And One Will Streak No More!
Coming into Sunday Vince Young had won his last nine starts. The Titans were in the process of making an amazing turn around to compete for the playoffs with a 5 game winning streak on the line that followed the season opening 6 game losing streak.
The Colts were looking to win their twelfth game of the season and a record tying 21 regular seasons in a row. Peyton Manning needed one more touchdown to keep his streak of consecutive seasons with at least 25 touchdowns alive (which he got putting the streak at a record breaking 12 seasons). The home team would not be denied as the Colts remain streaking and Vince Young and the Titans streak no more.
Tennessee came out tough and gave the Colts a much tougher game than they did earlier in the season. However, the Colts decided to quit giving their fans heart attacks by getting ahead early and staying ahead (instead of yet another 4th quarter comeback).
The win Sunday kept a lot more alive than just the current winning streak. The Colts have another streak going having won at least 12 games in each of the last seven seasons. Next week they will not only have the chance to break the continuous regular season winning streak record currently held in conjunction with the New England Patriots (21, from 2006-2008), but they will also look to break the record they currently hold with the San Francisco 49ers of the 1990s for most wins in a decade (113).
The tough work definitely lies ahead for the Colts as they look to keep the team primed for the playoffs. For the first time in weeks Manning did not throw an interception. Addai appears to be getting stronger every week; this week he got a season high 79 yards on the ground. The defense is playing at a level that is unprecedented for an Indianapolis team.
With home field advantage soon to be locked up, it will be up to Head Coach Jim Caldwell on whether to rest his superstars. Conventional logic would say to do so and avoid an unnecessary injury. However, in the past when the Colts have locked up their playoff position early and rested players they came out flat in the playoffs and lost.
I hate to say it, but a loss to Denver next week might not be a bad thing when looking at the big picture. With the way the Colts are playing right now, though, a loss to anyone appears highly unlikely.