34-year old QB Peyton Manning certainly didn’t have his best season in 2010.  He played in all 16 games for the Colts last season and he completed 450 of 679 passes (66.3%) for 4,700 yards with 33 TD passes and 17 INTs (91.9 QB Rating).  He looked more like his brother (Eli) than the indestructible Peyton Manning of the past.  But, to be fair, most QBs would love to have his final stat line of 2010.  Manning also carried the ball 18 times for 18 yards (1.0 ypc) last season.  Manning has now played in 208 games in his first 13 years with the Colts and he has completed 4,682 of 7,210 passes (64.9%) for 54,828 yards with 399 TD passes and 198 INTs (94.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 346 times for 722 yards (2.1 ypc) with 17 TD runs so far in his career. 

25-year old Curtis Painter is the Colts’ #2 QB and he didn’t get into any games last season.  Painter has played in 2 games (0 starts) in his career with the Colts and he has completed 8 of 28 passes (28.6%) for 83 yards with 0 TD passes and 2 INTs (9.8 QB Rating).  Painter has also carried the ball 3 times for 4 yards (1.3 ypc) in his NFL career.  He is not very good, plain and simple.

VERDICT:  Peyton Manning has never missed a game for the Colts so it’s going to be near impossible to get a decent veteran willing to back him up.  That means the Colts must use a draft pick on a QB this April to give Curtis Painter competition for the back up job behind Mannning.  The reason being is that Manning isn’t getting any younger and at some point his body won’t be able to continue to take the pounding it has so far.

The Colts thought they were in good shape with 53 seconds left in this game as Adam Vinatieri had just nailed a field goal to put the Colts up 16-14.  But then the special teams, defense and head coach all failed them.  CB Antonio Cromartie returned the kickoff 47 yards to set up the Jets with outstanding field position.  The Jets then threw a couple of nice, short passes to get them within the edge of Jets’ kicker Nick Folk’s range.  Then, for some reason, Colts’ head coach Jim Caldwell called a timeout with 29 seconds left.  This gave the Jets more than enough time to come up with a good play.  They pretty much ran a jump ball pass down the right sideline for Braylon Edwards on which he made an outstanding grab.  Nick Folk then trotted out on the field and nailed a 32-yard field goal on the last play of the game to end the Colts’ season with a loud thud!

Peyton Manning was not at his best in this game.  He completed 18 of 26 passes for 225 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Joseph Addai (13 carries, 60 yards) and Dominic Rhodes (14 carries, 33 yards) handled the heavy lifting in the running game for the Colts last night.  Pierre Garcon led the way in the passing game for the Colts last night with 5 grabs for 112 yards (22.4 avg) with a TD grab.  WR Blair White (6 rec, 54 yards) and TE Jacob Tamme (5 rec, 46 yards) also pitched in for the Colts in the passing game.  WR Reggie Wayne was shut down in this game by the Jets as he only caught 1 pass for 1 yard!  The Colts finished up with 93 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.4 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 26 passes for 219 yards.

The defense played well in the first half last night but the Jets wore them down in the second half.  CB Jacob Lacey (9 tackles) and rookie LB Kavell Conner (8 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) led the way for the Colts’ D last night.  CB Justin Tryon pitched in with a interception in this game.  The Jets finished up with 169 yards rushing on 38 carries (4.4 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 31 passes for 184 yards.  It’s back to the drawing board for the Colts after this very tough to swallow loss last night.

The Colts come into the playoffs on a 4-game winning streak but none of the teams they beat were over .500 teams.  The Colts were 6-2 at home this year where they play quite a lot better.  The Jets are 6-2 on the road this year and they will be seeking revenge on the Colts who beat them 30-17 last January at Lucas Oil Stadium in the AFC Championship Game.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Colts have the ball:  The Colts stink at running the ball and the Jets are only giving up 90.9 yards rushing per game and 3.9 yards per carry so far this year.  With that in mind, this game likely hinges almost completely on Peyton Manning’s ability to beat the Jets’ secondary.  The Colts’ O-Line should be able to keep the Jets’ pass rush out of the backfield but the Jets have some playmakers in the secondary.  CB Darrelle Revis & Antonio Cromartie will likely be matched up with Reggie Wayne &  Pierre Garcon.  That means that Blair White and Jacob Tamme are going to be really important in the passing game tomorrow night.

When the Jets have the ball:  DTs Dan Muir, Antonio Johnson and LBs Gary Brackett and Pat Angerer are going to get their manhood tested tomorrow as the Jets are going to come out running the ball.  Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson and Brad Smith are going to attack the Colts’ front seven and the results of that aren’t likely to look to pretty.  The Colts better get to Mark Sanchez because if Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are getting kept out of the backfield they are in trouble.  WRs Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller are going to give the Colts fits tomorrow night.

PREDICTION:  JETS 26, COLTS 20

Adam Vinatieri nailed a 43-yard field goal as time expired giving the Colts a huge win yesterday!  Peyton Manning completed 27 of 41 passes for 264 yards with 2 TD passes and 0 INTs.  Dominic Rhodes (11 carries for 48 yards) and Joseph Addai (11 carries for 44 yards) led the way for the Colts on the ground in this game.  WRs Pierre Garcon (7 rec, 78 yards, TD), Reggie Wayne (9 rec, 68 yards, TD) and Blair White (4 rec, 51 yards) led the way for the Colts in the passing game yesterday.  TE Jacob Tamme pitched in with 7 grabs for 67 yards.  The Colts finished up with 101 yards rushing on 25 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 27 of 41 passes for 257 yards.

The defense was solid against the run yesterday but Kerry Collins was torching him through the air.  CB Jacob Lacey (10 tackles), LB Kavell Conner (10 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) and DE Robert Mathis (4 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovery) led the way for the Colts on D in this game.  The Titans finished up with 51 yards rushing on 24 carries (2.1 ypc) and they also completed 28 of 39 passes for 290 yards.  The Colts have won the AFC South with a 10-6 record and they will be hosting the Jets this weekend in the first round of the playoffs.