Indianapolis Colts 2004 schedule | 2003 results | 2003 stats More Teams 49ers Bears Bengals Bills Broncos Browns Buccaneers Cardinals Chargers Chiefs Colts Cowboys Dolphins Eagles Falcons Giants Jaguars Jets Lions Packers Panthers Patriots Raiders Rams Ravens Redskins Saints Seahawks Steelers Texans Titans Vikings

Peyton Manning Elsa/Getty Projected starting lineup Offense No. Player Pos. 87 Reggie Wayne WR 88 Marvin Harrison WR 81 Marcus Pollard TE 78 Tarik Glenn LT 64 Rick DeMulling LG 63 Jeff Saturday C 74 Steve Sciullo RG 71 Ryan Diem RT 44 Dallas Clark TE 18 Peyton Manning QB 32 Edgerrin James RB 13 Mike Vanderjagt K Defense No. Player Pos. 79 Raheem Brock DE 75 Larry Tripplett DT 90 Montae Reagor DT 93 Dwight Freeney DE 57 Jim Nelson LLB 94 Rob Morris MLB 50 David Thornton RLB 30 Donald Strickland CB 29 Joseph Jefferson CB 20 Mike Doss SS 28 Idrees Bashir FS 17 Hunter Smith P 2004 Draft Rd. Player Pos. School 2 Bob Sanders S Iowa 3 Ben Hartsock TE Ohio State 3 Gilbert Gardner OLB Purdue 4 Kendyll Pope OLB Florida State 4 Jason David CB Washington State 5 Jake Scott T Idaho 6 Von Hutchins CB Mississippi 6 Jim Sorgi QB Wisconsin 7 David Kimball PK Penn State Outside the Huddle Turkey day The Colts will be making their first appearance in a Thanksgiving Day game since 1965 when they play at Detroit this year. Good job ref Tony Dungy, who is not a fan of instant replay, did not challenge a single call last year. Winners Indianapolis is tied for third with Philadelphia and Green Bay for the most wins since the start of the 1999 season. The Colts own a 51–29 record during that time frame. St. Louis and Tennessee are tied for first, each with records of 56–24. Going for five The Colts have produced a 4,000 yard passer, a 1,000 yard rusher and a 1,000 yard receiver in four of the past five seasons. Quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison have done it three times (2003, 2000, 1999), while Manning, Harrison and Dominic Rhodes have done it once (2001). Touchdown Manning has thrown 167 touchdown passes during the first six seasons of his NFL career. He ranks second only to Dan Marino (196) for the most touchdown passes in a career-opening six-year span. Mr. Perfect Placekicker Mike Vanderjagt produced the fourth perfect field goal season in NFL history in 2003. Vanderjagt booted 37 consecutive kicks last year. 2003 Revisited The Prophecy: "The Colts, with a healthy Edgerrin James in the backfield, look to improve on 2002's 10–6 regular-season record." The Lie: "[Manning's] flaw ... is his penchant for throwing interceptions." --Athlon Sports Pro Football 2003

Unlike the previous year, the Indianapolis Colts return for the 2004 season with no discernable off-the-field distractions to haunt the team.

Instead, the Colts are the reigning AFC South champions after putting together a 12–4 record and were just one win away from playing in the franchise's first Super Bowl in 33 years.

One of the NFL's most potent offenses returns intact, but questions remain about the state of the Colts' defensive unit. The loss of four key defenders to free agency -- outside linebacker Marcus Washington, defensive end Chad Bratzke, cornerback Walt Harris and cornerback David Macklin -- and a not-too-unexpected post-season cost-cutting effort means that there will be several fresh faces in the starting lineup this season.

Peyton Manning is coming off the best season of his six-year NFL career. The league's co-MVP completed 67 percent of his passes for 4,267 yards and 29 touchdowns to go along with a career-low 10 interceptions. A similar effort may be needed this time around as well if the Colts are to repeat as division champs.

One thing is for certain though. There is no quarterback debate in Indianapolis. Manning is the man. That much was made certain when he signed a record-setting seven-year $98 million contract in March.

The only question mark is whether the Colts go with veteran Cory Sauter as the team's No. 2 signal-caller. Indianapolis did not re-sign Brock Huard after the 2003 season, which appears to give Sauter the inside track to the primary backup job.

Rookie Jim Sorgi and second-year pro Tom Arth figure to fight it out for the third spot. Arth, who spent the past spring in NFL Europe, was an undrafted free agent in 2003 who missed the year due to arm surgery.

While he may not have the same breakaway moves that he exhibited the first couple years of his career, Edgerrin James proved that he remains the workhorse of the Colts' running game.

James ran for 1,259 yards and 11 TDs and was back to his pre-injury workload as well, with 300-plus carries for the third time in his five-year career.

