3 NFL Observations You're Sure To Hate:

1. The Colts; you can’t beat them; only hope to contain them.

2. Brett Favre is my American Idol.

3. The Bronco’s are who I thought they were!

The San Francisco 49ers did everything they wanted to do on Sunday. They held Peyton Manning to zero Touchdowns (Something that hasn’t been done in 10 straight games.) They held an offense that came into Sunday averaging nearly 30 points per game to just 18. They got their own offense clicking, (As much as San Fran’s offense clicks these days.) with both Alex Smith and Frank Gore getting into the end zone. They also minimized their own turnovers to 2. And yet, the Colts found a way to win. They trailed for the first 3 quarters. Sure they put up huge offensive numbers, but they failed to get into the end zone. And then it happened! Joseph Addai took the handoff and instead of running it for a mediocre gain, threw a TD pass to Reggie Wayne. Are you kidding me? Has Joseph Addai ever thrown the football in a game before? The better question is; why was Reggie Wayne all alone in the end zone? None of that matters though, because the Colts were just doing what the Colts do; snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Brett Favre leading his Vikings to victory over Green Bay in week 4 was the game of the week. It had everyone talking before, during, and after. But I am more impressed with Favre in Week 8. Going back to Green Bay dressed in purple, being received with boos from fans that 3 years ago were chanting his name, and throwing 4 TD’s to lead his new team past his old one. Sure the Vikings tried to give the game away. They were leading 24-3 and let the Packers score 17 unanswered points to pull within 4, but that’s as close as it ever got. Brett Favre did not play like a purple pill taking 40 year old. He outplayed his younger replacement. In fact Aaron Rogers was the one limping after the game and listed on the injury report today. Favre’s theme song (whether he knows it or not) is, Toby Keith’s “I’m not as good as I once was.” But on the downside of his career, he is still better than most of the league’s starting QB’s.

Kyle Orton is a clock management QB. He is not a QB that will make huge mistakes, but he is also not the savior Denver has made him out to be. The first 6 games of this season, the Bronco’s have escaped with narrow victories. While most people were praising Kyle Orton and his Fantasy Football type numbers, I was telling everyone, “Wait and watch.” Wait and watch what, you ask? The first 6 games of a season have never defined a team or a player. The 2003 Vikings are proof enough of that. They started 6-0 and ended 8-8. What happened? Reality caught up to them. Teams figured out how to stop them, and they had no plan B. The Denver Bronco’s will be facing a similar fate this year. I originally predicted them to finish 8-8, but considering the lackluster division in which they play, they will probably pull off a winning season. They still face the Steelers (L), Redskins (W), Chargers (L), Giants (L), Chiefs (W), Colts (L), Raiders (W), Eagles (L), Chiefs (W). By my calculations, they finish 10-6, and fight for a wild card spot. Sure, 1 loss may not be enough to start discrediting this team, but when they lose 5 out of their last 9 games, you heard it here first!

Colts the new 49ers?

I have a very specific memory of loathing the 49ers when I was just a kid. I remember it as if it were yesterday.....trudging around in the snow during recess at Bennion Elementary School yammering to my BF Cory Jaynes about how much I hated Joe Montana and his stupid team from San Francisco wherever that was. At the time all they ever showed on TV was the Broncos and while I called myself a fan I only did it because I thought I needed a team of some kind.

Then....almost overnight....a miracle happened. Something made me love that team in red and gold and that something was Steve Young. Legendary coach Bill Walsh knew he had something in his backup QB from Brigham Young and didn't think twice about letting Montana go to Kansas City so that this run happy signal caller from the AFL could command his dynamic offense. All that hate and animosity vanished over the course of Young's first season as a starter simply because this guy was from my favorite college football team and even though I don't have any memory of him playing for the Cougars he had me wrapped around his little finger. Ever since I have always had a place in my heart for the niners even though I am a Colts fan through and through.

Now is a different day and a different era. The dominant teams have shifted somewhat and I wouldn't be shocked if there was a little boy trudging around in the snow last year complaining about how sick he is of hearing about the Indianapolis Colts. That Peyton guy is too good and when that receiver #88 catches touchdowns he never seems happy about it...just hands it to the official and acts like nothing happened. I mean crack a smile for God's sake!

Well guess what little boy? Consider yourself in the middle of a miracle cuz that receiver is gone and perhaps it's because the rookie coach Jim Caldwell knew that despite #88's gaudy numbers he was getting old and they had someone special in the midst to take his place. Son I present you with Austin Collie. You remember him right? The greatest wideout to ever play at your favorite school, BYU! You know, the one that won you over not only with his All Conference play, but with his refusal to shut up and say the right thing every time. I tell you the hate is ebbing. That Manning fellow is alright after all so long as he passes it to my boy #17. I can hear him already, "Dad will you get me that jersey for Christmas? I already cheer for one team in blue and white...what's one more? And if you draw a stem on that horseshoe and blur your vision a bit it looks much like the 'Y' I'm used to. Hell I can't remember why I disliked them in the first place."