FanHouse Bobsanders

Though many of the players from the perennially playoff-bound Indianapolis Colts are still around, it's a new era in Colts camp these days. The turnover on the coaching staff has been vast, especially for a team who has seemingly gone 12-4 in their sleep for all of recent memory -- and it goes all the way to the top. With a new head coach and two new coordinators, the players have some adjusting to do.

On the defensive side of the ball, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders appears to believe in his new defensive boss, former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer.

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

I often chuckle at the amount of time people spend whining about how you can't accurately evaluate the draft immediately. We know that. We also don't know exactly who is going to do what in each season, but that doesn't stop us from giving preseason predictions or fantasy football advice. Sometimes you just have to have a little bit of intestinal fortitude and put yourself out there. The reader demand is there, so we'll provide the supply.

One of the few cases (along with teams like the Steelers and Patriots) where it's probably not a good idea to say anything bad, though, is when it comes to Bill Polian and the Colts.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the league's marquee franchises in the present tense. In 2008, they won 12 games -- their baseline figure for the past six seasons. No one else in the NFL can stake that claim. In fact, they've made the playoffs in nine of the last 10 seasons overall, another league-high in that span.

The problem, as has been the case far too many times for these Colts, was that they came away empty-handed in the postseason.

On Friday, the Oakland Raiders released safety Gibril Wilson, defensive end Kalimba Edwards and wide receiver Ronald Curry, saving the team about $6 million against the 2009 salary cap.

Think back to last offseason when owner Al Davis, in an effort to return his once proud franchise to glory, was signing blank checks with a stamp and passing them out to second-tier free agents like it was the fashionable thing to do. A year later, it's becoming obvious as to how much of a total failure the offseason was.

Ron Meeks, who recently resigned from the Indianapolis Colts, has been hired by the Carolina Panthers to fill the role of defensive coordinator. Meeks left the Colts under what can best be described as "heavy scrutiny" recently.

He steps into a role vacated by Mike Trgovac.

It's an odd situation because as the Panthers appeared ready to gut their entire defensive staff all at the behest of Julius Peppers, they offered Trgovac a two year extension, which he subsequently spurned to pursue better offers.

Stay on top of all the postseason action with FanHouse's NFL playoff coverage.

Considering they reside in two different divisions, the Colts and Chargers are quite the familiar foes. Last season the Chargers won a regular season game against Indy when Adam Vinatieri shanked what should have been a gimme game-winner, and then the Chargers went into Indianapolis and shocked the Colts in the playoffs. This season, the Colts went into San Diego and knocked the Chargers to an extremely disappointing 4-7 -- this time on the strength of a clutch Vinatieri kick. At the time, you would have been crazy to think the Colts would have to travel out there again this season.

Instead, the Chargers come into the playoffs winning four straight, and -- by virtue of an embarrassing division -- get the pleasure of hosting a team which holds a four game lead and head-to-head victory in the W column. I'm sure arguments can be made about whether or not this is "fair," but life ain't fair.

You can bet Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy aren't bringing their Colts into San Diego feeling sorry for themselves. If anything, this will light a fire under their bellies.

Normally a statement like the title would be as meaningless as some of those Christmas gifts you received from a distant relative in the gift exchange this past week. Saying Peyton Manning wants to win a football game is definitely like giving someone his third pair of driving gloves. It's a totally unnecessary -- and totally unwanted -- gift. Still, this week it's news. The game means nothing to the Colts. They are the fifth seed in the AFC, no matter what. Their opponent, the Tennessee Titans, have already wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Really, the game doesn't mean anything to anyone outside of fantasy footballers. Peyton would disagree with that statement.

"We'd like to continue our winning streak, and go into the first week of the playoffs coming off a win. We'd like to keep the momentum going. We're going to do whatever it takes to keep that going."

I don't know if I can buy that.

Normally a statement like the title would be as meaningless as some of those Christmas gifts you received from a distant relative in the gift exchange this past week. Saying Peyton Manning wants to win a football game is definitely like giving someone his third pair of driving gloves. It's a totally unnecessary -- and totally unwanted -- gift. Still, this week it's news. The game means nothing to the Colts. They are the fifth seed in the AFC, no matter what. Their opponent, the Tennessee Titans, have already wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Really, the game doesn't mean anything to anyone outside of fantasy footballers. Peyton would disagree with that statement.

"We'd like to continue our winning streak, and go into the first week of the playoffs coming off a win. We'd like to keep the momentum going. We're going to do whatever it takes to keep that going."

I don't know if I can buy that.

Back in Week 3, these two teams met in Indianapolis. Jacksonville thoroughly dominated time of possession (41:35 to 18:25), yet still needed a last second drive and a clutch 51 yard field goal from Josh Scobee to win it. You can see Scobee mugging the ball-boy here after the kick in one of my favorite pictures of the 2008 season.

The Jags ran all over Indy, as both Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew went over 100 yards on the ground. Also, Rashean Mathis returned a pick 61 yards for a touchdown.

At the time it was thought that this saved Jacksonsville's season, one that carried lofty expectations. The Colts seemed vulnerable, especially because the defense supposedly couldn't stop the run unless Bob Sanders was suited up.

My, how things have changed.

The Jags are dead man walking presently. Taylor and Mathis are out for the season. The Colts are riding a seven game winning streak, and will be headed, yet again, to the playoffs. They have been stopping the run better as of late, even when Sanders is sidelined, due to the emergence of Melvin Bullitt, though Sanders is now back.

Three key questions:

With attention spans dwindling, we forego full game-by-game previews to give you the essentials you need to know about every contest this glorious NFL weekend. Click here to go back in time.

The 1s

Tampa Bay (9-4) at Atlanta (8-5): It is nice that the the NFC South is playing Nikki Hilton to the NFC East's Paris, creating a competitive rivalry for best division in the league. The South is professional, successful and downright fun to watch, as you could see Monday night. I am still riding the "Matt Ryan for MVP" train directly into the station, and he is getting a lot of help from the likes of Brett Favre, Drew Brees and Kurt Warner, who haven't exactly been lighting it up the last few weeks. Both are coming off a loss last week, so if either one of these teams want to keep playoff hopes alive, they must card a victory.

Explain this to me -- we have flex scheduling but can't make this one a primetime event? I don't get it.