Patriots Should Relish Rare Opportunity to Play Spoiler
Sure, there are changes and unexpected outcomes, but for the most part, things have started to shake out.
As it stands now, there are two undefeated teams in the NFL: the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. Both teams have playoff ambitions, and both are strong contenders.
But for the first time in a long time, the Colts aren't getting the attention they've garnered in years past. Far be it for a Patriots fan to claim that Peyton Manning is flying under the radar, but with the Saints serving as the NFL's current feel-good story, the Colts have been relegated to a mere afterthought in the undefeated storyline.
Of course, no one in New England wants another team to challenge the 2007 Patriots' record as regular-season undefeated champs. And we certainly don't want it to be the Colts. But rooting against the Saints is difficult as well, and if the Patriots are the team that eventually beats the Saints (if they make it to the Week 12 Monday Night Football matchup without a loss), Bill Belichick and his band of touchdown-scoring superheroes will be cast as the evil, villainous bad guys again. But they have to get there first.
Before any of that, the Patriots face the Colts on Sunday in prime time. Their rivalry goes back a ways, and as some of us may still be lamenting the 2006 AFC Championship Game loss, we surely feel quite strongly about the desired outcome.
Three seasons ago, Patriots fans were made violent by any commercial featuring Peyton Manning (and God help us, they were everywhere), because we believed — possibly irrationally — that our quarterback wasn't getting nearly enough press and our quarterback was better. But it's 2009 now, and as the NFL has adopted something derisively referred to by the league's defenders as "the Brady Rule," we certainly can't claim with any modicum of sanity that Tom Brady isn't front and center, all the time.
The notoriety and recognition are well-deserved. He's certainly done a good job returning from last season's knee-shredding disaster, but still, the man is everywhere.
As the Patriots represent the biggest challenge remaining on the Colts’ schedule (with the possible exception of a Week 14 matchup against Denver), it is imperative around these parts that Brady and Co. get the job done. While early-season struggles against the Jets and Broncos brought unwelcome criticism to New England's defense, the boys have pulled it together in recent weeks — allowing zero and seven points to the Titans and Buccaneers, respectively, and stopping Miami's vaunted Wildcat offense last week.
The Colts have always been an offensive powerhouse, and this year is no different. Without Marvin Harrison catching passes from Manning, the Colts’ quarterback has had to spread the ball around a bit more, which could prove challenging to New England's secondary.
Of course, these teams are familiar with each other — familiarity breeds contempt — and Indianapolis isn't a stranger to unexpected losses (see last season's wild-card loss to San Diego). Sunday should be an interesting game, but it's a rare occasion that New England gets to play the role of potential spoiler.
The Patriots also represent the biggest obstacle in New Orleans' path for an undefeated season. The Saints, however, are a bit of an enigma. This season, they've demolished teams (48-22 over Philadelphia), played relatively close games (30-20 over Carolina) and staged epic comebacks (46-34 over Miami after being down by three touchdowns).
Even though the Saints have been playing offense as though they're being coached by a 15-year-old playing Madden, they've finally added a workable defense, and that makes the Saints scary.
It doesn't hurt that the team seems to have the good tidings and well wishes of the entire country behind them. After Hurricane Katrina's devastation and questions about whether the team would actually return to the Superdome, New Orleans was in need of catching a break.
Add to that the fact that Drew Brees has been playing like a man on a mission — simultaneously in "screw you" mode to everyone, including San Diego and Mother Nature — and the Saints are for real.
If the Patriots are the team that takes down the new "America's Team," they'll be cast as the bad guys again. But honestly, even if Belichick instituted a "help old ladies cross the street day," most of the country's football fans would find a way to claim the Patriots had nefarious intentions.
The Saints have taken down teams previously thought to be contenders (most notably both New York teams) and show no signs of letting up. New England will be a formidable challenge, but the Saints seem up for it.
So which team is the bigger test for the Patriots? And which win would mean more?
Obviously, we'd all like it if Brady and the boys kept winning without pause for the remainder of the season, but no one expects them to walk all over their remaining opponents. With the aforementioned Colts and Saints on the horizon, not to mention a rematch against the division rival Jets, the Patriots will have to scratch and claw for everything they get this season.
They're certainly not a pushover in any remaining matchup nor are they the underdog. That window closed the minute Bill Belichick and Tom Brady appeared together on anyone's schedule.
But in recent years, the Patriots are unaccustomed to being on the side of the field that is poised to take down the favorite. It'll be interesting to see how the team responds to the chance to rain on someone else's parade.
