The clichés are endless when it comes to describing the matchup between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts this week and if you’re anything like me, you’re tired of the hyperbole.  The game is being hyped as “the game of the century” in many media circles.  The only thing that’s more ridiculous than this is the fact that many people are writing off the Colts in this one.

So you’ve won 12 games in a row, you’re undefeated, and you’re playing at home against a team you’ve beaten three straight times. Don’t forget that you’re the defending Super Bowl champion.  This sounds like the recipe for a winning week, right? It’s not if you’re the Colts. Despite all of these things, there are some out there who are predicting that the Patriots will roll into Indy and blast the Colts by three touchdowns or more.  I just don’t see it.

The Colts didn’t beat the Patriots three times in a row by accident and they didn’t win the Super Bowl on a fluke.  Sure, New England has improved, but not to the point where they can roll over Peyton Manning and the boys. The Colts have the Patriots’ number for a few reasons. For one, Manning knows how to exploit Bellichek’s system.  This is something that’s not being discussed enough and it’s time for that to change. Peyton has figured it out and unless the head Patriot makes some adjustments, it will continue.  In addition, the Colts have enough speed on the defensive line to get after Tom Brady and make things difficult.

Who’s going to win on Sunday afternoon? I have no idea, to be completely honest.  I just know that it’s going to be a dog fight.  The NFL has two elite teams and everyone else is just playing for third. Some people seem to think that New England is in a league of their own. I tend to disagree.  

If Tony Dungy prepares his team to win on Sunday, will people pipe down about the Patriots being the best team of all-time?  Can we quit hearing about Boston sports in general?  Maybe it’s a pipe dream, but I’m hoping that the Colts knock off the Pats and set the record straight.  People have somehow overlooked the defending champs and it’s about time that it stopped.

This week, the NFL will ship the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins over the big pond to play a promotional regular season game at Wembley Stadium in London.  On the surface, this looks like a great idea.  It looks like something that could bring an international audience to America’s version of professional football.  When you look past the initial reasoning for such a decision, though, there’s no doubt that sending two teams 1,000 miles to play a football game is a major handicap for those squads.

As if the hapless Dolphins didn’t have enough on their proverbial plate, they now have to deal with playing a football game in another country.  For the corporate suits who never played a down of football, this seems like a great idea.  After all, football players would love to be able to take a visit to London during the middle of the season, right?  That notion is categorically and emphatically wrong.  When you combine the effect of a flight across the world, a long bus ride from the airport to the stadium, and the overlying hangover effect the entire ordeal, it’s easy to see why some might be displeased with the situation.

Dolphins linebacker Chinning Crowder, a proud former student at the University of Florida, had an interesting take on the trip.  In what is sure to be one of the sound bytes of the year, Crowder proudly announced that he didn’t even know where London was.  Though his comments probably gave the PR department in Miami a major headache, they do raise an interesting question about the approach to this game.  He probably didn’t mean to, but Crowder actually made us think about how ridiculous it is to try to play this sort of exhibition showcase during the middle of the season.

If we’re going to try to export our product for the sake of the almighty dollar, shouldn’t we be trying to present the best game that we have to offer?  Instead of sending, say, the Colts and Patriots to London for a battle, we’re sending a tired Dolphins team to get beat up on by an improving Giants team.  Though New York has played better in recent weeks, they’re still not a team that inspires awe.  The premise of having tired, unmotivated NFL players running around the soccer pitch in England sounds pretty ridiculous when you think about it.  The NFL usually gets it right, but this time, they’ve dropped the ball.  Hopefully this game will turn out to be such a flop that no one considers such a scenario ever again.

When a once proud franchise falls upon hard times, a number of emotions are inevitably launched. Miami, home to the NFL’s only unbeaten season, one of its best quarterbacks, and a legendary coach, is now the laughing stock of the NFL. They’ve gotten so bad that they NFL is shipping them off to London to play this week. In all honesty, that was planned before the season, but it would be completely conceivable and absolutely defensible had the decision been made yesterday.

To be fair, the Dolphins have had their share of bad breaks this year. No one could have predicted that Trent Green would try to stop a 300 pound defensive lineman with the crown of his head. No one could have foreseen Ronnie Brown, the franchise’s only true franchise player, blowing out his knee while trying to make a tackle. One thing is for certain, though. The Dolphins should never be this bad, for any reason.

