There is satisfaction considering the controversy
when he opted for safety over an undefeated
season by resting some of his players in week number
16 vs. the Jets.
Mr. Caldwell had maintained that his first priority
is to win a Super Bowl, and not go undefeated. So when
he pulled Peyton Manning and other starter team members
with a five point lead in the third quarter, he faced
enormous amounts of scrutiny after the Jets football
team came back to hand the Colts their first loss of
the current season.
The Colts, have beaten the Jets prior in the
AFC Championship football game, will face off
the Saints in the Super Bowl 2010 Feb. 7. So does
this justify Caldwell’s moves?
“I really try not to focus on anything
of the nature,’’ Caldwell said.
“We were not out to prove anything. There
was no sense of vindication or retribution; all
we are concerned about is doing the best job we
can for our football team, plain and simple. Not
everybody out there is going to agree with you
all of the time.’’
The Colts had a chance
to match the 2007New England Patriots
by going undefeated in their regular season. But
if the Colts beat the Saints, the past will nott
matter. December, New England Patriots quarterback
Tom Brady acknowledged that owning an undefeated
record in the regular football season was special
but winning a Super Bowl would have felt better.
“The experience of that was a great experience
for our football team and everyone that was a part of
it. I wish we could have closed the deal, obviously,
but that was a excellent year, and a year we all remember
so fine. Just the outcome of it could have been a little
different if it weren’t for a catch on a football
helmet.’’ - Tom Brady
David Tyree’s catch in Super Bowl XLII kept the
New York Giants’ game-winning drive all alive and
led to Eli Manning throwing a touchdown pass with 35
seconds left to get the 17-14 victory. The loss prevented
the New England Patriots from matching the 1972 Miami
Dolphins by going undefeated for the season. The Saints
and Colts flirted with the acomplishments this season,
with the Saints going 13-0 before the Dallas Cowboys
ended their streak.
The Colts lasted just one more week before their loss
to the Jets. One week later, the Buffalo Bills defeated
the Colts, 30-7, and some speculated the move to sit
the starters as a precaution affected Colts morale.
Reggie Wayne said the state of thefootball team was
never in doubt. More about the Colt's
