James remains on Colts' minds

We've had three days of interviews with both teams and I doubt there's a question left unasked. But I will say when it comes to getting some love from reporters and former teammates, no one tops Edgerrin James.

James makes his home in Miami, and several Colts players have spent time with him over their few days here. I haven't had a chance to talk to James, but he's been quoted by other media outlets as saying he's still pulling for the Colts. His teammates definitely give that impression.

"I went out there and chilled with him a little bit," running back Dominic Rhodes said. "He's happy for us. He wants us to win the Super Bowl. He just wishes his team (the Arizona Cardinals) could have done a little better. That's the type of guy Edge is. He's been in the league long enough to know that it's not just about yourself, it's about the other guys around you. He's got a lot of love for us. He wants us to do well."

Said Reggie Wayne: "Personally, for me I feel that EJ helped pave the way. He helped spark the team when it was at its lowest point. I wish he could be here, but that's just not the nature of the game, the business of the game. ...He's excited, just happy for us and it's just Edge being Edge."

Reagor hopes to play again

Late Monday night, when I was leaving the Colts' hotel in Fort Lauderdale, I ran into Montae Reagor. He greeted me like a long lost friend. I returned the gesture. He's always been one of friendliest, most approachable players.

"Have you guys missed me?" he said. "We miss all your great quotes," I told him. "I know you did," he said, laughing. "I've been around. You just haven't seen me."

After chatting briefly, Reagor said he hoped to be able to talk soon about the automobile accident that ended his season. The time came today, when he appeared at Media Day at Dolphin Stadium.

While his left eye remains slightly swollen, Reagor (pictured with Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison) was in good spirits in sharing his story with a number of reporters. I'll have a full story in Wednesday's edition of the paper. Reagor said he hoped to be able to return to the NFL next season, but that's far from a done deal.

"As long as my health is there and my mind is right and my heart is in it, I'll be back."

I hope he makes it back. But one of the best parts of this trip to Miami so far was to see Montae in good spirits again.

Colts hit Miami, seek to avoid vice

The Colts finally arrived Monday night in Miami, more than 24 hours after the Chicago Bears. Simply a matter of preference. Coach Tony Dungy felt staying in Indianapolis an extra day allowed this to feel more like a regular-season week.

Of course, nothing feels like the regular season once you’re on the scene in Miami, with the overwhelming hype and beckoning nightlife. When I was leaving the Colts hotel in Fort Lauderdale earlier tonight after a half-hour interview session with Dungy and various players, the limos were lined up ready to take the players to South Beach, etc., for some fun.

They won’t have too long to party, however. The Colts are scheduled to talk with reporters from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium.

“This is a week that you’re not going to get to experience all the time,” Dungy said. “I pointed out to them on Monday that in the 41 years of this game, there’s six teams that haven’t been here yet and another eight teams that have been only once. So that’s almost half the league that been one time (or not at all) in 41 years. We can’t look at it as something that, hey, we’ll probably get to do it again next year or the year after.”

On the injury note, Dungy said quarterback Peyton Manning’s thumb should allow him to play, but cornerback Nick Harper remains questionable with an ankle injury.

Miami welcomes Bears, waits for Colts

The real Super Bowl hype is underway. The Chicago Bears arrived in Miami today, about an hour before my flight came in. The Colts are due in tomorrow, after a final day of preparations in Indianapolis. The circus that is "Media Day" takes place on Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium.

The Bears were greeted by a contingent of photographers and television cameras when they arrived at the Miami airport.

"One more step, and they can't wait. They were rushing off that plane. They can't wait to go to practice tomorrow," Bears coach Lovie Smith said.

I'll be in Miami all week leading up the game, filing daily stories and columns, as well as as regular blog entries.

Manning, Dungy both a little coy

The first day of media availability with the Colts on Wednesday didn't produce a whole lot of scoops. Peyton Manning declined to give a report on his injured right thumb, saying he was from the Bill Belichick school of injury reports. In other words, he's not saying a word. However, he planned to practice as usual and coach Tony Dungy said he expected Manning to play. As I've said before, I can't imagine a scenario where a sore thumb would be enough to put Jim Sorgi in the limelight.

Dungy was asked whether this might be his last game as coach, given that he has hinted in the past that he doesn't plan to coach forever.

