Entering the 2009 season it seemed fairly clear — Joseph Addai was a dead man walking.

Following an unproductive 2008 season marred by injury, the Colts used a first-round draft pick to select running back Donald Brown.

Joseph Addai returned to form and led the Colts a victory against the Texans last Sunday.

Many had questioned his effort in 2008, and his lost fumble in the season opener didn’t help public opinion.

Brown’s fresh legs and breakaway ability had fans quickly calling for Addai to take a seat on the bench.

But, with Brown recently sidelined by a shoulder injury, Addai has come on strong. Over the past two weeks he’s tallied 125 yards rushing, 53 receiving, and scored three touchdowns.

Though his mid-season numbers won’t blow anyone away, his play has been solid.

Despite playing behind an offensive line that has proven to be one of the worst in the NFL when it comes to run blocking, Addai has 399 yards rushing for five touchdown and more impressively, 34 receptions for 209 yards and another two touchdowns.

An underrated pass blocker and receiver, Addai has been a key component in the Colts’ No. 4 ranked offense.

Addai’s yards per carry is poor (3.4), but take away Brown’s 45-yard run against a sub-par Rams defense and his average is similar (3.7).

Let’s face it — Walter Payton would struggle to run consistently behind this offensive line.

Brown is set to return soon and it will be interesting to see how the Colts develop a rotation with the two backs. There is no doubt the Colts need them both at their best toward the end of the season.

When a team is 8-0 it’s hard to be overly critical, but the Colts have to get their running game fixed. It ranks 29th in the NFL and the Colts rarely try to run in short-yardage situations, knowing they can’t get a first down on the ground.

For the Colts to come away with wins against a couple of the NFL’s best defenses (New England and Baltimore) these next two weeks, they are going to have to establish a semblance of a running game.

And Addai will have to continue his improved play for that to happen.

Talk about easy money ... this guy is starting for the Bucs on Sunday. Poor soul.

Green Bay (-10) at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Sunday

The Packers gave the Vikings their best shot last Sunday but it wasn’t quite enough. From Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, and a menacing defense to … the Bucs? This is going to be ugly. Packers -10.

Houston at Indianapolis (-9), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Colts’ secondary is missing Kelvin Hayden, Marlin Jackson, and Bob Sanders. The Texans have one of the most potent passing offenses in the NFL. If the Colts pull this one off, it’ll be close. Texans +9.

Washington at Atlanta (-9.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Redskins are terrible. The Eagles didn’t play well and beat them handedly in D.C. The Falcons are tough at home and will trounce the hapless Skins. Falcons -9.5.

Kansas City at Jacksonville (-6.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

Try to figure out this Jaguars team, I dare you. They won at Houston by a touchdown and got shutout 41-0 by the Seahawks. After giving the Titans their first win of the season I think the Jags bounce back here. Jaguars -6.5

Miami at New England (-10.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Patriots were embarrassed by the wildcat a season ago. The Hoodie won’t allow that to happen again. It will be a long afternoon for Chad Henne. Patriots -10.5.

Detroit at Seattle (-10), 4:05 p.m. Sunday

The Lions should be back to “full strength” with Matthew Stafford, Kevin Smith, and Calvin Johnson all expected to start. The Lions have been fairly competitive against several elite teams this season and the Seahawks are far from elite. Lions +10.

Dallas at Philadelphia (-3), 8:20 p.m. Sunday

The Cowboys can never sustain anything. Just when you think they’re on a roll they lay an egg. Their trip to Philadelphia will be no different. Eagles -3.

Pittsburgh (-3) at Denver, 8:30 p.m. Monday

I didn’t pick against the Broncos last week and look what happened – they lost and didn’t cover the spread … go figure. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get behind this team. The Steelers have had two weeks to prepare for this one … bad news for the Broncos. Steelers -3.

The Colts are flying under-the-radar at 7-0, and so is their Pro Bowl wideout Reggie Wayne. 

Reggie Wayne is quietly putting together his best season to date.

In his ninth NFL season, Wayne hasn’t missed a game since his rookie year.

He has exceeded 75 catches and 1,000 receiving yards in each of his last five seasons.