How does a team let itself get in a position where Cleo Lemon is the starting quarterback at the mid-way point of the season? They pitch their fortunes on an aging, declining quarterback with a history of concussions. They neglect to take Brady Quinn in the first round of the draft, then look for sympathy when that aging, concussion prone quarterback takes a knee to the noggin. If it’s sympathy the Dolphins are looking for, they better be looking elsewhere, though. In this writer’s eyes, they’ve only got themselves to blame.

I’m not just one to criticize, though. I’ll offer a solution to Cam Cameron and the hapless fish. Do what all the great losers do. Mail it in, lose all of your games from here on out, and claim the number one overall pick. Brian Brohm is the prize that awaits you for having to endure this miserable season and he’s certain to be an upgrade over what’s currently under center. Don’t worry that Don Shula, Larry Czonka, and the boys are embarrassed. The franchise is in a world of hurt and there’s no quick fix that’s going to bring any help in the immediate future.

Forget about all of that NFC vs. AFC baloney. On Sunday afternoon in Dallas, the New England Patriots weren’t out there playing for conference pride. They were, instead, playing to dispel any notions that there might be another team not named Indianapolis who could put up a fight. It was billed as a Super Bowl Preview. It was discussed as the battle of star quarterbacks and problem receivers. At the end of the day, America found out that Brady and Moss are a combination that can’t be touched.

New England ended up winning the game by 17 big points, a margin that has become their calling card as of late. During much of the game, it didn’t even look like Dallas should have been on the same field, though. Terrell Owens was frustrated, but Dallas still had its chances on offense. In typical New England fashion, the Patriots just never let it get too close. When Dallas made a run, Brady would respond by tossing a long one to Randy Moss. At the end of the day, the former Super Bowl MVP had surpassed his career best of four touchdowns by tossing five.

Where do these two teams go from here? For the Patriots, the answer is simple. They should keep rolling along until their November 4th clash in Indianapolis. There’s some speculation among football minds that the Patriots have a legitimate chance at running the table. That seems a bit premature at this juncture, though.

What are we to make of the Cowboys, who have looked both impressive and abysmal on their way to 5-1? At this point, I think it’s fair to call them like we see them. They’re an above average football team with lots of holes. In the NFC, that might be a good enough situation on which to stake a claim. There’s no reason to go parading them around as a Super Bowl contender just yet, though. Until the Cowboys find some semblance of a pass defense, they will be susceptible against any team that has the nerve to put the ball in the air.

In the end, the “Super Bowl preview” turned out to just be another game between the Patriots and some unworthy contender. For all the hype that both sides accumulated, the Dallas team came out with a resounding thud for the second straight week in the national spotlight. After watching that effort, don’t be surprised if it’s difficult for me buy into the hype for another October showdown.

Forget all of those teams who passed on Adrian Peterson in the draft. Some cited his health issues. Some didn’t know if his upright running style would translate well to the NFL game. Forget them all. Adrian Peterson put his stamp on a game for the first time on Sunday against one of the NFL’s best defenses and it won’t be the last time.

Can Adrian Peterson stay healthy for the duration of a season? That is a question that must certainly be answered over the course of his career. Everyone will certainly be rooting for a guy with such supreme talent. He’s as big and as strong as any running back to hit the NFL in the last twenty years. If he can manage to stay healthy, Peterson has the ability to be one of the finest ball carriers to ever play in the NFL.

What makes Peterson so great, you ask? He runs with a purpose and a determination that no other running back in the league can match. He doesn’t have to run over you, but he will. He doesn’t need to run around you, but he can. Peterson doesn’t ever want to be tackled. He doesn’t ever settle for only picking up five yards. Unless you stop him, he’s going to get that 6th and 7th yard. Peterson’s coming out party on Sunday was only the start of great things to come. He might be stuck in the great, cold north, but you can bet that this running back will make a name for himself.

When it’s all said and done, there are going to be some angry general managers in the National Football League. Much like Michael Jordan punished executives for passing him over during the NBA draft, Peterson will make people wonder how he ever slipped out of the top 5. Expect him to take home the NFC’s offensive rookie of the year award and don’t be the least bit surprised if he gives the Vikings a fighting chance in the majority of their games. For a team with such limited offensive personnel, they sure did look good running right over the Chicago Bears.

It wasn’t too long ago that the Carolina Panthers were celebrating an NFC championship and playing against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Though it was only 2004, which seems like a short time ago, a whole lot has changed in Carolina since that time.

