Throwdowns > Completed

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  • October 03, 2007 02:29 PM ET

The Colts and Patriots will both be undefeated when they face each other in Week 9.

James Quintong (2-1-0) vs The 10 Spot (1-0-0)
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Indianapolis and New England are once again the class of the AFC, and they're on a collision course for a battle of unbeatens when they meet on Nov. 4. The Patriots have been dominant across the board, while the Colts have been effective if not overly flashy in posting another perfect September record. There could be some bumps along the way in October, but both teams seem suited to overcome them to set up a very hyped showdown in the first week of November.


Slow down there, JQ. My calendar could be wrong, but isn???t Nov. 4 a full month away? Has the NFL decided that games will no longer be contested on the field? How long have I been asleep?

Lots of things can go wrong on the way to these supposed Battles of the Unbeatens. Take college football, where this weekend was supposed to feature two such showdowns -- Oklahoma vs. Texas and Florida vs. LSU. That was before three of the four teams suffered upsets last week, perhaps looking ahead. NFL historians might remember 1990, when it appeared a lock that the 49ers and Giants would both be 11-0 heading into a Monday Night epic. Only the Giants stubbed their toe the week before against their NFC East rival, the Eagles. (Hey, remember when the NFC was actually good? But I digress.)

Might either the Pats or Colts enter Week 9 undefeated? Quite possibly. But both? It seems you???ve gotten into Ricky Williams??? stash. Consider that even during the Pats??? terrific run since 2001, they???ve never started better than 6-0. The Cowboys (Week 6 in Dallas) might not let them get that far.


Sure, all sorts of wackiness can happen, but since there are rumblings that the Patriots could go undefeated, why not start looking ahead to matchups that might challenge the streak -- and why not the Colts, who finally got their due in the AFC title game.

The Patriots have a toughie in Dallas next week, but Rodney Harrison is back, as if they needed more defensive help. And remember what Eli Manning did to the Cowboys secondary in Week 1 -- think Brady can do the same thing? Then come winnable games against Miami and Washington before the Colts.

The Colts have a bunch of injuries, but Peyton Manning is still there and he should have enough to beat the Bucs. A well-timed bye in Week 6 will get them healed up for road games against the Jags and Panthers before New England. It'll be tough, but it's not impossible.


If one looks at each individual game, certainly, there are plenty of good reasons to think the Colts and Patriots will continue to win. Both teams will likely be favored to win each game they play until they meet on Nov. 4.

Where you lose me, however, is in taking for granted that ALL of these likelihoods will in fact come true without a single hiccup. We're talking seven combined victories (I am willing to grant that the Colts can't possibly lose during their bye week) without a loss, on top of the eight combined wins the teams have already. What about potential injuries -- or as we've already seen with the Colts, actual injuries? Or the even more common NFL malady of a team having an off day? Weren't the Chargers supposed to clobber the Chiefs last week, with the Steelers waltzing over the Cardinals? How did those work out?

So I'll certainly grant that both the Pats and Colts have nothing but winnable games in the month of October. I???m simply not ready to agree that they will, in fact, win ALL of those games.


Thanks for trying to wreck my dreams of a marquee battle of unbeatens, Pete! Of course, nothing is a sure thing in the NFL and obviously things can change on a dime. But it's a more than just wishful thinking that the Patriots and Colts can run the table this month before they meet in Week 9.

I'm sure neither team is looking that far ahead (that's what we're here for) and rather playing "one week at a time." But by taking things week by week, both teams will know how to get their firepower in order, depending on injuries or whatnot that will hit. Besides, do you think Bill Belichick or Tony Dungy will have their players thinking that far ahead?

And if you're so sure that at least one of those teams are going to lose this month, give me a game where you think one of them will go down. As you mentioned, they're both likely going to be favored in all of their games throughout this month. Which team will pull off the upset and play the spoiler like all of those college teams did last week?

Make your pick and I'll hope against hope that it doesn't happen -- and then drown in all the hype of the next installment of Colts vs. Patriots.


I must give you points for creativity, JQ. I should expect nothing less from a real-life Jeopardy! champion. Alas, such mental agility won't lead to enough Throwdown votes to turn around this blowout. Not even Alex Trebek can save you now.

Very clever effort to turn the tables by asking me to predict which specific game either the Colts or Patriots will lose. Alas, the debate as presented requires YOU to put all your logical eggs in one basket to win, not me. Sorry. You need the two teams to go a combined 7-0 before Nov. 4. I just need one measly defeat to sneak in there, and it really doesn't matter where or when.

Could the Colts lose at Jacksonville Oct. 22? Sounds unlikely, but they did last year. The Pats couldn't possibly bungle things at Miami on Oct. 21, could they? Crazy talk, certainly, though last year's 21-0 loss there was equally nutty. Maybe the Cowboys, Bucs, Redskins, Panthers or Browns could do the honors? Who knows? But all I need is one.

