National Football League

Colts ready for big taste of home cooking

Published Oct. 27, 2009 10:47 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Indianapolis Colts are ready for a little home cooking. It couldn't come at a better time. After spending four of the first six games on the road, including back-to-back trips to Miami and Arizona, the Colts are finally heading back to long, lost Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time in nearly a month. "We knew it would be very tough because it was very unusual," coach Jim Caldwell said Monday. "We had to deal with different time zones, extensive travel, different weather and the guys did a good job. I think we were well prepared and we adapted very well." Actually, the Colts played it perfectly. They are off to their fourth 6-0 start in five seasons, are one of three remaining undefeated teams in the league and can extend their franchise-record winning streak to 16 regular-season games Sunday against San Francisco. Caldwell has matched the best six-game record for a rookie head coach since the 1970 merger, and three-time MVP Peyton Manning is now on pace for his second season with 40 touchdown passes. But the most remarkable part is what Indy has done, even though they played four teams with records of 2-4 or worse. Indy has also beaten three division champs from 2008 - Miami, Arizona and Tennessee - all on the road. Two of the Colts' other opponents, Jacksonville and Seattle, reached the divisional round of the playoffs in 2007. The Colts have also played three prime-time games, including the game at Arizona, which followed a Monday night game in Miami. And the Colts haven't played at home since routing the Seahawks 34-17 on Oct. 4. Caldwell adapted by using the training camp schedule to prepare the Colts for their opening stretch and then altering the practice schedule when necessary to keep players fresh. "It's football," safety Antoine Bethea said. "We're not the first team to do it and we won't be the last. But Coach Caldwell was able to take a little off our legs, and it really helped." The danger, of course, is thinking that coming home guarantees future success. Indy knows better. The Colts host the 49ers, Houston and New England the next three weeks before heading to Baltimore and Houston. Indy opens December with back-to-back home games against Tennessee and Denver, then closes out the season at Jacksonville, home against the New York Jets and at Buffalo. "We look at ourselves and say 'We went away and won games and teams can come here and do the same thing,"' Caldwell said. "So we have to make sure that doesn't happen." Colts players will also have some further motivation for winning starting next week: Win and take an extra day off. Indy adopted the policy in 2002 when Tony Dungy came to town. Since then, the Colts have gone 46-15 in November and December including a perfect 9-0 last season. But Caldwell saw no reason to change it up. "That's something we've always done and I think it's an added incentive for our players," Caldwell said. NOTE: Undrafted rookie Jacob Lacey was called for excessive celebration after his first career touchdown on an interception return. Caldwell's not sure why. Lacey raced into the end zone, slid to the ground and gave the safe signal. "The rule is that once you're in the end zone and you leave your feet to go to your knees, the only thing you can do is pray," Caldwell said. "He slid. That's the way the rule is. But I had to find out exactly what he did wrong in the first place and make sure we adhere to it because that, obviously, could cost us in a close game."