Pick of the Week

We're in for quite an intriguing matchup this Sunday, to say the least.

Led by Peyton Manning, the undeafeated Colts will be taking on their rival Patriots. The return of Tom Brady only elevates things. These two have been the face of the NFL this decade. And it's easy to see why. Several things factor into a successful rivalry.

What are they, you ask? For starters, both teams have to obviously be at least somewhat good. Clearly the Patriots and Colts are more than that (the Colts lead the league with 109 victories for the decade, the Patriots are second at 108). But there's more to it than that.

Secondly, there cannot be a huge imbalance of power. I'm not saying that it has to be real even, but the teams must be capable of competing with each other in order for the game to be interesting. The Colts and Pat's have always been like that. Neither has really blown the other out since the rivalry started.

So you've got the good teams and the balance of talent, but that's not always enough. Something additional is required. Not neccesarily hate, but something that can make things interesting. The Colts and Patriots made it interesting in the 2007 AFC Championship Game, when Indy overcame a 21-6 deficit to advance to the Super Bowl, where they would win.

It's been a while since these teams met, which only makes it better. They have been caged so long that they're coming roaring out like wild animals.

So... the pick. Right now I'd say that the Colts are the best team in the league, with the possible exception of the Vikings. And the game is in Indianapolis. But the Colts are without Bob Sanders, not a good thing when you're facing Tom Brady.

This will definitely be a shootout, and I'm going with the Patriots to pull off the upset.

2-3 so far this season