HONOLULU -- Looking for an AFC team that could pull off a New England-like turnaround in 2002?

How about the Indianapolis Colts? As bad as the Colts were, struggling to a 6-10 record in a season in which many thought they were a Super Bowl contender, a quick look at their roster shows that they still have Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. They also have Dominic Rhodes as insurance if James isn't fully recovered from his knee injury.

The Colts are just one year removed from a 2001 campaign that saw them win 10 games, and they are as talented on offense as any team outside of the St. Louis Rams.

Add to that the fact that the Colts will enter the new AFC South with the expansion Texans and a Jacksonville team that is in the midst of rebuilding, and the outlook in Indianapolis is fairly good.

The big question is whether the defense can improve enough to turn the Colts into a contender. That's where new head coach Tony Dungy should make an immediate impact. Known as a defensive-oriented coach with the Buccaneers, Dungy should improve a unit that ranked No. 29 in the NFL in overall defense and gave up and NFL-worst 30.4 points per game.

"I think he'll help shore up the defense," said tight end Ken Dilger. "That's the one thing we've lacked the last couple of years. The offense was there, but the defense needed to be upgraded a little bit and I think he'll do that."

Dilger also admitted that New England's surprising run to the Super Bowl title makes other teams believe that they can accomplish the same thing.

"They (New England) had a great year and I think a lot of team out there are in that role where they are a couple of defensive or offensive players away from going to Super Bowl," said Dilger.

Time to say goodbye
The Patriots' amazing Super Bowl run is just a few days old and yet the sobering reality of life in the NFL has set in for a number of key New England players.

Linebacker Ted Johnson and defensive end Willie McGinest, both long-time Patriots, were among the five players New England elected to leave unprotected in the expansion draft.

Cornerback Ty Law said that in today's NFL, you get used to seeing teammates leave.

"You known year in and year that there is free agency and that teams are going to change," Law said. That's why you need to take advantage the opportunities that you have that year, because the next year things are going to change."

However, Law quickly noted that even if the Patriots lose players in the expansion draft, that won't erase what they helped New England accomplish.

"At least the guys that we went down there and won that championship with, we're going to have a special bond with them for the rest of our lives."

Just win
The players might spend a good deal of their week playing golf and sitting by the pool, but come Saturday, you can be sure that they all want to win.

"The competitive nature of each and every guy won't allow them to come out here and play as if they don't care, said Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart. "Plus, you've got some money on the line. You've got a lot of great things to play for.

"The motive is really just to come out here and play."

Peter Lawrence-Riddell is the assistant NFL editor for ESPN.com