Turn on the hype machine.

Sports journalist across the country have already begun to hype up this weeks match up between the two undefeated AFC juggernauts: the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots. Surely you can expect plenty of Brady vs Manning, Belichick vs Dungy, maybe some Maroney vs Addai, Moss vs Harrison, and if you’re like one ESPN columnist, good vs evil.

Don’t fall into the hype and believe that’s why this game is important. It surely is important, but for a very different reason. This game could easily determine who gains home field advantage in the playoffs, and if these two teams are lucky enough, home field advantage in a potential rematch in the AFC Championship game. That is the only reason this game is important.

So as you watch ESPN and other sports shows this week and follow the hype-a-thon for this game keep in mind that there is one reason why it’s important. Sure, Brady vs Manning is always sexy and we haven’t seen a quarterback rivalry like this one in a long time, but there are more to these two teams than their quarterbacks.

I mean why can’t this be a contest between Howard Mudd and Dante Scarnecchia? Wait, who? They are the offensive line coaches of the Colts and Patriots, respectively, and the reason why their future Hall of Fame quarterbacks get so much time in the pocket.

Oh, and do keep in mind that while the media is labeling this as the “Game of the Century,” it’ll be awfully difficult to outdo the gem these two teams played in in the 2006 AFC Championship.

Instead, enjoy a hardy laugh at the media’s coverage and sit back on Sunday and enjoy not only Colts vs Patriots, Belichick vs Dungy, and Manning vs Brady, but also Mudd vs Scarnecchia.

Those darn Patriots.

Those Patriots. Who do they think they are? How dare they come out after an emotional week for their coach and dismantle the most sexy SuperBowl pick this year! How dare they focus and use bulletin board material and come out ready to play. How dare they believe in their “cheating” coach.

No no, wait. How dare us. In the midst of the media absolutely smacking Belichick and the Patriots with the “cheater” tag and questioning their past success we kind of forgot who they were. They’re the New England Patriots. Winners of three SuperBowls. The team with arguably the best quarterback in the game and the best head coach in the game. The most consistent team on draft day for the past six years. The team who’s played amazing defense and has had late game rallies and Superbowl winning last second field goals.

Where did this “cheater” tag come from? If I recall correctly, stealing signals isn’t cheating. And it’s not the reason the Patriots and Belichick got in trouble. No, if people actually payed attention instead of jumping on the creme of the crop in the NFL(people tend to hate the best, the whole jealousy thing you know), they’d know that the Patriots got in trouble for breaking a rule. They used a camera on the sideline. Stealing signals is perfectly fine, more than half the teams in the NFL have done it and probably still do it. Now that the Patriots dismantled the Chargers and reminded us who they really are, I suggest we do what Belichick and the Patriots do best each week. Move on to the next game.

Around the NFL…

I’m sure the Saints are wondering why they didn’t attempt to get a premier defensive player in the draft. Maybe Robert Meachem can be converted to corner? If he can stay with the wide receivers on deep routes he’s already better than Fred Thomas.

Why is it that head coaches inherit teams that can’t excel at their speciality? For example, both Tony Dungy and Marvin Lewis are defensive coaches yet their defenses don’t particularly play that great. Scott Linehan is an offensive coach and the Rams can’t score. Why?

I have an odd feeling Donovan McNabb has little left in his tank and it saddens me. McNabb has stood up to adversity in Philly ever since the day he was drafted and now with the drafting of Kevin Kolb in addition to an 0 – 2 start worries me. McNabb does all he can with what he has and he carried Philly as much as he could tonight. He just wasn’t able to be the McNabb of old that did it with less.

The 49ers must be very happy they’ve started out 2 – 0, cause they’ve got Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Baltimore coming up. Ouch.

The Colts have crept by this week with all the attention on the Chargers and Patriots, but their defense was very solid led again by super player Bob Sanders. The Colts just found a way to get it done on the road in a close game.

Am I the only one that hopes Kitna’s 10 game guarantee comes true? The dude plays with so much heart it’s fun watching him play. Just 8 more victories in 14 games. They have a decent shot at it and they have Philly next.