Team owner Jim Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the Colts’ general manager on Monday. He said there was a good chance coach Jim Caldwell will be back next season, but his evaluation was not over.

He also must still decide whether a healthy Peyton Manning and a new quarterback can co-exist in the same locker room, and which veteran free agents come back next year, if any.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a year in the NFL where a team went 2-14 and there’s not been changes,” defensive captain Gary Brackett said Monday, less than 24 hours after a season-ending loss at Jacksonville.

Outsiders had expected the first order of business to be the firing of Caldwell, who won 14 straight games and advanced to the Super Bowl in his first season as Colts coach. Caldwell said he simply went about his business Monday, speaking with Irsay following the 19-13 loss at Jacksonville and with both Polians on Monday, part of his usual routine.

“You lose as many games as we lost in a year, there’s a problem, there’s an issue,” Caldwell said. “But when we were 14-2, the way you guys put it, my job was in limbo then, right?”

The elder Polian had constructed Super Bowl teams in Buffalo and Indy, and an NFC title contender at Carolina.

But troubling signs emerged this season as the Colts lost time and time again — 13 straight at one point — with Manning sidelined to recover from Sept. 8 neck surgery. And it was Manning who suggested he and Bill Polian were not on the same page.

Polian said on one of his weekly radio shows that he and the four-time league MVP had discussed the possibility of establishing a transition plan at quarterback and that Manning was OK with it. Manning later said the two had never discussed the 2012 draft plans, which include the No. 1 pick amid speculation that the Colts will take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck to groom as Manning’s successor.

Then, just before Christmas, Polian told local reporters that Manning would fail his exit physical, a move that would actually help the Colts because it would allow him to continue working out at the team complex during the offseason.

“That was kind of news to me,” Manning told reporters Sunday, then said he probably could pass the physical.

Fans have been clamoring for the ouster of Caldwell and both Polians. Irsay, a frequent poster on Twitter, has been listening.

“I want 2 thank all ColtsFans..here,throughout the country n abroad,4ur tremendous,loyal support all year long. Ur feedback is heard n noted,” he tweeted Monday morning.

For their part, players offered support for Caldwell, who just wrapped his third year as head coach in Indy.

“One thing about Jim is that he’s a stand-up guy, and guys respect that,” cornerback Jerraud Powers said. “He’s a great coach, a good guy, and it was unfortunate situation this year. But he never lost the locker room.”

The longer and, perhaps, more critical debate is how to rebuild this team and what to do at quarterback.

Manning never played after undergoing his third neck surgery in 19 months, a fusion of two vertebrae.

He did, however, start throwing to teammates in mid-December and received good reviews from both Bill Polian, who was watching, and running back Joseph Addai, who was catching balls. Doctors familiar with the procedure who did not treat Manning say he should return to a high level of play now that the fusion has healed.

If he is healthy, Irsay has promised to bring back Manning regardless of the $28 million bonus he is owed in March.

But after posting the NFL’s worst record without Manning, the Colts also have won the Luck sweepstakes, potentially putting two franchise quarterbacks on the same roster.

“I think I can co-exist with any player I’ve ever played with,” Manning said Sunday. “I think I’ve always been a good teammate in that way.”

If Manning returns, Irsay might be more likely to bring back former Pro Bowlers Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne, all of whom are now in their 30s, and keep other key high-priced cogs in the Colts’ success such as Brackett and safety Melvin Bullitt.

“I think when you’re playing, you’re so entrenched with the people you go to work with every day,” Saturday said. “It’s different for us to go out and think like an owner. But whatever decisions, we’ve got to take it as a community and move on.”

He’d clearly had enough of the Polians, though.

Bill Polian drew the wrath of fans in 2009 when he pulled the starters in the third quarter against the New York Jets, costing the Colts a chance at a perfect season after going 14-0. At the time, Polian told listeners that the team’s goal was to win the Super Bowl, not go undefeated. Indy wound up losing the Super Bowl, too.

When Manning went down this season, Polian came under fire for not having a capable backup in place, signing Kerry Collins out of retirement and fueling speculation that the team was interested in Brett Favre. He told radio listeners that he accepted the blame.

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts defensive end Robert Mathis couldn’t care less about the No. 1 draft pick. All he wants is another win.

Some of Indianapolis’ die-hard fans are urging the team’s brain trust to take a different tack, benching starters and losing Sunday’s season finale at Jacksonville so it can get the top pick.

