After starting the 2005 season 13-0, the Colts lost two of their last three regular season games and was “one and done” in the postseason, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion, Pittsburgh Steelers.  Disappointing, for sure.  And the results of this past offseason MIGHT NOT be all that great either.

RB Edgerrin James left the Colts for the Arizona Cardinals, making the trio of offensive supremacy in James, QB Peyton Manning, and WR Marvin Harrison into a duo.  The Colts didn’t want to pony up the dollars to keep James and they are hoping RB Dominic Rhodes, the veteran, can step up his game.  However, rookie RB Joseph Addai is right there with Rhodes and is similar to James in size and versatility.  Even if Rhodes does start to begin the season, there is a huge question about his durability, so Addai should get his shot.  If either one can keep the running game going, losing James won’t hurt so much.  However, looking at the preseason, I don’t know if either can.  BUT, it was only preseason.

Manning is at the top of his game still, at least in the regular season, and is arguably the best QB in the game right now.  There is no doubting his ability or smarts and if you give him enough time, he will dissect the defense and kill you.  Helping in the slaughter is Manning’s main man, WR Marvin Harrison, who can still burn by corners and safeties at the age of 34.  On the other side, WR Reggie Wayne is probably the best WR2 in the NFL and would probably be a number one somewhere else.  The Colts showed him the money instead of James because of his skills and durability.  I doubt WR Brandon Stokley will ever repeat what he did in 2004, but he is at least a threat in the slot.  TE Dallas Clark is a complete player and has great ability as a receiver, especially after the catch.

The defense really stepped it up last season, becoming one of the top D’s in the league.  That should continue this season as DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will put enough pressure on the opposing QB, as will Raheem Brock.  The LB corp is solid, but not exactly the most stout.  The secondary is good enough, but it will have problems against powerhouse offenses, as they did with Cincinnati, Seattle, and San Diego last season.

In the end, I think it will come down to how the running game does without Edgerrin James, and whether or not the Indy defense can keep it up and play at the level they did last season.  I’m sure the Colts wouldn’t mind losing a couple of more games if it meant doing better in the postseason.