The Indianapolis Colts franchise DE Robert Mathis…sort of.

INDIANAPOLIS, March 5— If the Chiefs last heroics with WR Dwayne Bowe felt like a case of last second clock punching, the Colts were not to be out done. At various times of the day, we got word that Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Mathis was going to get the franchise tag.

Then it happened, then less than an hour later came word that the team and Mathis had agreed on a new deal. Then came confirmation from the Colts website that both the former and the latter were right.

HUH? We were just as confused. It terms out that Mathis and the Colts have a deal done in principle but the tag was applied as is described in the posted statement below.

“Indianapolis and the three-time Pro Bowler have until March 13 to complete the deal, with that date marking the start of the league year.  As a procedural matter, the franchise tag was applied to Mathis while the contract details are being finalized.”

Now let me translate that for you. They’re pretty sure that they have a deal but something could still go wrong and if it does well…he’s playing for them anyway.

It’s good business for a Colts team that is in a state of upheaval at the moment. How often does a team get to have their number one (Dwight Freeney) and number two (Mathis) all-time sack leaders on the roster together? Somewhere there is a funky statistic that I will look up before the end of the week.

So as their offense posts it’s closed for remodeling sign, their defense will continue to be led by the same two warriors.

With over 200 sacks between them today’s news of keeping the pair of Mathis and Freeney together could not have been good news for a guy like in-division rival QB Matt Schaub who is on-the-mend.

Now there is a certain elephant in the room that has been throwing down at Duke that remains to be dealt with.