Colts are chasing 'dynasty' label

The Indianapolis Colts don't like to talk about this, but they are playing for more than just a Super Bowl ring today. They are heading down a path few franchises have the opportunity to follow, one that could lead them into history.

Win today and the Colts go from dominating to dynasty.

It would give them two championships in the past four years, which in this age of parity is awfully impressive. Add that to their eight consecutive playoff berths - 10 in the past 11 years - and, ladies and gentlemen, we present your model organization for modern times in the NFL.

The problem with all that success is that people expect more. Many franchises can attest to how difficult it is to win just one of these things, let alone face shaking heads and naysayers for failing to take another step toward the land where the Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys swap stories about the glory days.

No one said this was fair. If the Colts fall today to New Orleans, though, it's guaranteed you will hear that all that consistency is great but it should have generated more rings.

"I certainly don't feel that way; don't get into that," Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said. "Our team is excited to be here. We certainly want to win this game.

"Our experience down here three years ago (against Chicago) was a memorable one because we were fortunate to win the game. We feel fortunate to be back in this game. I have the same excitement that I had three years ago and just feel fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to play."

Nice try. Not buying it.

Only 10 quarterbacks have won more than one Super Bowl. Manning is a first-ballot Hall of Famer no matter what happens today. He'll always be judged by higher standards, though, and right now he has as many Super Bowl rings as Trent Dilfer and Mark Rypien.

For that matter, so do these Colts - and they do think about it.

At least their boss does.

Owner Jim Irsay told reporters at media day that, "Having won one, you're somewhat playing with the house's money because you know that you have that world championship. No one can ever take that away from you."

True. Manning and the Colts no longer face the kind of questions John Elway did after losing the first three times he was in this game. Elway and Manning's careers took similar paths in that both were dominant in their eras and both eventually played for posterity. Without the two rings he won at the end of his career, Elway - for all his success - would have been viewed as incomplete.

So even though the pressure is off for Manning and the Colts in that regard, let's be honest: Is one championship enough?

"There's no question the importance of what this means for us," Irsay said. "The legacy, in terms of getting a second one and able to be a two-time world champion and separate yourself from some other franchises that have won one is a big thing."

The Colts began this run in 1999, finishing 13-3 under Jim Mora and advancing to the playoffs (playoffs?) - yes, playoffs - after going 3-13 the season before.

Since then, they are 138-48 and kept this going under three coaches - Mora, Tony Dungy and now Jim Caldwell. Here's a number to chew on: the Colts have lost just 13 games in the last four years. That's the same number the Bucs lost in the season just completed.

Seems like a run like that should have more hardware associated with it, you know?

"The more the merrier. One thing about winning one is that you have to figure out a way to win another. It's kind of like tattoos, it gets a little contagious after a while," receiver Reggie Wayne said.

The oddsmakers say the Colts will find a way today, although it's far from unanimous. It also should be pointed out that the New England Patriots were expected to put an exclamation mark on history two years ago in this game by polishing off the New York Giants and a perfect season.

Didn't happen. You can understand why the Colts are wary.

The Saints have become sort of a chic pick in the latter stages of this week as people overlook, I suppose, the matchup of their 26th-ranked pass defense against one of the best quarterbacks in the game's history.

Well, there we go again, using the "H" word.

The Colts have put us there, though. They have been so good, so consistent, for so long. It seems like they are always around, if you know what I mean. They don't always win, but they always have a chance and that counts for a lot.

They get a lot of credit for that.

Win another ring today, though, and they'll get a lot more than just credit. They will become historically good. They'll get a seat at the big-boy table, acknowledged as one of the real dynasties ever to play this game.

History is knocking, waiting to see if the Colts can answer.