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The NFL is in the middle of its playoff chase, but the real buzz right now is the Indianapolis Colts’ quest to go 16-0. That would make them the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated for an NFL season.

Bet Now: Colts 16-0: Yes (+140) No (-170)

Those Dolphins went 14-0 in the regular season, and 17-0 after beating the Washington Redskins, 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. If the Colts win the Super Bowl this year, they would be a lofty 19-0, as the NFL now has two more games on the schedule.

Predicting whether the Colts will go 16-0 is a lot more complicated than just analyzing the team match-ups. With a win over Jacksonville this week, the Colts will have secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

If that happens, then Colts’ coach Tony Dungy will be faced with a big question, how much do you play your starters in the last three games against San Diego, Seattle, and Arizona? If you play them too much, you are risking an injury to a key player, like quarterback Peyton Manning. If you don’t play them enough, they could be rusty for their first playoff game.

One thing Dungy can not do is let the players, fans or media make that decision. Players always want to play, especially when they are going after one of the greatest records in sports. The local fans and media also get caught up in the hysteria, and want the team to go for it.

I, for one, are all for the Colts breaking the record. The 1972 Dolphins relish in the fact that they are the only undefeated team. Whenever another team gets close to their record, you always read about the Dolphins team celebrating their loss. Just for that fact alone, their record should go down.

Apparently, Dungy has consulted a higher a power. When asked about whether he will rest his starters, Dungy said he’ll pray, and ask for some wisdom from the lord. I personally didn’t know that “the man upstairs” was that interested in NFL football, but maybe he picks up all the games now on Sirius Satellite radio.

The thought here is that Dungy will indeed go for the 16-0 record, and he will play all his starters that are healthy. With that in mind, here is a quick look at the Colts’ final four opponents.

Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville is 9-3 on the year, and has a great chance to make the playoffs. The Jaguars have played the Colts very tough over the last few years, but now they are missing quarterback, Byron Leftwich. Running back, Fred Taylor should play in this game, but he is banged up with an ankle injury. The Colts are eight point favorites and most of the pundits say this game will be a “slam dunk”, even on the road.

San Diego Chargers – This will be a home game for Indianapolis on December 18th, but by no means is it an automatic win. The Chargers are 8-4, but they could easily be 10-2, as their four losses have been by a total of 12 points. They are also currently on a five game winning streak. The Chargers have an explosive offense that will cause the Colts’ problems, and Indy will need a full effort from their entire squad to win this game.

Seattle Seahawks - This will be a road game on Saturday, December 24th. Seattle is 10-2, and has the best record in the NFC Conference. Seattle is also 6-0 at home. The Seahawks will need this game, as they are fighting for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. This is another game that the Colts will need a full effort from all their players to win.

Arizona Cardinals – This will be a home game on Sunday, January 1st. While San Diego and Seattle are major challenges, Arizona will not stop the Colts from potentially making history. The Colts could start backup quarterback Jim Sorgi, or even third stringer Travis Brown, and still win this game.

So there you have it. Four more games left, and three of them are pretty tough. It is a very close call whether Indianapolis will be able to break this storied record. Either way, it will be a fascinating watch the rest of the way.

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