Colts are ready to move on from Peyton Manning
Written by playerpress.com, Monday January 30 2012
Written by: Matthew Blunk
For over a decade now, the Indianapolis Colts have been astoundingly consistent as an elite football team in the NFL. The Colts' domination culminated in 2006, when Indianapolis beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. And now, five years later, the Peyton Manning Era is set to end.
It all started with Manning's neck injury putting him on the shelf for all of the 2011 season after 227 consecutive starts (including postseason). Then came that disastrous 2011 season, which resulted in a 2-14 record for Indianapolis. Owner Jim Irsay cleaned house, replacing the architect of the Manning Era Colts, Bill Polian, with Ryan Grigson, who then replaced head coach Jim Caldwell with Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano.
All that's left to do now, it seems, is gut the roster. The transformation is nearly complete. The Colts have the first overall pick in the 2012 Draft, new coaches, and new philosophies.
And, for the time being, they still have Manning.
No one yet knows for sure what Irsay, Grigson, and Pagano will ultimately decide to do with no. 18. Manning is one of the best players in NFL history, but he's a major question mark with the neck injury. And with the "once-in-a-generation" quarterback prospect Andrew Luck of Stanford available in the draft, most signs point to the Colts completing their transformation and moving on from Manning and his monster contract.
Pagano is a gritty, defensive mind who favors the 3-4 base defense. He is assembling a staff that reflects that, starting with hiring Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler to coordinate Indianapolis' defense. Bruce Arians, who takes his retirements about as seriously as Mick Foley, will call the plays offensively. Arians had a messy divorce himself with the Steelers, whose front office sought a less pass-happy, aggressive scheme, and a more conservative, run-based approach (to Ben Roethlisberger's chagrin).
The Colts are moving away from the Manning/Tom Moore offense and the Tampa Two defense. They aren't going to be a finesse team anymore. They won't be led by Manning ever again.
"All good things must come to an end."
Be sure to check out other great articles at FreeTheSportsman.
Tags: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, NFL , Peyton Manning
Recent Colts Articles
- Fleener Joins Luck in Indy
- Draft Day is Finally Here
- NFL: Draft suspense unfolds after top two picks
- Colts Remove Peyton Manning Banner
- Final Mock Draft
- No. 1-2 QB Picks Not Always Sure Thing
- Colts Tell Luck He Will Be No. 1 Pick
- NFL mock draft 3.0: Trades, trades and more trades!
- Colts Finally Decide Who to Take
- Dwight Freeney Gets a New Job
Leave a comment
Not So Fast! To publish your comment, you have to login
Not Registered? Register now as it only take 20 seconds!
Click here to browse
0 comments