When I say that a whole lot has changed, I really mean that not much has changed at all. In 2007, that’s what is hurting this version of the Panthers. Since winning that NFC championship, the Panthers have done little to make their team better. Since then, they’ve scraped their way into the playoffs once and have yet to really challenge for a title since then. So, what gives?

The Panthers team that went to the Super Bowl way back when was a team full of gritty, grind it out veterans. You might remember names like Mike Minter, Will Witherspoon, Mushin Muhammad, and Ricky Proehl. Running the ball was Stephen Davis. Those names are long gone, now. Some departed via free agency, while others simply called it quits. The end result has not been pretty for Carolina and its fans, who are all collectively wondering, “What happened?”

What happened was that the team got complacent, soft, and old. The front office has done little to improve the players on the field and people have soured on coach John Fox’s boring style of play. Just last week, the Panthers were drubbed at home by division rival Tampa Bay. That loss, which was their fourth straight at Bank of American Stadium, was conceded early in the fourth quarter when Fox elected to punt on a fourth down with his team trailing by three touchdowns. The boos that resulted were directed at the play in particular, but you could feel the fans voicing their displeasure for three seasons gone bad.

With only one offensive weapon in Steve Smith, the Panthers are unbearably pedestrian on offense. The once strong defense, which used to be their calling card, is now getting gashed by running backs like Earnest Graham. In a word, things in Carolina are ugly. Even Julius Peppers looks like he’s mailed it in for the remainder of the year.

Don’t count on Carolina turning it around anytime soon. Until ownership makes some wholesale changes in the front office and on the sidelines, the same old boring team will continue to let down their home fans in a characteristic begrudging manner.

The Dallas Cowboys have taken a somewhat unusual route to 5-0. Their offense has been dominating at times, their defense has been uncharacteristically susceptible, and they seem to be brimming with confidence. Before heading to Buffalo on Monday night, the Cowboys looked like the team to beat in the NFC. When they left New York State, they were 5-0, but something had changed. Buffalo threw the game away, but they exposed Dallas in a sense.

For the first four weeks, quarterback Tony Romo had been doing his best Brett Favre impersonation from the mid-90s. On Monday night, he looked like the Brett Favre of 2005. Romo rushed lots of his throws, relying on arm strength while tossing off of his back foot. He looked as if he was trying to throw the ball into double and triple coverage. Buffalo took two of his interceptions back for touchdowns and had him flustered the entire night. Still, the Cowboys somehow managed to escape with a victory. After the game, Terrell Owens acted as if nothing had changed. News flash to T.O.: this isn’t your normal 5-0 team.

The time of accountability is coming for Dallas on Sunday. They come home to face the also undefeated New England Patriots, who have been the toast of the NFL thus far. If the Cowboys want to escape that game with a perfect record in tact, they better bring their best to Texas Stadium. New England has an explosive offense of their own and they haven’t come close to struggling with anybody.

It still remains to be seen how good the NFC is and just how dominant the Patriots are. They’ve rolled over every team in their path in typical Patriot fashion. Sunday’s game in Dallas could serve as something of a statement game for them, as well. If it is possible for a Super Bowl dynasty to feel slightly disrespected, it might happen on Sunday. New England coach Bill Belichick never needs a whole lot to get his team ready to play. The chance to put Dallas back in its place could serve as that little boost that the Patriots need to move to 6-0.

Whatever happens on Sunday, it still appears that Dallas has some question marks that need to be answered. If New England continues to expose a seemingly vulnerable pass defense, Dallas could be in for some long days for the rest of the season.

It wasn’t long ago that the San Diego Chargers were on top of the football world. This time last year, the powder blue jerseys were carving up the competition and making people look silly on their way to a fantastic 14-2 season. In a mere 365 days, the franchise has taken a 180 degree turn, though. No longer are the Chargers the toast of the NFL and they’ve got only themselves to blame for it.

Imagine operating the most successful business in the private sector. Your employees are happy, your quarterly returns are good, and stock holders have never been more supportive of your corporation. Your CEO is, by all accounts, one of the most well respected and successful business leaders in the world. Then, one bad decision puts your organization into a minor setback. Any smart business owner would have his people regroup and forge forward with the trusted business plan, right? Not if you’re the San Diego Chargers. General Manager A.J. Smith got mad when the team dropped its playoff game to New England last fall. Not only did he get mad, but he threw a kindergarten-type fit in letting go Marty Schottenheimer.

