So here’s what we know now about your Indianapolis Colts, who are still awful but no longer epically awful:

1. Bad mojo apparently takes a day off once in awhile.

2. Or not.

No. 1 is true because, from the time Adam Vinatieri gave the Colts their first lead since the outbreak of World War II (OK, their first lead in more than 500 minutes, then), Sunday was clearly their day. Reggie Wayne, missing for weeks, scored a touchdown. Jacob Lacey, missing for life, had a pick six. And on Donald Brown’s game-sealing 80-yard jailbreak, Dan Orlovsky sprung him with a block that looked for all the world like he was just trying not to get hurt.

So, Colts 27, Titans 13, and good for them. The 0-16 2008 Lions and 0-14 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers can bust out the champagne, their record of wall-to-wall futility secure.

However, sometimes bad mojo only looks as if it’s taking a day off. Which brings us to No. 2.

By winning, and doing so in a way that suggests it was no fluke, the Colts have put themselves in jeopardy of a reverse 2009 – i.e., instead of willfully surrendering an undefeated season, they might be willfully surrendering presumptive No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback. They’re now just a game ahead of the Rams and the Vikings in the race to the bottom – and, brothers and sisters, the Rams and the Vikings are coming on weak.

Sunday, the Vikings got smoked like a country ham by the Saints, 42-20, an impressively lily-livered showing. And the Rams displayed an equally impressive will to die against the Bengals, losing 20-13 in a game the Rams actually led 6-3 at halftime.

So, it’s on like Donkey Kong. The Rams are at Pittsburgh this week, another sure loss, and then they finish against the 49ers, yet another. The Vikings are at the Redskins, who just blistered the Giants, and then are home to the cliff-diving Bears.

The Colts, meanwhile, get a Texans team that’s already clinched the division and can’t much affect its playoff status win or lose. Then they finish at Jacksonville, where the 4-10 Jaguars have nothing to play for except getting the season over with.

It doesn’t take more than six hits to the head from James Harrison to see 3-13 coming out of that. Which means the Rams might be the leader in the clubhouse right now in the Race for Luck.

And, yes, I know what you’re thinking about that: Would it really be such a bad thing if the Colts played their way out of Luck?

It’s a school of thought that will gain steam now, especially with the Colts opting to play it safe by shutting down Peyton Manning. And while part of me gets that school of thought, most of me doesn’t.

Most of me thinks that no matter how carefully the Colts bring along Manning, his tread’s all but gone. He’s had three neck surgeries, including a spinal fusion, and he’s on the downhill side of 35. Fine crystal is less fragile.

So given a choice between 1-15 and Luck or 3-13 and, say, Robert Griffin III, I’ll take door No. 1. I’ll take the Next Franchise Quarterback, and “Good luck in free agency” for the current one.

The future, see, is all that matters in the NFL. And it has no truck with sentiment.

Especially now. Especially in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—The Indianapolis Colts piled up wins for more than a
decade. Their victory Sunday might go down as one of their most memorable.

After 14 straight losses, 50 weeks without a win and 14 years between
non-Peyton Manning victories, the Colts don’t have to worry about 0-16 anymore.
They’re 1-13.

Dan Orlovsky threw a touchdown pass and had the key block to spring an
80-yard touchdown run that sealed Indianapolis’ 27-13 victory over Tennessee,
giving Orlovsky the first win of his NFL career.

“To finally get one, and in the aspect of a lot of certain situations, it
feels great,” Orlovsky said. “I’m very humbled to be a part of it. I’m happy
for a lot of people on this team, for a lot of people in this organization. It
is a lot better than the feeling we have had lately.”

And for a change, the Colts had plenty to smile about.

Orlovsky had lost his nine previous NFL starts including the season-finale
in Detroit’s 0-16 season. He’s the first quarterback not named Manning to win a
game for the Colts since December 1997 when Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback.

Brown ran 16 times for a career-high 161 yards, tying Tom Matte’s franchise
record for longest run, set in 1964. The breakout performance might also
temporarily quiet some of Brown’s biggest critics, who have labeled him a
first-round draft bust.

Indy’s much-maligned defense forced three turnovers, scored a touchdown on
Jacob Lacey’s 32-yard interception return and stopped Tennessee (7-7) on fourth
down with less than 2 minutes left so Orlovsky could run out the clock with the
traditional kneel-down.

Even coach Jim Caldwell got some support.

“I just want to say how happy I am for Coach Caldwell, our coaching staff
and for our players for how diligently and spectacularly they’ve worked and
prepared through all this difficulty,” team vice chairman Bill Polian said.

