For all the yammering about nuclear options and assassination anniversaries and other wild news, this weekend there is only one big bang. The big guns are being positioned on the battlefield.
Brady v. Manning. Manning v. Brady. Mano a mano. Bieber versus Sourface. The battle of the soon to be middle age bulges. Broncos and Pats at the Big Razor in Foxboro. Or is it Foxborough? I am liable to use either one, so watch out. Same joint.
But let’s not dawdle, this is all about The Man With The Golden Gun; i.e. Peyton Manning. Yes yes, I know some lady who won’t send me a rhubarb pie will be along to talk about how Tom Brady is a pron god and Peyton is a sucky face, and all, but here in this post Peyton, and his golden gun, rulz! This careful salting of trash talk aside, the Donkos could easily get Lectric Shaved in the Big Razor. It really is maybe the most compelling game on the NFL season to date.
Despite a bump on the noggin triggering NFL concussion protocols, Wes Welker looks determined to try to give Bill Belichick hell. Ad who can blame him for that? Donks TE Julius Thomas is banged up and “questionable”with a knee strain. But that still leaves Peyton and his Golden Gun with Wes Welker, Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Not to mention Knowshon Moreno. Sorry, that beats the Pats Gronk and Riddler. Even if he is healthy, Aqib Talib can’t cover all the Bronco’s threats, ergo advantage Donks. On defense, NEVER count out a Belichick designed scheme; however, on talent the matchup is again not in the Pat’s favor. But Denver is starting to gel with Von Miller starting to settle back in to an already competent group. Bottom line is, the facts favor Denver all the way here, but it is in Foxboro and Pats have been inconsistent lately. Precisely when Belichick and Brady strike. So, it is a pick em, and worthy of all the build up.
Other pro jobs worth working are Cowboys at Gents. Shockingly, as lemon faced sucky as Eli and the Giants have been, if they beat the ‘Boys, they will pull even with Philadelphia and Dallas in the loss column (hey, Skins ain’t gonna beat the Niners). That is just stupid enough to mean it WILL happen, Eli and the Giants make a move. I’ll be hoping for a third win in a row for the Bucs against the Lions, but won’t hold my breath on that. Jets at Ravens could be a bruiser. Lastly, the real barnburner of the week may be Colts at the Cards in the Big Toaster. Colts are 7-3, but seemingly not invincible lately, and the Cards 6-4, but very tough at home. This really has the makings of a superb game. My better instincts say Colts, but gonna go with the heart here and take Spidey Fitzgerald and the Cards.
Turns out that not ALL football this weekend involves Manning and Brady. No, there are student athletes playing ball as well. BCS busters Northern Illinois and University of Central Florida have both already won solidly. Which is very cool. A lot of people will say Texas A+M at LSU in baton rouge is the big game. They may be right. Johnny Football is playing for the Heisman, and has a chip on his shoulder. He will play like it and down the Tigers in a huge win.
But the biggest game in these here parts is the ASU Sun Devils versus the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Huge game, and I thought about going. Probably should have done so. Both teams are 8-2, but the Devils have only one conference loss so far to the Bruins’ two. Simple enough: Devils win, they almost certainly go to the Pac-12 conference championship game, lose and they almost certainly do not. Big stakes. ASU is hard to figure out this year; sometimes they look really good, sometimes not so much and only lucky. Hard to read. Honestly, they outplayed Notre Dame, and should have won that game and been 9-1 now. but they did not. Still not sure they are that good though. This game will tell whether they belong or not.
There you have it. Roll this joint people.