Offense

One of the best offenses in the league will no doubt excel once again. Peyton Manning will no doubt get his share of yards and touchdown passes. While the offense did lose running back Dominic Rhodes, the remainder of the offensive nucleus is back and ready. Manning is the key to this offense and a healthy Manning means more victories.

The running game is also strong. While they may be not as effective as last year due to the previously mentioned departure of Rhodes, the running back area will still do well.

The passing game is a sight to behold. Manning is confident that his receivers will be in the right spot at the right time and they typically are. Despite one of the best set of receivers in the league, the Colts reloaded and used their first round choice on a receiver with the hope that their passing game will rank as the best in the league for years to come.

All this talent would not be any good without a good offensive line. Here again, the Colts are well equipped. Pro Bowl left tackle Tarik Glenn is effective as a run blocker and pass protector giving Manning confidence his backside is well protected. The other positions are well stocked and the Colts used their 2nd round draft choice to pick up another solid lineman.

Defense

The defense has always been overshadowed by the offense. In 2006, the Colts defense ranked 12 out of 16. Not what most people would consider a Super Bowl worthy defense. It just highlights how dominant the offense is. At some point though, the Colts need to address defense. With the Patriots looking to improve and get back to the Super Bowl, the Colts cannot rely on just offense.

The defensive did not do that well in 2006. The Colts gave up a league worst, YES, league worst 173 yards per game at a clip of 5.3 yards per rushing attempt. Too often the front line was too focused on rushing the passer which opened up the rushing lanes for huge gains. This will need to stop. Opponent coaches should take note of this and control the game. By controlling the game, maybe, they can keep Manning off the field.

The linebacking corps continues to be a point of frustration for fans. For the 4th time in 5 years, a starting linebacker left the team via free agency. That is just too much turnover and no doubt added to the woeful running defense.

The secondary is also in shambles. Jason David and Nick Harper sought the free agent big bucks and left the team. Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are expected to replace David and Harper but between the two of them they have only started two games over the last two years. Not exactly a comforting thought, especially for a defense that was prone to giving up big, big plays a few years ago.

My Prediction

The bottom line is that seven players who started a combined 273 games in 2006 are no longer with the team. That is a major hit to any team. With stiff competition in the AFC, the Colts will be hard pressed to repeat last years performance. As with every Super Bowl winner, every team that plays them wants to knock them off. It will be no different for the Colts. Each lower echelon team the Colts play will treat that game like their Super Bowl. Consequently, the Colts will have a good year, but distractions, free agency and a porous defense will be too much to overcome making the Colts a one year wonder.