Talking NFL

For starters, I’ll predict that there will be exactly nice, count ‘em 9, Budweiser and Bud Light ads during the game. OK, that’s actually a fact, according to www.CNNMoney.com. Really impressive when you think of it - not since the domination of the Ford F150 pick-up truck has a multi-billion dollar ad campaign successfully supported such a crappy product.

(For those of you keeping score at home, I’ve now ripped on gambling on the NFL, Charger fans, Peyton Manning, Bud drinkers, and Ford truck drivers. That’s means there’s 9 readers left that I’ve yet to offend. We’ll get to them in my off-season 12-part spectacular, “Why the NFL Hall of Fame is a complete waste of time.”)

…where was I? Right, who’s going to win Super Bowl XLI…

Of course, everyone & their mother is picking the Colts. ESPN, SI - I’m looking at the TV right now, and I see 4 horseshoes lining the CBS prediction screen (wait - there’s just three. The 4th one is actually the set of devil horns on Dan Marino’s head. My bad).

And really, when it comes down to it, it’s hard to pick against the Colts, isn’t it? If you look simply at who they’ve had to play to get here and the starting quarterbacks, the edge clearly goes to Indy. However, Chicago does have the 2-headed running game and special teams advantage to keep this close, if not win the game outright. I think we’re in for a good, close game.

And when you’ve got a close game, you really need to look at the QB match-up again. And…I mean…it really pains me to write this, but you have to give the edge to Peyton. Yes, he’s thrown 6 interceptions in the playoffs, and don’t rule out that infamous ‘Peyton Manning face’ making an appearance. But he’s gotten the job done - not in typical Peyton style, but with steady, ball control drives that set-up the run game and Mr. Money, Adam Vinatieri. It looks like it’s finally Peyton’s moment.

Colts 27 - Bears 24