"That's something I haven't thought a whole lot about. I'll sit down with Jim (Irsay) and my wife and do what we do at the end of every year. The first thing is to find out if they want you back."

Dungy said a couple weeks ago, when his name was floated in connection with other jobs, that the Colts would be his last coaching position. It seems as if he has enjoyed this season, for the most part. He certainly enjoyed the AFC title win. But if the Colts beat the Bears, the temptation to go out on a high note might be there. Right now, I'd still expect Dungy to be back as coach next season. It'll be an interesting situation after the Super Bowl.

Thumbs up

X-rays on Peyton Manning's right thumb proved negative, Colts owner Jim Irsay told the Indianapolis Star. And a whole nation of Colts fans exhaled. OK, maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic. Does anyone think that Manning would sit out the Super Bowl with anything short of a broken arm or leg? He would have thrown left-handed rather than sit out.

The status of cornerback Nick Harper is less certain. He suffered a left ankle sprain during the first quarter of the win over the Patriots and didn't return. His absence is significant. Harper is the most underrated player on the team, in my opinion. He is a strong cover corner who can handle all sizes and shapes of receivers, even those who seem like they have a physical edge on him.

If it turns out to be a high ankle sprain, it's unlikely Harper will be able to play against the Bears on Feb. 4. That's a significant loss. Enough to swing the game to the Bears? No, but it would be a benefit for Bears quarterback Rex Grossman if he doesn't have to worry about Harper. On a positive note, Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson is finally showing some of the potential Colts coaches and management saw in him when they drafted him out of Michigan. His pick of Tom Brady in the final minute will go down in history as one of the Colts' franchise's memorable plays.

At last, the Promised Land

It's hard to say who feels better today about finally breaking through to reach the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning or Tony Dungy. But it's safe to say that neither one would have likely made it without the other.

These two have been a perfect fit for each other because of their cerebral approach to the game. They analyze to an extreme and try not to get shaken no matter what the situation. When Manning threw the interception that the Patriots' Asante Samuel returned for a score and a 21-3 lead, a lesser player or coach or lesser team would have presumed fate was against them, folded up and headed for the off-season.

Staging the greatest comeback in conference championship to beat the greatest playoff comeback quarterback (Tom Brady) in the game today was as perfect a scenario as the Colts could have imagined.

The Bears will create some problems, especially defensively, but the Colts open as 7-point favorites with the odds-makers and that seems about right. The AFC has been tougher all season long. While this game promises to be an interesting one, it'll be tough to match the thrills and emotional ups and downs of the win over the Patriots. In time, the Colts' 38-34 win over New England will rank as one of the best playoff games ever. Any fan of either team had to have been exhausted at game's end. Of course, it was the best kind of tired for Colts fans.

A quick review:

Passing game: Manning's performance after the Samuel pick was as good as it gets considering the strength of the defense he was facing. New England did a decent job of frustrating Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, but both had big catches -- Harrison on the two-point conversion and Wayne with two catches on the game-winning drive. Dallas Clark (137 yards) was invaluable and Bryan Fletcher came up big late.

Running game: Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai combined for 125 yards, a strong day by any standards. The line's blocking, particularly on the final drive, was tremendous.

Pass defense: You can't expect to stop Brady completely and, if he had better receivers, it might have been a different story. The Patriots' decision to skimp on paying for quality receivers might want to be reconsidered. The Colts were hurt by Nick Harper's injury. He's quietly had a great year. The pass rush on Brady was somewhat erratic, but credit New England's pass protection, too.

Run defense: The Patriots finished with 93 yards, making it the third consecutive game the Colts have held their opponent under 100 yards rushing. That turnaround from the regular season continues to boggle the mind.

Special teams: If the Colts hadn't had some trouble with kick coverage, they might have had more breathing room at the end. There's no overestimating the confidence that exudes from kicker Adam Vinatieri, however.

Coaching: Simply put, this was Dungy's finest hour, maintaining his team's mental edge when they had their backs so far up against the wall. You had to feel good seeing him enjoy the win after all he's been through to this point.

Meet the press

NFL Network aired most of the Colts and Patriots news conferences on Friday, but the most interesting were Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Brady had spoken with the media earlier in the week, but Manning made his first appearance.

