Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne in interviews

You guys are just crying because you lost a bet.

Caldwell gutless?????? flexing his muscles?????.......really???

If any of you seriously think that the Colts players didn't know they would be coming out of the game at some point you're out of your damn mind. They saved a little face by sulking and shaking their heads on the sideline but they knew exactly was going to happen ahead of time. Nobody talks about the regular season losses during their Superbowl winning season. If anything, they talk about how bad their run defense was until it mattered most.....THE PLAYOFFS!

Jim Caldwell and the Colts have said time and time again that a perfect season has never been one of their goals. Meanwhile you look at a guy like Drew Brees who's been starry eyed for weeks fielding questions about going 16-0. Now they've lost two straight and Pierre Thomas is hurt. If Peyton was lost for the season in that meaningless game everyone would be saying "Why was he still in there? Dungy would have done the right thing"

Give Caldwell some credit he obviously has the respect of some pretty damn good players. That's why he can bench several when he sees fit while other coaches can't even bench one.......

"If you listen to the fans too much you end up sitting with them"

Cornerback Kelvin Hayden said some players were surprised by Caldwell's decision.

"We didn't have a clue he was going to do that," Hayden said.

This is about the integrity of the game. What if every team in the league which has no playoff hope starting to throw away games so they can get better draft pick the next year.

I have a lot more respect for the Steve Smith and the Panthers than Caldwell. S. Smith could have said this game is meaningless, I dont want to play and risk breaking my arm. The guy gives 100% every game and wanted his arm in a cast so he can play the last game of the season next week.

If you say integrity of the game does not mean much, then I have no problem with what Caldwell did yesterday.

Committment to excellence doesn't mean shit to Coach "Eat a dick" Caldwell. Perfect season means so much more than the SB. After all years from now, most won't remember who won SB ----, but people remember perfection. Just like years from now, not many will remember the Giants winning the SP few years back, but they'll remember the PATS going undefeated in the regular season.

And NO! I didn't bet this game with all that drama going on.

Please stop with the "Manning could have been hurt in a meaningless game" crap. Now you're playing the what if game which is nonsense. Peyton played the whole way against the Jags two weeks ago which was basically a meaningless game. He coulda gotten hurt there. Should he not practice the rest of the season either? He might get hurt! I guess he should stop driving around Indianapolis too. He could get hurt or possibly killed!!

The chance and opportunity to go undefeated and cement your legacy as the greatest team EVER is not meaningless. You have the opportunity to do something that has never been done before. 19-0 has never been done. 19-0 would not only put the Colts on Mt. Olympus, they would be Zeus himself. Immortal.

An opportunity like they had was rare. Ask the Patriots. This Colts squad was acutally built for, and was able to run the table. They are that good. It's one thing for someone to take something special from you, but to just flat give it up is mindboggling. And judging from what I've been hearing from people that are close to the situation, a lot of the players are absolutely disgusted by the decision yesterday. Their regular season win streak and that pursuit of perfection really meant a lot to them. The Colts had a swagger to them riding that streak, and that team was broken yesterday. The looks on their faces as they watched their streak and chance at perfection get mailed in before their eyes was painful to watch honestly.

Like Herm said, "you play to win the game".

These dudes are multi-millionares. They play on the biggest stage in sports. Sure there was pressure, but them overcoming all that and running the table would have made them Gods in the football and sports world. The greatest professional sports team ever.

And they literally gave that away. Unreal.

Exactly he could have been hurt the whole first half of the game what is the difference with the second half?  Resting him for a month from now?  I'm pretty sure it doesn't take that long to rest.

CALDWELL FOR COACH OF THE YEAR!!!

THE BEST THING ABOUT THE WHOLE THING IS US JETS FANS GET TO GO TO GIANTS STADIUM THIS SUNDAY TO GO TO THE PLAYOFFS WHILE THE GIANT FANS ARE MAKING TEE-TIMES. I LOVE IT THANKS COACH CALDWELL MY CHECK IS IN THE MAIL. AND TO EVERYONE ELSE ALL TEARY EYED ABOUT THE DECESION: GO FUCK YOUR MOTHERS WOOOOHOOOOO J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS

i agree completely..it was the smartest move caldwell could make but i dont know if he even knows what he did...i lost on colts ...but the more i think bout it..why not let Jets win??..cinnci will sit everyone next week.. which means steelers have no shot..id much rather possibly see jets and sanchez..than let big ben and troy return in a wild card spot..they could be dangerous....

First, Mr. Bator that quote shows that I am partially wrong. I shouldn't have said that all the Colts knew but I suspect that the players who needed to know, did know. Kelvin Hayden isn't one of the leaders on the team.

Superdame, talking about getting injured in a car accident isn't even a valid argument. Peyton getting in a car crash isn't gonna cause the world to come down on Caldwell for letting him drive.....Yes having a perfect season would have put them up there with the greatest teams of all time but winning the Superbowl is winning the Superbowl. Probably the second hardest trophy to win in sports (The Stanley Cup imo). Losing one or two games during the season doesn't take anything away from that for me at least.

From Sinthetix lol

Jeff Saturday who is a pro bowl center was in tears on the sideline watching what unfolded. No one obviously told him. Wait. He's not a team leader right?  Reggie Wayne was absolutely disgusted. Peyton Manning was visibly disturbed. Even if they knew, obviously they were not happy with the decision. That team is furious about what happened yesterday.

II just can't see how you or anyone can honestly justify throwing away a 22 game regular-season winning streak and a chance at a perfect season.

Manning can get hurt in practice Wednesday. Then everyone will be upset saying "why was he practicing? it's meaningless!"

And let the truth be told, if the Colts lose Manning REGARDLESS of the timing; wether it's Friday, next week, or the 4th quarter of the super bowl, they're done.

couldn't have said it better myself. That's why he was benched. That's why a perfect season, which means so much to many of us, doesn't mean much to Caldwell.

Sinthetix