JIM PETERS: Region Bengals fan basking in the playoff glow

As a Cincinnati Bengals fan in Northwest Indiana, it's rare that I have the occasion to gloat amidst the mass of Bears and, in recent years, Colts backers.

But the postseason is here and my guys in orange are still playing, their future loaded with promise, while the other two organizations are in the process of firing, hiring and deciding what's next.

My intent is not to gloat, though the temptation is difficult to resist.

Insert winking smiley face here.

Five years removed from their Super Bowl XLI meeting, Chicago and Indianapolis reside firmly in limbo, sent into their respective tailspins by significant injuries.

For the Colts, the loss of Peyton Manning exposed some serious shortcomings that his mastery had been masking for a while. They could survive with a poor running game and a small, quick defense that excelled when it was playng with a big lead. Without No. 18, they couldn't.

Now what do you do? Draft Andrew Luck? Keep Manning? Both? Trade Manning? The return of a healthy Manning, which is no guarantee, doesn't assure a sudden return to prominence.

Yes, they have to draft Luck. That's a no-brainer. Even if Manning is able to come back, they can't risk going forward without a viable backup. As unpopular as the move would be, the Colts could go a long way in their rebuilding process by moving an able-bodied Manning to start patching some of their other holes. Can a 2-14 franchise afford that kind of PR hit? It's a tough pill to swallow, but they might not have a choice.

In Chicago, the deficit isn't as pronounced.

All was well until Matt Forte and Jay Cutler went down, with Johnny Knox's vertebrae injury capping the offensive hat trick. Sure, you can chalk up the slide to their absences. Forte was playing as well as any running back around. Sour personality aside, Cutler's talent can't be disputed, and Knox was their only real vertical threat.

Put them all back in the lineup and the Bears are a playoff team, albeit still arguably the third-best team in their division. The defense is no longer great, ranking in the middle of the pack overall, and toward the bottom against the pass. That's not good when you have to deal with Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford twice a year.

Forte's contract is up and he's due for a big pay day. Despite the injury, it would be crazy to let him walk. Lock him up long term. After that, the Bears have to decide on their next priority. Upgrading their quarterback depth is a must. Boosting a pedestrian receiving corps and infusing some youth into an graying defense are also on the to-do list.

The forecast is cloudy in both cities, while the extended outlook for the Queen City is for sunny skies.

Who Dey?!

This column represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at jim.peters@nwi.com.