Wayne does the little things with precision. The three-time Pro Bowler rarely drops the ball or fumbles (his last lost fumble came in 2007) and is underrated as a run blocker.

With the departure of Harrison and the injury to Anthony Gonzalez, defenses have been able to focus on Wayne.

He has responded with his best season to this point. He is on pace for a career high in catches (116), receiving yards (1,574), and touchdown (13).

Wayne – who overcame a groin injury to play last week – has avoided major injuries to this point in his career.

The Colts have Wayne locked up through the 2011 season, meaning he’ll have at minimum two more seasons with Peyton Manning.

If he keeps it up, Wayne will find himself among the top 25 all time in all major receiving categories (receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns) when his contract with the Colts has expired.

And that’s not to say Wayne will stop there. He’ll be 33 heading into the 2012 season and plenty of receivers have proven that when healthy you can still produce well into your 30s – see: Terrell Owens (35), Derrick Mason (34), and Donald Driver (33).

As for his standings this season, Wayne leads in the NFL in receiving yards per game (98.4) and ranks second in receiving yards (689), receptions (51), and touchdowns (6).

As Manning’s undisputed go-to guy, Wayne is the key ingredient to the Colts No. 1 ranked passing offense and their success hinges on him keeping up his All-Pro caliber season.

Back-to-back 6-2 weeks have the sure-fire picks sitting at 33-23. Pretty impressive. If I know myself, this is where things go dramatically downhill.

In the battle of the man boobs, Bill Parcells and the Dolphins will trump Rex Ryan and the Jets.

The Dolphins have to be the best two-win team in the NFL. If they could get out of their own way, they’d have victories over the Colts and Saints — arguably the NFL’s top two teams. Dolphins +3.5.

Cleveland at Chicago (-13.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Bears were demolished by the Bengals last week and desperately need a win to stay in the NFC playoff hunt. Luckily for them, Eric Mangini and the boys are coming to town. Bears -13.5.

Denver at Baltimore (-3), 1 p.m. Sunday

I’ve been wrong about Denver time and time again, but I just can’t resist. The Ravens finally knock the Broncos off their cloud. Ravens -3.

Houston (-3.5) at Buffalo, 1 p.m. Sunday

The Bills have shockingly won two games in a row. Forget about three. The Texans are on a roll and will make easy work of the Bills and their lethargic offense. Texans -3.5.

Oakland at San Diego (-17), 4:05 p.m. Sunday

You think the Browns are a trainwreck — how about the Raiders? I still have no idea how they beat the Eagles. Jamarcus Russell officially implodes this Sunday. Chargers -17.

Jacksonville at Tennessee (-3), 4:05 p.m. Sunday

The Titans have to win eventually … right? Vince Young gets the start and maybe he can energize this dormant team. Titans -3.

Carolina at Arizona (-10), 4:15 p.m. Sunday

The Panthers have been dreadful this season, but can pull to 3-4 with a victory here. After a terrible start, Jake Delhomme gets back on track and keeps Carolina in this one. Panthers +10.

Atlanta at New Orleans (-10), 8:30 p.m. Monday

Nobody has come within a dozen points of the Saints this season, so why would the visiting Falcons? Good question, but I’ve got a feeling about this one. Falcons +10.

Following a nail-biting victory over the Dolphins in Week 2, it seemed the ’09 campaign would be much like last season for the Colts. In 2008, eight of the Colts’ 12victories were decided by seven points or less.

With Sage out of the picture, can the Texans finally get the best of the Colts?

However, that hasn’t been the case.

Despite the “slow” start, the Colts have been mowing down opponents of late. They have defeated their last four opponents by a combined score of 138- 42.

New defensive coordinator Larry Coyer looks like a genius. The Colts are giving up just 12.8 points per game and are currently a top-10 ranked defense — despite playing much of the season with a decimated secondary.

They are energized, blitzing, and getting off the field.

But back to reality Colts’ fans.

In their first six games, the Colts have only faced one team (Arizona) with a winning record. The other five wins came against teams with a combined record of 7-24.

There is a tougher road ahead.

Of the Colts’ next five opponents, none have a losing record.

