Read the other arguments from Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek.
It is a sad weekend to some extent, as the end of the regular season in college football is upon us. However, we still have five more weeks in the regular season for the NFL, and then of course there is the long college football bowl season approaching. This week I am once again focusing on the NFL. The game I have my eye on is Tennessee traveling to Indianapolis to take on the undefeated Colts.
Now I know what you are saying, “What in the name of Bud Adams’ middle finger are you thinking, Loyal Homer? This is a total mismatch! The Colts haven’t lost and the Titans have a losing record!” The Colts are also around a seven point favorite. But, let’s take a closer look at the game.
The Colts are obviously established as the team to beat in the AFC. I can nitpick all I want, but 11-0 is 11-0. Being the guy I am, however, I want to play devil’s advocate not because I have anything against the Colts. I don’t. Peyton Manning is one of the more likable guys in all of sports today. But the Colts have really been skating by the past few weeks with five-consecutive fourth quarter comebacks. Are the comebacks a sign of a resilient team or a team that is not as dominant as its record indicates?
Perhaps this is the week the Colts go down. I keep thinking to myself that the lack of a running game is going to catch up to the Colts. That lack of a running game is why Manning has had to shoulder much of the load with in an inexperienced group of receivers who have really stepped up. The missing running game is one of the reasons Manning is one of the favorites to win a fourth MVP award in 2009, along with two other quarterbacks who are having outstanding seasons – Drew Brees and that Favre fella!
But, here come the Titans, winners of five in a row. I threw the whole team under the bus back in October. But as Bleacher Fan pointed out in Monday’s debate, the Titans are right in the thick of the AFC wild card hunt, as they currently sit just one game back. Vince Young is managing the game effectively, which is something Kerry Collins was not doing the first six games of the season. The real stud on this team, however, is running back Chris Johnson, who has quickly become one of “my boys” with his ability to carry my fantasy team. He is on pace to have one of the greatest seasons ever.
These two teams played back in October in Nashville, with the Colts winning easily 31-9. I remember watching the game and thinking, “What has happened to Tennessee?” Well, the December Titans are a different Titans team fully capable of knocking off the Colts from the ranks of the unbeaten. Laugh now, but be prepared to hear from me if it happens!!
