AFC Playoff Contenders

Over here in Southern California we get to see San Diego play quite a lot. Their offence with LaDainian Tomlinson seems to be able to score at will especially against the weaker defensive teams. Early in the season against, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, LT was held without a touchdown. San Diego's pass attack is flawed by aging or inconsistent receivers and inexperience at quarterback. Their only serious receiving threat is tight end Antonio Gates. San Diego has a pretty decent defense. However, they can be scored upon with a balanced attack that keeps the pass rush at bay. The San Diego Defense is ranked 7th against the rush and 11th against the pass.

For me Baltimore has the best balanced team in the NFL thus far this year. When Jamal Lewis and the rushing offence is on their game, Baltimore is hard to beat. Steve McNair and the pass offense is versatile. The Raven's have high quality receivers as good as can be assembled in the NFL. The Baltimore defense is awesome. They are ranked 1st in the league, 2nd against the run and 6th against the pass. The Raven's can be beat by a team with a quality passing game who can build a good lead. When you stop or neutralize the run and force McNair to pass the offense balance is lost. Baltimore has not shown itself to be a quick strike team. The scary part is that the Baltimore offense seem to be vastly improved in the second half of the season. This indicates that McNair has become completely familiar and comfortable with the offense and the players in the scheme. The QB fumbles, sacks, and interceptions are down to zero in the last three games.

The Colts run defense seems flawed. The general consensus is that losses at defensive tackle combined with poor tackling at linebacker has exposed the safeties to unacceptable injuries. We are now down to the 5th and 6th safeties in the depth chart. I fully expect Dungy and the coaching staff to make final adjustments on defense to make us competitive should we make the play-offs. If coach Bill Belichick can modify the defensive scheme to match the available players, I don't understand why the Colts brain-trust cannot make appropriate adjustments until we find something that works. There is still 3 games left in the season. The Tampa 2 works but if an alternate can be played situationally lets at least try it before we have to compete for the Superbowl. Being consistent in execution is required to win a championship, but being predictable or one dimensional will also hurt our chances.

Finally, Dungy and the coaching staff need to find a way to motivate the Colts players for the play-off run. If not, the players themselves need to dig down deep and make a supreme effort for 3 or 4 straight games. The difference between a good team and a great team is heart and consistent effort. If you want examples of heart and supreme effort review Robert Horry during the NBA championship series when San Antonio Spurs last won the championship. See Eddie George in the NFL playoffs against Baltimore in 2003 when he came back into the game after a shoulder injury to seal the Titan's win. Management and coaches put you in position to compete for a championship, but players win the games.

The Value of Time and Friends

To realize the value of a sister or brother, ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years: Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one minute: Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of a friend or family member: LOSE ONE.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

Remember, hold on tight to the ones you love.

On Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts

Tony Dungy has been one of my heroes for a long time. His diligence and consistency has helped the Colts to be as successful as they have been these past 5 years. The way he treats his players and staff in public is a great example for all leaders. Funny how that wisdom comes from Solomon and the book of Proverbs.

Jim Irsay, Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, and the entire Colts staff have brought a quality product to the market. SuperBowl or no SuperBowl. If Pittsburgh had not kept Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher around for as long as they did how many Superbowls would they have won? The Colts organization is a shining example for how corporate leaders should behave and Dungy is the face of the franchise.

Winning a Superbowl requires good players, a consistency system, and great individual effort in the play-offs. By my count the Colts missed good chances in 2003 and 2005 to make the superbowl. Those chances were missed mostly because individual players did not make the supreme effort. By supreme effort let me call your attention to Nick Harper against PittsBurgh in 2005 playing with a stab wound. Remember Eddie George against Baltimore in 2003. Eddie made the supreme effort despite a shoulder injury sustained during the game. Remember Emmit Smith willing Dallas to the Superbowl in 1992 despite significant injury. These players have or will have productive lives after football because the community remembers their contribution and opportunities are afforded.

Management, coaching, and the system of play provide the opportunity to challenge for the Superbowl each year. Players win the games. Perhaps Mike Vanderjagt might take a lesson from this rather than walking around with a chip on his shoulder during those years after calling out Peyton and Dungy in 2002. Perhaps in 2003 Edgerrin James might also taken the example of Emmit Smith instead of worrying about his contract when we were challenging for the AFC championship.

Despite the injuries and the players lost this 2006 year, The Colts are still in a good position to win. Dungy and his coaching staff have put together a winning system of play, Polian and his management staff have assembled a quality group of players, and Irsay and the Indianopolis community has provided the funds to make it happen. Now its up to the players to make that supreme effort to win 3 or 4 games straight. The individual players who step up to the task will be heroes for the rest of their lives.