“It’s better not to respond to that at all,” Mathis said when asked about the fans’ plea. “We play to win.”

The stakes are high.

Since moving to Indianapolis in 1984, only the 1991 Colts (1-15) produced fewer than three wins.

The Colts (2-13) have never finished with a losing record in AFC South play, and the last time anybody beat the Colts twice in the same season was 2007 when San Diego won at home in the regular season and in Indianapolis in the second round of the playoffs.

A victory over the Jags (4-11) would keep all of those streaks intact and allow the Colts to take a three-game winning string into next season, something they haven’t done since the 2006 Super Bowl-winning run.

The message coming from the top is simple: Keep on winning.

“We’re not going after anything but a win in Jacksonville, look at the last half century of SupBowl winners — how many had 1st pick,” Jim Irsay wrote on Twitter late Tuesday night.

Fans have a different view.

A win, coupled with a loss by St. Louis (2-13), would drop the Colts from the No. 1 overall slot down to No. 2, and likely out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Most expect the Stanford quarterback to go in that top slot, whether the Colts or Rams have the pick or trade it.

The possibility of losing the No. 1 pick didn’t even seem plausible three weeks ago when the Colts were still winless. Two wins in five days, over division rivals Tennessee and Houston, and an extended break after last Thursday’s win have suddenly created doubts.

It’s not the first time the Colts have faced such a predicament. After going 0-10 in 1997, Indy won three of its next five, then needed a loss at Minnesota in the season finale to secure the No. 1 pick. It worked out with the selection of Peyton Manning, and the die-hards believe it would all work the same way again this year.

The Jags have a hand to play in this, too.

With Maurice Jones-Drew a near lock to win the league’s rushing title and an interim coach running the team, a Jags loss would not just help their draft position but could also prevent the Colts from taking another franchise quarterback they’d have to face twice a year for more than a decade.

“That’s not a part of my thinking at all,” Jaguars interim coach Mel Tucker said.

Indy’s players and coaches are saying the same thing.

Still, Colts fans point to 2009 when the team benched most of its key players early in the second half of Game 15, throwing away a chance at a perfect season. In the regular-season finale, most of the starters were yanked early at Buffalo. Back then, Bill Polian, now the team’s vice chairman, said the perfect season was not a goal but winning the Super Bowl was.

The Colts also lost to New Orleans in the title game.

Now, with seemingly nothing to gain and everything to lose, those who covet the No. 1 pick argue Indy should do the same thing.

Don’t count on it.

“In this locker room, everyone wants to be in there,” said Curtis Painter, who replaced Manning against the Jets in 2009. “Back then, I think the guys wanted to play then, too. Every guy wants to play and there’s certainly no difference this year.”

Notes: The Colts practiced Wednesday without starting quarterback Dan Orlovsky after his wife delivered triplets. That temporarily put Curtis Painter back in the charge of the starting offense, a tradeoff some Colts fans are willing to make given the circumstances. To their dismay, coach Jim Caldwell said Orlovsky, who has won two straight, should return to practice Thursday and should play Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots have been one of the greatest rivalries of the last decade in the NFL. Peyton Manning(notes) and Tom Brady(notes) are the two greatest players of this era and have produced memorable games every year. This season, their game was moved out of primetime as the Colts are struggling and are currently 0-11 playing without Peyton Manning. Listed below are the five greatest games in the rivalry between the Colts and Patriots.

2006 AFC Championship Game, January 21, 2007, Colts 38, Patriots 34

This was the game that the Colts finally defeated their rivals and earned a trip to the Super Bowl. For Colts fans, defeating their rivals in the AFC Championship may have been equally as important as the Super Bowl. Going into this game the Patriots had their number and this was the game where Manning finally mastered Bill Belichick’s Patriots.

November 15, 2009, Colts 35, Patriots 34

This game is remembered as the 4th and two game. Indianapolis trailed 31-14 in the fourth quarter and pulled off a miraculous comeback. Led by Peyton Manning, the Colts were on a roll in the fourth quarter and Bill Belichick knew it. This caused him to make his boldest coaching move he’s ever made. With a six point lead and the ball on their own 28 yard line, Belichick chose to go for it and came up short. Manning then got the ball with a short field and Indianapolis scored on a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne(notes).

2004 AFC Divisional Playoffs, January 16, 2005, Patriots 20, Colts 3

Peyton Manning once again ran into the New England Patriots in the playoffs and once again got sent home by the Patriots. In the snow the Patriot defense got the best out of the NFL MVP as Manning’s record against New England moved to 0-7 with this loss. Many Indianapolis fans thought the team was good enough this season to overcome the Patriots and were let down once again.

