The Beginning of the End

Remember when the Tampa Bay Bucs won the Super Bowl? No, you don't because Calvin Coolidge was president. But back when it happened, and in the ensuing years of mediocrity for the team, sportswriters of the day like Winston Churchill said that head coach Jon Gruden won that game because of former coach Tony Dungey. "He won with Dungey's players," the saying goes. And you know what? It's pretty accurate. Gruden had the one good season carried by a stout defense (and beating a Raiders team that was just as offensively-challenged) but then he did absolutely nothing afterward.

The Colts will be the second diagnosed case of the post-Dungey syndrome.

On Saturday night, we saw the real Peyton Manning. A good QB? Yes. A great QB? Yes. Hall of Famer? First ballot. But a legend to be hallowed with the likes of John Elway, Joe Montana and Tom Brady?

Absolutely not.

Manning's legacy will be talked about in the same sentence as Dan Marino and Warren Moon: great, but couldn't get it done when it mattered the most.

Yes, Manning (unlike Marino and Moon) actually won a ring. But it wasn't on his shoulders. He actually did not play particularly well that postseason. However the overriding theme has been consistent throughout his entire career: Peyton Manning is not his normal self in the playoffs.

Or, should I say, Peyton Manning is his normal self in the playoffs, and the regular season is the only time he can win?

But I digress. Tony Dungey leaving is the worst thing that could have happened to the team. Last year's success (Super Bowl loss) was a result of Toney Dungey's players continuing together and doing what they always did. Jim Caldwell is a good coach, no doubt, but he's no Dungey.

Now that the real legend is gone, the Colts are in trouble. Manning is getting up there. They can't stay healthy. The team doesn't have that same chemistry it used to. Defenses are finally starting to catch onto how to stop the once-unstoppable offense. But some new receivers are having trouble catching onto anything.

The Colts reign over the rest of the NFL might be coming to an end. We almost saw it end this season as the Jaguars nearly dethroned them as AFC South champs. But there's always next year. And for the Colts, that's not a good thing.