In fact, only two opponents left on the schedule -Tennessee and Buffalo — have losing records.

One team in particular has its sights set squarely on the Colts. The Texans (4-3) will have two shots to beat the Colts in November — a feat they have accomplished just once in their existence.

After a slow start, the Texans are on a roll and quarterback Matt Schaub has the offense clicking on all cylinders.

The Texans will be the first team with a top-10 offense the Colts have faced this season.

In addition, six of the Colts’ final 10 opponents have an offense ranked in the top half of the league.

Fortunately for the Colts, a split with the Texans all but secures the team’s sixth AFC South crown in seven seasons.

But winning division titles and racking up regular-season victories isn’t enough for a franchise looking to embed itself with the Steelers and Patriots of the NFL world.

Two home games in particular — New England (11/15) and Denver (12/13) — could play a huge role in determining homefield advantage in the AFC. And we all know what happens when the Colts are forced to pack their bags for Foxboro in the dead of winter.

To reach that level, the Colts will need homefield advantage. The road leading to that goal begins Sunday, when the schedule stiffens.

The sure-fire picks went 6-2 last week, bringing the season’s record to 27-21. Don’t mind me folks just hitting my stride here.

Last week Hoodie showed mercy on the Titans, pulling Tom Brady early in the second half. And they still beat them 59-0. Good luck Tampa.

In a game that will forever be known as London Massacre, Tom Brady and the Patriots will pick up right where they left off against the Titans – scoring on every drive. Half the crowd will leave at halftime to find some real futbol. Patriots -15.

Indianapolis (-14) at St. Louis, 1 p.m. Sunday

I usually stray away from picking Colts games but c’mon, the Rams? These guys are bad … almost as bad as the Bucs. The Colts are coming off a bye week and will run a clinic on the Rams D. Colts -14.

San Diego (-4.5) at Kansas City, 1 p.m. Sunday

The Chiefs have been scrappy this season, making most every game interesting. But Philip Rivers and a desperate Chargers team will do enough to get out of Arrowhead with a win … and cover. Chargers -4.5

San Francisco at Houston (-3), 1 p.m. Sunday

It seems the Texans are coming into their own – and the 49ers are still flat out overrated. But man, people love them some Mike Singletary. Texans finally get on a roll with a win here. Texans -3.

Buffalo at Carolina (-7), 4:05 p.m. Sunday

Expect one of the most boring games in the history of the NFL. Both teams have an atrocious situation at quarterback. The only question is which wide receiver throws a temper tantrum first – Terrell Owens or Steve Smith? Bills +7.

NY Jets (-6.5) at Oakland, 4:05 p.m. Sunday

You know what, I started this Raiders bandwagon before the season started, right or wrong. And daggonit, I can’t jump off it now. I wish I could. Raiders +6.5.

Arizona at NY Giants (-7), 8:20 p.m. Sunday

The Giants were embarrassed in New Orleans last week and will be angry. That’s bad news for Kurt Warner, who will spend a lot of time on his back. Giants -7.

Philadelphia (-7) at Washington, 8:30 p.m. Monday

So let me get this straight. Owner pressures coach into resigning. Coach refuses. Coach can’t call plays anymore. Guy who ran bingo halls a month ago now runs the offense. And these guys couldn’t score to save their lives before this all happened. Eagles -7.

There are several reasons the 2009 season could have been disastrous for Peyton Manning.

Manning is on pace to have one of his best seasons ever, but can he come through with a big-time postseason performance?

Two of Manning’s targets at wide receiver – Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon – had four NFL catches between them prior to the season.

The team’s supposed left tackle of the future – Tony Ugoh – was benched.

The running game is still pathetic – ranked 29th in the NFL and averaging 3.3 yards per carry.

Despite the obstacles, Manning is putting together his best season to date.

He is currently completing 73.5 percent of his passes – his career high for a season is 67.6 percent.

He is on pace to break the NFL record in passing yards for a season (5,264 yards) and has only been sacked twice in five games.

Manning’s success is likely to continue as seven of the Colts’ 11 remaining opponents have pass defenses ranked No. 19 or worse. And let’s face it, the undersized offensive line isn’t going to figure out how to run block overnight, so the Colts will continue to air it out.

