A week ago, Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian made headlines in NFL circles when he said he didn't believe in rust or momentum when it came to the NFL postseason.
This week, he again said he doesn't fear a loss of momentum in late December.
“No, I am not afraid of that happening,” Polian said Monday on his weekly radio show on Hank FM 97.1 FM in Indianapolis. “A lot of times perception gets confused with the facts.”
The facts, Polian said, don't support the idea that a team that doesn't play every possible available player in late-season games with playoff seeding clinched somehow loses momentum.
As evidence, Polian referred to the Colts' 2005 season.
The Colts that season started the season 13-0, then after losing in Game 14 to San Diego and Game 15 to Seattle, they beat the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season finale, a game in which many front-line Colts players did not play after the first quarter.
The Colts, after playing front-line players sparingly not only against Arizona, but against Seattle that season – and after a first-round playoff bye – lost a Divisional Playoff game to Pittsburgh, 21-18.
“If I'm not mistaken, in 2005, we actually beat the Arizona Cardinals on the last day of the season in a meaningless game,” Polian said. “That was [then Head Coach] Tony [Dungy's] first game back coaching after the tragedy in his family. To my knowledge, other than [Colts QB] Peyton [Manning] I don't believe we sat anyone who wasn't injured. Perhaps [wide receivers] Marvin [Harrison] and Reggie [Wayne]. Everyone else who sat other than perhaps those three were injured. We did not in any way hurt ourselves in preparation.
“As you may remember, the Pittsburgh game . . . we started slowly, came back as we always do and missed a field goal to send it into overtime. It wasn't as though we were not competitive in he Pittsburgh game. In fact, we were exceedingly competitive. And, but for a great play by [Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tackling [Colts cornerback] Nick Harper, we would have won the game on a 100-yard return of a fumble. Roethlisberger made a great play. They went on to win the Super Bowl.”
Polian added, “The fact is we did not have a letdown. We did not have a lack of hustle or lack of preparation or lack of focus. We got a tough break is what it amounted to, then missed a field goal that would have tied it. That's the way it goes. . . .
“I've said numerous times: we and the media live in parallel universes. They have their stories, which are important to them and that's fine. We have our view of the facts and we have to deal with the facts. Often times, the twain doesn't meet. That's fair enough. That's fine, but we have to look at it from a factual standpoint.”
Polian on Monday also addressed:
*The chances of rosters expanding next season in the absence of a Collective Bargaining Agreement: “There will be no chance the rosters would expand next year, because we are in the process of trying to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. If we don't get one before March 1 of this year, we will go into the so-called “uncapped year.” That essentially freezes everything and imposes some other rules that are rather onerous for both sides. For one thing, players who would normally be free after four years as free agents will not be free until after six years, so two classes of free agents will be frozen and become restricted free agents, subject to compensation. In addition, the final eight teams in the playoffs will only be able to sign free agents to the extent that they lost free agents. That handicaps the clubs and further handicaps the free-agent market. There are some onerous parts of the uncapped year in addition to the cap coming off. It was designed, quite frankly, to drive both sides to the bargaining table. It's designed to give both sides a headache and hopefully, they're able to reach agreement. If there is no agreement by March 1 – and our hope is obviously that there will be one – you would then be in a position where there would be no chance the rosters would increase. Might they under a new Collective Bargaining Agreement? Certainly, if it went to 18 games – which is part of the discussion going on; no decision has been made on that, but it has been part of the discussion – if that took place, I'm certain we would have some sort of expansion, whether it would be the inactive list, the active list, both, injured reserve, I can't tell you right now specifically what that would be, but I suspect there will be some expansion of the roster if you went to 18 games.”
*The team's plans at kicker for the next month, with K Matt Stover on the roster in place of K Adam Vinatieri (right knee), who has been inactive much of the season: “I don't know that we're going to do anything with Matt Stover, very frankly. We're a little bit away from Adam being back. I don't think we feel very firm about a return date at this point in time. There's nothing but to pat Matt on the back and say, 'Keep doing it, baby,' which has been great. He has done a great job for us and I anticipate that he's going to continue to do a great job for us. It's amazing to have two [all-time great kickers] on a team, but we were very fortunate that he [Stover] was able to come our way. He certainly has filled a big void for us.”
Highlighting Colts President Bill Polian's radio show:
Part One: WR Anthony Gonzalez may still contribute this season. Here.
Part Two: Roster size will dictate late-season approach. Here.
Part Three: S Bob Sanders' rehabilitation going smoothly. Here.
Part Four: Postseason approach won't change. Here.
MORE COLTS COVERAGE
CALDWELL: "I'M NOT SURE YOU EVER BENEFIT FROM A LOSS." HERE.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 27, TENNESSEE TITANS 17. HERE.
COLTS WORK OUT J.P. LOSMAN. HERE
COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: NEXT-DAY LOOK AT COLTS-TEXANS. HERE
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: WHY THE COLTS MUST REST IF THEY CLINCH HOMEFIELD. HERE
FREENEY: No trophies for 16-0. Here.
MATHIS: AFC Defensive Player of the Month. Here.
CALDWELL: 16-0 not that important. 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.
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