Colts Creeping Up On Elite
Two weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts handed the Rams their first loss. They did the same to Miami the next week, coming from 21 points down in the second half.
Last week, all they did was beat San Francisco, pounding Steve Young into the turf in the process.
These are the bumbling, stumbling, do-no-right Colts?
Robert Irsay, perhaps the league’s least respected owner, may remain in charge and his son Jim may be the general manager. But Bill Tobin, the architect of the 1985 Super Bowlwinning Bears, runs the team with the title of director of football operations and grandfatherly coach Ted Marchibroda quietly makes things happen.
The Colts improved from 4-12 to 8-8 last season.
But the last three weeks demonstrate an even bigger difference - the wins were against quality teams and put the Colts at 4-2, their best start since Irsay packed up the moving vans at midnight and snuck out of Baltimore.
“There’s a greater intensity,” says Harbaugh, himself a big factor after starting the season behind Craig Erickson. “It’s not always been there 60 minutes like it was last week but I see it. You don’t see the just-showing-up mentality, but a real sense of guys into it, intense, flying around making plays. And good things will happen when you’re hustling and making plays.”
Dome of silence
Seattle Seahawks owner Ken Behring and team president David Behring have met with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to brief him on efforts to improve the Kingdome.
An NFL spokesman confirmed Monday’s two-hour meeting in New York, but did not comment about the agenda, The News Tribune of Tacoma reported.
The Seahawks had hoped to secure $150 million in improvements to the Kingdome as part of a financing plan for a new ballpark for the Seattle Mariners. But over the weekend, state legislators shelved the Kingdome component in order to pass the ballpark plan.
Ken Behring visited the Los Angeles area earlier this year to look at potential new stadium sites. He has said he could get out of the team’s lease at the Kingdome that runs through the year 2004, on grounds that King County has not provided a first-class facility for football.
Medical updates
The Chargers placed defensive tackle Don Sasa on the injured reserve list. The former Washington State standout injured his right knee.
Bills coach Marv Levy was listed in good condition at Roswell Park Cancer Institute following surgery to remove his prostate… . Levy is expected to stay in the hospital about a week, and hopes to rejoin the Bills on Nov. 12 for their game against Atlanta.
Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler, whose larynx was injured during a hit in Monday night’s game with the Denver Broncos, was treated at Swedish Medical Center today and released …. Giants coach Dan Reeves underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow. He is expected to be back at practice today.