National Football League

Colts riding high after 4-game playoff push

Published Jan. 4, 2011 4:14 a.m. ET

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Jim Caldwell changed his script Monday.

Rather than giving the usual perspective on Indianapolis' next opponent, the soft-spoken Colts coach actually took a few moments to reflect on Indy's latest achievement - making the playoffs for an NFL record-tying ninth straight year.

And why not, given the obstacle course Indy had to endure this season?

''It shows, obviously, the great commitment and resolve our men had in some adverse situations,'' Caldwell said, one day after the Colts clinched their seventh AFC South title in eight years.

Some? Try an entire season's worth of chaos.

Injuries left 17 players, ranging from All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark to 2007 NFL defensive player of the year Bob Sanders, on injured reserve. The running game struggled through the first three months and the run defense couldn't get anybody stopped until four weeks ago. Even Mr. Consistency, Peyton Manning, endured the worst slump of his 13-year pro career.

Or at least that was the perception.

So after losing back-to-back home games to San Diego and Dallas, leaving the Colts at 6-6, there was seemingly no way out of the Super Bowl losers' hex. That's when Caldwell got his guys together and issued a simple challenge: Just win out.

''We never doubted ourselves,'' safety Antoine Bethea said. ''Coach Caldwell showed us the standings and said, 'If we win the rest of our games, it's in our hands and we will be in the playoffs.'''

The players made sure of it.

But for a team that has turned January games into a regular routine, this was a different kind of season.

Instead of resting players down the stretch to get healthy, Indy (10-6) charged full bore through the season's final month and wound up fixing their most glaring holes - running the ball and stopping the run.

They've suddenly strung together three straight 100-yard rushing games and held their last four opponents to fewer than 80 yards per game on the ground. It's a combination they'll need again in Saturday night's showdown against the run-first Jets.

If the Colts continue playing this way, well, they could pull off as big a surprise as they did in the 2006 season when they won the Super Bowl.

''Check us out, that's all I can say,'' Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne said after Sunday's 23-20 victory over Tennessee. ''It was tough on us early in the year, but we found a way to prevail and move forward and now we're going to the playoffs.''

The bigger question may be how much did this grinding season take out of the Colts?

Not as much as people might think.

Because of the injuries, the Colts are a more experienced team and have found some extra depth, while keeping some key players fresh.

Starting running back Joseph Addai missed eight straight games before returning Dec. 26 and now appears to be healthy. Backup Dominic Rhodes re-signed with the Colts three weeks ago and has provided a spark in the ground game. Wayne and Jacob Tamme have continued to excel as Manning's top targets, and Pierre Garcon has taken on a larger role in the offense the past several weeks, though he dropped a handful of passes in Sunday's victory.

Caldwell also could get two defensive starters back Saturday.

Linebacker Clint Session hasn't played since Nov. 1 when he dislocated his right elbow, and Hayden has missed the last five games with a neck injury.

Getting both back, which the Colts had hoped for last weekend, the Colts defense could be even stronger than it was during the four-game winning streak.

''If you ask me if a little momentum going in is helpful, I would say yes,'' Caldwell said. ''Our situation was that we had to win. Without that momentum we probably wouldn't be standing where we are.''

But this isn't where the Colts expect it to end, either.

Over the last decade, success and failure in Indianapolis has largely been dictated by Super Bowl appearances - not playoff berths. And that's not likely to change now, regardless of Indy's impressive push to get back into the playoffs.

''We were at a point where we were 6-6 and the great thing about it was that we controlled our own destiny, and they got it done,'' Caldwell said. ''All in all, I'm very proud of what these guys accomplished. It wasn't easy.

''This is the playoffs. This is what you work for and this is the beginning of the second season,'' Caldwell added. ''Now, everything kicks up a notch or two. Our guys' focus has to step up a notch or two.''

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