Despite the cries, the right call was made
By Adesoji Aderotimi
December 29th- At the start of every NFL season, all 32 teams have one goal in mind….to contend for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. While the possibility of becoming a Super Bowl winner is realistic for a handful of NFL teams, every general manager and head coach has a plan in place to at some point procure the chrome trophy for their organization.
It is also a goal for the 1,000 plus athletes who are fortunate enough to call themselves NFL players. Succeeding in their dedication into making it into the professional ranks, performing on the biggest stage in American sports, carried off the field as Super Bowl victors is the pinnacle of their football playing careers.
But this past Sunday, fans of America’s most watched sport felt a bit uneasy. As spectators, we’ve been told that we were robbed of something special. The integrity that makes this spectacle of beauty and brutality called American Football was somehow compromised.
Indianapolis Colts rookie head coach, Jim Caldwell, whose team were winners of 23-straight regular season games coming into their Week 16 showdown against the New York Jets, decided pull many of his team’s starters late in the third quarter of yesterday’s game. Carrying a perfect 14-0 record into the game, the appearance Colts backup quarterback Curtis Painter trotting onto the field with the Colts up by five points in a very close game conflicted with the Colts faithful and their hopes of witnessing history. The Colts 15-10 lead vanished with the disappearance of their starters as the Jets marched on to a 29-15 victory, surviving for another week with their playoff lives.
Perfection was denied, done in by the sword resting in their own hands.
Unfortunately, the closed roof of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis did little to shelter the field from the torrential downpour of boos that came raining down from the stands. Angry Colts fans, who came to witness the rare feat of perfection, protested Coach Caldwell’s decision to pull most of his starters, a sentiment that apparently was felt when looking at some of his players.
The pictures on our television screens of the players seemed to mirror the feelings of Colts fans. Natural competitors, the suddenly helmetless heads of Colts players, seated on the bench, carried the look of dejection. The only Colt player with his helmet still on was the team’s quarterback.
The fastest man to reach 50,000 passing yards in NFL history, Peyton Manning quietly protested his benching. His fastened chin strap and grimace was a clear sign to his coach to let him back in the game. But unlike the act of defiance displayed by another southern qb, Manning remained gentlemanly and was respectful of his coach’s decision.
But the public outcry following Caldwell’s decision was to be expected. Our inability as fans to relinquish our “We’re #1” foam fingers sometimes leaves us incapable of grabbing for our coaching hats and deal with the risks being played out on the field. But then again, why should we? As paying customers, (and angry fantasy football league owners) we want to see the best players perform.
Unfortunately, the stark reality is that professional football is a business, and the conflict between the fans wants and an organizations needs has once again reared its ugly head. At the end of the day, football is the ultimate “hurt sport” and the precious commodities that are Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney and other Colt players are mandatory parts necessary for the Colts engine to make a successful playoff run. From an organizational standpoint, the risk of losing a player outweighs our interests in wanting to see them play 100% of the time. A freak injury to Peyton Manning would leave the team hoping for their inexperienced rookie quarterback to reincarnate himself into Jeff Hostetler.
The facts are that the Colts have put themselves in a very privileged position. Along with the chase for regular season perfection, they locked up home field advantage throughout the playoffs, winning enough regular season games to earn the right to play a “pre-season” game in December, preparing themselves for the NFL’s “second season” starting next month.
That opens the door to the argument some have made, wondering why many of the Colts starters were allowed to suit up in the first place. One could guess that the opportunity for the Colts offense to get in a few series against the NFL’s top ranked defense would be beneficial to them down the road. A Jets team fighting for their playoff lives presents the right setting for the Colts upcoming game(s) starting in three weeks.
Not to say that taking this route comes without its own price. The danger of shutting down an offense that relies on timing is the possibility that they could lose their rhythm due to prolonged inactivity. This may have hurt the Colts in previous years, as the offensive continuity they displayed throughout the regular seasons was hard to rediscover after a several week layoff. The blessing of regular season success can also be a curse.
However, the specter of regular season perfection shouldn’t stand in the way of a team’s INITIAL goal of making a run at the Super Bowl. To suddenly elevate a possible lifting of a “16-0” banner to the same stature of a team giving their players rest and avoiding further injuries in preparation for a run to the Super Bowl is ridiculous.
What Sunday’s game should’ve displayed was a clear example of “Life without Peyton.” I’m certain rational thinking fans (not named the Texans, Dolphins or fantasy league owners who have him on their roster) would see the common sense in having Curtis Painter come in the third quarter of an irrelevant game rather than keeping the door open to the possibility of him making an appearance as the team’s starter three weeks from now. And I’m just as sure about that as I am knowing that the New England Patriots would trade in that 16-0 banner hanging up in Foxboro for a Super Bowl ring.
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