November 7, 2005, Colts 40, Patriots 21

Peyton Manning was winless in Foxboro in his career going into this game. Finally Manning and the Colts were able to defeat their nemesis on their home field. Manning threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Marvin Harrison(notes) and Reggie Wayne both played outstanding games for the Colts. Harrison had nine catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Wayne had nine catches for 124 yards and one touchdown. The Colts dominated this game from start to finish. As an Indianapolis fan, it was a relief and a big accomplishment for the team to finally win on the road in Foxboro.

November 30, 2003, Patriots 38, Colts 34

The 2003 regular season matchup between the Colts and Patriots once again did not disappoint. This game is memorable for New England’s goal line stand to end the game. New England was winning 38-34 when the Colts only needed to gain one more yard for a touchdown to win the game. Willie McGinest(notes) stopped Edgerrin James(notes) on a fourth down rush to end the game and keep the Colts out of the end zone.

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.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Indianapolis Colts will not lose a football game this week. They also will not play a game this week. At 0-10 on the season, there is certainly a lot for the team to work on during the bye week. Here are five things for the team to focus on during the bye and for the final six games of the season.

Start Dan Orlovsky(notes)

The point to this season is now to evaluate players for the future. Curtis Painter(notes) received his chance to show that he deserves a job in the NFL and failed. Painter is not a quarterback worthy of a roster spot in the NFL. It’s now time to find out if Dan Orlovsky is. Someone will have to backup either Peyton Manning(notes) or Andrew Luck next season. It’s time to find out if that can be Dan Orlovsky.

Give More Carries to Delone Carter(notes)

Delone Carter needs to be given a chance to do more over the final six games. He should be given more carries and a chance to prove himself for the future. Carter has 84 rushes for 327 yards and two touchdowns on the season. This is an average of 3.9 yards per carry. He was unfairly benched although he has only two fumbles on the season. Both Curtis Painter and Kerry Collins(notes) fumbled four times on the season and never lost their job because of it. Carter deserves more of a chance to prove himself.

Find a Kick Returner

Joe Lefeged(notes) is a good young safety but has no future as a kick returner in the NFL. Blair White(notes) was adequate as a punt returner but will never have the speed to elude defenders. The Pierre Garcon(notes) experiment is a good thought but has not paid off at all. Indianapolis badly needs a threat on special teams. Their blocking is bad and the returners are awful. The team needs to finally find someone to add this dimension to the team for the future.

Find a Pass Rush

Opposing teams have given extra attention lately to pass rushers Dwight Freeney(notes) and Robert Mathis(notes). Freeney and Mathis are tied for the team lead with five sacks each through 10 games. They started the season playing very well but are noticeably making less plays lately. Only one other player, Tyler Brayton(notes), has more than one sack on the season. The defense has been consistently picked apart because they are unable to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. Even blitzing has been ineffective this season. If the Colt defense can find a pass rush down the stretch, it may help the team win a game in 2011.

Search for a New Head Coach

Word has gotten out that Bill Polian will be scouting Stanford and Andrew Luck this weekend at their November 19 game against California. Maybe in addition to Luck, Polian can begin his search for a new head coach. Every fan out there has to be wishing that Jim Caldwell is coaching his final six games in the NFL. If the team goes winless there is no way that Caldwell can return. It’s time for Bill and Chris Polian and Jim Irsay to begin quietly exploring candidates who can lead the team back to another Super Bowl.

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.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Just two seasons ago, the Indianapolis Colts made it all the way through Christmas with an unblemished 14-0 regular season record, leading many to believe that the team could make history with a perfect season.

Now the team is attracting attention for just the opposite reason. But just as the 2009 Colts did not win every game (they lost its final two regular season games as well as the Super Bowl to the New Orleans Saints), the probability of the Colts not winning a game this season remains low. According to AccuScore, the Colts have just a 2.2 % chance of going 0-16.

The Indianapolis Colts are in the exact opposite situation of the Packers. The Colts are winless in their first eight games and ranked offensively and defensively in the bottom third of the league. After another big loss Sunday, Indianapolis has a 0-percent chance of winning the division or making the playoffs. They have a better chance of losing every game this season at 2.2 percent. That percentage is low thanks to upcoming games against two of the worst teams in the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers.

Keep the good news coming!