Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning figures there’s something at least as important this week as the 2009 preseason finale.
That, of course, is what is ahead, which is why Manning said one of the most important thing the Colts do this week may have little to do with what goes on in Cincinnati Thursday.
It has everything to do with what’s going on in Indianapolis Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I still feel like we’re in training camp mode,” Manning said Tuesday as the Colts (1-2 in the preseason) prepared to play the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) in the preseason finale at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
“I don’t know how much the older guys will play this Thursday, but I know we’re practicing this week like it’s a normal week. We’re taking the majority of the repetitions. “We’re going to use this week to get better.”
The Colts will play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in the 2009 regular-season opener Sunday, September 13 at 1 p.m. Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said Tuesday he didn’t yet know what starters and front-line players will play Thursday, or for how long.
“This week is important for us, because of the fact there will be some starters who may not play in this game,” Caldwell said. “I think we’re going to make that determination this evening, but the most important thing is we continue to improve. Today is a big day in terms of our practice session. We want to stay sharp and start to improve a little bit upon some of the things we’ve had some difficulty with – staying away from penalties, being able to extend drives, things of that nature – and on the other side of the ball, obviously we have to improve as well.
“We need to try to strengthen those things before we play Jacksonville.”
Manning said he hasn’t been told how much – or if – he will play Thursday. He hasn’t played in the preseason finale since 2004 and has never missed a regular-season NFL start.
“Because we have new players in there, if you told me this year we had a couple of more games to play, I’d probably take them,” Manning said. “I feel like game speed is different than practice speed, but obviously it’s important to get everybody healthy before the season opener it sounds like from a playing situation. That’s why these last practices up until that Sunday against Jacksonville are truly important – just getting more and more comfortable each day with some of the new receivers and some of the new players in the huddle.”
Caldwell said in an effort to glean the most from the practice sessions, the first-team offense at times is working with the first-team defense. Caldwell said the Colts are almost “50-50 in terms of training camp and preparation for Cincinnati.”
“We try to make certain we still get the same type of tempo that we look for practice to practice, and that there is some challenge placed on them as well,” Caldwell said. “We make certain we present challenges for both sides of the ball and our kicking game. It’s not one of those situations where simply because we have a short week we’re not trying to get them sharp.”