Indianapolis will likely finish the 2009 season with at least 10 wins for the 10th time in 11 seasons. They might even notch 12 wins for the seventh consecutive season.

Manning is certainly in the running for his fourth NFL MVP Award, a feat no other athlete has accomplished.

There is no doubt that Manning could retire tomorrow and be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The greatest ever? Many think he needs another Super Bowl ring to take the arbitrary title, no matter how many regular-season accolades he racks up.

Others believe one is enough.

It could easily be argued that Manning was responsible for several of the Colts’ playoff exits – in his first five playoff elimination games he threw one touchdown to seven interceptions.

Lately, it’s harder to point the finger at Manning. In the Colts’ last three playoff losses, Manning has thrown five touchdowns to two interceptions, averaging 334 passing yards per game.

Whether or not he needs another ring to be considered the greatest of all time, he’ll likely get another shot – maybe this season.

The AFC appears to be wide open and the Colts’ defense has excelled with a decimated secondary – ranked No. 7 overall and allowing 14.2 points per game.

After a 4-4 week, the sure-fire picks are 21-19. Above .500, but not good enough. After five weeks any decent handicapper should begin to

Not even a UCF great can save the Lions this week. But don't worry Daunte, your Knights are going to upset the Canes tonight.

Detroit at Green Bay (-13.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

Yes I’m a big fan of two of UCF’s finest – Daunte Culpepper and Kevin Smith – but the Lions are walking into a quagmire here. The Lions are without Calvin Johnson and go up against a Packers team that is still seething over getting burned by Favre. This one gets ugly early. Packers -13.5

Cleveland at Pittsburgh (-14), 1 p.m. Sunday

Fresh off a mind-boggling 6-3 victory over Buffalo in which quarterback Derek Anderson completed two passes, the Browns are going to get annihilated in Pittsburgh. Enough said. Steelers -14.

Houston at Cincinnati (-5.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Broncos have proved me wrong virtually every week, so I need a new team to doubt. The Bengals will do. Are they really this good? I don’t know, but 5-1 just doesn’t sound right. The football gods will put the Bengals back in their place. Texans +5.5.

Carolina (-3) at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Sunday

You know, I really really wanted to take Tampa here. But after trading away the only semblance of a passrusher – Gaines Adams – to the Bears yesterday … I changed my mind. The Panthers get back to their strengths, run the ball right at the Bucs “defense,” and come away with a win. Panthers -3.

Arizona at Seattle (-3), 4:05 p.m.

Apparently Matt Hasselbeck and homefield advantage makes all the difference in the world for the Seahawks. But call me naive, I still feel the Cardinals are the team to beat in the NFC West … though many are still chugging the 49ers Kool Aid. Cardinals +3.

Tennessee at New England (-9.5), 4:15 p.m. Sunday

Hoodie comes off a stinging loss to his cocky, young diciple and is angry. And angry Hoodie at home in Foxboro is really bad news for the Titans. Especially a Titans team that everyone has to finally admit flat out stinks. Patriots -9.5.

Chicago at Atlanta (-3), 8:20 p.m. Sunday

The Falcons steamrolled the 49ers on the road last week and the crowd will be juiced for a matchup against the visiting Bears. Matt Ryan continues to impress, and the Falcons’ defense has been stingy – allowing just 15.8 points per game. Falcons -3.

Denver at San Diego (-3.5), 8:30 p.m. Monday

Alright you caught me – I can’t stop doubting the 5-0 Broncos. I’m sorry, but this defense can’t be this good. Can it? The Chargers had two weeks to figure it out. Don’t do me wrong Norval Turner. Chargers -3.5.

The bye week is upon us and the Colts are one of five undefeated NFL teams. There’s no reason to complain with a perfect record right? Leave it to me. Here are my four biggest concerns with the Colts.

The Colts cut Big Ed this week. And no, he wasn't arrested. Caldwell says it's a lack of production. I don't buy it.

To win championships you must be able to run the ball. The Colts still can’t do that. They rank No. 29 in the league and average an abysmal 3.3 yards per rush.