The contrast was apparent. Brady was loose, relaxed, joking with the media about finding $40 in his suit pocket. Manning looked nervous and uncomfortable to start, loosening up as the interview went on. Does that capture their feelings about the showdown? Perhaps. After all, Brady's reputation remains the same whether he wins or loses. He has his rings. His status as a clutch quarterback is cemented. Manning needs this win to break through a barrier -- reaching the Super Bowl -- that he hasn't been able to navigate in the past.

I believe this is a game the Colts should win. They're playing at home where they haven't lost a game all season and they're playing their best "team" football of the season. But the two men at the helm of the offenses will play key roles. If Brady's too relaxed, he may make some risky throws that Nick Harper or Bob Sanders can pick off. If Manning's too tight, he might make mistakes that way. It'll be the quarterback who reaches the happy medium whose team will prevail.

And, as Dwight Freeney said, there's a lot more going on in this game than Manning vs. Brady.

I believe I've reached the point of preview saturation on this showdown. Can't wait to see what happens, not what everyone thinks will happen.

Looking for controversy, Manning

Unlike the Baltimore Ravens, it doesn't look like the New England Patriots will provide the kind of trash talk that makes headlines leading up to their playoff showdown with the Colts. In fact, this preliminary dance has been so lacking controversy, the biggest one was the absence of Peyton Manning in the interview room on Wednesday.

Manning always addresses the media on Wednesdays, even when he doesn't feel like it. He's the only Colts player who never ducks out. And, while he gets paid to be a spokesman of sorts, he deserves credit for always being available. But, he was a no-show Wednesday. The reason: The NFL insisted that he be available on Friday, in order for NFL Network to air his news conference and for him to be available for the largest number of reporters who will be in town. So the Colts decided Manning's one day of availability would be Friday. There's a chance he might make himself available in the locker room today, but that would be "questionable" if it were listed like the injury report.

Whenever Manning speaks, he's unlikely to say anything we haven't heard before. I mean, the man has answered questions about all these topics before: Patriots, Belichick, Brady, playoff problems, etc. However, it seems a little silly that the Colts' most visible performer doesn't talk about the game until two days before kickoff.

In retrospect, the Colts should have asked (told) Manning to speak to the media twice this week. It is, after all, the AFC Championship game. The number of interviews left this season is down to a few until -- the Colts hope -- the Super Bowl buildup.

Side note: Patriots defensive back Rodney Harrison is listed as doubtful for the game. But, are the Pats just being coy, only to bring him out as a Willis Reed-type inspiration on Sunday? Intriguing.

Colts vs. Patriots

This might be an interesting game, don't you think? Obviously, the NFL is living right when it gets Colts-Pats and Saints-Bears for the league championship games. Colts-Pats is as good a rivalry as there is in the game right now, although it's been one-sided in the Pats' favor in the playoffs. The Saints are the feel-good story of the year. The Bears just keeping winning, pretty or not, and usually not.

What makes this Colts-Pats game decidedly different than past ones is that it's more about the teams, and less about Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Yes, that quarterback subplot will rear its head. I'm sure I'll write about it before week's end. But the Colts are here because they won when Manning wasn't dominant -- twice. Brady had some heroics at the end of the win over the Chargers, but he also threw three picks. Something tells me both QBs will make some plays this Sunday.

The Colts are sporting the right attitude at the right time. They quieted the Ravens, and went about their business with defense and energy. Plus, they have Adam Vinatieri. He seemed unusually rattled when he returned to New England in November. That might prove to be a blessing. He's already faced his old team. That "first time" as a Colt vs. the Patriots is past. Something tells me if this game comes down to a field goal, and it might, Vinatieri won't push it wide right.

Colts cause more Baltimore heartbreak

Was it just me, or did Tony Dungy look like he really enjoyed the fact the Colts beat the Ravens with defense? He mentioned talking with Booger McFarland -- his old Tampa Bay player -- about how the 15-6 win today was "old school" for them. The defense swarmed Jamal Lewis, swarmed Steve McNair and generally won the physical side of the game. The Ravens did all the pregame talking, the Colts delivered when it counted. Defense first? Not a bad idea for playoff ball.

Here's how I saw the biggest win of the Dungy era so far:

Passing game: Manning will be criticized for his numbers (15 of 30, 170 yards, two picks, a 39.6 passer rating), but he was facing the most complex, effective defense in the NFL. Give the man credit for threading the needle on the pass to Dallas Clark that sealed the deal. He was rocked, but never lost his nerve. He's bound to have a better game next week. Isn't he?

