Colts Coaching Carousel Needs Quick Fix

Just like most successful organizations, dirty laundry stays in-house.  Why do you think Kellen Winslow was shipped out of Cleveland?  Or what about TO in Dallas?  At some point enough is enough and the player is no longer worth his on-field productivity.

That is why today's revelations by Peyton Manning are so surprising.  To get caught up in a hot-second: long-time assistant coaches Howard Mudd and Tom Moore were basically forced out the door by a re-worked NFL pension plan.  In order to maximize their payments, Mudd and Moore retired now to get their payment in a lump sum.

The details are not as important as the actual ripples they have caused in the Colts organization.  Peyton Manning came out this afternoon and in an unusual situation, actually criticized the Colts management: "I can't tell you what's going on. I will say I don't think it's been the most properly communicated scenario around here."

Manning has reason to be upset.  He has never worked under any offensive coordinator not named Tom Moore.  Howard Mudd joined the team the same year Manning was drafted number one overall...1998.  To say there is a comfort level between the three of them would be an understatement.

Here in-lies the larger problem with the Colts coming into the 2009 season.  Any company, team or league works better when there is a constant formula at work.  For the Colts that formula was Tony Dungy as Head Coach, Tom Moore as Offensive Coordinator and Howard Mudd running the offensive line.

We all know how important Peyton is to the success of the team.  So is it possible that these coaching ripples will actually hurt his preparation for the season?  I say yes.

Follow me for a second.  Peyton has been working with "interim" Offensive Coordinator Clyde Christensen for the last month or so.  What happens when Moore comes back to the team as a consultant?  Is Peyton still going to be listening to Christensen or will he go back to his comfort zone with Moore?

Even if Moore remains just a consultant, he still has the experience and mastery of the offense that no one else in Indy can compare with. 

When Peyton had two knee surgeries last off-season, his timing and rhythm were noticeably off.  The same thing is going to happen if he is bouncing back and forth between Offensive Coordinators.  Schemes might be changing in Terre Haute as rapidly as ESPN updates on Tom Brady.

The good news for Colts fans is that Moore and Mudd seem ready to come back to the team.  The league has finally straightened out a situation that they didn't even understand.

Still, what happens when Moore and Christensen disagree on a game-plan or even a play call?  Will Peyton follow the proven success that Moore has guided the Colts too?  Or will he go with the new trick and pony show in town?

There are a lot of questions that need to be answered before the Colts open the season.  Luckily, we still have plenty of time before Sunday, September 13th to get all these questions answered...or so we hope.