Colts Caldwell Is Going To Regret His Decision

Even if the Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl this season, Coach Jim Caldwell is going to have to live with the fact the he willingly gave up perfection and that he pissed off many Colts' fans in the process. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Every year in the NFL, one team wins the Super Bowl.

It's inevitable.

Only once in the history of the National Football League (90 years) has a team gone undefeated.

I couldn't tell you who won the Super Bowl in 1980 and I'm sure without reference, you, dear reader, couldn't list every Super Bowl champion in the last 43 years. What I do know, however, is the only team in history to go undefeated all the way through the Super Bowl is the 1972 Dolphins and I'm sure you knew the same.

So here is the question: Why would you sacrifice a chance to be the only team in the 16-game era to go undefeated? A chance to cancel that once-a-year champagne celebration those 72 Miami Dolphins partake in, that you would be able to takeover?

Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell answered this very question, saying that he would rather be healthy for the Super Bowl. In pulling the majority of his starters with the score 15-10 Colts in the third-quarter, Caldwell made his decision. Indy then was outscored 19-0 with their starters on the bench for their first loss of the season, 29-10 at home to the Jets.

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, an obvious choice for the MVP this year, has been sacked an NFL low 10 times among starting QB's who have attempted 231 or more passes. So it's not like there was a good chance the NY Jets defense, who had hit Manning only twice all game, were going to injure the All-Pro player.

Injuries happen in the NFL.

Whether it's in a so-called meaningless game or the Super Bowl; they are going to happen regardless of the situation, so why not go for it?

Here is what irks me the most about this situation. This guy decided to pull his starters and give up the game AT HOME!

All of these Indy fans paid for their tickets. They paid to see their franchise QB and his talented receivers win the game and go to 15-0. This could have many of these fans first game of the season and they had to watch some guy named Curtis Painter lead a second-team offense to zero points. If you want to rest your guys, rest them on the road. Don't put your loyal fans through almost an entire half of unwatchable football.

Even if the Colts win the Super Bowl this year, Caldwell is going to have to live with the fact that he was one and 1/2 games away from football immortality.