But the celebration was muted. After the last defensive stop, Indy’s players
and coaches simply raised their arms as the remaining fans cheered loudly.

The good news was that Colts avoided becoming the first team in franchise
history to go 0-14.

The bad news: They’re still playing for the No. 1 draft pick, which goes to
the team with the worst overall record and will have to do it without Manning.
Polian ruled him out of the last two games just minutes after the victory.

“It (winning) means a lot, but we’re a proud ballclub so one game out of 13
or 14, we still have a ways to go,” defensive end Robert Mathis said.
“Everybody held the fort today. We just kept chopping wood and the tree fell
today.”

For Tennessee, it’s an inexplicable loss that could keep them out of the
playoffs.

By closing the season with three straight wins, the Titans could have
controlled their own destiny. Now, they’ll probably have to win their last two
and get help.

“In the first half, we played uninspired football on the offensive side of
the ball and we still had a 6-3 lead because the defense played very well,”
Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “You have to run the football and we couldn’t.
Not only could we not run it, we were losing yards and that put us in a tough
spot. The turnovers start creeping in and (Jared) Cook fumbles the one that
could’ve been the chance to get something going then the interception happened.
That’s really what killed us.”

There were plenty of other problems, too.

Matt Hasselbeck returned from his calf injury but didn’t play well,
finishing 27 of 40 for 223 yards with no TDs and two interceptions. Chris
Johnson ran 15 times for 55 yards. And when Jake Locker got the Titans back in
the game after relieving Hasselbeck, the defense couldn’t corral Brown.

Locker’s 7-yard TD pass to Nate Washington with 3:43 left got the Titans to
20-13.

But on Indy’s next offensive play, Tennessee’s defense appeared to have
Brown cornered in the backfield. That’s when Brown reversed field and Orlovsky
jumped in front of the defender closest to him, running a basketball pick. It
was just enough to get Brown a wide-open lane, and he sprinted right through it
80 yards for Indy’s longest run since Matte in 1964.

“He was about to go down. Akeem Ayers came in there for the tackle. Donald
just got out of it. I went in for the tackle, and the quarterback cut me off,”
safety Michael Griffin said. “From there I don’t know what happened, but we
have to tackle better.”

Indy opened the scoring with a 47-yard field goal that ended a of more than
500 minutes in which the Colts never had the lead

Rob Bironas answered with two field goals before halftime to give the Titans
the 6-3 lead.

This time, Indy needed only about 10 minutes to retake the lead. Orlovsky’s
18-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne made it 10-6. Lacey followed that with his
interception return and Vinatieri made it 20-6 after Indy forced a punt
following a muffed kickoff that went out of bounds inside the 1.

Locker’s TD put the game back in doubt, but Brown wrapped it up with the
long run.

“You just feel like a dark cloud has been removed for the time being, of
course,” the excited Mathis said. “Back to work Tuesday, trying to do it
again.”

Notes: Colts running back Delone Carter left in the first half with an
undisclosed forearm injury and did not return. … The Titans are 0-4 at Lucas
Oil Stadium. … Locker was 11 of 16 for 108 yards with one TD after relieving
Hasselbeck. … Johnson had eight catches for 54 yards.

How bad will the Indianapolis Colts lose this week? It will likely be pretty bad. There is almost no chance that Indianapolis has a chance to beat the Baltimore Ravens in their week 14 matchup. The two teams are headed in opposite directions this season. Indianapolis is 0-12 on the season and appears headed for the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Baltimore is 9-3 on the season and is preparing for the 2011 NFL playoffs. This game should prove the direction that each team is headed.

To make matters worse, Indianapolis this week lost three significant defensive players. Cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Terrance Johnson as well as defensive tackle Drake Nevis were all placed on injured reserve this week. Indianapolis’ cornerbacks will be very inexperienced in this game and Joe Flacco will likely look to test them downfield. Jacob Lacey is the only player remaining with any NFL experience and even he was benched earlier this season for his poor play. If Baltimore can pass the ball well, it could be a long day for the Colts.

Good news for fans is that both tight end Dallas Clark and middle linebacker Pat Angerer are expected to play. Angerer is a key to the defense and has been arguably the most consistent player on the Indianapolis defense this year. Clark has missed the last three games with a leg injury. His return will certainly help the passing game but shouldn’t do much to help win the game.

Dan Orlovsky played well last week and provided a big spark for the offense. This Baltimore defense is very good though and will provide a challenge for the inexperienced Indianapolis offensive line. The offense should try to establish Joseph Addai and build upon the recent success of Donald Brown.