“Marty ball” wasn’t the most popular brand of football to ever be played, but it was extremely success. After all, you don’t win fourteen regular season games by accident. A.J. Smith wanted more control, though. He fired the successful head coach and went out and got himself a drone. Norv Turner had a career losing record, but that didn’t bother Smith. Now, the GM has all of the control and he’s starting to find out just how smart he isn’t.

The Chargers narrowly escape week one with a win over the similarly hapless Chicago Bears. Since then, they haven’t even been close to winning. Philip Rivers seems to have regressed in a year where he should be developing. What’s the result of all of this? The Chargers are staring 8-8 right in the face if they don’t turn it around. It’s not like anyone should be surprised by this, though. When A.J. Smith opted to let his ego get in the way instead of making a clear headed football decision, he set up the organization to fail. Now that he’s the man with all of the control, he’s also the guy with all of the responsibility. Don’t be surprised if the next person to fall under the Charger employment axe is Smith himself.

Anyone who felt the least bit of remorse for Michael Vick, as I did, when he gave his heartfelt apology two weeks ago should now be reconsidering his or her stance. Faced with the prospect of the loss of millions of dollars, his freedom, and his NFL career, the former Falcons quarterback just can’t seem to stay out of his own way.

I’m no expert on the finer points of marijuana or NFL discipline, but I’d venture to guess that Vick’s positive test this week might have put the final, fatal nail into his proverbial coffin. After being convicted of a couple of run-of-the-mill felonies, Vick was lucky to be able to spend some time at home prior to sentencing. As is usually the case with Vick, he took that freedom for granted and made a complete mockery of the law once again.

How this recent transgression impacts his impending prison term and subsequent NFL sentence remains to be seen. My money is on Roger Goddell in this fight, though. What is certain is that Vick is toast in the court of public opinion. Even the staunchest Vick supporters have to be scratching their heads at this point. Though his apology seemed contrite and seemed to echo the right sentiments, he has effectively wasted every bit of good will that might have been accrued on that day.

Meanwhile, Vick’s former team sits at 0-3 and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of tunnel. The new quarterback is Joey Harrington and aside from avoiding the law, he’s been anything but good. Against their hated I-85 rivals from Carolina on Sunday, the Dirty Birds let victory slip through their fingers at home because of some untimely D’Angelo Hall penalties and an overall offensive ineffectiveness that would have made Rex Grossman proud.

Hall was not only flagged for 64 yards worth of penalties during a critical second half drive, but he also showed his distaste for new head coach Bobby Petrino by publicly berating the former Louisville head man on the Georgia Dome sidelines. Hall’s penalty? He’ll pay $100,000 in fines and sit out a little bit of the Falcons’ next game. As if things couldn’t get any worse for the organization, the man coming to town this weekend is former Falcon backup Matt Schaub, who has led the Houston Texas to a 2-1 record thus far.

Roger Goodell hasn’t been the head of the NFL for long, but the new commissioner has already put his personal stamp on the league in his short time on top. Among Goodell’s most important ventures was a campaign against some of the league’s bad boys. Though most have accepted that a league-wide cleanup is a positive move, how much is too much? When does coming down hard on players become too severe of a punishment?

Goodell’s prime target in this character revitalization has been Tennessee Titans corner Adam “Pacman” Jones. The West Virginia product has seen his share of troubles over the last couple of years. From strip clubs to shootings (usually at the strip clubs), Jones seems content to be the face of a criminal movement that Goodell thinks will bring down the league. Following Jones’ felony indictment in Las Vegas this spring, the commish slapped a year long suspension on him. That leads to the question, “How much is too much?”

With so many players in the NFL, is it even possible to police the entire league? Though the head man looks set on applying an across the board policy, it looks like he might have overstepped his bounds a little bit with the Jones suspension. Should a player lose an entire year for a couple of simple transgressions? Should an off the field situation cost the star five or six million dollars in salary that can never be recouped? Those questions and more are ones that must be answered before the NFL goes forward with their policy.

It’s true that the NFL must keep their league in check. In reality, their guys really aren’t that bad, though. With almost 1,500 human beings running around, there are bound to be a few bad apples. As long as those rotten pieces of fruit are out earning money for Goodell and the owners, they are fine with any number of transgressions. When the offseason rolls around, though, they change their tune in an attempt to keep a clean image.

Roger Goodell would be much better suited taking a common sense approach to his punishments. Keeping players in line is a noble goal, but taking six million dollars from a man seems a little bit over the top. Even after he makes an example of Adam Jones, there will be many more players who screw up and get in trouble. Is Goodell willing to strip them of their livelihoods, as well? Here’s to hoping that the answer is no.