DATE: Thursday, September 3, 2009
SITE: Paul Brown Stadium
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. (EDT)
CAPACITY: 65,515
SURFACE: Synthetic Turf
The Indianapolis Colts, 1-2, close 2009 preseason action by visiting Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday, September 3 to meet the Cincinnati Bengals, 1-2. Kickoff for the contest is 7:30 p.m. (EDT).
Indianapolis reaches the preseason finale after opening action on August 14 with a 13-3 home loss to Minnesota. The Colts took a 23-15 home verdict over Philadelphia on August 20, fell last Saturday at Detroit, 18-17. In the club's third outing under Head Coach Jim Caldwell, the bulk of the offensive and defensive starters played into the third quarter. Seven starters were among the 16 players who sat out of the contest (see Personnel Report). Caldwell was elevated to head coach in January, and this is his eighth season with the franchise. Caldwell began with the club in 2002 as quarterbacks coach, eventually adding the responsibilities of assistant head coach (2005) and associate head coach (2008). Cincinnati stands at 1-2 in the preseason with a road loss at New Orleans on August 14, 17-7, a 7-6 win at New England on August 20, and a 24-21 loss last Thursday at home to St. Louis.
Owners of the NFL's best regular-season record (114-46) since the start of the 1999 season, while being the only team to earn nine playoff appearances in the last 10 seasons, Indianapolis has won 59 of its last 73 regular-season games. Indianapolis' winning ways include a 32-10 record in AFC South play, while the club has owned or shared the lead in 95 of 119 weeks of the division's existence. The Colts won five AFC South championships from 2003-07, the best divisional-title streak in club history.
Indianapolis is the only NFL team to have double-digit victory totals and playoff appearances each season since the 2002 NFL Realignment.
PERSONNEL REPORT: DB-Bob Sanders (knee) and K-Adam Vinatieri (hip/knee) are on PUP. Players who missed the Detroit game last week included DE-Raheem Brock, TE-Colin Cloherty, DB-Michael Coe, WR-Sam Giguere, DB-Matt Giordano, RB-Mike Hart, DB-Kelvin Hayden, DB-Jacob Lacey, DE-Robert Mathis, DT-Ed Johnson, DT-Terrance Taylor, LB-Gary Brackett, QB-Jim Sorgi and OG-Ryan Lilja.
TELEVISION/RADIO: WTTV-TV telecasts with Kevin Lee, Mark Herrmann and Jeffrey Gorman (field reporter). 1070-The Fan/HANK-FM, 97.1 broadcasts with Bob Lamey, Will Wolford and Jeffrey Gorman (field reporter).
NEXT WEEK: Indianapolis opens regular-season action by hosting Jacksonville on Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
**WWW.COLTS.COM**: Please check the official website of the Indianapolis Colts for the latest in team information and merchandise.
HEAD COACHES
JIM CALDWELL was named head coach of the Colts on January 13, 2009, and this marks his eighth season with Indianapolis. Caldwell joined the club in 2002 as quarterbacks coach before adding the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season. Caldwell was promoted to associate head coach with the club prior to the 2008 season. The club's offense has produced levels prolific enough during Caldwell's tenure to allow the club to earn an NFL-best seven consecutive playoff appearances. The club has earned 10 victories in seven consecutive seasons, tying the second-longest NFL streak, and the club's six consecutive 12 -victory seasons set the NFL's all-time standard. From 2004-08, Indianapolis became the only NFL team to earn winning streaks of at least seven games in five consecutive seasons. Caldwell joined the Colts after serving as quarterbacks coach with Tampa Bay in 2001. Caldwell has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. He spent 1993-2000 as head coach at Wake Forest. He served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois (1978-80), Northwestern (1981), Colorado (1982-84), Louisville (1985) and Penn State (1986-92). Caldwell has coached in six bowl games and won a national championship with Penn State in 1986. In addition to serving on Joe Paterno's title staff, Caldwell tutored under three other coaches who won collegiate crowns (Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois; Bill McCartney, Colorado; Howard Schnellenberger, Louisville). Caldwell was a four-year starter at defensive back at Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant for Iowa in 1977. He hold a bachelor's degree from Iowa. Caldwell was born on January 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis.