Running game: Give it up for Dominic Rhodes. He came in and handled the toughest work of the night, finishing off the clinching drive with pure power running. It's tough to run on the Ravens, but the Colts did put up 100 yards.

Pass defense: Big picks by Nick Harper and Antoine Bethea. Good pressure by Robert Mathis (pictured) and Dwight Freeney. Bob Sanders was Bob Sanders, which means he was everywhere, pass or run.

Run defense: Held the Ravens to 83 yards, the second straight game of 100 or less for the reborn Colts defense. I would call the transformation dramatic, but that undersells it.

Special teams: Adam Vinatieri delivers the goods with five FGs, and shows he has a little something extra on his side, with the bouncer off the crossbars. Destiny?

Coaching: Dungy threw that first challenge flag like he meant it. And he did. Harper's hit on Todd Heap was ruled a fumble and the Colts were on their way. Dungy believed in this defense when he was practically the only one. We're all starting to come around now.

While it's gratifying for the Colts to reach the AFC title game regardless of opponent, how sweet would it be to knock off the Patriots at home to reach the Super Bowl?

Baltimore, the city, riled up

Here in Baltimore, the hard feelings never die, and they're boiling today. The city is covered in purple, united in their hatred -- or, if that's too strong a word -- their disgust with the Colts. I arrived late last night and turned on the local news, which focused almost entirely on how much the fans despise the Colts and the Irsay family. Every newscast featured video of the Mayflower trucks arriving in Indianapolis 23 years ago. As I walked around the stadium a few minutes ago, I overheard a number of comments about the Colts. Can't publish those. I did like the clever shirt that read "Unitas We Stand."

This is obviously one of those symbolic games, where the city of Baltimore can stick it to the city that stole their franchise. The Baltimore Sun ran an interesting story today on Barry Krauss, the Colts linebacker who played for the team in Baltimore and Indianapolis. Krauss puts into perspective the fact that things weren't exactly rosy with the Colts prior to the move. He should know.

"Everything was turning sour there; it was just going downhill," Krauss told the Sun. "I still love Baltimore, but I was happy to start over."

I expect it will take more than one Peyton Manning touchdown to quiet this crowd today. The consensus, reading and listening to local and national media, is that the Ravens have the decided edge. That may well be true, especially if the Colts defense reverts to its pre-Chiefs' performance and allows Baltimore to control time of possession. But how many times in the past year have we seen a big game where one team seems to be the overwhelming favorite by conventional wisdom, but the underdog wins?

No trash talk show in Indy

The Baltimore Ravens talk trash almost as effectively as they play defense, but the Colts wisely won't be drawn into a war of words. This week, Ray Lewis and his linebacker friends talked about punishing Joseph Addai and various other violent things they plan to do to the Colts offense.

The Colts offensive players, as is their personality, kept their cool.

"They like to do a lot of talking," Colts center Jeff Saturday said of the Ravens. "We have two different styles. They've been very good at what they've done for a long time, and so have we. That's not our style. We don't tell people what we do. We just go out and be efficient. Let's be smart at what we do. Let's make them make plays. They pride themselves on that. Let's make them do that. Let's not talk about what we're going to do. Just go out and play good football."

Two players who will be crucial to the Colts' effort this Saturday will be Bob Sanders on defense and Dallas Clark on offense. Both of them tend to let their play do the talking. It might not make for juicy headlines, but with the Colts still trying to break through to the Super Bowl, it's the best strategy.

Colts win with foreign concept: Defense

Given the choice between the defenses of the 1985 Chicago Bears and the Jan. 6, 2007 Indianapolis Colts, I'd still take the Bears. But, you can make an argument for the Colts. And that is the strangest thing, even a day later, about the Colts' 23-8 playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

If Bob Sanders makes that much difference, he needs pay commiserate with Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Worst to first? Least to best? Unable to stop anyone to able to stop everyone? (Or at least the Chiefs.) I think the word "unbelievable" is used too often in sports, but it might apply this time. Larry Johnson, 32 yards rushing. Yes, unbelievable.

