Once again, the Indianapolis Colts will come to Gillette Stadium for a playoff game against Belichick, Brady and the Patriots. While the dynamic of the rivalry between the competing AFC teams inexorably shifted following the departure of Peyton Manning to Denver, the injection of former first overall pick Andrew Luck (also known as "the next John Elway") will keep the build-up for the game at a safely ridiculous level. To help prepare for that, here are some GIFs to provide an introduction of the Colts, and the top players who will face the Patriots at 8:15 p.m. this Saturday.
This is the Colts' coach, Chuck Pagano. He's known as one of the more likable coaches in the NFL, and has helped to lead Indianapolis through the post-Peyton era with remarkable success.
Some (though clearly not all) of the goodwill that Pagano inspires comes from his courage last season. Diagnosed during his first year in charge of the Colts with acute promyelocytic leukemia, his strength while fighting the cancer (now in remission) was an inspiration. It led to a massive outpouring of support, with fans all over the country shaving their heads to help the "Chuck Strong" cause.
On the field, there is no question who makes the Colts a playoff team. Their quarterback, Andrew Luck, can do it all. He can throw:
And he can run:
Still, the Colts aren't all about Luck. There are other weapons, like wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who has stepped in for veteran Reggie Wayne nicely since the latter's season-ending ACL tear.
And Hilton had no problem against the best defense (and one of the best cornerbacks) in the league:
Even though he was third on the Colts depth chart multiple times this season, former UConn standout Donald Brown has become the Colts' most effective running back:
Defensively, their number one player this season has been Robert Mathis, and his 19.5 sacks. He is a master of the strip-sack (forcing eight fumbles on the season, and one in the playoffs so far), including this one against Peyton Manning that resulted in a defensive touchdown during Indianapolis' win over Denver.
In the secondary, the team leader in interceptions this year for the Colts is actually former Patriots second-round pick, Darius Butler. Discarded by New England, he has found a successful role in Indianapolis:
Images via Colts.com
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