National Football League

Colts trying to recover from blowout loss

Published Oct. 27, 2011 4:12 a.m. ET

foxsports

Adam Vinatieri is used to winning championships and making kicks in big games.

Lately, he's rarely even been needed to kick an extra point.

Vinatieri, who has won four Super Bowls and played in five, is in unfamiliar territory this season with the winless Colts. The offense has struggled as quarterback Peyton Manning has recovered from neck surgery, limiting Vinatieri's opportunities to live up to his reputation as a clutch performer.

''We get paid to win games,'' he said. ''That's what it's about. Winning games solidifies your job for everybody all across the board. I'm used to being on teams that win a lot of games. When it doesn't go that way, you have to re-evaluate and figure out what we can do, how you can help win more games.''

Indy (0-7) is coming off a 62-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, but Vinatieri says the healing could start Sunday at Tennessee (3-3).

''It's been tough,'' he said. ''Nobody's down and out and dejected, it's just that we know where we're at right now, and it takes some wins to dig out of this hole. One win doesn't solve everything, but you've got to start with one.''

Team president Bill Polian said Wednesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio that coach Jim Caldwell isn't responsible for the struggles, and that injuries to key players including Manning, safety Melvin Bullitt and linebacker Gary Brackett are to blame.

''How you evaluate him is what you do with what he has,'' Polian said. ''You can't hold him responsible for injuries. You can't hold him responsible for an unforeseen surgery that no one anticipated would happen. The things that he can control, I think he's done a terrific job of, given where we are from a standpoint of personnel.''

Indianapolis is last in the NFL in total defense and has allowed the most points in the league. Polian said he doesn't see an effort issue on defense, but wouldn't say what, or who, was the problem.

''The players are playing hard, and it's hard for me to believe that Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney and Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner, and people who - on and on - Fili Moala - people who have played well in the past have all of a sudden fallen off the cliff,'' Polian said. ''That's not been the case. That isn't the case. So we've got to figure out what's wrong and get it corrected.''

Caldwell said he's not worried about where he stands.

''There are no guarantees in this league, you know that,'' Caldwell said. ''I have been around long enough to understand that every year is different, every year takes a lot of work and it's highly difficult. In terms of me personally, I don't get into all of that stuff. My personal feelings and all of those things don't matter. I'm more concerned about the guys that I coach, getting them to head in the right direction and trying to get this thing turned around, that's my impetus right now, that's my focus.''

There's one cure.

''Winning at this point in time is extremely important,'' Caldwell said. ''Any time of the season. Number one, we're measured by it. Number two, it's extremely important because when you've been struggling like our guys have, a win can work miracles. We need one.''

Cornerback Jerraud Powers said the secondary has much to prove after getting ripped for 325 yards and five touchdowns by Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

''We've definitely been going through some growing pains,'' he said. ''We've just got to try to come in each day, work hard, get better and just go from there and see what we can do on Sunday.''

Freeney said the Colts' ability to refocus after games was helpful when they were winning and should serve them well now.

''When we were winning, it was the same thing,'' he said. ''You worry about that next opponent, who cares what happened last week,'' he said. ''That's not going to win you the game. You have to worry about that next opponent.''

Vinatieri, for one, isn't giving up.

''The season's not over by any means, but it's to a point where every game is a must win,'' he said. ''We need to start finding a way to get wins and just playing better. There's plenty of room for improvement, but it's fixable.''

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap