Colts 2011 Super Bowl Favorites

A whole lot will happen between now and serious discussions about who has the best shot to win Super Bowl XLV.  One of those things, which is typically rather frustrating for fans in Indianapolis, is that the so-called experts will generate predictions many will find unsatisfying. For one reason or another, despite the Colts unmatched regular season success and Bill Polian's reputation for getting the most out of his players, sports media tend to short-sell Indy's post-season projections.  NFL Odds makers see things differently, listing the Colts as favorites to win their second championship in five seasons.

Super Bowl XLVIt is true that despite some concerns for the future, the Colts will return every starter from last season except Ryan Lilja.  Additionally, this will be the second season that the defense will be playing under defensive coordinator Larry Coyer and Jim Caldwell's second year as head coach.  The development of players under both Coyer and Caldwell certainly would suggest a strong possibility that the team will play better together as a unit, particularly in a defensive system that until 2009 was unfamiliar to players who played their entire careers under two different defensive minded coaches in Tony Dungy and Ron Meeks.

Consider the development of Donald Brown, Jerraud Powers, and Jacob Lacey along with the return of Anthony Gonzalez, Bob Sanders, and Adam Vinatieri and there is even more reason to have confidence in the Colts chances to get back to the big game.  These things make it unsurprising that the Colts have the best odds at 7-1, with San Diego at 8-1, and New Orleans at 9-1 as the early favorites for to write the next chapter in NFL greatness.