In a telling moment, the Colts faced a 4th-and-1 from the Titans’ 3-yard line in a 0-0 game. They went for it, but realizing they can’t get a yard on the ground, threw it in for the score.

It was a nice job of the Colts knowing their strengths, but wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for their power running game.

2. The loss of Ed Johnson

If there’s a position where the Colts are lacking, it’s at defensive tackle. So why did the Colts cut starting defensive tackle Ed Johnson Wednesday? Good question.

Ask Jim Caldwell and he’ll tell you it was due to a lack of production.

I don’t buy it.

Johnson has started the last four games and helped shore up the Colts run defense. If he wasn’t producing, wouldn’t the first step be to take away his position as a starter rather than flat out cut him at a position of need?

It seems this was an off the field issue and the Colts don’t want to admit it.

3. Adam Vinatieri’s leg

Vinatieri battled injury issues this offseason and wasn’t himself when he came back. He recently underwent knee surgery that will keep him out 4-8 weeks. Not good.

While the Colts haven’t had to lean on Vinatieri much this season, it’s only a matter of time before field goals decide a game.

Now they will rely on 41-year-old Matt Stover. He was a reliable kicker throughout his career but his production began to drop off in his final years with the Ravens. He made only 81.8 percent of his kicks in 2008 – his worst percentage in a decade.

And more often than not, guys are free agents in the middle of a season for a reason.

4. Caldwell’s end of game strategy

Why are the starters on the field when things are way out of hand?

Up 31-3 on Seattle midway through the fourth quarter, not only was Peyton Manning still on the field, he was firing passes into the endzone. Good way to get a cheap shot from an angry defender.

Up 31-9 on Tennessee with less than six minutes remaining Manning completed back-to-back passes for what seemed to be no other reason than to reach the 300-yard mark. The Titans had already been called for two roughing the passer penalties and it seemed the Colts were doing everything in their power to get a third.

Well, the sure-fire picks were flat out awful last week, going 2-6. The season total now stands at 17-15. Clinging to stay above .500, it’s time to quit messing around.

Need a sure loser Sunday? Go with the King of Queens and the Browns. I mean, Eric Mangini and the Browns.

If the Browns pull this off, Bills coach Dick Jauron better check the classifieds and TO is going to erupt. Not gonna happen. There’s always next week. Bills -6.

Dallas (-8.5) at Kansas City, 1 p.m. Sunday

The Cowboys will win games like this and hover above the .500 mark throughout the season. The Chiefs are just downright hopeless and will offer little resistance. Has anyone arrested Bill Belichick for the trade he made to get rid of Matt Cassel? Highway robbery. Cowboys -8.5.

Washington at Carolina (-3.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

Coming off a bye week, the Panthers are desperate. Coach John Fox will have his team ready … ready to beat the Skins that is. That’s not saying much. Panthers -3.5.

Pittsburgh (-11) at Detroit, 1 p.m Sunday

The Steelers are a different team on the road. Matt Stafford might be forced to sit out for the Lions, but they don’t lose much with Dante Culpepper. Detroit is still pretty bad, but has won back the fans and will give the Steelers a decent challenge. Lions +11.

Minnesota (-10) at St. Louis, 1 p.m. Sunday

This just in … the Rams are bad. Really bad. And as much as it pains me to say Brett Favre still has something left in the tank. This is going to be a bloodbath. Vikings -10.

Atlanta at San Francisco (-2.5), 4:05 p.m Sunday

Maybe I’m a total moron, but I’m still not sold on the 49ers.  The Falcons are coming off a bye week and should bring them back down to Earth. Shawn Hill and Glen Coffee … c’mon. Falcons +2.5.

New England (-3) at Denver, 4:15 p.m.

Think I’ve learned my lesson picking against the Broncos the last two weeks? Think again. Hoodie sticks it to his disciple and gives him the Suzy Kolber treatment come handshake time. Patriots -3.

NY Jets (-1) at Miami, 8:20 p.m. Sunday

It was nice to see someone finally shut Rex Ryan up last week. Will it happen again? I’m guessing Marc Anthony and J-Lo will be performing at halftime so the fans should linger around through part of the second half, fueling the Dolphins to victory. Dolphins +1.