The Indianapolis Colts won the first 14 games of the 2009 season. In the process of doing so they clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye. They were only 5 games away from football immortality. They also had a 23 game regular season winning streak (the longest ever in the history of the NFL). So, what did they do? Their gutless coach, Jim Caldwell rested the starting players in the second half of a 29-15 loss to the New York Jets. When Peyton Manning and the rest of the regular players left the game, it was a 15-10 game (Another mistake that Caldwell made was going for 2 with almost an entire half of football remaining – a 6 point lead is much better than a 5 point lead).
Perhaps I’m being a little harsh on Caldwell, but it doesn’t take much of a memory to remember at least 3 other Colts teams who were in a similar position just this decade. At least 3 other times they had clinched early, and their previous coach, Tony Dungy rested the starters for the final game or two. Each time they lost their momentum, and lost early in the Playoffs. The Colts never seem to learn that the football gods do not favor gutless, losing strategies. This time their plan was much, much worse – an undefeated season was on the line! We could have finally heard our last story of the pathetic 1972 Dolphins, who celebrate other teams’ misfortune year after year. I saw an interview with the quarterback of that team, Bob Greise, a couple weeks ago (when the Saints and Colts were still undefeated), and he was asked to give advice to those teams. His advice was that they should each lose a game before the playoffs so as “not to have that monkey on their backs”. Really, Bob? Is that what would have been best for those teams, or would that just be best for you, so your precious undefeated season could still be the only one. That’s pathetic if you ask me.
One needs to look no further than the 2007 Giants to see exactly what strategy works for a team entering the playoffs. The final game of the 2007 pitted the New York football Giants against the 15-0 New England Patriots. The Giants were 10-5, and had clinched the playoffs, but were locked into their seed (I believe they were the 6 seed, but they might have been the 5th – regardless, they were a wild card team, and there was nothing for them to gain by playing the game). However, the Giants played their hearts out, they played their starters the entire game, and nearly ruined the Patriots perfect season, eventually falling by a score of 38-35 on a last minute TD drive by Tom Brady and the Patriots. Yes, they lost, but the point is that they played like men, then from there they did not lose again for the rest of the year, winning 3 road games, and finally doing the unthinkable, and beating the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl. They also beat a 13-3 Cowboys team and a 14-3 Packers teams in their own stadiums. That is about as impressive of a 3 game performance as you will ever see.
But the Colts, as they do so often, got scared of injuries, and let their fear decide their plan of action. A fearful head coach does not a champion make. The Colts should have learned from their own history, and that of the New York Giants. Peyton Manning has never been injured in his entire career, and I doubt that the final two quarters of yesterday’s game would have been time for the first. Football is a game for the manliest of men, and the Colts’ coach, Jim Caldwell, can certainly not be counted among that fraternity. Time will tell if their strategy works or not, but I would be shocked if the Colts win the Super Bowl come February. They had a chance to do something that no team ever had, and to finally shut up the ‘72 Dolphins (worth it just for that), but instead they will most likely just go down as yet another team that got scared, then lost momentum, then just lost.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with the Colts strategy?
- Murdock
