart to risk entering the postseason less healthy than necessary?

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MORE COLTS COVERAGE

FREENEY: No trophies for 16-0. Here.

MANNING: Amazing that Titans lost first six games. Here.

CALDWELL: 16-0 not that important. Here.

COFFEE WITH THE COLTS | A NEXT-DAY LOOK AT COLTS 35, TEXANS 27. HERE.

COLTS 35, TEXANS 27. HERE.

Reviewing Colts President Bill Polian's weekly radio show . . .

* Part One: Late-season rust and momentum "pure fantasy." Here.

* Part Two: QB Peyton Manning at high a level as ever. Here.

* Part Three: No problem with Dungy's Colts analysis on NBC. Here.

* Part Four: Victory over Houston Sunday showed team's professionalism. 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.