Game of the Year

It’s being called the Rivalry of the Decade, and who can argue with that? They are the winningest franchises since 2001. They’ve had countless encounters in the playoffs. Each team has one of the league’s best at the quarterback position. These former division rivals continue to add memorable chapters to their history, and this game should be no different.

There’s no love lost between the Colts and Patriots as far as fans are concerned. Indy’s followers envied the Patriots because New England was the obstacle the Colts couldn’t get past in the early going. The role has reversed as the Colts gained the edge. And the bar is raised on Sunday night as the Patriots have the extra incentive to protect their record 16-0 regular season.

It’s been an interesting year for the Pats as this will be the sixth game against an undefeated team this season. If New Orleans keeps their record unblemished for two more weeks, that will be seven contests against undefeated opponents.

Not that giving the 1972 Miami Dolphins reason to pop the champagne is the Patriots’ motivation. They want to regain the mental edge over the Colts after losing it in 2005.

The difference for Indianapolis was QB Peyton Manning learned how to operate outside of the pocket. In the past head coach Bill Belichick, knowing Manning got rid of the ball too quick, brought pressure up the middle to distract Manning and throw off his timing.

But Manning learned to when to escape the comfort of the pocket and how to hit a moving target when on the move as well. It was the adjustment Peyton needed to close the gap between him and his biggest rival.

And that’s what this game boils down to: Manning vs. Brady. No rivalry is complete without individuals pushing each other to higher levels of greatness. Brady won the first six encounters, but the plot thickened after Manning won the next three, including a classic AFC Championship in 2006. Sunday night’s game will be the latest chapter in this memorable tête-à-tête.

Brady and Manning bring out the best in each other when they stand on opposing sidelines, taking turns upstaging each other. And every game is an event, drawing the attention of the nation.

Last year’s game was a classic as Manning led a late drive for the game-winning field goal. But it wasn’t the same with Matt Cassel playing in place of Brady. Tom is back, and the stakes are high as he tries to replicate Manning’s performance.

Brady is in the same situation Manning was in last year – recovering from two off-season knee procedures. It took Manning eight games to find his groove and beat the Patriots. Now we’ll see if Brady can turn the same trick in his ninth game.