Cuts/Colts

I have followed training camp closely. The colts are freaking stacked with similar second an third-string players with similar talent especially at receiver and linebacker. I suspect that they will cut some of these second and third-string veterans to save salary cap money, and young guys always have more upside if they are playing near the same level as a veteran. The one edge that these rookies have is that they are good on special where a lot of guys from last year really didn't do well on special teams.

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My Playoff Picks

AFC

North Steelers This is a tough division , but they are the most complete team. It's going to between the steelers and Ravens.

East Patriots This is a no-brainer.

South Colts I have said about all I need to.

West Broncos This may seem crazy, but I am telling you the Broncos will be tough to beet with the best corners in the league and a revamped D-line.

Wild Card 1 Chargers They have talent but lack veteran leadership. LT and Lights Out as team leaders with no Marty? You do the math.

Wild Card 2 Ravens The north division is so tough that I think that they are going to take an unbelievable pounding and not win the division. Plus, McNair is getting old so I don’t trust his ability to deliver even with a reinvigorated running game.

NFC

North Bears No-brainer.

East Cowboys I think that they are looking like the Joe Montana 49ers. However they have a weak secondary, but a good pass rush. I could see them winning the NFC if the pass rushers stay healthy.

South Saints The division is tougher this year, but the Saints have improved.

West Seahawks Everyone is healthy.

Wild Card 1 Eagles McNabb will win enough games before he is injured to put them in the playoffs.

Wild Card 2 Packers* This team will have a filthy defense this year. If you look at Favre's career he has ups and downs. I think that he presses more when he feels like his team isn't going to make it. This team has a shot. I think that we might see Favre run for first downs and put it all on the line this year.

*initially I was thinking of the Bucs here, but I like the Packers. To me it is a team that could gel and really do something.

Colts Will Improve

First, I would like to say that the Colts have won for so long because they know how to pick players. For instance, everyone is concerned about who will be the colts second running back. Honestly, do you think that the Colts don’t have a plan? Now a team like the Bengals, their draft pick, Kenny Irons, went down. Do you think that they have a decent backup plan? NO! Since Tony Dungy and Bill Polian have been in the league, they have won period. Don't worry about the Colts.

Second, everybody is worried about the Colts loosing decent players. However, the Colts defense was basically horrible last year. It really can’t get much worse that what it was last year. Everything that I have heard indicates that the new starters are better than the ones they had last year.

Third, kickoff and punt coverage were horrible last year. I am pretty sure both were the worst in the league. I can’t promise that they were dead last last year because I can’t get NFL.com to spit out the stats I want.

Finally, The Colts know how to find players, and when you are dead last in several categories, you don’t need premier, big-name guys to make a big difference on your team when you are really bad in an area. The Colts already have big names signed to their roster, they just need role players who can play backup receiver, corner, or tight end who can also play special teams.

As a little post script: I expect this to be one of the better defensive years for the Colts. Primarily because the Colts have some punishing hitters on defense. Keiaho, who replaced Cato June, hits way harder and is a sure tackler. Not to mention, the secondary is probably the best tackling secondary in football anyway.

I know that the D-line is suspect, but they have brought in some 300 lb tackles in Johnson and Pitcock. Johnson is a great pass rusher and I am sure that both will be more effective against the run than last-year's group. However, lets not forget that the Colts played without substitutes at defensive tackle for a number of games.

Drafting Players in the Professional Sports

I never really followed football when I was younger because I never had the attention span to watch the game. However, I always loved to watch highlights. However, as I have gotten older, gotten my ADD in check, and moved away from doing to watching, I have begun to follow football very closely. My point is that I understand the games well and all of the stuff that I see and here, but I haven’t followed it long enough to understand everything in terms of how players develop over time and so forth.

Here are some thoughts on the draft. Rounds 1 to 3 a team drafts because the players are good and will help the team. Rounds 4 to 6 are drafted not so much because they will be better than undrafted guys but more because teams have more film or they played in a big conference giving them less of a bust factor due to off-field behavior or injury.

The best example is the undrafted DT ED Johnson and 3^rd Round Quinn Pitcock. Johnson has been described by SI.com as playing like he was “shot out of a cannon.” Pitcock is simply described as a hard worker. One was drafted and the other was not. Granted it does not say that Johnson was arrested he was suspended from school. I would assume that he had engaged in something inappropriate, but nothing illegal. I think that the Colts can work with a guy like that.

Draft

I never really followed football when I was younger because I never had the attention span to watch the game. However, I always loved to watch highlights. However, as I have gotten older, gotten my ADD in check, and moved away from doing to watching, I have begun to follow football very closely. My point is that I understand the games well and all of the stuff that I see and here, but I haven’t followed it long enough to understand everything in terms of how players develop over time and so forth.

Here are some thoughts on the draft. Rounds 1 to 3 a team drafts because the players are good and will help the team. Rounds 4 to 6 are drafted not so much because they will be better than undrafted guys but more because teams have more film or they played in a big conference giving them less of a bust factor due to off-field behavior or injury.

The best example is the undrafted DT ED Johnson and 3^rd Round Quinn Pitcock. Johnson has been described by SI.com as playing like he was “shot out of a cannon.” Pitcock is simply described as a hard worker. One was drafted and the other was not. Granted it does not say that Johnson was arrested he was suspended from school. I would assume that he had engaged in something inappropriate, but nothing illegal. I think that the Colts can work with a guy like that.

Bob Sanders/Colts

Some fans think that it would be a good idea to resign Bob Sanders. I think that this would be a HORRIBLE idea. He has missed over half his games. I just don't see him panning out with the number of injuries that he has had. I can only see resigning him if he signs a really small contract. However, he is hurt so much that he can't be counted upon. the colts will have a low second round pick next year they would be better off to sign another safety who can help with the run. I think that Sanders is getting a little too much credit for the defense during the playoffs. You have to also remember that part of the playoff success had to do with having a defensive tackle substitutes. For most of the season, the Colts were playing with no substitutes at defensive tackle.

My next big hope is that the Colts don't sign an official fullback and just keep using Klecko as the fullback. I think that the Colts interests will be better served by having three legit running backs. I think that Dorey is going to be on the team and be the number 2 back. I am under the impression that he is a poor-man's Reggie Bush. I almost want to say to go with the veteran that they have from the Canadian League because of his receiving ability, and if Addai goes down, it would be nice to have a veteran professional player.

Colts Cap Room

It's pretty exciting right now. The Colts released Corey Simon who was a well paid free agent. In addition, Tarik Glenn, a starting left tackle, retired. They should have about 6 to 12 million in cap room now. They should consider going after the best defensive tackle that they can get that they don't have to overpay for. The one thing that has always bothered me about the Colts is that there are always guys out there who are at the end of their contracts and considering retirement, but they never go after them. You will never see the Colts sign a Simeon Rice, Jr. Seau, or something like that. Guys like that probably don't want to break the bank. They just want to win.