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INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts can look almost any place and hear the calls of perfection.
They are 7-0 for the fourth time in five years. They are the AFC’s last remaining unbeaten team. Jim Caldwell is the first rookie head coach since the 1970 merger to open his career with seven consecutive wins. The Colts have extended their franchise-record winning streak to 16 – the equivalent of a perfect season.
They know it’s a false image. With a stagnant ground game, a softer-than-usual schedule and more than half a season remaining, the Colts acknowledge they’ve accomplished nothing yet.
“We’ve been here before,” defensive end Dwight Freeney said after Sunday’s latest victory over San Francisco. “I’ve said this before, ‘We’ve been 13-0 and lost in the first round.’ For us, it’s business as usual, I guess. We’re just trying to keep this thing rolling and we’ll see what happens in January.”
Of course, that’s been the refrain in Indianapolis since former coach Jim Mora’s infamous “playoffs” speech eight years ago this month. When asked about the playoffs after a loss, he fumed: “I just hope we can win a game.”
Players and fans haven’t forgotten the previous results.
• In 2002, there was the 41-point playoff blowout against the Jets.
• In 2003, the Colts went 12-4, won the AFC South and Peyton Manning claimed his first MVP. Manning finally won his first playoff game, too, before losing at New England in the AFC title game.
• In 2004, it was a nearly identical script. Indianapolis went 12-4, won the AFC South, Manning won another MVP and broke Dan Marino’s single-season record for touchdown passes with 49. Then the Colts lost at New England in the playoffs again.
• It was supposed to be different in 2005 when the Colts opened 13-0 and Manning finally seemed to have the two things that had prevented him from winning a championship – a strong defense and home-field advantage. But the Colts wound up with an inexplicable divisional round loss at home to eventual Super Bowl winner Pittsburgh and the chance slipped away.
• Two years later, Indianapolis started 7-0 before losing to the unbeaten Patriots at home. Though everyone expected a rematch in the conference title game, it didn’t happen. The defending champs lost in the divisional round, this time to San Diego.
• And last year after winning their final nine games to post yet another 12-win season, the Colts lost in overtime at San Diego in the wild card round.
The exception, of course, came in 2006 when the Colts had to play every game to earn their playoff seeding. This was the only Super Bowl title in the Manning era.
So what does 7-0 and 16 consecutive regular-season wins mean to a team where perfect starts have become commonplace?
“Nothing,” three-time Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne said. “All it means is we have another win under our belt. There are no handouts.”
It is true that only one of Indianapolis’ wins has come against a team with a winning record – Arizona (4-3) in Week 3.
It’s also true that during this 16-game winning streak, Indianapolis has beaten five of last year’s division champions – all on the road. Plus, the Colts won at defending NFC North champ Minnesota before the streak began. That’s six road wins against last year’s division champs, and Indianapolis is already 4-0 on the road this season.
The Colts still see imperfections.
“We will see some things on film,” Manning said after Indianapolis’ latest win. “We never had much rhythm, had a number of three-and-outs. It was just one of those days, kind of call it a grinder. We just keep kind of grinding it out.”
That’s not what most analysts are accustomed to seeing from the high-scoring Colts.
But this season, they have already won 14-12 and 18-14 at home, and 27-23 at Miami when Manning rallied the Colts despite having the ball less than 15 minutes.
The combination has Caldwell thinking this could be a different kind of season.
Indianapolis’ defense is playing with the stoutness and tempo of the ’05 team.
Freeney has had a sack in every game since last season’s regular-season finale, tying the franchise record of eight in a row and moving within two of the NFL record. Together, Robert Mathis and Freeney have more sacks (14) than seven teams and have matched the total of two others.
The run defense that was last year’s big problem is ranked No. 17. On Sunday, Frank Gore broke off a 64-yard touchdown run. San Francisco picked up just 49 yards on its other 17 carries. Meanwhile, the pass defense is ranked No. 7 after setting a 16-game record for fewest touchdown passes given up (six) in 2008.
What the Colts must still figure out is how to get their running game going.
If they can, the Colts’ numbers may look more dazzling. Five more wins would extend Indianapolis’ NFL record of consecutive 12-win seasons to seven. Manning needs just four 300-yard games in the last nine weeks to match the league’s single-season record.
But the Colts want to make sure this season is remembered for more than numbers.
“We’re going to continue to push for our goal, which is the Super Bowl,” Wayne said. “We’re going to need these close games. We’re going to need to fight through a little adversity and push forward.”
