Magnificent Seven XV (part two): On Indianapolis Colts TE Dallas Clark and WR Reggie Wayne

Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne (Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo)

Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things Indianapolis Colts. Without further delay, the Magnificent Seven for Week 11 of the 2009 regular season, in which the Colts (9-0) will visit the Baltimore Ravens (5-4) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. . . .

THIS IS PART TWO OF MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. PART ONE. HERE

3. A high standard. If you want to get an idea the standard to which the media is holding Colts TE Dallas Clark these days -- and the standard to which he is holding himself to -- consider that this week, a theme has been the job the Patriots did containing Clark. Colts President Bill Polian discussed on his weekly radio that that was a key part of the Patriots' strategy, and Clark was asked if he was concerned that New England had established a blueprint for limiting him. Clark said he wasn't overly concerned, that teams generally didn't deviate too much from what they do. Walking away from listing to Clark, you figured he had been held pretty much ineffective. Rechecking the statistics, you realize he had four receptions for 65 yards. Over 16 games, that's 64 receptions for 1,040 yards. Very few NFL teams wouldn't take that from their starting tight end.

2. An accountability thing. It would be easy to overlook the ascension into the starting lineup of RG Kyle DeVan. It would be equally easy to play up the angle of DeVan starting over Mike Pollak, a second-year veteran who because of his status as a 2008 second-round draft selection was conspicuous by his presence on the inactive list on Sunday. What's more notable about DeVan starting is that when packaged with the recent release of DT Ed Johnson and the offseason ascension of Charlie Johnson into the starting lineup over 2007 second-rounder Tony Ugoh is that it's a clear sign of a major philosopy of Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell -- that is, that he's quite unafraid to make a personnel move no matter the draft status/reputation of the player. "It's always that anticipation to measure up," Caldwell said. "I hold myself to those same standards. That's how I live. I look at my job and say, 'I've got a job for this week. That's all I know. I have one for this week. I'm still coaching this week, so this week, I say, 'What can I do to help me win the next game?' That's all I look for, I look for, hey, how can I get better and get us in position to win the next game?'" Not everything about DeVan and Johnson starting is positive, of course. Having two second-round selections on the offense line as healthy inactives isn't something that was part of the Colts' master plan, and likely will mean having to use draft selections to refortify positions quicker than originally anticipated. Still, better to have a coach/president willing to play the best player than to have a front office/coach insisting on playing early-drafted players who shouldn't be playing.

1. As good as there is. There are receivers with more deep speed than Colts WR Reggie Wayne. There are also bigger receivers. But is there a better receiver in the NFL right now? The Colts have played against three of the best wide receivers in the NFL this season -- Larry Fitzgerald of Arizona, Randy Moss of New England and Andre Johnson of Houston. There are many who would rank Wayne behind one, two or all three of those players, but I don't know: there's someting about what Wayne brings to the offense, the clutch plays he makes, that makes it hard for to rank any of them over Wayne. Moss had more yards than Wayne Sunday night, but late in the game -- when it came time to make the plays needed to win -- Wayne made clutch catch after clutch catch. His diving, leaping, extended catch for a touchdown was remarkable and exactly why I've had a feeling for some time that in many ways, I'd rather have Wayne right now than former Colts WR Marvin Harrison in his prime. Waybe just has a knack for making the clutch play when it's needed most, and if he's not the best in the NFL right now, the receivers better than him is a short, debable list.

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COLTS FANS OWE RB JOSEPH ADDAI AN APOLOGY. HERE

PATRIOTS-COLTS 2009 VERSION SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT CURRENT STATE OF RIVALRY HERE

*** CATCH UP WITH ALL THINGS COLTS ON INDY FOOTBALL REPORT. HERE

REVIEWING BILL POLIAN'S WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

Bill Polian’s weekly radio show | Part One | “If we run this way . . . we’ll be perfectly fine”

Bill Polian’s weekly radio show | Part Two | Defense executed when it mattered against Patriots

Bill Polian’s weekly radio show | Part Three | Victory over New England garantees nothing

< RECENT COLTS STORIES >

CALDWELL: "STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE" | HERE

COLTS, 35, PATRIOTS 34: GAME STORY. HERE

QUOTING THE COLTS: FOR MORE OF WHAT THEY WERE SAYING AFTER COLTS-PATRIOTS, CLICK HERE

SAVOR THE COLTS-PATRIOTS RIVALRY WHILE IT LASTS. HERE.

COLTS 2009 MIDSEASON REPORT: PART ONE. HERE.

COLTS 2009 MIDSEASON REPORT: PART TWO. HERE.

*** READ JOHN OEHSER'S INDIANA PACERS COVERAGE. HERE.

MAGNIFICENT SEVENS: WEEKLY 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

Magnificent Seven IV: On the Colts' offense, OG Ryan Lilja and WR Anthony Gonzalez

Magnificent Seven V: On S Melvin Bullitt and QB Peyton Manning

Magnificent Seven VI: On RB Donald Brown and the start of the season . . . at last

Magnificent Seven VII: On WR Reggie Wayne, the OL and blitzing

Magnificent Seven VIII: On WR Reggie Wayne, QB Peyton Manning and DE Dwight Freeney 

Magnificent Seven IX: On DE Robert Mathis, S Bob Sanders and DE Dwight Freeney

Magnificent Seven X: On QB Peyton Manning's start and life without DT Ed Johnson

Magnificent Seven XI: On RB rotation, DE Dwight Freeney and S Bob Sanders

Magnificent Seven XII: On WR Reggie Wayne, TE Dallas Clark and running game

Magnificent Seven XIII: On offensive balance and resting QB Peyton Manning

Magnificent Seven XIV (Part One): On DE Dwight Freeney

Magnificent Seven XIV (Part Two): On TE Dallas Clark