In the end, these two teams are headed in different directions and Indianapolis stands no chance to win the game. This loss will surely push them to 0-13 and leave them with just three chances remaining to get a win in the 2011 season. Fans should hope that this game ends quickly and they can move on to next week where they will try for their first win this year.

Prediction: Ravens 34, Colts 10

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and has been a lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts. He attended Super Bowl XLIV in Miami and follows the team closely. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN  - 

Still searching for their first win of the season, the Indianapolis Colts will start Dan Orlovsky at quarterback this Sunday against the New England Patriots.

“Curtis Painter will not start this game, Dan Orlovsky will,” Colts head coach Jim Caldwell said on Tuesday. “I think he’s a guy that certainly is comfortable within the framework of the system. He’ got a nice, strong arm, and we’re anticipating that he’s going to be accurate as well, and that’s key. The big thing is, obviously, to stay away from turnovers, and he’s got to play smart and not scared.”

Orlovsky will be the third starting quarterback this season for a team that had enjoyed great stability at the position since drafting Peyton Manning with the first overall pick in 1998.

Manning has not taken a snap this season while recovering from offseason neck surgery and it is unclear if he will play this season.

Orlovsky spent training camp with Indianapolis but was let go when the team made its final cuts, paving the way for Kerry Collins to start the season under center for the Colts.

But Collins suffered a concussion in a Week 3 game against Pittsburgh and Painter had started ever since.

Orlovsky was re-signed by Indianapolis after Collins was placed on injured reserve.

The 28-year-old Orlovsky has appeared in 16 games in his career but has not made a start since 2008 when he started seven games for the Detroit Lions, who went on to an 0-16 season.

Should they go winless, the Colts would be just the second team to complete a winless 16-game NFL schedule.

(Sports Network) – Does one man make a difference on how a team performs?

It seems that way with quarterback Peyton Manning and the winless Indianapolis
Colts, who will try once again for their first win of the season Sunday versus
the visiting Atlanta Falcons at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Manning hasn’t played a down this season due to his ongoing neck issues and
will most likely not play at all in 2011 despite remaining on the active
roster. In his absence, the Colts have lost eight consecutive games to start
the year and are virtually certain to have a streak of nine straight playoff
appearances end.

The four-time MVP is expected to occupy a roster spot for the remainder of this
tumultuous campaign and could make a cameo appearance sometime in the latter
weeks of the season. Manning hasn’t been cleared to practice yet, however, and
Colts vice chairman Bill Polian was recently asked about one of the game’s most
respected players making a comeback in 2011 rather than waiting for next
season.

“Well, I think that’s generally true. The only caveat would be I’m not sure we
would play him in ballgames,” Polian said of Manning. “For example, if our
offensive line was as beaten up at the end of the season as it is now, I’m not
sure we’d run the risk of playing him. Not to denigrate [substitute
quarterback] Curtis [Painter] in any way, but a guy coming off that long of a
layoff in front of a non-experienced line would be a little difficult.”

It couldn’t get any worse, however, for the Colts, one of the NFL’s two
remaining winless teams along with Miami. For now, Painter will remain the
starter until told otherwise as the Colts are prepare for a rare showdown with
the Falcons at home after playing their last three games on the road.
Indianapolis has scored just 17 points in losses at New Orleans and Tennessee
over the last two weeks and suffered a 27-10 setback to the Titans last Sunday.

Painter passed for 250 yards with a pair of interceptions against the Titans,
one week after going 9-for-17 for 67 yards and a pick in a 62-7 romp at the
hands of the Saints.

Indianapolis has struggled mightily without its offensive captain in Manning
and is 30th in total offense (294.9 ypg) and scoring (15.1 ppg). The team is
hoping a return to Lucas Oil Stadium to play in front of the home crowd will
lift some of the bewildered spirits.

“It’s always nice to have your home crowd, especially when you’re struggling
offensively,” said veteran center Jeff Saturday. “We like to get our crowd
involved, get them excited, and you can play off that momentum and feed off of
it. So it will be good to be back at Lucas Oil, and I look forward to seeing
some smiling faces and some good fans.”

The Colts will also host Jacksonville before their bye week.

Atlanta enjoyed its week off and will visit the Colts before returning to the
Peach State for three consecutive contests. It headed to the bye riding a
season-best two-game winning streak and a 4-3 record — good enough for a
second-place tie with Tampa Bay in the NFC South standings.

