Sanders stars for Colts; readers react to Week 2, more

Bob Sanders has been the Colts' defensive star the first two games after playing in only four during Indy's run to the Super Bowl. John Biever/SI

MAILBAG Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

If you have watched the Indianapolis Colts much the first two weeks, you know the big difference in their team is the competent, occasionally lethal defense they have flying around the ball. It's overly simplistic to give the credit to one man, but there's no doubt in my mind that, next to Peyton Manning, the most indispensable player on this team through two weeks (with apologies to Dwight Freeney and Joseph Addai) is strong safety Bob Sanders.

In two games, the Colts have allowed 23 offensive points -- three to New Orleans, 20 to Tennessee -- and looked reborn with a fast, aggressive defense. It's no coincidence Sanders has been healthy for both of them. Sanders, the fourth-year strong safety from Iowa, has played like the Tasmanian Devil, particularly in the run game, and his stats after two games are Defensive MVP-esque: 20 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six quarterback pressures.

Now the biggest question: Can the knee and foot injuries that have plagued Sanders throughout his career go away for a full season? In 48 regular-season games entering this year, Sanders played in exactly half. For the Colts to beat back the challenge of the Patriots and Chargers and whoever else emerges from the AFC maelstrom this year, they're going to need Sanders to play more than half of their 16 games.

"That's my goal -- a full season,'' Sanders told me. "I definitely feel I can give the team 16 games this year. If I stay focused on keeping myself healthy, the way I feel now, I really feel I can do it.''

Defensive coaches tell defensive backs it's important to play the run. And it's a point of emphasis for coaches around the league. In Indianapolis, the 5-8, 205-pound Sanders plays as the eighth defender in the box, and he doesn't care about his size or his past physical problems. He just attacks. His attitude is simple: When he's down in the box, he's a middle linebacker. When he's playing center field, he's a ball hawk. "I want the interceptions,'' said Sanders, "but the way our defense is set up, I do a lot down in the box. It's what I do.''

If he keeps doing it, it's going to be a very good year for the Colts. Now onto your emails:

I MUST HAVE MISSED THE MEMO THAT CALLED NORV TURNER PAUL BROWN. From Jimmy Mehra, of Fairfax, Va.: "Isn't it time that people stop giving Norv Turner credit for being a good head coach? His teams are never prepared for big games. If you stop his running offense, everything seems to slow down.''

Everything I've heard in the past couple of years, from people in the game and writers on the periphery of it, is that Norv is fortunate to have gotten a third chance. I'm not sure anyone is giving him the credit you mention. But like I told someone in San Diego on Monday, losing to one of the best (and most motivated) teams of recent times on the road is hardly reason to jump off the top of Qualcomm Stadium.

GOOD LESSON. From Paul Goodwin, of Seattle: "I just finished reading a book on Bobby Jones -- The Grand Slam by Mark Frost. In one tournament, Jones called a penalty on himself because his ball may have moved less than an inch after moving some loose debris. No one was watching, and even Walter Hagen, playing with him, told him not to take the penalty. He took the 1-stroke penalty and lost the tournament by one stroke. After the media heralded him for his honesty, Jones got upset, saying that congratulating a sportsman for following the rules was like cheering a garbage man for picking up the garbage. It was his job to play fair. I think a lot of professional coaches and players in all sports would benefit from reading about how Jones reached the highest level of success with complete humility and integrity.''

Your e-mail gives me chills. Thanks for writing, Paul.

EXPLAINING WHAT TAMPERING IS. From Nathan Marsh, of Sarasota: "You made a comment that the league ought to look into tampering with players before they enter free agency. Can you give a hypothetical example of the kind of thing you mean? Tampering with a player's health? Not treating an injury properly or aggravating it?''

Simply this: In the days before free agency, I believe teams have conversations with players about to hit the market (and many more with agents of said players) laying out the boundaries they'd be willing to spend for the players. You know how you hear of teams contacting players at 12:01 a.m. as free agency begins, and some players signing in the first hours of the market? I believe in many of those cases, illegal contact had been made in the days and weeks beforehand, with teams saying, for instance, "Our offer is going to be five years and $18 million, with a $5 million signing bonus, but the offer will be on the table for only X hours on the first day, because if you don't take it we have to move on.'' Or you hear of general managers going to the Pro Bowl and staying in the players' hotel and having not-so-chance meetings with future free agents by the pool. Those kind of things are what the league should police better.

Sebastien Janikowski clanked a 52-yard field goal off the goalpost in overtime of the Raiders' loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

I DON'T LIKE IT. From Richard Jordan, of Providence: "What did you think of the Broncos' tactic of waiting until the Raiders were snapping the ball for the game-deciding field goal, then calling time out? I have no warm feeling for the Raiders or for Sebastian Janikowski, but that tactic bordered on the unfair. It's one thing for a team to use a timeout effectively, such as by waiting until the play clock gets almost to zero before calling a timeout. In such a case, the team calling the timeout is the team that can initiate play, so there's no impact on the other team. In this situation, though, while one team can initiate play, it's the other team that holds the attention of the officiating crew until the last possible moment before the kick. In this type of situation, baseball has it right. If a team wants to call time out, they ask, and if the timeout doesn't affect play, they get it. That rule would prevent this kind of cheap gamesmanship, which demeans the game and its participants.''