The Colts had good depth at the position last season. Dominic Rhodes, Ricky Williams and James Mungro all shared time spelling James. Williams was not re-signed, but Rhodes, Mungro and Brian Allen, a third-year pro out of Stanford, continue to offer solid support.

Although the Colts don't use the fullback on a full-time basis, Tom Lopienski played well in the postseason and could see increased work in 2004.

Marvin Harrison has been a constant in the Indianapolis passing game, averaging 112.6 receptions over the past five seasons. He fell just under that mark last year with 94 catches for 1,272 yards and 10 touchdowns. But don't be fooled into believing that he wasn't as important in the Colts' aerial attack as in past years.

The big difference in 2003 was the continued emergence of former first-round pick Reggie Wayne and the addition of free agent Brandon Stokley from the Baltimore Ravens. Wayne had a breakout year, while Stokley provided Manning with yet another legitimate big-play threat. He was especially strong in the latter half of the season and in the playoffs.

Troy Walters and Aaron Moorehead are also back, along with tight ends Marcus Pollard and 2003 first-round pick Dallas Clark. Clark had a productive rookie season before suffering a season-ending leg injury late in the year. Rookie Ben Hartsock will challenge veteran Joe Dean Davenport as the team's blocking tight end.

Indianapolis returns its entire offensive line intact from 2003, led by offensive tackle Tarik Glenn and underrated center Jeff Saturday.

The Colts experimented last year by moving former guard Ryan Diem out to tackle and giving Steve Sciullo an opportunity to take over at right guard. Sciullo played well until an ankle injury late in the season slowed his progress.

Rick DeMulling, a first-year starter at left guard, teams with Glenn to give Indianapolis a solid left side.

The Colts have solidified the second group, led by Tupe Peko and Makoa Freitas. Both played key roles in 2003. They will be joined by 2004 fifth-round draft choice Jake Scott.

A memo to NFL offensive linemen: Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney is expected to be even better this year than he was in 2003. Freeney broke the Colts' sack record as a rookie two years ago with 13 and added 11 more last season.

In addition to Freeney, defensive ends Raheem Brock, Brad Scioli and Robert Mathis are all back, along with tackles Larry Tripplett, Montae Reagor and Josh Williams.

Scioli's production was down in 2003, but he is expected to be one of the keys to the Colts' defensive line rotation this year. Williams signed a long-term contract extension in the spring.

With Washington now with the Redskins, veteran backup Jim Nelson will get the first opportunity to be the starter at left outside linebacker this season.

Rob Morris in the middle and David Thornton on the right are both back as starters, while backups Gary Brackett, Cato June and Keyon Whiteside also return.

Thornton had a strong first year as he took over for former starter Mike Peterson, leading the team with 158 tackles in 2003.

Brackett was a major surprise as an undrafted free agent and will be used as Morris' primary backup. June and Whiteside figure to fight for playing time behind Nelson.

With Harris and Macklin no longer around, the Colts are planning to go with a youth movement at the cornerback position.

Donald Strickland and Joseph Jefferson have been penciled in as the probable starters, while Nick Harper, who began the 2003 season as a starter before a lower back injury limited his effectiveness, is also in the mix.

Strickland was a rookie last year and missed the first month of the season with a groin injury. Jefferson sat out a year after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated groin. Rookies Jason David and Von Hutchins have the opportunity to take over the fourth spot at cornerback.

Idrees Bashir and Mike Doss are back at free and strong safety, although 2004 top draft pick Bob Sanders will see extensive playing time. The hard-hitting but undersized Sanders missed the Colts' spring mini-camps recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.

Mike Vanderjagt was the best placekicker in the league a year ago. Vanderjagt didn't miss a field-goal or extra-point attempt in 2003 until the Pro Bowl in January.

Punter Hunter Smith has done a good job of adapting to special teams coach Russ Purnell's strategy of situational kicking. While Smith may give up some yards, he has gotten progressively better in pinning opposing offenses deep in their own territory.

Brad Pyatt was a major bright spot as a rookie kickoff and punt return specialist last season. Pyatt should be healthy this year after missing the second half of the 2003 season with a neck injury.

Indianapolis drafted former Penn State kicker David Kimball, who may make the team as a kickoff specialist.

Indianapolis did everything right in 2003. The Colts, thanks to a near-flawless season by Manning, edged out Tennessee for the division title and won a playoff game for the first time in eight years. Repeating in the South, however, won't be easy. The schedule will be more difficult and the division is expected to be much tougher with the maturation of Jacksonville and Houston, along with a Tennessee franchise that has been among the league's best for several years.

The Colts have to find a way for the defense to continue to improve despite the loss of several key starters from a year ago. Offensively, Indianapolis remains one of the NFL's most potent squads.

• Click here for a complete list of 2004 Team Previews from Athlon

To Purchase the 2004 NFL Preview from Athlon Sports, click here.