NFL Indianapolis Colts: Don't Worry Colts Fans, It's Not 1997

After week two of the 2011 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts find themselves winless for the first time since 1998. The last time the Colts looked up at a 0-2 record, Bill Clinton was President and Peyton Manning was in his rookie season. Losing is something that many Colts fans either have forgotten, or are too young to remember.

Before this season, the last time Peyton Manning did not start a game for the Indianapolis Colts Lindy Infante was the head coach and Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback. Watching this year's Colts team brings back bitter memories of those three win seasons before Peyton Manning. The fact is, the 2011 Indianapolis Colts are a much more talented than that dreadful 1997 team.

Let's compare the rosters. The '97 team had no Pro-Bowlers. It was an awful mixture of old veterans and inexperienced youth. Granted, it had Marshall Faulk and Marvin Harrison, but these players would not experience their prime until several years later.

The 2011 team has three remaining Pro-Bowlers from last season: Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, and Robert Mathis, not to mention Kerry Collins, Jospeh Addai, Dallas Clark, and Adam Vinatieri, all former Pro-Bowl selections.

The '97 team did not record a win until week twelve when they defeated Green Bay, the defending Super Bowl champions, 41-38. They then lost two more consecutive games before winning their next matchup.

In addition, the 1997 Colts team was in the five team AFC East Division, a much difficult division than this year's AFC South. I do not foresee the 2011 Colts losing eleven consecutive games, as they face Kansas City in week five, followed by Cincinnati in week six. Odds are, the Colts will defeat one of these teams, if not both. 

Before Colts fans throw in the towel and condemn their team for the rest of the season, remember what it was like in 1997, if you can. Although this year's team has major work to do in all aspects of their game, they cannot be compared to teams of old. Don't worry Colts fans, be optimistic. The only place to look now is up.

Statistics from pro-football-reference.com