Injuries are a natural part of the game of football, but what has transpired in Indianapolis this past week has been a bit out of the ordinary and very devastating to the team’s Super Bowl championship hopes.
Right as the Colts prepare to hit arguably their most crucial part of the 2009 season schedule, the team lost starting safety (and 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year) Bob Sanders and cornerback Marlin Jackson for the season. In addition, starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden is expected to miss up to four weeks of play.
Those four weeks will could ultimately decide the Colts’ fate.
It all begins Sunday with the red-hot Texans coming to Lucas Oil Stadium, continues with the always-intense matchup with the Patriots, followed by a visit to Baltimore and a trip to Houston.
The Colts have owned the Texans in their all-time series, winning 13 of 14 matchups — seven of seven in Indy — since the 2002 inaugural season for Houston.
That being said …
Five-star upset special of the week: Texans over Colts. While the Colts deal with some serious hurts, the Texans are working out an injury situation of their own. Tight end Owen Daniels is out for the year. It won’t be the Texans’ backup tight ends who will decide this one. Rather, the Texans receivers, namely Andre Johnson, who will create serious matchup issues for the Colts, who desperately need Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to get pressure on Matt Schaub. This is a statement game for the Texans, who have won three consecutive games and are off to the best start in franchise history.
Lock of the week presented by (insert your company name here for a special low rate): Packers over Buccaneers. The Packers need a bounce-back game following the emotional defeat against Brett Favre and the Vikings at Lambeau. Rookie QB Josh Freeman will make his first career start for the Buccaneers, and this would be a good time for Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers to unleash some crazy blitzes early to rattle the rookie into repeated mistakes.
Week 9
Sunday’s games
Falcons over Redskins
Bears over Cardinals
Ravens over Bengals
Jaguars over Chiefs
Patriots over Dolphins
Saints over Panthers
Seahawks over Lions
49ers over Titans
Chargers over Giants
Eagles over Cowboys
Monday’s game
Steelers over Broncos
Last week’s record: 8-5
Five-star upset special record: 5-3
Lock of the week presented by (insert your company’s name here for a special low rate) record: 7-1
Overall record: 79-37 (.681 winning percentage)
