SportsNation Blog Archives
Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning apparently has a new home. The quarterback has reportedly instructed his agent to begin negotiations with the Denver Broncos in a move that would alter the balance of power in the AFC West if it's true. Manning's decision will have a ripple effect across the NFL: What the Broncos should do with Tim Tebow? Have the 49ers ruined their relationship with Alex Smith? And just what have the Dolphins been thinking during this entire ordeal? It should be lots of fun to see how it all plays out.
A good fit?
Manning will look awful strange in Broncos colors, but we're sure fans in Denver will get over the brief visual incongruity if it leads to dozens of passing touchdowns.
Expectations of Manning?
After missing the 2011 season with a neck injury, Manning is looking to prove to all of football that he is still an elite quarterback.
Trade Tebow?
Tim Tebow could make a good backup for Manning, but should the Broncos trade him to a team that needs a fresh start at quarterback?
Smith's fate?
The 49ers seem willing to let Alex Smith sign elsewhere, despite the quarterback's emergence in 2011.
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will part ways on Wednesday, as the Colts have decided not to risk the $28 million bonus they would owe him if they kept him for this season. Manning's future is in doubt, but on the off chance his neck injury doesn't affect him all that much, the Colts could have released a monster on themselves. Is there another Super Bowl ring in Manning's future? Cast your votes below.
The right decision?
It must have been a nightmare for Colts fans to go from a perennial Super Bowl contender to a laughingstock in their year without Manning. Are the Colts setting themselves up for more failure?
The Colts' system?
The Colts without Peyton Manning were an NFL embarrassment, but will he miss them nearly as much as they miss him?
Where will Manning land?
Seeing Peyton Manning in a uniform that doesn't have blue and white as its primary colors will be a system shock, but it's definitely happening.
Today: Peyton Manning reportedly had a fourth procedure on his neck.
- bearfan3485: "Doctors have already cleared him to play and he has MONTHS to fine tune his arm. He will play next year AND be VERY GOOD!"
- WddNews: "For his legacy, etc....it would be best for Peyton to retire. The Colts should give him a Magic Johnson type deal for him to remain part of the organization. He could do other things as well. But like most athletes, Peyton will continue to think he can still play...if he can or not."
- Gilchrest89: "Peyton will play next season and I expect him to play very well. No one works harder than he does and no one knows what's really going on with him physically except him and his doctors. I think he believes he can play and, more importantly, he wants to play."
- hardeeharhar91: "Manning needs to retire. He's about to ruin his legacy like Evander Holyfield if he keeps going."
- LoyolaProp: "For his legacy, etc....it would be best for Peyton to retire. The Colts should give him a Magic Johnson type deal for him to remain part of the organization. He could do other things as well. But like most athletes, Peyton will continue to think he can still play...if he can or not."
Join more fan posts. Or respond by signing in or creating a profile, and start blogging.
Supersized news out of Indianapolis?
Doctors have reportedly cleared Peyton Manning to play football; his neck is stable enough that he conceivably could have played this weekend if, you know, the Colts had a game.
What does this mean to the Colts?
Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted that team doctors haven't cleared Manning yet. But if he's physically able to play football, should Irsay pay Manning's $28 million bonus and draft a QB?
Which brother would you take?
Eli Manning could add a second Super Bowl title to a career season, but if his older brother is ready to resume playing football, is Peyton the pick for next season?
Overshadowing the Super Bowl?
Indianapolis has generally gotten rave reviews as Super Bowl host, but are two of its most famous citizens not stepping gracefully out of the spotlight?
Did you believe Lowe?
Actor Rob Lowe caused a bit of a kerfluffle with a tweet Wednesday claiming that Peyton Manning would retire sometime on Wednesday. Here he is with several other members of the Brat Pack.
Reliable news?
Manning didn't end up retiring on Wednesday, which casts some aspersions on Lowe's budding career as a breaking news reporter. Still, it wouldn't be the first time news has come down from an unlikely source on Twitter -- we're thinking about The Rock hinting at the Bin Laden raid an hour before it was officially announced.
