This game needs no introduction. But here’s one anyway:

The best two teams in the NFL. Undefeated. Halfway through the year. Winner has the inside track to home field. In the best conference. Add it up and this game could go a long way to deciding the Super Bowl champion.

In one corner we have the New England Patriots. Some would call them the bad guys. I think they’re less likable, if for no other reason than their fans. I dread a Patriots win because the last thing I want to hear is loads of Boston fans crowing about it. No offense guys, but you make Yankee fans seem modest. Of course, they have a coach who broke the rules and a wide receiver who once bumped a traffic cop with his car, but really who remembers the latter in this dog eat dog world?

In the other corner we have the Colts. The “good guys” who have the best quarterback in the NFL today, maybe in the history of the league. Of course, they’re only good if you have no issues with homophobia, you don’t mind religion being shoved in your face and kickers being thrown under the bus. Such things are conveniently forgotten once you win.

The truth is these are two really good football teams going at it here. We’ll likely forget that come Sunday, but that’s what we should be watching it for. These might be the two best teams of the last ten-fifteen years. It’s rare you get to see the best two teams in a meaningful situation and with neither of these teams likely to lose to anyone else outside of each other, it could decide where the AFC championship will be played. This means something, it could indirectly decide the Super Bowl champion.

But I’m not here to wax poetically about what this game means. I want to talk about what is going to happen. Today, I’m going to break down what I think are the keys for each team come Sunday.

But I could be wrong. I mean, the game that I said needs no intro got a long one anyway. On to the preview:

Pats Key 1: Limit the middle as much as the wide: The Colts are one of the most balanced offenses around. In theory, they present the Patriots with the most difficult challenge for their defense. Not just because of Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, but due to the presence of Dallas Clark and Joseph Addai. The Patriots defense’s strength is in their corners and front four- their safties and linebackers leave something to be desired against top tier talents at running back and tight end. They’ll see both in this one. If either Addai or Clark goes off, the Patriots will be in serious trouble.

Colts Key 1: Sack Moss:The task is simple; stop Randy Moss. He makes life easy for QBs and is a large reason why Tom Brady is having an all world season. The problem of course is that stopping an interested Randy Moss is one of the most difficult things to do in the NFL. Many have tried, few have succeeded. Double and triple teaming him may not work and it creates space for the Donte Stallworth and Wes Welkers of the world.

So the best way to stop Moss? Don’t let them throw him the ball. The best way to do that? Pressure Brady and deny him the opportunity to chuck it down field. That’s also easier said than done, but the Colts are about as well positioned to do it as any team in the NFL. No team seems to generate more pressure on Brady as the Colts and even if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis aren’t putting up the sack totals they used to, they still can disrupt the passing game with pressure.

Pats Key 2: The Ying and Yang of “O”: In years past, it always seems that the Pats throw the ball against the Colts more than they run it, which of course, plays into Indy’s strength. This year the Pats are running it as much as they are passing it… which is a little surprising because they’ve blown out everyone this year. Attacking the Colts run defense isn’t as easy as it used to be with Bob Sanders healthy, but it is absolutely necessary to prevent their ends from teeing off on the pass. Bill Belichick must resist the desire to go pass happy; otherwise they are playing right into the Colts’ ahnds.

Colts Key 2: It’s Alright To Be Special: Like last year’s AFC Championship game, special teams could well be the difference between these two squads. We hear that as cliché all the time, but in this case it is very true. The Colts’ kickoff coverage is not all that good and a large part of that is Adam Vinatieri just doesn’t have a big leg for them. Ellis Hobbs has already shown he can rip a team to shreds if given a crease, and the Colts were nearly burned by kickoffs in the AFC championship.

Meanwhile the Colts will be dealing with one of the best kick off men in the game in Steven Gotskowski. This doesn’t preclude their offense from lighting up the scoreboard, but let’s face it- it’s easier to score getting the ball at the 50 than at your own 20. On the other hand, the Colts kicking game is slightly more stable, if for no other reason than I trust Hunter Smith as a holder more than Matt Cassel. Most people forget Smith saved two botched snaps in the championship game last year. Without him, the Colts lose.

Finally, Home is Where the Heart (and the Offense) is: Home field is clearly important in this series. The elements can affect the Colts. However, do not under estimate the fact home field means Peyton Manning can get his audibles at the line without an opposing crowd making it impossible to hear anything. That’s especially crucial against a hybrid defense like New England which morphs constantly during the game.

The Pats don’t adjust at the line as much as the Colts do on offense, but the Colts have not lost at home in nearly a year. The RCA Dome is generally considered as one of the toughest places to play because the turf and the crowd give the team such an edge.

End Result: The Patriots are better than they were last year- that much is clear. But the Colts are also much improved; their defense of the postseason was no mirage. In fact, it might actually be better than the Patriots’. It’s kind of ironic, because the Patriots offense might now be better than the Colts’ offense.

In the end, if this game were in New England, I’d probably have to pick the Pats. But the game’s in Indy… so why am I so damn uneasy picking the Colts? I’ve been pumping them up for weeks.

Because I think these teams are even on offense and defense, but not on special teams. The Pats have such an edge there, I think they’ll overcome the home field and win. 37-35 final score.

My Monday is really, really going to suck at work.

And now for some non NFL related thoughts-

- I’ve decided that the Mets need to sign A-Rod. Why? Because the Mets have a large bankroll and should spend the money on improving their team. Here’s the catch though; you can’t spend the money on pitching anymore. Big time free agents just don’t hit the market. Sure, you say Johan Santana will. But didn’t you say that about Carlos Zambrano? Who’s the biggest free agent pitcher to hit the market in the last five, ten years? Tom Glavine at the end of his prime? Mike Mussina? Solid, but not an ace. Pedro? Good, but not the Pedro of old. How desperate are teams for free agent pitching? Ask Barry Zito.

Bottom line here is that top tier free agent pitching just doesn’t come often. In fact, it really doesn’t come. You get ace pitchers by developing them yourselves. Young pitchers you develop are cheap. So guess what? Pay for the best hitter and try your best to develop the pitchers. A-Rod makes the Mets better than signing three mediocre pitchers. So I’m all for it.

Besides, then I can defend him in good conscience.

- Today I was shocked to see former world number #1 women’s tennis player Martina Hingis retired from the sport at 27, going out saying she tested positive for cocaine at Wimbledon though she denies actually using the drug.

It gets a mention here because back in the day- circa 2000, people always used to talk about Anna Kournikova as the hottest thing in tennis. Me, I always liked Hingis more. She was attractive, but in a more down to earth way. I don’t know why I liked that better; maybe it made her seem like more than a cheap pin up. Plus she won. She was more than just hype and I’m a guy who likes substance over flash.

Of course then I figured out she was crazy. She had mother issues, jealousy issues and possibly race issues. That last one is always a problem with me. Not that it mattered; since the chances of me ever being alone with Hingis is about the same as me winning lotto. Mainly because on the off chance the latter happened, the chances for the former would escalate depending on the jackpot and apparently, what kind of high quality South American imports I could acquire.

Anyway, considering Hingis is retiring, I figured one of my first athletic crushes deserved one last write up. So long Martina, and if you do ever need a table--- I’m going to have to ask you go somewhere else. I don’t need that kind of heat; even for one of the cutest tennis stars and most talented teenagers I’ve ever seen.