Projecting the All Decade Team

This Sunday at the Pro Bowl the NFL will commemorate the 00’s, a decade that saw the NFL go from America’s third favorite (and at times arguably 4th) sport, to not only America’s number one sport, but perhaps it’s greatest passion, with the All-Decade team.

I’ve followed the same format that the NFL uses to commemorate each decade, and though this format leaves a lot of great players off the list (only two QB spots saved a huge head ache and a lot of debate), when you see this list of names the majority of the players probably already have some blacksmith (I just wanted to use the word blacksmith) working on their bust for Canton.

An important thing to note when looking over this list is that the All Decade team is not a marathon as much as it is a sprint. The list commemorates the players who performed the best this decade. Two to three years of dominating at your position are more valuable than six good seasons and one great one (see Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James, and Curtis Martin vs Adrian Peterson and Marshall Faulk).

The 2000's Funk Football All Decade Team:

WR Terrell Owens

WR Randy Moss

WR Marvin Harrison
WR Larry Fitzgerald
TE Tony Gonzalez
TE Antonio Gates
T Jonathan Ogden
T Walter Jones
T Orlando Pace
T Chris Samuels
G Steve Hutchinson
G Will Shields
G Larry Allen
G Alan Faneca
C Kevin Mawae
C Olin Kreutz
QB Peyton Manning
QB Tom Brady
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
RB Shaun Alexander
RB Marshall Faulk
RB Adrian Peterson
FB Lorenzo Neal

DE Michael Strahan
DE Julius Peppers
DE Jason Taylor
DE Dwight Freeney
DT Shaun Rogers
DT Warren Sapp
DT Tommie Harris
DT Richard Seymour
LB Ray Lewis
LB Brian Urlacher
LB Zach Thomas
LB Derrick Brooks
LB James Harrison
LB Joey Porter
CB Champ Bailey
CB Ty Law
CB Ronde Barber
CB Charles Woodson
S Ed Reed
S Troy Polamalu
S Brian Dawkins
S John Lynch

P Jeff Feagles
P Craig Hentrich
K Adam Vinatieri
K Jeff Wilkins
PR Devin Hester
PR Ed Reed
KR Dante Hall
KR Josh Cribbs

Coach Bill Belichick
Coach Tony Dungy

What If The Colts Lose?

Today is game day for the Indianapolis Colts, the day that the team has been counting down to since halftime of week 16. This is also the biggest game the Indianapolis Colts have played since February 4th, 2007; the day Peyton and company got their first Super Bowl ring.

Few remember, but heading into the 2006 AFC playoffs, head coach Tony Dungy was on the hot seat. Had the Colts lost their first game against the Chiefs that playoffs, Dungy was surely going to be given the boot, or at least reconsidered as the head coach of this time.

Hindsight 20/20 we can now find that statement funny. Dungy has since solidified his legacy as not only a Hall of Fame head coach, but also as one of the icons in the history of the league; breaking perhaps the final color barrier left in American sports.

Caldwell is a different story. If the Colts lose to the Ravens today, the media, Colts fans, and probably a lot of players (Peyton?) will want to see heads roll. There was absolutely no doubt after the Colts win over the Jaguars who the best team in the NFL was, and there was no doubt the Colts were superior to the Ravens. Caldwell got his players healthy, has home field advantage, and has absolutely no reason not to advance to the AFC championship game.

In other words, if the Colts lose, the first head coach to start his career 14-0 may be looking for a new job somewhere.

The Indianapolis Colts should win today, but they should have beaten Pittsburgh in 2005 as well. This team is different, there's a different sense of focus; As someone who follows the Colts heavily , this is the most focused I've seen the team. Ever. That includes when Reggie Wayne came to camp wearing camouflage.

The Colts have the perfect balance of veterans and youth. They're healthy. They have the best football player of his generation. If the Colts don't win today, watch out. Things will have to chance.

It's Week 5 and the Colts Have Wrapped Up the AFC South

Before the season there were a lot of questions about the Indianapolis Colts. Could they rebound from losing future Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison? How would they perform without Tony Dungy? Will a new defensive coordinator disrupt the good things the Colts D had going for them? Is it finally time for the Jaguars, Titans, and Texans to surpass the Colts?

Five weeks into the regular season, all of the questions have been answered.

Marvin Harrison, though talented, was a great receiver in the NFL thanks in large part to having Peyton Manning as his Quarterback. Sometimes in football a QB's weapons make him look better than he really is; Other times a Quarterback makes his weapons look better than they are. Thanks in large part to the explosive play thus far from D-3 WR Pierre Garcon, and BYU Rookie Austin Collie, Peyton has proven that not only can he do just fine in "Life After Marvin," he's probably better off. Most insiders were under the impression that Marvin has been on the decline since the Super Bowl run anyway.

Tony Dungy is in my opinion a Hall of Fame head coach. He commands respect, wins games, and has a calm demeanor that is extremely powerful in an NFL locker room. I don't think any other head coach would have been able to keep their team as calm and composed as Dungy kept the Colts in the 2006 AFC Championship game, where the team pulled off, perhaps the greatest comeback in NFL history.

That being said, the Colts are off to the same old Colts start that we had come to expect from 05-07. Also, don't forget that Dungy's job was on the line heading into the 06 playoffs, and he was considered a coach incapable of "winning the big one." I'm not trying to attack Tony Dungy here, but let's not forget what happened in Tampa the year after he was replaced. (If you need a refresher read the post below this one.)

As for the Colts defense? Well, after 2008 I think it was obvious that the team needed a change there. Outside of Week 2 in Miami (in weather that was similar to that of a Tropical Rain forest), the Colts defense has look adequate, playing without Marlin Jackson, Gary Brackett, Kelvin Hayden, oh and a certain injury prone Safety known as Bob Sanders. Simply put, the Colts D is the Colts D; though it has it's problems, it's good enough to win a championship.

As for the rest of the division? Through Week 5 their combined record in 4-11. They've pretty much handed the Colts the division. The Titans look confused, the Jaguars are lost, and the Texans are the same old Texans we've always known.

The Colts now control their AFC seeding. They can start focusing on getting that first round bye. This season they will host New England, New York Jets, and Denver in Indianapolis. The Colts also go to Baltimore, but Peyton has had lots of success there since 2002.

Anything less than a first round bye will be disappointing for this Indianapolis Colts team. But with Peyton gunning for his 4th MVP award, and the team positioning itself for Home Field Advantage for the first time since 2005, it's safe to say that the Colts will stay focused. Jim Caldwell has this team looking as focused as they've ever looked.

I predict at worst a 13-3 season, fully equipped with a first round bye, and home field throughout.