Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Peyton pulls off another magical performance. His umpteenth come-from-behind win gave the Colts a seventh consecutive playoff berth, and in my mind, cemented him as the NFL’s most valuable player.

Coming from a 3-4 start, a patched up offensive line and nearly no running game, Manning has willed his team to this eight-game winning streak. Some of the passes of completed in Jacksonville were among the best I’ve seen, dropping them into tiny windows that only his receivers could get. And completing 23 straight passes over two games was one off the NFL record set by Donovan McNabb.

It’s been interesting to see this team deal with adversity and rally to gain a playoff berth, unlike all those other years when they ran away from the competition. Winning in trying times on the road time and again will only prepare this team for the post-season tournament. Players told me after the game that this playoff run has been extra special because of what they’ve been through.

A win today against Detroit for Tony Dungy and the Colts will give Coach at least 10 wins or more every season here in Indy. I think if you asked any NFL coach they will tell you…that streak is VERY impressive. It’s one thing to win 12 games one season and come back 8-8 another….but 10 wins or more every year? Dungy has a lot of people to thank.

1. Mr. Irsay for bringing him to Indy to coach players like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, etc…(let’s just say the TALENT was there!)
2. Bill Polian for really going out and getting the players Dungy needed to be successful.
3. Himself:  Dungy’s ability to have theses players buy into what he preaches and carry it over onto the field speaks volumes on how these players feel about him.

I must admit, I thought his streak of six straight years of 10 plus wins here in Indy was in jeopardy in mid October, but what a difference a month can make….a.k.a. NOVEMBER.

Dungy, should get his 10th win of the season later today against the pitiful Lions…but one of the biggest streaks for Coach Dungy could be just down the road. When the Colts make the playoffs.  Dungy,  will become the first coach to guide a team to the postseason 10 straight years…passing Former Cowboys Coach Tom Landry.

Dungy 10 wins again? Yep.

Strange Colts game. Didn’t have the same cache’ that most of their meetings with the rival Patriots carry, but it was dramatic nonetheless. Former Patriot hero Adam Vinatieri kicks his longest field goal in six years to win it, coaching genius Bill Belichick makes some bone-headed coaching moves that greatly helped the Colts (4th down call, wasted timeouts and challenges) Tim Jennings and Keiwan Ratliff start at cornerback for the injured Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden and control Randy Moss, and the Colts get their second wild 18-15 win of the season. It makes the second half of the season worth watching.

I had the opportunity to travel to Erie, Pennsylvania to do a story with Bob Sanders. It was definitely a neat experience. I’ve covered Bob the past two years and really only knew him as “Bob Sanders, the Colts Safety” but seeing him out of uniform and interacting with people in his hometown, I got to meet the real Bob Sanders.

He is a genuine guy who loves his family and wants to make them proud. He put on a two-day FREE football camp for 300 high school players from the area. And he was very much part of the camp. In fact, he would get in and play with the guys.

A lot professional athletes get a bad rap (I’ll admit, sometimes I’m not the biggest pro athlete fan – the money and fame get to them – I’ve seen it firsthand) but Bob Sanders hasn’t let that get to him. He’s proud of where he’s come from. He’s not only a great athlete but a humble, generous person.