The Indianapolis Colts, at 11-5, have made the playoffs as the 5th seed and will travel to Baltimore next weekend for its first playoff game under the new regime. On Sunday, Chuck Pagano, who has battled leukemia this season, returned to coach for the first time since Week 3. The Colts defeated the Texans 28-16, and everyone danced in celebration. Including Pagano, whose pure joy forgives his otherwise poor dancing skills.

Active tweeter and sometimes owner Jim Irsay was back at it again on Twitter today, defending and belittling and chirping his rampant twittering. It’s just more of the juvenile ramblings we’ve come to expect from an owner whose his professional livelihood has piggybacked off the success of Peyton Manning and Bill Polian, but it has become frustratingly tiresome. Here are the tweets:

The Colts are very serious about this Peyton Manning breakup. Like a jilted lover, Jim Irsay and company are tossing out all the vestiges of their old relationship, because looking around the room and seeing these reminders of the Manning era must be too difficult. A complete list of players who won’t be playing for the Colts next year, after the jump.

At noon, the Indianapolis Colts are set to hold a press conference (almost certainly) announcing the release of Peyton Manning, the quarterback who’s been the face of the franchise – and led it to its greatest sustained success – for over a decade. After the jump, watch that press conference live once it begins.

Later today, Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay will sever a professional relationship that has lasted since 1998 and produced one Super Bowl title and two AFC championships. Late Tuesday night, they took a plane ride back together back to Indianapolis — then they left together, in Irsay’s car. The full scene, after the jump.

Colts quarterback (for now) Peyton Manning and team owner Jim Irsay are going through some things right now, but today they put out a joint statement assuring us it’s nothing they can’t overcome. The statement assures us there are no “hard feelings” between the two, and that they aired things out with a “long talk.” All of this is nice, of course, but we’d still bet money on Peyton wearing a different uniform next time he’s under center. (AP photo, by Michael Conroy, via)

Via Colts owner Jim Irsay’s Twitter account: “Predict new Indianapolis Colts Head Coach,win 2 Super Bowl Tics! 1 guess only,u must guess by midnight tonight EST,Abby’s hatpick! GOOD LUCK.” Pro tip: don’t guess Rob Lowe. NOTE: You have to tweet your answers at Irsay. [Jim Irsay]

The best assorted links from across the web (and what you should watch on TV tonight) for Wednesday, January 18th. Photo h/t to Barry Petchesky. After the jump, our starting five:

Peyton Manning has a neck injury, and though he’d like to continue his consecutive games streak, it’s not certain he’ll be able to. The Colts, then, have to evaluate their other quarterbacking options, and you know what happens when NFL teams have uncertain QB situations…

This week’s top tweets feature singer Chris Brown, entertainment personality Kelly Osbourne, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, and singer Ciara.