Here's how I saw the game overall:

Passing game: Manning should stay away from Ty Law, or convince Bill Polian to acquire him immediately to replace Brandon Stokley. That's spooky. It's probably true Manning was due for a game when he wasn't perfect, but why does that have to happen when the playoffs come. It's a measure of his greatness that his bad day still came with 30 of 38 completions and a touchdown. By the way, Dallas Clark's kind of valuable, huh?

Running game: Joseph Addai finally got a start, and delivered. But Dominic Rhodes looked inspired, too. Anyone missing Edgerrin these days? Didn't think so.

Pass defense: I would have asked Trent Green what he thought, but 20 minutes after the game, he was still trying to get up from under Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Booger McFarland and a half-dozen other Colts who joined in the fun.

Run defense: As usual, it was flawless.

Special teams: They kept Dante Hall from doing anything significant, and Adam Vinatieri punched through a Colts record-tying 50-yarder. Hunter Smith was forgiven for fumbling a snap.

Coaching: If Tony Dungy could face Herm Edwards every game, they wouldn't remain friends. It wasn't even close. The Colts so controlled the game strategically, Ron Meeks (defensive coordinator) even showed his face in the locker room after the game.

Everything went so well, I'll only bring up one possible explanation for the domination as a cautionary note: Maybe the Chiefs weren't really a playoff team. Just a thought.

The Colts will need more to win at Baltimore, but at the very least they head into the divisional round with some strut and confidence.

What about Bob?

"One person can't do it, can't be the savior, and we can't look at it that way, that 'OK, Bob Sanders is coming back, so automatically we're going to get better."

That's Tony Dungy talking. I agree. Sanders' return doesn't automatically mean the Colts will be better. But psychologically, it has to help in a huge way if Sanders is even 80 percent of his high-intensity self. Sanders practiced two consecutive days this week, a fairly miraculous achievement considering his season.

There's no question Sanders adds an energy to the defense when he's on the field, real or perceived. He gives opponents someone else to consider both in the run and the pass. He's a Pro Bowl safety, and they do make a difference. The Colts' run defense has been bad, but the playoffs are a new season. The Colts know what they're facing in Larry Johnson, and I expect them to be as ready as they possibly can. Sanders' return will be a big boost. And, lest we forget, Kansas City has a few concerns when it's on defense, too.

As ready as they can be

The Colts' final regular-season 27-22 win over Miami was just what the doctor ordered -- a confidence-builder to close out the season. Like the season as a whole, it had its spectacular moments and its rough moments. Nothing came easy. Then again, that's what the playoffs will be like, starting with a home game against the Chiefs on Saturday.

If nothing else, the Colts showed the type of intensity they'll need:

Passing game: Dallas Clark returned, and missed a big catch, but made up for it later. His presence clearly adds more firepower to the team's most consistent facet. Peyton Manning remains on top of his game, looking like he'll never throw another interception. He seems to be in a groove with both Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne right now.

Running game: The numbers weren't spectacular, but both Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes provided some big runs at times. Addai's burst to set up Adam Vinatieri's half-ending field goal was extremely big. Incidentally, I inadvertently called Addai a "starter" in my column today because, even though Rhodes takes the field first, Addai is without question the No.1 back.

Pass defense: Dolphins quarterback Cleo Lemon did a nice job in his first start -- except for his poor pass that was picked off by Cato June before the half. Overall, though, the Colts were decent in pass defense.

Run defense: For most teams, giving up 150 yards rushing is a bad day. But everything is relative for the Colts. The most positive sign was the fact they held the Dolphins to field goals, not touchdowns.

Special teams: Did anyone else notice how Vinatieri nailed that 46-yard field goal? Those could come in handy in the playoffs.

Coaching: I thought Tony Dungy seemed a little too conservative toward the end of the game when a couple of Manning passes could have kept the Dolphins from a final possession. But, the clock kept running and it worked out, so that's a minor quibble. The team's intensity was strong, and some of that should be credited to the coaches.

Kansas City needed about a dozen things to happen to make the playoffs, and all of them fell into place. That good fortune alone should make them a hungry, dangerous team for the Colts this Saturday. It won't be easy. But playing the Chiefs is better than having a rematch with the Jets, simply because the Colts have done so poorly in rematch games this season (Tennessee, Jacksonville, Houston). The Super Bowl still seems distant at this point, but if Bob Sanders returns this week -- I said "if" -- who knows how big a catalyst that might be.