INDIANAPOLIS —
Time to get back to work.
After getting off to a 2-2 start with sluggish performances in three of the team’s four games, the Indianapolis Colts continue to be a work in progress.
While the offense has been able to move the ball, turnovers and mental mistakes have thwarted potential scoring opportunities. Defensively, the Colts are out of synch. Indianapolis has given up big yards on the ground (Houston) and in the air (Denver).
They haven’t been able to get off the field on third down (Jacksonville). And the pass rush has registered just one sack over the past eight quarters after coming up with four sacks in a home win over the New York Giants three weeks ago.
There’s frustration in Indianapolis.
“There’s really not a lot to be happy about. But I do always subscribe to a theory taught to me many years ago by [former Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins coach] Don Shula who said, ‘Every time you go out there you have to take something positive away because you have to have something to build on for the next week,’” team president Bill Polian said this week.
The Colts aren’t that far from being one of the premier teams in AFC once again. But improvement must be made quickly in several areas, especially with the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) coming to Lucas Oil Stadium after a bye week.
“There’s obviously a lot of work to do on [the defensive] side of the ball. We’ve got to get that straightened away. I think we have good players there, but they’re not playing very well at this point,” Polian said.
Quarterback Peyton Manning would rather use the phrase “determined” rather than “frustrated.”
“I think guys are disappointed, frustrated, all normal reactions. I think those can be healthy reactions and moods. I think determined is the main thing. To have a really good week of practice this week,” Manning said Wednesday.
“That’s where it has to start. We’re playing a good football team that is playing well. They don’t care what our record is. They don’t care that we’ve lost two division games. It’s really about what we do. I think it’s important to have a good week of practice this week. We’ve got some injuries that we’re dealing with like all teams are. Once again, you get no sympathy there. I think we need to carry a little bit of that frustration onto the practice field and be a little sharper in the way we practice.”
So Indianapolis is going back to work this week, trying to fix their problem areas while also preparing for a pretty good Chiefs team.
“The one thing you have to do is keep your nose to the grindstone, keep your head down and keep working. If everyone does that, and doesn’t worry about the other guy’s job, only his, then you’ll come out all right in the end,” Polian continued.
“It’s the head coach’s job to tie it all together. Jim Caldwell does a great job of that. I don’t have any worries about that. Concentrate only on your job and the head coach will get that strategically adjusted if he needs to.”
So the work continues.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do. I said you have to put a good face on things and be positive, but you can’t gloss over the fact that we have a lot of work to do to be a good football team,” he said.
“Bill Parcells is fond of saying, ‘You are what your record says you are.’ Right now, we’re a pretty mediocre football team, so we have work to do.”
• Injury report — Safety Antoine Bethea (hamstring), running back Donald Brown (hamstring), wide receiver Austin Collie (foot), rookie linebacker Kavell Conner (foot), defensive end Dwight Freeney (rest), wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez (ankle), cornerback Jacob Lacey (foot), safety Bob Sanders (biceps), and wide receiver Reggie Wayne (knee) did not practice Wednesday.
Collie was wearing a protective boot on his right foot. Wide receiver Pierre Garcon (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday after missing the last two games. Garcon may be able to play Sunday against Kansas City. His status will be updated later in the week.
Running back Joseph Addai (knee), middle linebacker Gary Brackett (back), offensive tackle Charlie Johnson (foot), rookie safety Brandon King (hamstring), cornerback Jerraud Powers (foot), offensive guard Jamey Richard (shoulder) and weak side linebacker Clint Session (hamstring) all took part in the workout.
Sports
Frustrated Colts ‘determined’ to clean up game
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Longest: Terre Haute South's Tyler Seibert took just one jump, at 20 feet, 7 and three quarters of an inch, to qualify for the finals of the event in the boys track sectional Thursday evening.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
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From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
- Local Interest
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Coach: Tim Terry is the South Vermillion baseball coach and plays in the senior league on Sunday afternoons.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain
The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain. -
Vigo County Youth Soccer Association to host Indiana Soccer Cup Games
The Vigo County Youth Soccer Association will welcome more than 7,000 people to its Springhill Drive facility through two tournaments in the next five weeks.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
- High School
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.
- West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
- Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
- Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
- Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
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- College
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.
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ISU baseball hoping Manaea can get its MVC Tournament moving in right direction
Indiana State’s baseball team has been waiting all season for its stars to align.
But this is the 2013 Sycamores, after all, and after a season in which seemingly little has gone right, it appears its stars will remain crossed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. -
ISU track sending record 22 to postseason
On the heels of their thrilling double victory at the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships both the Indiana State men and women moved up in the national rankings which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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ISU's athletic treasure trove
Think of every championship that Indiana State has won in each of its sports, past and present. Think of every tournament — postseason or regular season — which the Sycamores have claimed as their own.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
- Sports Columns
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Shooters compete to fight cancer
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. - Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Terre Haute Rex
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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
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- Rex mix, match their way to win
- Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
While the Indianapolis Colts put their rookies and a handful of second-year players through workouts this weekend at the team’s Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, a pair of first-year coordinators are getting a chance to do some valuable on-field work as well.
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- Werner at top of game
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
- Auto Racing
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
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