1.)  Watch the pockets.  Neither one of these quarterbacks are easy to sack.  Brady has had time to read War and Peace in between surveying the field to decide in which direction to lob the ball up to Randy Moss.  Manning goes down less than once a game. If either team can create pressure on the QB, the game might get out of hand.

2.)  Watch Dallas Clark.  That Pats were murdered by Clark last January, and went out and signed speedy hybrid linebacker Adalius Thomas to help cover him.  Additionally, Rodney Harrison took a bunch of steroids so he could be healthy enough to play this year.  If Clark can keep getting open, the Pats are in trouble.

3.)  Watch the running lanes. The Pats struggled mightily to stop the run in Dallas, but lucky for them, the Cowboys kept calling passing plays.  The Colts are a top 5 running team for the first time in a long time.  If Joe Addai can find creases, this game will tilt toward the Colts.

4.)  Watch for the little men in white coats.  Bill Belichick has coached this season as if he’s on crack, madly stomping through any one who stands in his way.  I’d be prepared for anything from him this game.  If the Colts win, he might go insane.  If the Pats get a lead, he might just start ordering Brady to throw deep every play.  There really is no telling what he’ll do.

5.)  Watch for tornados.  In prepping his underdog Bucs team for a game with the offensive juggernaught Rams in the playoffs, Tony told his team they were like a tornado that strikes unexpectedly as opposed to this unstoppable force hurricane in the Rams.  That team lost the game thanks to a freaky call by the officials, but held the Rams to 12 points.  Dungy will have the boys ready to go.

6.)  Watch for the greatest ever debate.  Manning versus Brady is even making us sick now, but it’s all you’ll hear all day.  Forget the fact that this game is just the precursor to the real show in January, it’ll be treated as if it settles all issues for all time.  It doesn’t.

7.)  Watch Bethea and the Zombie helping on Moss.  Sanders is short, but hits hard, so it’ll be interesting to see how often he has to help on Randy Moss who is tall, but wussy.  The Colts ability to knock down or pick off the random lobs that Brady wishes up to Moss could decide the game.

8.)  Watch Wes Welker vs Gary Brackett.  Welker loves to work the middle of the field and exploit matchups on #3 corners and linebackers.  Gary Brackett is an excellent cover linebacker.  Look for Welker to take big hits across the middle, especially early in the game.

9.)  Watch for screens and draws.  The Pats are a smart team, and early in the January game took advantage of draws against the Colts D to convert early third downs.  Unfortunately, for them, Larry Maroney was horrible in the 2^nd half and couldn’t gain a yard.  He also doesn’t catch well out of the backfield.  When Faulk is in the game especially, watch for plays designed to exploit the Colts overpursuit.

10.)  Watch Dwight Freeney.  For years now, Freeney has always played biggest in big games.  He was a beast two weeks ago in Jacksonville, and a big game from him could turn this game.

11.)  Watch Kelvin Hayden vs. Dante Stallworth.  Hayden gives HUGE cusion, but hits big.  Stallworth is a serious deep threat, but has been racking up huge yards after catches on short throws this year.  Hayden’s style would seem perfect for shutting down Stallworth.

12.)  Watch Marvin Harrison’s knee.  If Marvin can play effectively, it’ll go a long way toward making the Colts utterly unstoppable.  Meanwhile, Asante Samuel likes to jump routes but can be beaten deep because of it.  Watch for Peyton to fake the quick hitch and throw long on Samuel.  He didn't practice Thursday and is doubtful.

13.)  Watch for Bryan Fletcher to come out of nowhere.  Fletcher has been mostly a non-factor since his clutch performance in the AFC title game in January.  Even if Adalius Thomas can cover Clark, which Linebacker is going to cover the fleet footed Fletcher?

14.)  Watch.  Because you don’t have a choice.  The poor souls in Houston and Cleveland don’t get this game.  The rest of the country does.  Viewers in Houston have been calling in demanding that the CBS affiliate show this game instead of Texans vs. Raiders.  Seriously.

15.)  Watch my blind rage.  Just when they had stopped winning championships the Pats find themselves on the right side of one of the worst trades in NFL history.  Suddenly I hate them as much if not more than I did three years ago.  It’s going to be an ugly scene inside the dome.  I’d hate to be a visiting fan.

16.)  Watch the classic match up of offense vs. defense.  We’re used to that phrase when Indy meets New England.  This time, however, the Colts are the team with the stifling defense.  The Colts have allowed only five passing touchdowns all season, and they allow only 165 yards per game through the air.  These numbers lead the league. 

17.)  Watch the officials.  The experts are vastly underrating the home field advantage for the Colts, and I’m not talking about the incredible crowd noise.  In the last match up the officials were pretty kind to the Colts.  They hit the Pats with a roughing the passer penalty at the best possible moment.  They even called a defensive penalty (face-guarding) that isn’t on the books any more.  It was all very fitting after the years of horrendous officiating at Gillette Stadium.

18.)  Watch America embrace the Colts.  People hate the Patriots, and for good reason.  They get people pregnant, videotape opponents, steal other peoples’ wives, run up the score, inject Human Growth Hormone, fake injuries, jam radio signals, dance at midfield, and make trades for miscreants.  So while Tom Brady is the official quarterback of France, the Colts are America’s Team.  At least for one Sunday.

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