Flirting With Destiny While Dodging Bullets: Colts Are Still Unbeaten

14-0.

The Indianapolis Colts are only the third team in NFL history to achieve this mark.

The Colts now join the 2007 New England Patriots and the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only clubs to pull this off. The Miami Dolphins had the benefit of a 14 game regular season -- in which they were unbeaten. The Brady-led Pats went 16-0, but we all know what happened come crunch time against Eli's bunch.

Die-hard Colts fans relish in the fact that Peyton's little brother beat that guy in New England -- the model dating, GQ poster child himself, Tom Brady.

Peyton Manning set a record Thursday night, he's the only quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in ten seasons. A couple more rings and you have to talk about Manning being the greatest signal caller of all time.

It seems that there's no stopping the Manning-led Colts. Jacksonville was the only team remaining on Indy's schedule that had a realistic chance of giving them a loss.

35-31, although this hardly constitutes as a commanding victory, it still counts.

Manning made fantasy owners everywhere smile with his four touchdown slings and 308 yards. One pick and 23/30 passing, Manning continues to make his stock rise again and again.

The Colts did show a sign of weakness against Jacksonville, however.

Their rush defense.

It wasn't so much of an overall on-slaught of the run that put a chink in the Colts' armor, just Maurice Jones - Drew's performance.

Jones - Drew looked comfortable with his draws up the middle (something of a trademark for MJD) and his 113 yards. Throw in a touchdown, you've got a great showing by the hyphenated one.

He can catch out of the back-field, too.

The Colts defense gave up 139 yards rushing to the Jags -- just shy of 30 over their season average of 112.4 (19th overall).

David Garrard's 223 yards was consistent with the average that Indianapolis surrenders to opposing quarterbacks -- a mark that's good enough (or bad enough, depending on how you look at it) for 20th overall.

What does this mean?

It's no secret that Peyton Manning IS the franchise, we've all known that for years.

The Colts boast a middle-of-the-road defense. Without an offense led by Manning, the Colts could very well be an 8-8 team. Manning makes that much of a difference, check the stats.

Indianapolis still has to buck the Bills and Jets to reach the coveted "elite, undefeated" status. They'll do it but not without being tested once more. 

Buffalo gives away the fifth least amount of yards per game through the air. The Bills, on average, let opposing quarterbacks get them for about 189 yards. 

Factor in Peyton Manning and add about 80 more to that number -- at least.

Don't be surprised to see Manning add 300 yards or so to his already gaudy season total of 4,000 + yards.

The Jets are the best rushing team in the NFL believe it or not. New York's three headed monster of Shon Greene, Leon Washington, and Thomas Jones have combined for almost 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Jones leads the Jets' attack with 1,167 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Thomas Jones is not the flashy, big play back that Maurice Jones is, which is cause for relief if you're a Colts fan.

Besides the fact that MJD did have a great game (by most's standards), he was still contained. You can't keep Jones - Drew down for long, but Indy held him at bay just long enough.

The advantage that MJD has over Thomas Jones is the fact that he is versatile. Jones runs the ball and he does it well.

That's about it.

In hind-sight, most will say that Indianapolis really had it in the bag -- "we weren't worried one bit," they'll say.

That's B.S. (for lack of a better term).

The problem facing teams like Jacksonville and the New York Jets this late in the season -- undefeated at that, is this: The Jaguars and Jets are both capable of spoiling the party. Jacksonville nearly did, is it out of the question to expect the same out of the Jets?

Indy will again be tested against a potent running attack, something that they've struggled with all season. Through 14 games, the Colts have managed to dodge bullets because of the Field General himself: Peyton Manning.

The defense gives it up, Manning gets it back.

Indianapolis' likelihood of going unscaved in 2009 gets stronger week by week. With just two weeks left, the New York Jets will be looking for an AFC Wild Card berth and the notoriety of knocking off the biggest kids on the block.

Don't fool yourselves, everyone's got their sites firmly on the backs of perhaps the most dominant football team the league's seen -- ever.

This could be your year 'Naptown, so enjoy it.