What a crazy season it has been in the National Football League.

Who would have imagined the St. Louis Rams would be the only undefeated team after six games? And if someone had said Denver would be one of the cellar-dwellers of the AFC West after winning the Super Bowl, people would have sent them for psychiatric help.

But perhaps the craziest happening of all is the out-of-nowhere Indianapolis Colts. Who could have imagined that last year's 3-13 squad would be 9-2 after 11 games and sit atop the AFC East?

After starting the season 2-2, Indianapolis has won seven consecutive football games. The Colts have not had a streak like that since the were in Baltimore in 1975 and won nine straight. With one more win, the Colts will secure the first 10-win regular season record since 1984 when they first moved from Baltimore.

Not even the Colts thought they could make a turnaround of this caliber. They have surprised everyone, including themselves.

"I expected and hoped to improve," said Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. "I didn't really expect to be 9-2 at this point in the season, but I'm not complaining."

"If you would have told me 11 games into the season we would be 9-2, after the season we had last year, I don't think I would have believed it," said Marcus Pollard, Colts tight end. "Things have come together well this year."

So people are starting to jump on the Colts' bandwagon. Now the Colts' last three home games are sold out. Colts merchandise is flying off shelves in stores. Peyton Manning wannabes are popping up all across the state.

But for those of us who have been Colts fans through some of the lean years (I converted when Jim Harbaugh was traded from the Bears in 1994), this season is a great relief. I don't hold any grudge toward those bandwagon fans. In fact, I am writing this to prove the Colts are the team to watch this season.

So here are nine reasons, in no specific order, we should love our Colts:

1. Offense. Thanks to Manning and his crew, the Colts have been named one the the most potent offenses in the NFL, scoring 307 points, including 33 touchdowns, in 11 games. Even when the Colts struggled against the Jets last Sunday, they managed to move the ball 287 yards and score 13 points.

2. Defense. Chad Bratzke and the boys allowed just 204 points in 11 games. The Colt defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks 28 times (seven are credited to Bratzke, a defensive end) and has recovered 10 of 15 of their opponent's fumbles. They allow only 4.9 net yards per play.

3. Solid fundamental play. Indianapolis had not reached the 9-2 mark by playing like a bunch of scrubs in a Saturday afternoon pick-up game. They have been charged with 60 penalties for 459 yards, compared to opponents' 86 penalties for 750 yards. Although the Colts have fumbled the ball 17 times, they have lost it just eight.

4. Petyon Manning. This cat is the real deal. He's good (bordering on great). Manning knows the game like few others in the sport. Manning has thrown a touchdown pass in each of the last 24 games. To this point in the season he has completed 225 of 368 passes with 12 interceptions and 21 touchdowns. He has been sacked just eight times in 11 games. And he's only been in the NFL for two years.

5. Edgerrin James. Many scoffed at Indy's decision to take James over Ricky Williams for their first-round draft pick. James has proved those naysayers wrong. While Williams has been less-then-stellar due to ankle injuries, James has come through for the Colts. Through ten games, James had rushed 234 times for 1006 yards and caught 39 passes for 414 yards. He accounts for 1420 of the Colts' 3781 total yards (nearly 38 percent of the total offense) and seven of their 33 touchdowns. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week November 23. 'Nuff said.

6. Marvin Harrison. One of the few veterans on the Indianapolis squad, Harrison leads all Colts receivers. With 69 receptions for 1056 yards, Harrison averages 15.3 yards per carry. He has caught at least one pass in each of the last 55 games.

7. Mike Vanderjagt. He has scored 100 of the Colts' 307 points this season. He set the club record for consecutive field goals by nailing his 14th in a row Sunday. To this point in the season he is 21 of 25 in his field goals attempts and 31 of 31 in extra points.

8. Confidence. Not to be confused with cockiness or arrogance. After last year's 3-13 performance, not too many people expected the Colts to be worth a hill of beans. They have turned a losing season into a motivational device instead of a crutch to lean on, but they refuse to allow themselves to get overconfident.

"There's still plenty of football left to play," said Manning. "We still have lots of room for improvement. It's not about who's in first place at this point in the season, it's all about who's in first place at the end of the season."

"Every week we play good teams," said Ken Dilger, Colts tight end. "Now that we are 9-2, we are the favorite instead of the underdog, but just because we are the favorites doesn't mean we can let up. Now we are the team everyone wants to beat."

9. Team concept. These Colts have things in perspective. They want to win so they put the good of the team in front of their own personal records.

"We come out every Wednesday and we prepare to win," said Bratzke. "It feels good to be 9-2. We know we are a good football team, but we know that we need to stay together as a team to keep winning." [[In-content Ad]]