The Falcons took care of Carolina and Detroit before a one-week layoff and
will get a healthy Matt Ryan back under center. The quarterback missed a few
plays in the team’s 23-16 win over Lions with what appeared to be an ankle and
knee issue after left tackle Will Svitek unintentionally stepped on Ryan’s foot
in the pocket.

“Quarterbacks get a lot of notoriety and people’s eyes are always on you, so
they kind of see those things a little bit more so than some other positions,”
Ryan said of his injury. “But that’s par for the course in our locker room.
We’ve got a lot of guys who week in and week out, grind through a lot of
different things and show up on the field. I’m just trying to do like everyone
else.”

It’s difficult to be just like everyone else when you’re the quarterback and
face of the franchise, however, and the allure of Ryan going up against Manning
has worn off now that the latter has been relegated to coaching duties on the
sidelines.

Ryan kept his focus on the team and noted how they’re still things to improve
on and stay consistent with, such as winning football games. Only a game behind
the Saints in the division standings, Atlanta can’t let one slip away this
week.

Like all teams around the league, the Falcons have been hampered with injuries
this season. It was recently learned that left offensive tackle Sam Baker will
miss three-to-four weeks with a balky back and Svitek, who filled in for Baker
at Detroit, will take over as the starter. Rookie wide receiver Julio Jones has
missed back-to-back games with a hamstring issue and tight end Tony Gonzalez
missed some practice time this week with a back issue. Both offensive weapons
are expected to be ready for Sunday’s game, however, and Falcons leading
receiver Roddy White can’t wait to see Jones get back on the field.

“We’ve missed him and his big play ability and the things he brings to the
table,” White said. “I was happy to see him out there on Monday running
routes. He even stayed after practice and we got some work in catching balls.
He’ll be ready to fly on Sunday and we’ll be ready to go.”

Sunday’s game will be just the seventh matchup between the two teams since the
Colts re-located to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984.

SERIES HISTORY

The Colts own a commanding 13-1 lead in their all-time series with the
Falcons, with Atlanta’s lone win in the set a 28-21 triumph at the Georgia
Dome on Dec. 6, 1998. Indianapolis has defeated the Falcons three straight
times since, following up home victories in both 2001 and 2003 with a 31-13
decision in Atlanta during the 2007 campaign. The Falcons are 0-6 all-time
against the Colts on the road, with three of those setbacks taking place in
Indianapolis.

Both Atlanta’s Mike Smith and Indianapolis’ Jim Caldwell will be opposing one
another, as well as their counterpart’s respective team, for the first time as
head coaches.

WHEN THE FALCONS HAVE THE BALL

Ryan (1,683 passing yards, 9 TD, 8 INT) had nine interceptions in 16 games a
year ago, but is one pick away from matching that mark this season. He has
thrown a touchdown pass in six straight games since not having one in a Week 1
loss at Chicago, however, though his 63.1 passer rating against Detroit was his
second-lowest of the season and worst since a 55.1 showing in a loss to Green
Bay on Oct. 9. The former Boston College college standout has been sacked 18
times already this season for a Falcons team struggling in yards per play (21st
overall), net yards passing per play (24th) and scoring average (17th). Ryan
has played well against the AFC in his career, having gone 9-3 with 18
touchdown passes to three interceptions for a 96.0 quarterback rating. The
Falcons are 17-0 when Ryan has a rating of 100 or better, and he should have a
chance to get to that mark on Sunday. Atlanta is also 25-8 under Smith in games
played indoors, and each of its last nine games will be played inside a dome.
Gonzalez (35 receptions, 4 TD) leads the team in receiving scores and is second
on the NFL’s all-time list with 1,104 receptions. White (39 receptions, 3 TD)
is hoping the return of Jones will open the offense, while running back Michael
Turner (621 rushing yards, 6 TD) will have Jason Snelling as his new fullback
after the team placed Ovie Mughelli (knee) on injured reserve during the bye.
Turner has rushed for 100-plus yards in two straight games.

