INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts have constantly talked in the past about wanting to play their playoff games at home at Lucas Oil Stadium during the month of January.
They're about to be given an opportunity to put themselves in that position because the team that has embarrassed them in the playoffs the past two seasons has to find a way to deal with the loss of its franchise quarterback for the first four games of next season.
The landscape of the AFC at the beginning of the 2015 season was altered a bit Monday when it was announced that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had been suspended for using deflated balls.
Now it's up to the Colts to use Brady's suspension to their advantage to get some breathing room in the race for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. Indianapolis' first four games are against Buffalo, the New York Jets, Jacksonville and Tennessee.
With Brady out, his Patriots teammates will likely have second-year player Jimmy Garoppolo as their quarterback in games against Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Jacksonville and Dallas if the four-game suspension stands.
The Colts have to get off to a fast start and hope the Patriots sputter while Brady is out, because you know he'll come back determined, especially with his first game being against Indianapolis in Week 6.
Brady’s suspension comes during an offseason when the Patriots have taken a step back on paper. Gone are cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork off a defense that held the Colts to seven points in the AFC Championship game last season.
Indianapolis spent the offseason adding pieces they believe will be enough for them to take the next step to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2009. Receiver Andre Johnson and running back Frank Gore join an offense that already features quarterback Andrew Luck, receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen.
Colts owner Jim Irsay said it’s not Super Bowl-or-bust for his franchise, but they can’t afford to let this opportunity get away from them with Brady out because Luck & Co. don't want to be the ones feeling deflated in the playoffs on the road to end another season.