Well we are about 45 hours since that game and I am finally coming out of this funk that I have been in since it ended Sunday night. Today has been a little better, but I still haven't been very sociable around others. I've got a few thoughts that I am going to throw out there and will continue to expand on them as time goes by.

Edgerrin James? Anyone who knows me, knows I love Edge. But Edge is a free agent now and he is bound to demand good money. Obviously we have some glaring needs on defense that could be addressed with the money we will have to spend on Edge. The biggeest problem with just commiting that money to defense is the fact that we have no one who can run the ball, at least anywhere near as well as Edge. I like the Rock, but let's face it, he is nowhere near as good as Edge. We have a solid receiving corps and we coudl possible give up a Reggie Wayne to get the D. Right now I am just not certain what we can get via free agency and the draft. As that becomes more clear, I will be able to make a better call on this.

Rob Morris has to go. I would rather have Zack Morris. Rob had his best season this year and it could only be described as mediocre. This is a guy in a contract year. There really is nothing else to say about him.

Idrees Bashir is most likely gone as well. Idrees is a decent cover guy as a safety, but is a liability against the run. Someone compared him to Deion Sanders. Again there is a problem. The Hitman seems injury prone, but we'll have to wait a year to make a real judgement. Mike DOSs is a good hitter, but is slow. With our midget CB's we have issues.

I really like Dwight, Montae and Rahim up front, but some bigger guys in the middle would be nice. Mathis is a super pass rusher, but he is only a specialist.

I feel like Vandy will be elsewhere next season either by design or his decision. He has been great, but he has not exactly endeared himself to the locals.

People who say PM is only about the personel achievements have to be among the dumbest people on the planet.

New England is still the team to beat. When the playoffs get going they kick it into a gear most other teams don't even have.

What was up with the play calling Sunday by the Colts? I am still baffled and I will probably ask myself this question every day until camp starts.

For the second consecutive year the Colts season ended with a whimper on the field at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The Colts, who I really thought were destined to be this years world champions were simply outmanned and outcoached by the Patriots again yesterday.

The post mortem on the 2004 version of the Colts will not be pretty, but what led them to this point was as fun and as exhilarating as any season the Colts have had since their arrival in 1984. The team won its second consecutive AFC South title. They finished with a 12-4 record. Peyton Manning won his second consecutive MVP award. Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeney and Edge are all going to the Pro Bowl. Marvin was signed to a long contract extension. Brandon Stokley was resigned. Freeney led the league in sacks. PM broke Dan Marino’s record for most TD passes in a season and finally, and possibly most important, the city and the team have come to an agreement for a new stadium and revenue plan that should keep the team in Indy for at least 30 years.

Unfortunately, what most will remember is how the season ended. How this prolific offense managed just 3 points in the biggest game of the season. How the much maligned defense stayed strong and stout for 2 and a half quarters and the O couldn’t take advantage of it. How a team who was on loud all season, played like they got there using the run.

The longest pass was 18 yards. There were turnovers. For some reason we ran the screen to Edge all day long with minimal results. Coach Dungy sure came up with a doozy of a game plan. Not! It was a manageable 6-3 at the half. A three and out and we had the ball again. Yet we continued to try and run against what is the best linebacking crew in the league.

So we go into the long offseason. Obviously defense is our most glaring need in the draft, especially linebacker. We also have some serious free agent issues to resolve. Edge and Ryan Diem are probably the most notable. And this team has to get tougher. Mentally and physically. If we are going to play poorly at Foxboro in January, then we have to make sure we don’t have to go there. Had we won the game in September, this one would have been at home. We have to figure out a way to play strong all season and have no let down after the bye.

Jacksonville and Houston are improving. Pittsburgh looks poised to stay strong for a while. The Jets and Chargers were both surprisingly good this season. Winning will be difficult, but the ground work is there. We are not a team in disarray; rather we are a team that is close to the top. We just need a little more toughness and a little more talent on D.

I look back on this season with many fond memories. It was so much fun. But today really hurts. I just have no inclination to talk to anyone or even be around anyone. I want to go home and curl up on the couch with a bowl of spaghetti and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want to laugh, I don’t want to “feel better” about the loss. That’ll come. Today I just feel empty and frankly, let down. Next week I’ll watch the Championship games because I love NFL football. Later this week I’ll be okay and I will be the Colts biggest fan again. Right now I just want them to go away.

Last year I thought if we got over on NE it would have been a huge upset. This year I feel we were the better team going in and I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. Peyton Manning is already talking about next year. I guess that is all he really can do. Me, I am going to wallow in my own self pity for a day or two before I start focusing on the draft and next year.

We are now a scant 8 hours away from possibly the biggest game in the history of the Indianapolis Colts. I am confident, but still the butterflies are gathering. I think the Colts will beat the Patriots and get that yoke off of them. Frankly I think they may kick the living shit out of them.

I’ll have more tomorrow. All week I have just been to wound up to write. BTW, thanks a hell of a lot Jets!

Playoffs!

Colts 49 Broncos 24 and it wasn't that close. After punting on the first series of the games the Colts put the hammer down and rolled out to a 21-0 lead before the Broncos could get on the board with a FG. The Colts were dominant as they roll into the Divisional round next week at Foxboro.

The game was pretty much a foregone conclusion but there was still excitement. Pawly decided he was going to ride a Bronco fan in a John Lynch jersey. Despite our efforts to keep him reined in, Paw was over the top and was called out for it. Of course he says he was yelling at the real John Lynch, but I didn't see him in the stands.

Later Paw lost his keys so we went to the Garter after the game. I thought we were all going, but apparently we ALL weren't. Paw got mad and almost left us. He then was riding Tom about being disrespectful. Finally Tom snapped and went after Paw. Some bent glasses were the result and a bag full of animosity. They'll kiss and make up today, but last night was ugly.

Anyway, great weekend of football action.

No one is going to beat the Colts, except the Colts.

The Rams probably played their best game of the season in beating the Seahawks.

Guess Denver ain't so tough after all.

How disappointing for the Chargers. My hat is off to them for a great season.

Jim Harbaugh into the Ring of Honor!! Good Schtuff!

Eric Barton is an idiot who ass was saved by his offense.

I hear Vandy is running his mouth again. Isn't his 15 minutes up?

Green Bay....thud!

Randy Moss is a classless fucking goon.

While I doubt they are scared of us, the Pats know they are in for a long afternoon next Sunday.

Go Jets!

11 playoff teams will lose their last game.

How about that Reggie Wayne!?

Our tickets are going up $10 next year. That is a 12.7% increase. It is also $24 in the past two years.

Random Thoughts

With the regular season in our rear view mirrors here are some of my thoughts regarding the season that was….

When the fuck is Brett Favre going to retire? God I am sick of that bastard. Of course, if he was mediocre I wouldn’t care.

Will the Raiders ever be any good again? Norv Turner is not the right guy. Gannon is like 85 years old and Kerry Collins is not the answer. Add to that they might lose Jerry Porter to free agency and the future looks bleak.

Congrats to all the division winners except Seattle, who sucks and only won because they are in a division with the Rams, 49ers and Cardinals.

San Diego had to be the surprise team of the league this season. They started out at the draft as the team Little Eli didn’t want to play for and ended up as the AFC West Champ.

Speaking of Little Eli, he was pretty God awful in his first campaign. I seriously doubt he ever lives up to brothers game. I think he likes the neon nights of Gotham better than football at this point. Can’t really say I blame him!

New England still looks like the team to beat. I am not sold on Pittsburgh. I do like the Colts chances.

I love the new stadium design and pray it happens for us all in Indy.

Congrats to CuMa for winning the rushing title. I think most had him thrown on the scrap heap.

The NFC West was by far the worst division. Second worst had to be the NFC North. Frankly, with the exception of the Eagles, the NFC sucked.

Will anyone touch Ricky Williams if he tries to come back now? Probably.

It feels so good to see Brian Billick not in the playoffs.

My guess is that Chucky has worn out his welcome in Tampa Bay.

Holmgren, Martz, Erickson, Parcells, Turner, Tice, Marriucci and Haslett probably need to be fired.

Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Emmitt Smith need to retire before they become jokes.

The Bengals seem stuck where they are. Is there any reason to hope for a better future or is this as high as their talent will allow?

Phil Simms monotone “color” calling of games is intolerable.

Randy Cross’ hatred of the Colts has no place in what is supposed to be an objective career.

Dr. Zero’s team ranking’s this year have been a joke! But then so has Dr. Z for years.

Is it just because I am white, or is Stuart Scott the most irritating ‘personality’ on ESPN?

Hey Merrill Hoge, we see your hating colors shining through!

The Lions were a major disappointment this year despite finally winning on the road.

Bears suck!

Tough break for Wanny. I really wanted him to stay at Miami.

I yelled more at Colts games this year than ever before and I feel great about it!

We may not realize it yet, but we just witnessed a season by a QB that may never be headed.

Now that is seems apparent that Edge will be here next year, where are all those who said otherwise?

Parcells is done.

Gibbs is in over his head.

Big Ben is as good of a rookie as there has been in a while.

Who would have figured this season for Drew Brees.

Peyton Manning = MVP.

Will Steve McNair ever play again?

How disappointing for Carolina to go from Super Bowl to out of the playoffs.

Jacksonville will gloat about their win over the Colts, eventual Super Bowl champions, but they only have themselves to blame for the 21-0 beat down they took at home against the Texans in week 16.

Minnesota tried to stay out the dance, but snuck in.

The tandem of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney should be enough to scare opposing offenses to death.

MIA the coffin corner kick.

Fuck TO.

Michael Vick is a great football player, just not that great of a QB.

The best part of the NFL season is upon us, but it really is the beginning of the end of the season. I hate that.

Hey hey, ho ho Rob Morris has got to go!

Mike DOSs is too slow.