The Colts have been brutal on defense this season save for the efforts of
middle linebacker and leading tackler Pat Angerer (90 tackles) and defensive
ends Dwight Freeney (12 tackles, 5 sacks) and Robert Mathis (14 tackles, 4
sacks). Angerer posted 10 tackles against the Titans and has recorded that many
on four occasions this season. Freeney is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and the
franchise’s all-time leader in sacks, but hasn’t had one since a loss to Kansas
City on Oct. 9 for the Colts, who are 31st in total defense (402.9 yards per
game), 32nd in scoring defense (31.5 points per game) and tied for 30th with 12
sacks. Indianapolis is also 31st against the run and will have a tough time
stopping Turner after Javon Ringer and Chris Johnson combined for 94 yards in
last week’s win for the Titans. Mathis said the team practices hard, but just
can’t get over the hump on Sundays. Perhaps a return home can boost the
defense’s energy and lift Indianapolis to its first win. If the Colts can find
a way to slow down the Falcons’ run game and force them to pass, they may have
a chance. In the secondary, safety Antoine Bethea (64 tackles) is a solid
contributor behind two lesser-known cornerbacks in Jacob Lacey (30 tackles) and
Jerraud Powers (35 tackles).

WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL

Painter (1,123 passing yards, 5 TD, 4 INT) has been getting extended time under
center with Manning out due to neck surgery and hasn’t done much to help fans
forget about their beloved No. 18. The former Purdue standout is averaging only
168.3 passing yards with a touchdown and four interceptions in his last three
games, but had a career-best 79 yards rushing in the loss at Tennessee. Running
back Joseph Addai (257 rushing yards, 1 TD) has been bothered by a hamstring
injury and did not play against the Titans. He has missed two of the previous
three weeks because of the problem and had just eight yards on two carries in
the blowout loss at New Orleans. Addai hasn’t rushed for more than 86 yards in
a game this season, but owns 12 rushing touchdowns in 17 career games against
the NFC. Rookie Delone Carter (305 rushing yards, 2 TD) has handled the load in
Addai’s absence and leads the Colts in rushing yards and carries (74). He was
held to 46 yards on nine carries against Tennessee, one game after ripping off
a career-best 89 yards and a touchdown on 10 touches in the loss to New
Orleans. Fellow running back Donald Brown (153 rushing yards, 2 TD) is still
relevant in Indy, and even more so now that Addai is nicked up. Indianapolis’
offensive line has been plagued by injuries this season, but rookie tackle
Anthony Castonzo returned to practice after missing several games with an ankle
injury and should play Sunday.

Atlanta must not take the Colts lightly and hope veteran defensive end John
Abraham (12 tackles, 3 sacks) can muster some pressure up front. Abraham had a
sack his last time out, ending a string of four straight games without getting
to the quarterback, and owns at least one in two of three career meetings with
Indianapolis. Linebackers Curtis Lofton (64 tackles) and Sean Weatherspoon (60
tackles, 2 sacks), who lead the Falcons in tackles, also have to be wary of
Carter or Brown even if Addai is unable to go due to injury. Safety Thomas
DeCoud (37 tackles) is tops on Atlanta with three interceptions, while
cornerback Kelvin Hayden (11 tackles, 1 INT) spent the first six years
of his career with Indianapolis and won a Super Bowl with the team. He is
enjoying a strong first season as a nickel defender with the Falcons and will
have a chance to go against some former teammates this week. The Falcons are
solid against the run this season, allowing 98.4 yards per game, and shouldn’t
have a problem slowing down the Colts’ ground attack. Atlanta is not that
impressive against the pass, however, as it is just 23rd in that category
(265.6 ypg). The Falcons have forced at least one turnover in each of the last
26 games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Colts wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark
combined for 18 receptions last week in defeat and will be counted on to help
out the struggling Painter once again on Sunday. It’s difficult to imagine a
team losing when three different players have 60 or more receiving yards, but
the Colts found a way and hope history doesn’t repeat itself Sunday.

Winning at home for the Colts used to be as common as someone embarrassing
themselves on Facebook or Twitter. Now they are 0-3 as the host this season
after going 17-5 at Lucas Oil Stadium from 2008-2010, and it appears loss No. 4
at home is on the horizon unless they can reassert their dominance there.

Under Smith, the Falcons are 2-1 following a bye week and went 4-0 in November
last season en route to earning the NFC’s top seed. Smith must not let the time
off be a factor for his team against a hungry and winless Colts squad, as
Atlanta had been playing well before the break.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

It will be the Michael Turner show on Sunday, as the bowling ball-type running
back will rush for more than 100 yards in a game for the fifth time this
season. Turner has to be foaming at the mouth for this chance to run against a
banged-up Colts’ defense and is on pace for another 1,300-yard season. Though
Atlanta is tops in the NFL with a league-leading five turnovers inside the red
zone, it shouldn’t have to worry about adding to that total since Indianapolis
has experienced trouble moving the chains this season. The Falcons haven’t had
that problem, converting 45.7 percent of their third downs, which ranks sixth
in the NFL and third in the NFC.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Falcons 30, Colts 17

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