That's right. You heard it here thirty first. Or, perhaps, sixty first, depending upon how much ESPN you watch or JT the Brick you listen to. The Super Bowl is in November. The defending champion Indianapolis Colts, who came back behind Peyton Manning's arm to vanquish the New England Patriots in last year's AFC championship game, take on those same Patriots--or should I say, those same Patriots plus Randy Moss, Adelius Thomas, Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, and a giant chip on their shoulders--in the latest NFL regular season game between unbeatens since, well, since anybody can remember. To quoth the rhapsodist Terrell Owens, "Getcha popcorn ready." And get your predictions ready too. Patriots 41. Colts 24. Sure it's in the Coltdome. Sure they're the defending Super Bowl champs. Sure they're undefeated too. But I've never seen anything like the 2007 New England Patriots. Call me a homer, if you must. But before you do, make your predictions on the big game in the comments section.

Just think how many Super Bowls (including last year) the Patriots would have won if Brady was throwing the ball to better receivers than Branch, Brown, Patton, (now I got it, now I don't) Caldwell, etc.

And he still won three with the likes of them. Amazing.

They remind me of the Buff. Bills of the early 90's. The colts solve the pats. this week. And to me its so easy, tag the pretty boy, hit him late, hit low, just tag his arse.

Brady's lack of great receivers was more than offset by knowing which plays the defense was running.

Give me the Colts in a high-scoring, close game, 38-35.

Indy 52 - Pats 7

"Brady's lack of great receivers was more than offset by knowing which plays the defense was running." - Ralph

The Pats turned in all tape to the NFL. No other evidence of cheating was found. Unless you have found additional evidence, the game against the Jets was the first time it was done.

Anyways, EITHER Patriots 38-31, OR a complete blow out of the Colts by the Patriots.

Ben, don't try to argue with a person who hour by hour is proving himself a childish moron.

Three Superbowls in the aughts and close to one last year proves all you need to know about the Pats.

And, until they get upset, they are still the best team in football so far this year.

And another intelligent comment from 'Tagm'.

And another intelligent comment from 'Tagm'.

"They remind me of the Buff. Bills of the early 90's. The colts solve the pats. this week. And to me its so easy, tag the pretty boy, hit him late, hit low, just tag his arse." - tagm

Well yea, that is the "solution" to any conceivable NFL offense. Easier said than done against the best offensive line in the national football league.

"The Pats turned in all tape to the NFL. No other evidence of cheating was found. Unless you have found additional evidence, the game against the Jets was the first time it was done."

The Jets game was the first game they were caught. Do you really think it was the first game they cheated? They got a pretty steep penalty for just recording the Jets (footage they wouldn't have been able to use in that game), viz., losing their first-round pick, and nearly a million dollars in fines. Of course, we'll never know for sure what the Pats had on tape because Goodell immediately destroyed all of the evidence. That's a curious thing to do, don't you think?

"The Jets game was the first game they were caught. Do you really think it was the first game they cheated? They got a pretty steep penalty for just recording the Jets (footage they wouldn't have been able to use in that game), viz., losing their first-round pick, and nearly a million dollars in fines. Of course, we'll never know for sure what the Pats had on tape because Goodell immediately destroyed all of the evidence. That's a curious thing to do, don't you think?" - Ralph

Wasn't immediately destroyed, was destroyed a while after they turned it in. Unless you have new evidence your accusations are baseless.

The Colts are an outstanding team and the defending champs, but I think the Pats are going to be too much for them. Pats by a touchdown or two. This is a watcher for any pro football fan. I've already got a twelve of Corona cooling down for this one.

The Colts solved the Pats in last year’s AFC Championship game and although the Pats lead in the first half by 21-6, contrary to team character and contrary to a Bill Belichick coached team, they collapsed defensively in the second half to lose by only four points at the end.

Considering that Manning is an excellent quarterback, Brady is a bit better (check the numbers this season as Brady actually has somebody who can catch and run once they get the ball).
Edge: Pats

For receivers, last year as with this year Manning has Harrison, Wayne and Clark. Last year Brady had Brown, Caldwell, Gaffney, Knight and Fuaria. This year he has Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Gaffney, Washington and Watson.
Edge: Pats

Offensive line. Colts have been ok in pass protection but their run offense has been very good. Brady has only been touched a few times and most weeks has enough time to read the Wall Street Journal while deciding who to throw to. Jury’s out on how the Pats line is handling the running game as their backs have not been particularly healthy and they haven’t run the ball a lot. When they have, albeit against the weaker defenses, they’ve done alright.
Edge: Pats

Running running backs. Addai and Keith. Nuff said. Maroney is still hurting and Morris is out. Using Faulk has worked out with mixed results.
Edge: Colts

Receiving running backs. I’ll take Kevin Fualk any day of the week. Soft hands, illusive and lots of YAC.
Edge: Pats

