(AP / Michael Conroy)

For today’s offseason edition of the Notebook (Heavens no, not the romantic drama), we’ll discuss what Chuck Pagano said to his players, some must-read quotes from the refreshingly candid Pat McAfee, and Luck and Pagano jokingly plot to keep Bruce Arians from leaving.

The Cinderella story is over, and the 2013 Colts will carry the expectation of winning.  They sound as though they’re up to the challenge.  As usual, all quotes from today’s Notebook are courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts Public Relations Department. 

Must Read: Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee started out as a good, serviceable punter early in his career but then came on strong after his public intoxication embarrassment in 2010 (The Broad Ripple Canal, folks, not the nice clean Downtown Canal, the muddy one with all the ducks).  McAfee issued his own heartfelt apology via Twitter instead of releasing an official statement through his agent, which may have won some people over in Indianapolis  (note: the incident is only mentioned here to avoid seeing anything about it in the comments).  After serving a suspension and putting the incident behind him, he went on to set a Colts franchise record the following season of 46.6 yards per punt.  In 2012, he followed up his breakout year by beating his own franchise record, raising the bar to 48.2 yards per punt.

The Colts closed out their 2012 season with a 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs. Join Kyle and Greg for the final Monday Night Breakdown of the season as they put a bow on the game and the Colts season!

It felt like the ride would never end. If leukemia didn't stop them, why would their pass rush, their secondary, their offensive line, or their youth and inexperience? None of that mattered. Until it did.

The Indianapolis Colts ended their season with a 24-9 loss at the hands of the painfully average Baltimore Ravens. For a half, they looked like the better team. But when the clock struck zero, the pumpkin emerged because of their inability to make plays with their pass rush, their secondary, their offensive line, or their young WRs.

Of course, the 2012 Colts won't be remembered for any of those deficiencies. They will be remembered for the innocence of youth - they never knew they were supposed to be bad. They will be remembered for their comebacks, the unexpected triumphs. And they will be remembered for their fight.

Cheer up, Colts fans, and welcome to what should be an exciting off-season.  Today, we’re going to discuss how this team believes they’ll better for the experience gained on Sunday.  We’ll also talk about red zone inefficiency, and big game hunting…so to speak. 

This Will Make Them Better

After their storybook season ended in defeat on Sunday, twenty-one different Colts players can call themselves playoff-tested for the first time.  This team was as inexperienced as it was out-manned on Wild Card Weekend.  Of course, the hope is that what happened on Sunday will galvanize and prepare the young core of players for some sustained playoff runs in the future.  Meanwhile, there is finally the time to reflect on this character-building experience.

Chuck Pagano, though he certainly wasn’t satisfied, was pleased with how his young team kept fighting on Sunday, and all season.  “We had opportunities, just watching this team fight and fight and fight, week in and week out,” he said. “To accomplish what they accomplished. I told them all, when you walk out of here, you hold your head high and be very, very proud of how you played this game, how you’ve represented this organization. We talk about legacy a lot and trust, loyalty and respect and things like that. And they did that. They should be very, very proud of themselves. And again, how they carried themselves and how they represented the ‘shoe.’”

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The Indianapolis Colts magical season came to an end with a 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.  Join us live after the game at 4:30pm ET as we look at what went wrong, and where the Colts go from here.

Here's your open thread for the Colts and Ravens.

Remember to follow all your favorite Colts Authority writers and "honored alumni" on Twitter as well:

Nate Dunlevy, Greg Cowan, Todd Smith, Kyle Rodriguez, Scott Kacsmar, Luke Dunlevy, Laura Calloway, Brent Fatig, Lou Pin, Josh Boeke, and Marcus Dugan

Here's the Colts Gameday Follow list.

We'll have post-game coverage here on CA, but also check out Todd, Kyle and me at Bleacher Report today as well.

Also, everyone is invited to join the Injury Expert Will Carroll, myself and other Colts fans for a tweet up for the playoff game.

We'll be meeting at the Oaken Barrel in Greenwood at 12:30. Come by, have a brew and talk some football.

Also, catch me on 1070 the Fan at 8 pm with Jersey Johnny after the game.

A Season – And a Gamble – to Remember

The Indianapolis Colts have had a season that fans will be able to cherish for a lifetime.  Their made-for-Hollywood story, however, could very well come to an end this weekend, and on paper, it looks all too likely.  Advanced metrics, standard statistics, turnover differential, and overall talent levels all say the 2012 Colts don’t belong in the playoffs.  All that logic, reasonable though it may sound, indicated they wouldn’t finish the season 11-5, either.  Yet, here they are.  (And the Ravens aren’t exactly setting the world on fire).

Aside from simply being a better at football than most people expected, the Colts have benefitted from great leadership, a sizeable chip on their shoulder, and a big motivational gamble by Chuck Pagano

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12 Things to Watch For in Sunday's Colts-RavensGame

Ray's already planning some post-retirement relaxation

Last week the Colts got revenge on the Texans and doomed their bid for the first seed in the AFC. After earning the fifth seed and completing a remarkable single-season turnaround the Colts now face a familiar foe: the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens enter the playoffs in an unusual spot: a suspect defense now depends on an offense to bail them out. Can the Colts continue their unlikely march to the Super Bowl? Here's a few things to keep an eye on as we try to answer that question: