NFL: Ramp up to the next GOTY

It didn't take long, but the NFL, fresh off a classic New England-San Diego matchup, has another Game of the Year. This matchup pits arguably the greatest playoff rivalry in the sport, with the New England Patriots heading to Indianpolis to play the Colts. Saj, there's much to talk about, but I'll start with this:

How are the Colts three point favorites? Is it as simple as them having the better record and homefield advantage? Or do most people actually expect the Colts to win? Give me your thoughts.


Sorry, I can't provide you with any sound football analysis just yet, my mind is still reeling from learning that Tom Brady is now seeing Gisele Bundchen. Unbelievable. As my friend Dan said, "what did he do in some prior life to be rewarded with this one?" Winning three Superbowls is one thing. Dating a woman the caliber of Bridget Moynahan is another thing. Either of those would definitely take something on par with developing a polio vaccine or saving a group of school children from a five alarm fire. But Gisele Bundchen is the last straw. I have no doubt in my mind that Tom Brady was Mahatma Gandhi in a past life. That's the only way to explain how charmed his life has been; he was a transcendently pure individual that brought justice to millions and died unfairly and abruptly. This is God saying "my bad" for allowing him to be assassinated in 1948. In all seriousness, Tom Brady just vaulted Jeter in a pasttime Jeter invented (namely, sports stars bagging impossibly famous and beautiful women). Somewhere Peyton Manning is crying into his Ovaltine.


Seriously. It just doesn't get any better for a man. You win an enormous playoff game in which you were an underdog. An entire region loves you. You go the lockerroom and wash up and Giselle Bundchen, solidly in my Worlds Top 3, is waiting for you outside the lockerroom. It's like being the star athlete in high school with the hottest girl at school waiting for you after you win the conference. Times a gajillion.

Is this why the spread favors the Colts? Might they esimate Tom Terrific's intentions as losing as soon as possible in order to begin the offseason early? He doesn't even have to go the Pro-Bowl. If he loses, he's on the next jet to Rio.

I mean, the odds makers certainly aren't relying just on football. If they were, the Colts would not be favored, agreed?


I think it's exactly the opposite. Relying solely on football is why the Colts are favored. They're 9-0 at home and they've produced impressive defensive showing in back to back games in the playoffs. And let's not forget that they beat the Patriots in Gillette Stadium earlier this year. The Colts are a talented team. Of course there are things going against them, namely history. And the fact that Peyton Manning threw his offensive line under the bus after last year's divisional playoff loss to the Steelers:




Saj, what most angers me is that national experts like Clayton and Pasquerelli are saying the Colts are going to win because Peyton Manning is "due." It's absurd. If I were to beat you in a game nine straight times, even if we seemed evenly matched, would people bet on you to win the tenth one because you were due? No, people would bet on me because I've proven that I can consistently beat you.

The Patriots, when it counts, consistently raise their game, and this twice included convincing victories over the Colts. The Colts, when it counts, consistently lower their game, including the aforementioned results in Patriot games. Two Indianapolis playoff wins this year does not make them a better team than New England, especially considering in both those weeks the Pats beat two superior teams.

I'm not saying New England is a lock win this Sunday. I'm saying it's absurd they're three point underdogs. What am I missing?


Why are you complaining about the point spread? The Pats are getting three points; put some bills on them this weekend and supplement your salary. I think the spread is justified- the Colts have been almost unbeatable at home in the past two calendar years. Their defense, however aided by playing against two terrible quarterbacks and one game against Herman Edwards, has looked impressive. Maybe they just needed a confidence boost, and holding Larry Johnson to less than thirty rushing yards qualifies as one.

That being said I do see your point. Like when I kept beating you at NBA Jam with Glenn Rice and the Miami Heat. Sure you were due for a victory but you didn't get it until you turned the hot spots back on and I couldn't capitalize on them because any video game in more than two dimensions is suprising mentally taxing for me. Perhaps this is the year the Indianapolis Colts find the hot spots that New England can't capitalize on?


It's Glen Rice with one 'n'. Asshole.

I think what you meant to close with, as our second commenter astutely alluded to, is that Roger Goodell and the referrees will turn the hot spots on for the Colts. I think we'll see at least one Patriot D-Linemen (Warren?) "rough" the passer on Sunday.

The spread is not justified.

The Patriots allowed the second fewest points in the NFL this year. The Patriots just went on the road and beat the #1 seed who was undefeated at home. Two years ago, the Patriots defeated a team much more complete than this Colts team, when they dismantled Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship when the Steelers were 16-1 and hot as a firecracker. The Patriots have never lost an AFC championship in their history, and that includes three of the last five years, two of them coming on the road. The Patriots have handily won the last two post season matchups between these two teams. The Patriots, as you and I have vehemently agreed on, could have beat the Colts in the regular season if they didn't abandon the run.

Peyton Manning's Colts have never won a championship game. The Colts were pitiful against the run in the regular season, letting terrible running backs set PR's. The Colts have faced a one dimensional and no dimensional offense in this year's playoffs, with the one dimensional offense having a horrendous defense. Peyton Manning's Colts have never beat a team seeded higher than them in the playoffs until last Sunday against said no dimensional offense.

These are two completely different histories. I just don't get it.

So I'll just ask you this. Who will most of the country pick in the ESPN Sports Nation poll?


Don't be overconfident. Tread softly. BEWARE OF THE MANNING.

Re: ESPN Sports Nation, the country picks the Colts. America wants the 6'5" quarterback with the laser, rocket arm to win his damn Superbowl. Ignore the point spread, people think he's the underdog here in his umpteenth attempt to vanquish the evil Belichick and his minions, that ne'er-do-well womanizer Tom Brady included. Peyton Manning is the A-rod of football only the public doesn't hate him because he's white, he's doofy-looking, and he plays in a shitbox of a city like Indianapolis and not in a liberal cesspool on one of the coasts. It's like the team merely being from Indianapolis inspires sympathy. God I hate Peyton Manning.


I couldn't help but notice you referred to him as an underdog... No, Saj. He's the favorite by 3 points. You just subconciously surrendered the argument. I accept.

One final thing before we shut this thread down in preparation for tomorrow's Football Friday. As a Patriots fan, do you feel more, less, or about as confident as you did heading into the San Diego game?


Less, believe it or not. My mentality comes for the skewed risk-reward dynamic. The Patriots CANNOT lose to Peyton Manning. The pain of losing is far greater than the pleasure of winning. I can't believe I'm saying this, but this must be how it feels to be a Yankee fan.


You're crazy. There is nothing the Colts do better than the Chargers with one exception: throw the ball. And throwing the ball is exactly what Bill Belechick is best at stopping, and has done it to Peyton Manning in their last two playoff meetings.

The Chargers were unstoppable at home, had the best player in the league, had a much better defense than Indianapolis, and a coach that is no worse than Tony Dungy.

I'll close the thread with this: The Patriots can definitely lose. They can definitely lose. I mean, it's the NFL we're talking about here. But to be more confident against them than the Chargers makes no sense, nor does the point spread. See you tomorrow for picks.