Preparing for a perfect team

Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts throws a pass during the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 6, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It has been suggested that the success of the Indianapolis Colts begins and ends with quarterback Peyton Manning.

That doesn’t quite do the other 52 players on the team justice. The Colts, winners of 21 straight regular season games, are a complete football team.

“I said the other day it’s the best complimentary football team in the NFL, and it is,” Josh McDaniels said. “They play to each other. The offense tries to get out front. The defense rushes the passer and creates turnovers to give the ball back to the offense, which scores more points. Then you’re behind by 14 or 21 points, and then if you hand the ball off three times in a row, you get booed.”

Not all of the Colts’ numbers scare you. They’re 32nd in rush offense and 18th in rush defense. Their opponents routinely win the time of possession battle — often significantly.

Yet, despite this seeming lack of balance, Indianapolis boasts the league’s fourth-ranked scoring offense and second-best scoring defense. They’ve won their 12 games this season by a whopping average of 10.8 points.

The Colts will let their opponents sustain long, clock-eating drives because they know, with each snap, their speedy defense has another chance to make a play.

Quarterback Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans is sacked by Robert Mathis #98 and several other defenders in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Field on December 6, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

“They’re fast,” Kyle Orton said. “This will be the fastest defense that we see all year.”

“First of all, let me say this: they are not a bad run defense,” added McDaniels. “Everybody knows their job. They’re extremely unselfish when they play run defense because there are a lot of people in that front who know, ‘Alright, I know I am not going to make the tackle on this play, but I’m going to go run in there and I’m going to take the guard and the center out, and now, somebody else is going to make the tackle behind me.’ They have great trust and faith in their players.”

As Coach McDaniels waxes poetic on Indianapolis’ strengths, one hears the very same messages he has tried to stress to the Broncos in his first season. Do your job. Complimentary football. Unselfish trust in each other.

Indeed, the Colts are the manifestation of the complete team into which McDaniels is trying to mold the Broncos.

It will take a complete team effort to take them down.

“You can’t play 56 minutes,” he said. “If you’ve played 56 good minutes, you might have a smile on your face and you’re going to lose.”

That’s because, in addition to all the pieces that make the Colts good, they do have Peyton Manning, and that makes them dangerous.

No matter how the clock, scoreboard, or stat sheet reads.