The Colts are in the playoffs if they can just beat Tennessee at home Sunday, which would be their seventh straight victory in Lucas Oil Stadium against a division opponent. A win would be their fourth straight to end the season.
Almost an afterthought in the AFC, the defending conference champions look like Super Bowl contenders again because they are finding balance for the first time all season. The Indianapolis Star notes the team ran for more than 150 yards in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 2006.
For much of the season, the Colts didn’t have enough running backs. Now they almost have too many with Joseph Addai back healthy and Dominic Rhodes providing a surprising boost to the team. The offensive line has enjoyed continuity of late as well.
“As we go, the team kind of goes,” left tackle Charlie Johnson said. “You can kind of see it with the way we’ve run the ball the last couple of weeks and Peyton’s been able to throw the ball and just use different things.”
For all the injuries on the Colts’ offense, the team is still third in points and fourth in yards this season. They have cohesion up front and better balance on offense.
This isn’t a perfect Colts team, but the ones that made the Super Bowl weren’t perfect either. With a newly balanced offense, they appear to be peaking at the right time.
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