Totally agree, though I don't blame the Broncos. The rule should be rewritten to prevent teams from telling an official they're going to call a timeout and then wait and wait and wait until the last possible second before the snapper snaps the ball. My suggestion: Once the play clock gets down to 10 seconds on a field-goal try, the defensive team cannot call a timeout.

A TORN PATS FAN CHECKS IN. From Mike Shea, of Sandwich, Mass.: "As a Patriots fan, I have been all over the map regarding "spy-gate" (as my girlfriend can attest from the tossing and turning I've been doing at night). Let me start by saying that I find what Bill Belichick did deplorable. Sports are about proving your skill against an opponent with agreed upon arbitrary rules. If you're not going to abide by those rules, what do you really win by winning?

"I think he and the Patriots should be punished to the fullest extent, even if they have no draft picks left for next year. But as a long-time fan, having this come out is like having a friend or family member do something you are ashamed of. You're pissed at them, but ultimately, you have to come around them, tell them to get their act together and support them in the future. That's what I want for my team now. And while I'd be perfectly fine if Roger Goodell issued Bill a suspension, I (unlike you and a number of other commentators) realize the point he's made by recognizing the incredibly big difference between breaking a law and breaking a rule.

"Finally, after seeing a number of commentators, including Super Bowl coach Jimmy Johnson admit to trying the whole spying thing, and even you admit that you think between three and 10 other teams are doing the same thing, that if Goodell only investigates and punishes the Patriots, and doesn't do a league-wide investigation and impose punishment on those three to 10 other teams, then I am going to cry foul, because ultimately, all he will have done is the Jets dirty work for them. If his goal is fair play, then he has to take that task with the rest of the league, too -- just making the Patriots an example is not enough. Thanks for listening to me -- my girlfriend was getting sick of me getting this stuff off my chest at her.''

That's an interesting thought. Goodell is on record now as having warned every team about the video cheating, and there's no question NFL Security will be more vigilant in looking for violators at NFL games this year. Beyond that, I'm not sure what you want the league to do. If they have officials at every game looking for the offenders on sidelines, in coaches' booths and in press boxes, isn't that enough?

SOMEONE WHO REALLY KNOWS THINGS CHECKS IN. From Marc Garber, of Margate, N.J.: "You wrote: 'I have no idea how Goodell can be sure he's getting it all, and I have no idea how he can figure out whether Belichick is hiding any illicit tape he's had his video guys shoot over the past seven years, if indeed there is some.' As a former federal prosecutor, the answer, Peter, is simple. Like any good investigator, Goodell would have to speak to former Patriots employees, show them what he has, ask if there should be more, and find out what exactly those missing items are. Maybe there's a code of silence among former Pats ... No one likes being misled or lied to. And if you have the means to punish people for lying, you do it -- because our system of justice, and the NFL's perceived competitive fairness, depends on the honesty of those asked about matters of importance.''

Great e-mail, Marc. Thanks. Paul Zimmerman addressed something in a column last week that says a lot about how much I think we'll find in this whole mess -- and that's next to nothing. He quoted a former Patriots employee as saying there's a very tight circle of people -- one or two or three, who knows? -- with real knowledge of the internal operations there. My theory is if that's true -- and if Dr. Z wrote it, I buy it -- then Belichick has given all of the employees he's close to the legal thing known as plausible deniability. If Goodell ever asks them about any of the activities in the organization -- as Al Michaels did with Bob Kraft on NBC Sunday night -- they can say, "We have no idea about any illegal taping.'' And, theoretically, they'd be telling the truth.

MIKE MCGUIRE IS LOVED BY THE READERS. From Geoff Denempont, of Tucson, Ariz.: "Thank you so much for continuing to put the letters from Sgt. McGuire in MMQB. What a wonderful contrast of 'coaches' this week: a 'genius' that cheats and doesn't have the courage to admit it and a young sergeant who chooses to lead his team into real battle over the opportunity to come home to the comforts of his family and home. Sgt. McGuire epitomizes courage. Just imagine how each young soldier in his company feels to have a leader that sacrificed so much for them. Like Pat Tillman, Sgt. McGuire is a true role model.''

Thanks for writing, Geoff.

ONE MORE MIKE E-MAIL. From Michael Harper, of Appleton, Wisc.: "I cannot adequately put into words how appreciative so many of us here in the states are of the service and sacrifice of our men and women in the armed forces. Thank you, Peter, for taking the time and interest in helping to give them a voice. Thank you, Mike McGuire, for your unbelievable dedication to your (our) country. The rest of us are set to enjoy another football season, checking scores and highlights from the safety of home. We have the right and freedom to do this only because of the professionalism and bravery of our service men and women, and their families. This is so acutely put into perspective when Mike indicates that by the end of his deployment it will have been over four years since seeing his family. I cannot fathom the bravery and sacrifice required on a daily basis, for this long of a duration. The thoughts and prayers of a nation are behind you and your troopers, Mike McGuire. Stay safe.''

Thanks, Michael.