MARVIN LEWIS became the ninth Bengals head coach on January 14, 2003. Lewis joined Cincinnati after serving as defensive coordinator/assistant head coach with Washington in 2002. Lewis directed Cincinnati to 8-8 records in his first two seasons with the team, and the Bengals produced a record of 11-5 in 2005 in winning the AFC North. Cincinnati was 8-8 in 2006, 7-9 in 2007 and 4-11-1 in 2008. Lewis spent 1996-01 as defensive coordinator with Baltimore, a tenure that included a Super Bowl title during the 2000 regular season. Lewis' 2000 defensive unit set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season (165) and ranked 1st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (970), rushing average (2.7), takeaways (49), fumbles recovered (26) and shutouts (4). Lewis was LB Coach with Pittsburgh 1992-95. He started his career at his alma mater, Idaho State, as LB Coach from 1981-84. He served at Long Beach State 1985-86, New Mexico 1987-89 and Pittsburgh 1990-91 before entering the NFL. Lewis was a LB, QB and DB at Idaho State. He is a native of McDonald, Pa.
COLTS/BENGALS SERIES NOTES
The Colts and Bengals have met 17 times in preseason play since the franchises started meeting in 1985. Cincinnati leads the preseason series, 11-6. The teams last met in the preseason on August 28, 2008, with the Bengals earning at 27-7 victory in Lucas Oil Stadium. The clubs met on September 1, 2007, when the Bengals earned a 14-6 home win. Cincinnati also earned a 20-3 win in Indianapolis on September 1, 2006. The clubs met in Paul Brown Stadium on September 2, 2005, with Cincinnati earning a 38-0 win. This is the ninth consecutive preseason the clubs have met. The rivalry was fought in Paul Brown Stadium on September 3, 2004, with Cincinnati gaining a 16-13 victory. The Colts topped the Bengals, 21-20, on August 29, 2003 for their last preseason triumph over Cincinnati. This is the eighth time in nine years the clubs are meeting in the preseason finale. The teams met annually in preseason play from 1992-99. The league series stands 15-8 in favor of the Colts, and 1-0 in favor of the Colts in post-season play. The teams last met on December 7, 2008, with the Colts taking a 35-3 home victory. QB-Peyton Manning was 26-32-277, 3 TDs passing, teaming with TE-Dallas Clark (4-29, 1 TD; 4t) and WRs-Marvin Harrison (3-78, 1 TD; 5t) and Anthony Gonzalez (3-27, 1 TD; 2t) on scoring tosses. Indianapolis produced five sacks and four takeaways, including two interceptions by DB-Kelvin Hayden, the final one returned 85 yards for a score. Manning became the only NFL player to open a career with 11 3,000 -yard and 20 -TD seasons. The teams also met on December 18, 2006 in the RCA Dome, as the Colts posted a 34-16 win. Manning (29-36-282, 4 TDs) directed a potent offensive attack that included solid efforts from Harrison (8-86, 3 TDs) and WR-Reggie Wayne (7-84, 1 TD). DE-Dwight Freeney totaled three sacks as the club assumed a second-quarter lead it would not relinquish. The last series renewal in Cincinnati was on November 20, 2005, as Indianapolis forged a 45-37 win. Taking a 35-27 halftime lead with touchdowns on the first five possessions, the Colts earned an offensive shootout victory. Manning was 24-40-365, 3 TDs/1 int. Wayne was 5-117, 1 TD, while Clark was 6-125, 1 TD and RB-Edgerrin James was 24-89, 2 TDs rushing. Cincinnati produced 492 yards behind QB-Carson Palmer (25-38-335, 2 TDs/1 int.). Cincinnati rushed for 164 yards, while WR-Chad Johnson was 8-189, 1 TD receiving. The Colts posted a 28-21 victory over the Bengals on October 6, 2002. In that contest, Indianapolis raced to a 21-0 first-half lead and never trailed. Manning was 21-34-224, 2 TDs/1 int. and tallied on an 11t rush. He teamed with TE-Marcus Pollard (3t) and Harrison (9-145, 1 TD, 3t) on first-half scoring plays, while James' (22-60, 1 TD) 3t fourth-quarter rush provided the winning points. The clubs met on October 24, 1999, with the Colts winning in the RCA Dome, 31-10. Cincinnati's last win in the league series came on November 9, 1997, 28-13 in Indianapolis. The Colts won the only playoff encounter between the clubs, 17-0 in Baltimore on December 26, 1970. The teams met annually in league play from 1992 through 1999.
COLTS ARE NFL'S WINNINGEST TEAM FROM 1999-2008: The Colts stand as the NFL's winningest team since the start of the 1999 season. The Colts own a 114-46 record during that span.