Defensive line. Colts have Freeney, Pats have Seymour, Wilfork, Warren and my favorite specialist Jarvis Green.
Edge: Pats

At the end of last season line backing was patchwork for the Pats with a not too healthy Bruschi, a not too healthy Colvin, Tully Banta-Cain, Eric Alexander and Vrabel. This year they have a healthy Bruschi and Colvin, Seau, Vrabel and Thomas.
Edge: Pats

Big difference with defensive backs this year is that they’re all healthy and playing at a pretty high level. Not one is as good as Sanders but the numbers are with the Pats.
Edge: Pats

Even with last year’s patchwork team, Belichick had his team go on the road and beat the #1 seed 14-2 Chargers and come thisclose to beating the Colts on the road. Dungy and the Colts had no heavy lifting at the end of the season and hosted one tough playoff game after some time off. This season, that Pats are scoring points at a prolific rate and look extremely efficient doing it. The Colts have played well too but it sometimes has not looked that smooth. Bill has his team clicking and is devious!
Edge: Pats

With that ana1ysis, you could be a member of the Super Fans: "Da Pats."

Outside of defending the boys when I believe people are unfairly dissing’ my team, I have a life so I’m just having some fun with this. Win or lose, this should be a great game. And either way I’ll be sitting in my leather comfy chair (nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition, don’t you know) with a libation in me fist enjoying it all in its 50” HDTV flat screen splendor!

It will be a great game. I'm glad it's not at the same time as the Dallas game, because I would probably rather watch the Pats-Colts (Dallas will make short work of the Eaglets). The Pats actually have a couple of tough games after this one (Steelers and at Giants), but neither has the appeal that this game has.

Pats have edge at quarterback. Colts have edge at running back. Pats have edge at wide receiver. Colts have edge at tight end. I lean towards saying the Colts have the edge on defense, but Richard Seymour will finally be back on Sunday, and I don't think we have seen the Pats D play with any degree of intensity yet, as they undoubtedly will against the Colts. I won't reward anyone for that yet.

It's interesting that Eagles-Cowboys, a game that normally would be getting a lot of play with the return of T.O. and all the drama surrounding Andy Reid, is an afterthought. Although a lot of people are mad at the NFL for giving Colts-Pats to CBS and leaving it off prime time, at least they had the good sense to clear the schedule of 4:00 games (save for Texans-Raiders, which is about the most uninteresting game you could schedule).

Well, that's because the 4 o'clock game is considered by many to be Super Bowl 41 and a half. Also I think people are getting tired of T.O.'s act.

Overall (at least for us New Englanders) a veritable smorgasbord of interesting games:

KC vs. GB / SD vs. Minn. @ 1:00

PATS vs. COLTS @ 4:00

The Boyz vs. Feables @ 8:00

Even though it's a lesser game, it makes sense that NBC chose the Boys for Sunday night. It's no secret that Dallas is the biggest ratings getter in the NFL. It wouldn't shock me if Boys-Eagles had as many viewers as Pats-Colts.

Dan, its opening night tonight. No love for the Celtics?

"Even though it's a lesser game, it makes sense that NBC chose the Boys for Sunday night. It's no secret that Dallas is the biggest ratings getter in the NFL. It wouldn't shock me if Boys-Eagles had as many viewers as Pats-Colts." - Ralph

No way. Pats-Colts is going to set ratings records. No way the Cowboys will draw the same ratings against a garbage time opponent that they are going to steamroll.

Primetime games with no competition generally get better ratings than Sunday day games, but, I suspect, something special is at work with Colts-Patriots. I wonder how many times in the past a Sunday day game has earned better ratings than a Monday night, or since the format switched to Sunday night on NBC, Sunday night game. Anybody know?

I never post to the sports threads so I'll jump into this one by saying I will never, ever understand you people that get so into football.

;)

The Pats will likely win and cover. They are still on an anger high, twistedly induced by their coach’s getting caught cheating.

They will come down to earth sooner or later, but it will likely be later--probably after some key injuries and probably when facing a smash-mouth team like the Ravens or the Steelers. But for now, you gotta give it to them--they are on the greatest streak pro football has ever seen.

The Ravens? They can barely be called smash mouth at this point. They have been a shadow of their former selves do to injuries all year. Their defense is underwhelming and their vaunted "blacksmith offense" has disappointed. I don't think anybody should be afraid of them.

The Steelers are a different case, they are a good team that plays well. I could see them upsetting the Colts in an AFC Divisional Playoff game.

Veronica,

Seriously. To understand, you really need to have a set of gonads and a hint of testerone.

Other than that, it probably makes no sense how or why we get so worked up. But thank the Lord that outlets like this among others exist for guys to get out their aggressions or society might be much less civil.

I bet you have this conversation with Archie all the time. ;-)~

Oh man, what a game. The refs were DETERMINED to give it to the Colts and they still couldn't beat us, in their house. No way Indy is coming in to our house in the dead of January and winning.

That would be correct Ben.