You had to know this was coming. It’s a familiar feeling that Colts fans go through this time of year. A postseason loss to the Patriots has just become part of our annual football decompression around the middle of January. I personally view it as the start of the baseball season, and replace all of my Colts gear with shirts and clothing of those loveable losers from the north side. This year, I didn’t wait for the game to end to make the switch. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even wait for the game to start. For years I would hold onto hope when the cameras would come on at Foxboro and ol’ number 18 was under center. Regardless of weather, I would have faith that Peyton Manning would pull the monkey off his back much like Steve Young did. Until the clock hit zero, my eyes were glued to the television, hoping for Manning to perform his fourth quarter magic. That time never came, and now it never will. Yesterday, as much as I tried to drum up some sort of optimism, it was met with the realization that the Colts just aren’t as good as the Patriots. They’re not as good on the field of play, on the sidelines, and certainly not in the owner’s box. The separation between the two organizations was obvious, and the score of last night’s game, a 45-7 Patriots win, accurately portrayed the gap. It wasn’t just the dropped passes, the mishandled punt in the first quarter, or the lack of a run game. It was the fact that the New England Patriots were able to hand the ball off to LeGarrette Blount, and completely control the tempo. It was a game plan that was talked about by the national and local media alike. Everyone knew the Patriots were going to run the ball. Even the Colts knew they were going to run the football, but they just didn’t have the man power to stop it. Some will use the loss to blame the coaching staff for poor game planning, while others will point at the generally soft defense the Colts have put on the field for the better half of 20 years. While those are strong excuses, the fact is that the Colts just don’t have enough talent to compete against elite competition like the Patriots. No, the Broncos aren’t an elite team without a healthy Peyton Manning, and the Bengals are far from elite with a mediocre quarterback and an injured stud wide receiver. That would be the luck I was referring to earlier. The Colts couldn’t have asked for a better draw in facing two teams reeling with injuries. Last night showed that while the Colts seem to be improving, they’re not ready to take the next step. Colts nation continues to sing the praises of Andrew Luck even with him having thrown only nine touchdown passes to 12 interceptions in his six playoff games. Peyton Manning was judged solely on his post season performances and his inability to win the big game, but somehow Luck gets a free pass. Maybe not so much anymore. After last night, the question has to be asked if Luck is equipped to win the big game. No, I’m not placing all the blame on his shoulders, but it’s fair to make sure he shoulders his fair share. Ultimately, he’s the leader of the Indianapolis Colts, and they will only go as far as he will take them. So far, that hasn’t resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl. So as it goes most of the time during the month of January, I begin to think of the future. For the next three months I’ll dream of green grass and ivy covered walls. Next year is here, and it’s going to be a fun ride. Well, hopefully!