Any truth to the rumor?
News has been pretty quiet on the Peyton Manning front, aside from Lowe's tweets. With the Colts potentially moving in another direction and Manning's injury still unresolved, could he choose to hang up his spurs after all?
Caldwell's future
The Colts fired Jim Caldwell on Tuesday after a disappointing 2-14 season, but if history is any indication, he may not be completely finished as an NFL head coach.
Caldwell's quality?
It's difficult to judge just how good of a coach Jim Caldwell was -- a 2-14 season looks awful, but Peyton Manning's absence would be difficult for any coach to overcome.
Effect on Manning?
The Colts' firing of Jim Caldwell may signal the desire for a new direction when it comes to Peyton Manning -- or, it could just mean that they want a fresh face to welcome Manning back to the team.
Desirable job?
The Colts' head-coaching position is one of many that available candidates will be gunning for in the coming weeks, but is it the best?
Is there really any debate?
Maurice Jones-Drew gave the Colts a late Christmas gift by beating them with 169 rushing yards in Week 17, ensuring the Colts will draft No. 1. Is the next move a foregone conclusion?
So what happens to Peyton Manning?
John Elway and Dan Marino didn't. Joe Montana and Brett Favre did. Will Peyton Manning finish a Hall of Fame career in an unfamiliar uniform?
Andrew Luck or Tim Duncan?
The Spurs went from routinely winning 50-plus games to the No. 1 pick and Tim Duncan in 1997, paving the way for future titles. Is landing a franchise QB like Luck a bigger deal?
Better to hit rock bottom?
The Cowboys were the last team out of the playoff mix, losing Sunday night's finale. The Colts were done before Halloween. But which fans should feel better about the future?
Different priorities?
The Colts' season had been one long losing streak, but Thursday night's comeback against the Texans has given them two wins in a row. Might they not be as committed to drafting Andrew Luck as the rest of the NFL?
Play to win?
The Colts face off against the Jaguars next week, and a win could knock them out of the top spot in the draft. Should they make less than a fully committed effort to beat Jacksonville?
More surprising?
This week saw two unexpected events: the Packers' undefeated season going down the tubes and the Colts actually winning two games in a row.
Will the Colts win again?
The 1-13 Colts still control their own destiny, so to speak, in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes after Sunday's win against the Titans. But a second win could potentially cost the Colts the No. 1 pick.
What would the Vikings do with No. 1?
The Vikings (2-12) took Christian Ponder with the No. 12 pick in the most recent draft. In nine appearances, he's thrown 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
What would the Rams do with No. 1?
The Rams (2-12) took Sam Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He's likely done for this season but has thrown 24 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in his career.
Where does a fan's loyalty rest?
Most of us will agree that true fandom means sticking with your team through good times and bad, but does that mean rooting for your team in all of those situations?
Can any of you reasonably see the Colts actually winning a game this season? Not that anyone saw them winning last night's game against the Saints, but 62-7? That's a video game score, and even then only if you're playing at the lowest difficulty level. The Colts are lost without Peyton Manning, but what about the Rams and the aforementioned Dolphins? They haven't won anything either. None of these teams play one another this season, so it's reasonable to think that we could have three winless teams on our hands.
- "If the Colts are gonna tank the season on purpose they should at least make it look like they're trying. This is an embarassment to the league." -- SN commenter danthefan1004
- "Did Peyton Manning play defense too?" -- SN commenter elchupacabra13
Would Manning make a difference?
We all know that the Colts' game plan revolves around giving Peyton Manning as many chances to score as possible, but would even he be able to fix this team?
Will the Colts win at all?
The Curtis Painter era hasn't gotten off to a good start this season. Are the Colts even capable of putting together a single win, or is it all a death spiral toward the No. 1 pick in the draft?
Which is the worst team?
The Colts lost an embarassing game. The Dolphins lost a heartbreaking game. The Rams lost a forgettable game. Three varieties of awfulness, all on display on Sunday.
FOLLOW SPORTSNATION ON TWITTER
