Subscribe
Jobs
Cars
Real Estate
Apts
Classifieds
Shop
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts would like everyone to know tonight’s game against the New England Patriots isn’t particularly important.
Uh, excuse me?
“There’s not much difference between this and any other game,” wide receiver Reggie Wayne said. “What makes it different is the hype that the media puts on it. We don’t approach it differently. It’s all the same, and we’ll attack it the same way.”
There have been times regular-season games have been overhyped.
This isn’t one of those times.
There will be no truer test this season of whether the Colts (8-0) are a viable Super Bowl contender than what happens against the Patriots (6-2). The same holds true for New England.
Don’t tell that to the Colts, though.
“I’m just treating it like game 9 of 16,” linebacker Gary Brackett said. “It’s football. It’ll be played on Sunday, 11 versus 11, and despite what happens and all the media hoopla, we just have to go out there and get our job done.”
The Colts tried to claim that last week’s 20-17 victory over Houston was more important than this game. Mathematically, they’re correct, since that distanced Indianapolis in the divisional race and took it one step closer to a playoff berth.
But truly, how could tonight’s game not be monumental? We’ll see the NFL’s greatest coach, New England’s Bill Belichick, try to outwit an undefeated rival. The best defensive player in the league, Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, could tie the record for most consecutive games with a sack (10) on the great Tom Brady.
And with apologies to Drew Brees, the two best quarterbacks of the era, maybe of all time, will be going head-to-head – Brady vs. the Colts’ Peyton Manning. This season, they both have 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
Shucks, that’s nothing.
Think about what this game will mean for the Colts:
•Their injury-riddled secondary has performed admirably, but defeating the Patriots would legitimize rookie cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey.
•Colts coach Jim Caldwell is undefeated in his rookie season, but some would argue he hasn’t defeated a good team.
As much as the Colts would like to downplay this matchup, there’s no way they’ll treat it nonchalantly. When they get on the Lucas Oil Stadium field in prime time, see their nemeses, recognize that the game could decide home-field advantage for the AFC championship game, we’ll see their true feelings.
And we’ll find out whether the Colts are for real.