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October 3, 2007  03:32 PM ET
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Week 9 is alot of cheating away.....lol, It's hard to believe both will be undefeated. But i'll continue to read the TD before voting.

October 3, 2007  03:35 PM ET
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Remember when the NFC was actually good? The AFC has what? 3 good teams to go with their 13 poor teams? Last I checked the Cowboys and Packers were 4-0, and the Bucs, Giants and Seahawks were playing pretty solid football. And by the way, through 4 weeks the AFC-NFC matchups are 8-8.

And honestly, arguing an NFL topic and the best you can come up with is college football....ehh...I'm not impressed.

October 3, 2007  03:39 PM ET
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Fair points, Mr. Gruden. Though your evident NFL mastery is somewhat undermined by misspelling your first name as "John" rather than "Jon." Of course, since you only sleep three hours a night, it's easy to see how you'd slip up.

October 3, 2007  03:41 PM ET
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burn

October 3, 2007  04:08 PM ET
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This is a ridiculous TD, I agree with John, not Jon...to bring up college points in your first argument is a little strange. I'm sick and tired of everyone talking about these two teams and them being undefeated. Its Week four for God's sake. The Patriots play in the worst division in the NFL, so they will be there with six easy division wins. The Colts...I'm not sold on them yet. They are still the best team due in part to the fact that they have not lost a game since December 06', but c'mon guys... enough about these teams and there star quarterback's. Let's talk about something else for now, and hold off TD's like this untill they get into the meaty part of their respective schedules.

October 3, 2007  04:09 PM ET
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That matchup is too far away for a throwdown like this. In the NFL any team can lose on any given week to anyone. That is part of the beauty of it all.

October 3, 2007  04:10 PM ET
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Lets see what the Colts rash of injuries shows...can they do it without Addai and Bob Sanders? the answer is no.

October 3, 2007  04:18 PM ET
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Colts have played too shaky to say they will surely beat Tampa this Sunday.

October 3, 2007  04:27 PM ET
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Well considering that the Texans (who managed to beat the Colts last year) almost beat them this year, I'd say the Colts are the more vulnerable team...sure they have weapons but their victories this year (aside from the Saints) haven't been as impressive and convincing as NE (plus Indy has many more injuries).

So much though, for all the experts pointing at the AFC superiority. That whole whooping 3 teams (Indy, NE, and Pittsburgh).

October 3, 2007  04:35 PM ET
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Indy, NE, and Pittsburgh would whoop up all over the Packers though, and that was your point, wasnt it 42?

October 3, 2007  05:02 PM ET
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Hail2daSkins...don't forget they are without number 88 for only the third time in his career!

October 3, 2007  05:18 PM ET
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IT true there is miracles===Pete is winning at something .LOL

October 3, 2007  05:40 PM ET
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Anyone ever stop to think that Indy's gameplan has completely changed from that of 2 yrs ago?

How many times did they blow opponents out last year? 1ce!

They play the grind it out game, it gives more thrill, and keeps the mind occupied rather then blowing them out, and the mind wandering half way through the game.

October 3, 2007  05:48 PM ET
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True Cankles, have to give some love to my fellow Syracuse grad...marvin, Sanders, Addai...all dinged up? scary trap game I smell..

October 4, 2007  11:19 AM ET
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Indy, NE, and Pittsburgh would whoop up all over the Packers though, and that was your point, wasnt it 42?

Cassidy's House | 10/03/07

Um no, I don't remember mentioning the Packers. And considering that Indy, NE, or Pitt hasn't played any of the top NFC teams yet, that the AFC is not a superior conference....that and I don't think the Steelers would whip the Packers...they might win, but probably not in a one-sided affair.

October 4, 2007  11:21 AM ET
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Colts have played too shaky to say they will surely beat Tampa this Sunday.

Cassidy's House | 10/03/07

So if you say the Colts look too shak\y to surely beat Tampa and then go on to post that Indy would surely whoop the Pack, then you are a hypocrite. If you have doubts about Indy's ability to beat the Bucs, then how can you say they wouldn't be shaky against the Pack (I think we can agree the Pack > Bucs).

October 4, 2007  11:54 AM ET
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Glad to see you joing the Throwdown fun Pete.

October 4, 2007  12:13 PM ET
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I hate it when these SI "Writers" do not use their ENTIRE 1,200 characters (or close to it). Kind of sad in my opinion that they can't atleast get close to filling it up.

 
October 4, 2007  12:33 PM ET
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Nah, I wouldn't bet on both teams being undefeated by Nov. 4. Indy is playing well despite the injuries. New England seems invincible, but they have a tough matchup in two weeks against Dallas.

It's possible they could be undefeated when they meet, but I wouldn't put money on it.

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