(Sports Network) - As a longtime football fan and admirer of the NFL, I've become pretty used to estimating how well a team will fare in the upcoming year. Making a prediction for the 2009 Indianapolis Colts couldn't be any easier -- they will return to becoming the toast of the AFC. And it doesn't matter if New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady makes a triumphant return, either.

Even if head coach Tony Dungy steps down, the Colts will have plenty of steam left from their impressive 2008 run that came to a screeching halt with last Saturday's 23-17 overtime loss to the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Why wouldn't Dungy want to return after the club ripped off nine straight regular-season wins to finish 12-4 and capture a playoff berth for a seventh consecutive year? Is he possibly burned out?

"We'll pray about it and see what options we have, and kind of where the Lord's leading," Dungy said. "There are family issues and other things you'd like to do, but the bottom line is we have a fun team to coach. We have some great players and we have a team that I know can win. I still enjoy it. We'll try to balance those two and see what happens."

Dungy has contemplated retirement after each of the previous three seasons and returned each time to coach Indy to the postseason.

In the loss to the Chargers, Dungy's defense was clearly tired in the extra session and never gave the offense a chance with the ball after San Diego won the coin toss. Three penalties for 25 yards during San Diego's game-winning drive also helped send the Colts home with their earliest exit from the postseason since 2002. Indianapolis had reached the AFC Divisional Playoff round in five straight seasons.

Next season will be Super Bowl or bust for the Colts, who have some key players and free agents to lock up in order to achieve the ultimate goal. Standout center Jeff Saturday, running back Dominic Rhodes and cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden and Keiwan Ratliff are a few of those keys to the puzzle, while future Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison has three years left on his current seven-year deal.

The Colts could save some money under the salary cap if they decide to release Harrison, who has his own business to take care of after being embroiled in a possible shooting case in his hometown of Philadelphia dating back to last April. No criminal charges will be filed against Harrison, whose gun was reportedly involved in the incident.

NFL MVP Peyton Manning would sure like to see Harrison back with the team, since the two have connected on levels most quarterbacks and wideouts could only dream of. Last week, Manning became the fourth player in NFL history to be named the league's Most Valuable Player three times, joining Brett Favre, Jim Brown and Johnny Unitas, and led the Colts to an NFL-record sixth consecutive season with 12 or more victories. He is the main reason why Indy will make another deep push into the 2009 playoffs, simply because of his ability to get everyone involved in the offense.

The 11-time Pro Bowl signal-caller threw for 4,002 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season, and recorded 1,054 passing yards and eight scoring strikes with a 130.8 quarterback rating over the last month of the campaign. Manning will have a lot of pressure resting on his shoulders next season, but that should not be a problem for a player who is never lacking confidence and is always complementary of his teammates' work ethic.

Wideout Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai highlight the rest of the Colts' potent offense, and each will play a major role in helping Indianapolis regain AFC South supremacy. Wayne has recorded 1,000 yards or more receiving in each of the past five years, with at least 77 receptions per year over that stretch, and it seems as if he is gradually taking the torch from Harrison, who was held under 1,000 yards receiving for the second straight season. Addai, meanwhile, missed four games in the regular season and failed to rush for 1,000 yards after hitting the mark in each of his first two seasons in the league. He will be healthy and ready to carry the load once more in 2009. Clark posted career highs in catches (77) and yards (848) this past season.

Indy's defense could have done better against the run, finishing 24th against opposing ground attacks and allowing 122.9 rushing yards per contest. The Colts, however, were solid against the pass with the league's sixth-rated pass defense and ended seventh in the NFL in points allowed (298), thanks in large part to the play of Hayden, Ratliff and safeties Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea.

Bullitt impressed in the absence of All-Pro safety Bob Sanders, who played in just six regular-season games because of injury. Sanders did take part in the playoff loss to the Chargers and finished with 10 tackles, however. Linebacker and leading tackler Gary Brackett missed the last four games of the regular season and the playoff loss at San Diego with a broken right fibula. There's no doubt he will be ready to buckle up the chin strap in 2009, however.

Linebacker Freddy Keiaho and defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis all enjoyed excellent seasons, as Mathis matched a career high and led the team with 11 1/2 sacks. Freeney ended with 10 1/2 sacks, his fifth season with at least that many. Meanwhile, Keiaho led the Colts with a career-high 105 tackles in 2008.

If the Colts can stay healthy on both sides of the ball, and that includes Sanders, the possibility of Indianapolis winning another Super Bowl in 2009 will be great. The chances will be even more promising if Dungy decides to hang on for another year. He is a beloved family man, of which his players are well aware of and grateful for.

"You can't replace coach Dungy," Bullitt said. "He's a great person and I'm not even speaking on coaching abilities. He's someone, you come to work and you like to see him there. If it's (associate) coach (Jim) Caldwell, he's a great person as well. I'm looking forward to whoever is going to be here. Hopefully it's coach Dungy."

Caldwell, who's already been named by the team as Dungy's eventual successor, shouldn't hold his breath waiting on what Dungy ultimately decides to do.