A black hole?  Nothing but a giant center of inertia whose primary role is to suck.

The only thing I love more than blowouts its playing games that barely count because we've clinched.  Technically, this week's game means a little bit, but a win would put the regular season to bed.  This week be ready to:

1. Watch the pregame introductions.  Or else you’ll have no hope of knowing who is playing for the Colts on defense.  Without any of the normal guys starting on the D line, the Colts are playing up to four rookies at once.  Yikes.
2. Watch for Dom Rhodes…to not play.  Justin Fargas has been the man for Oakland this season, and Dom has slid down the depth chart and fallen out of favor with the coaches.  It’s been a tough road for Dom ever since he walked off the field in Miami and announced he was going to Disney World.  We still wish him the best.
3. Watch for a classic battle of #1 overall picks.  Or just watch the Colts and Raiders game.  JaMarcus Russell is expected to run the team for a couple of drives on Sunday.  Marlin Jackson was heard chuckling to himself over on 56^th Street.
4. Watch for rest.  The Colts can lock up all they can possibly hope to lock up by winning on Sunday.  Depending on the results of the Jags/Steelers game, Indy could be set as the 2 seed by end of play on Sunday.
5. Watch for the evolution of AG.  Before the season, we predicted that he’d match half of Randy Moss’ totals.  Well, that ain’t going to happen, but he can still manage to have very respectable numbers by the end of the season.  For the record AG is at 28, 468 and 2.  To halve Moss he’d have to be at 41, 632, and 8.  Missing two games didn’t help or he’d be close to the catches and yards figures.
6. Watch for gaping holes.  The Raiders have one of the worst run D’s in the league, and the Colts are looking to establish Joe Addai again.  It’s been several weeks since Kid Joe had a big rushing day, although he’s been effective and often brilliant despite the lack of gaudy rushing stats.
7. Watch the Black Hole.  There is no way for me to make a joke about this that won’t be either sexually explicit or oddly racist or quite possibly both.  Forget I brought it up.
8. Watch for a shuffle.  The offensive line has had nearly the turnover the D line has experienced this season.  Not only is Ryan Diem still out, but now Jake Scott is questionable as well.  Dungy expects him to play, but it’s not a done deal.  The chances of seeing Michael Toudouze somewhere along the line seem high.
9. Watch for hankies.  The Raiders are annually among the most penalized teams in the NFL.  This year they rank 4^th overall in penalties with 94.  The Colts average just over 4 a game, good for 29^th most.
10. Watch for a lack of rhythm.  The Raiders are planning on pulling QB Josh McCown to let Russell play a couple of series around the start of the second quarter.  There is no word on how the Raiders plan on maintaining a sense of continuity on offense while pulling an LSU in the middle of the game. 
11. Watch for Tony Dungy to feel old.  At just 32 years of age Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is younger than both Marvin Harrison and Adam Vinatieri.  The son of former Dungy assistant Monte Kiffin used to hang around the Bucs complex picking up pointers from the staff. 
12. Watch for good weather.  While Oakland isn’t exactly balmy, the Colts catch something of a break by getting a relative good weather game during one of the worst weather weekends of recent memory.  It’ll be in the 50s and possibly rainy, but that’s better than a foot of snow.   If the proposed blizzard does strike, the Colts will be glad not be stuck in it with the rest of us in Naptown.
13. Watch for fulfilled prophecies.  Back in April, we suggested that this might well be the week everyone realizes what a mistake it was to take JaMarcus Russell #1 overall.  Looks like we’ll be right again.  
14. Watch for an American original.  Not many people in football can say they have been an Owner, Head Coach, General Manager, and a Commissioner.  Al Davis can.  Even though the Raiders have been to only one Super Bowl in the past 25 years, you have to admire him for his tenacity and perseverance, as well as his courage to wear huge glasses.
15. Watch for a measuring stick.  The Raiders had a resurgent year on defense last season and they haven’t given up big points most of the year.  Their pass D led by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has been one of the lone bright spots for Oakland.  It will be a great sign if Manning can come close to last week’s performance.  If he can then you should also. . .
16. Watch for 30 touchdown passes.  Manning has a chance to throw for more than 30 scores for the fourth time in his career.  This is an impressive accomplishment given Marvin Harrison’s absence. 
17. Watch for the Maytag repair man.  You can’t blame Jim Sorgi for being more than a little rusty last week.  Here’s betting he gets another shot this week.  We’d make the same prediction for the defensive backups, but it turns out most of them will be starting. 
18. Watch and relax.  Indy fans are used to seeing the Colts chase after high-profile records late in the season.  It is New England’s turn and we couldn’t be happier for them.  You don’t need to remind Indianapolis that the only thing that matters is the Lombardi Trophy.  This game should usher in a break for the fans too.