Colts were not making a shift in their offensive line

A key point in Hart's musings is that, regardless of size or strength, the Colts jerseys will (in general) keep the best 53 on the active roster. However, as the club shifts further and further away from the Tony Dungy-way of doing things, we are seeing more of an emphasis on size and strength over speed and quickness. I personally would argue that this new philosophy change (and yes, it is a change) is being done at the expense of keeping better players on the roster.

How else do you explain Ryan Lilja getting surprisingly cut back in March? It certainly wasn't because he sucked.

Almost three months ago, Colts football jerseys General Manager Chris (son of Bill) Polian went on local Indy radio and talked about how the Colts were not making a shift in their offensive line philosophy despite the actions of the team screaming they were. Chis even compared this year's changes with the o-line with last year's changes with the d-line, which did little to help explain his odd refusal to call the changes a "shift." In the case of the d-line last year, the changes made were a pretty dramatic from the norm. Normal starters at defensive tackle like Eric Foster (265 pounds), Keyunta Dawson (260 pounds), and Raheem Brock (275 pounds) were replaced by Daniel Muir (305 pounds) and Antonio Johnson (310 pounds).

Pretty big "shift," huh.

But, whatever. I'm not going to get into a argument with Chris Polian over something like this. I just think it's silly trying to hide or underscore a pretty obvious change in team philosophy; a change that even Colts players like Mike Hart are openly talking about. My hope is that bigger linemen like Jacques McClendon can pick up the slack left by cutting Lilja; a move that still puzzles me. 

It's important to note that speed is still held at a high premium in Indianapolis, which is critical. You win in this league with speed. Fly to the football, gang tackle, and punish the ball-carrier. It's the foundation the Colts are built on, and it's a winning formula.

Several other Sprint Cup Series drivers also had early problems Donald Brown in the 160-lap race, perhaps after their cars ran over debris left from the first-lap crash. Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were among those making early, unexpected pit stops that pushed them deep into the 43-car field.

Montoya, the race pole-sitter, led most of the early laps in his No. 42 Chevrolet but developed a tire problem and was forced to pit on lap 38 to have all four tires changed.

But when the other leaders made normal, green-flag pit stops after that, Montoya stayed on the track and resumed the lead on a warm, partly cloudy day at the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Greg Biffle was running second and Mark Martin was third. Jimmie Robert Mathis Johnson, a three-time Brickyard 400 winner who started on the outside of the front row, was eighth.