Rear up you Colts and let’s fight.  Crash through and show them your might!  - Jo Lombardi & Benjamin Klasmer

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go!  Whats crack-a-lacking sports fans?  It’s gut check time.  Make or break or time.  Do or die time.  Win or go home!  We’re in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me.  And, we can stay here, get the #### kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light.  We can climb outta hell…one inch at a time.  Hoorah!

Like it or not, that’s what Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have to do.  They have to climb outta hell…one inch at a time.  It all starts tonight.  It all starts in the Music City.  It all starts against the Tennessee Titans.  The undefeated Tennessee Titans.  Is it Monday yet?

You may say it’s early.  You may say there’s plenty of football left to be played.  You may say I’m a dreamer.  But I’m not the only one.  Know this sports fans.  Know that when the Colts lost last week, they fell to three games back in the division.  Fell to three games back in the division for the first time in the seven years there’s been a division.  Losing again, tonight, to this Titans team, could very well mean the end of the line.  No team in the history of the NFL has ever come back to win a division title after being down four games at any point during the season.  No team.  Not ever.

It will not be easy.  Not a task for the faint of heart.  Like my main man Ronald Reagan always says, “The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted; it belongs to the brave.”  It will take bravery to face this Titans defense.  You’ve heard of the Steel Curtain?  This is the Titanium Curtain.  It’s the new style.  Four and three and two and one, when I’m on the mic, the suckers run.   Suckers have been running all season.  Running from Albert Haynesworth.  Running from Keith Bulluck.  Running from Courtland Finnegan.  Running, but not getting very far.  The Titanium Curtain has not allowed more than seventeen points in any game this season.  Big deal you say?  Who cares you say?  I say nobody has started a season at 6-0 while holding their opponant to seventeen points or fewer since 1981.  Since the Philadelphia Eagles.  Since Charlie Johnson.  Since Jerry Robinson.  Since Roynell Young.  Since guys like that there.  I say the Colts have their work cut out for them.

Peyton Manning is playing behind a makeshift line on a makeshift knee and he is struggling like he has never struggled before.  He just hasn’t had the time or the mobility to connect on those deeper routes that have been so successful in the past.  For the Colts to have any shot, any shot at all, the offensive line must protect the six foot five, 230-pound quarterback with the laser rocket arm.  Jaws:  ”If a defense gives Manning time to throw, he’s going to win.  It doesn’t matter how good the defense is.”  Manning has been an MVP, a Pro Bowl MVP and a Super Bowl MVP.  Tonight, he has to play like one again.  His season depends on it.

Public Acknowledgements:  Any Given Sunday, John Lennon, Beastie Boys and USA Today

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Never yellow, never chicken, listen for my spurs draggin’.  And when I’m kickin’ dust you better circle up the wagons.  So when I rip thru your town don’t be gawkin’.  Just tip your hat and Tex, keep walkin’.  -Kid Rock

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Now I’ve got time.  Time to speak my mind.  Time to sound off in kind.  The Sox season is over.  Now I can focus.  Focus on the task at hand.  Focus on these Patriots.  These juggernaut Patriots.  These squashing teams like a buggernaut Patriots.  These keep on chuggernaut Patriots.  I hear everybody.  Hear everybody crying.  Everybody complaining.  Everybody girling.  That’s all right.  That’s ok.  I got my Patriot hoody back on today.  I’m circling the wagons today.  All done with the Cask and Flagons today.  Doing some braggin’s today.  Slaying some dragons today.  Cheatergate this.  Running up the score that.  Sit on it, Potsie.  Sit on it and spin.  This is the best football team I’ve ever seen.  The best football team there’s ever been.  I know it.  You know it.  Now the Redskins know it.  Soon, the Indianapolis Colts will know it.  I’ve heard all the sound bytes.  Donte Stallworth:  “You can’t really send those guys a message.  They’re the defending champs.  If anything, they sent a message to us today with their convincing win over Carolina.”  Coach Belichick:  “They’re unbeaten and they’re the Super Bowl champions.  Until someone beats them, they’re the best team in the league.”   Rodney Harrison: “They’re the best team in the league. They won the title and they’re unbeaten.”  Tom Terrific:  “We know it’s going to take our best effort…I’m glad we have seven days to prepare.”  I don’t believe it.  Not for a minute.  You’re under the gun, so you take it on the run.  The Patriots are taking it on the run all right.  The Patriots just crushed Redskins to the tune of 52-7.  The Patriots have just finalized the most dominant half season in modern NFL history.  More dominant than Larry Csonka and the 72 Dolphins.  More dominant than Sweetness and the 85 Bears.  More dominant than Bart Starr and the 62 Packers.  More dominant than The Capitol Punishment Defense and the 91 Redskins.  More dominant than all of them.   Eight and oh.  An average of 41.4 points a game.   204 more points than the opposition.  That’s dominance.  So is this.  Tom Brady has connected for thirty TD passes.  Thirty!  Are you kidding me?  On a pace that will give him sixty for the season.  Yowza!  A pace that will give him eleven more than Peyton Manning’s NFL record set two years ago.  See what happens.  See what happens when you give the best quarterback in the league some weapons.  Some weapons of mass destruction.  But you tell me over and over and over again, my friend.  Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction.  Stop kidding yourself Colts fans.  Stop kidding yourself Patriots detractors.  Stop thinking this ends next week against Manning and the Colts.  Ending where it ended last season.  Where it ended when the Patriots squandered a 21-3 lead.  Squandered a 21-3 lead and lost 38-34 when Indy’s Marlin Jackson picked off Brady on the final drive.  It ain’t ending.  Not this time.  Not to this Patriots’ team.  They are just too damned good.  Destruction, terror, and mayhem.  Pass me the Colts so suckas I’ll slay them.  I’m gonna knock you out!  Mama said knock you out!  This is what the Patriots are going to do to the Colts on Sunday:

Public Acknowledgements:  Happy Days, REO Speedwagon, Barry McGuire, LL Cool J and Casino

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Sports is the toy department of human life.  -Howard Cosell

Public Service Announcement:  Ok here we go!  Can you smell it?  Oooooooh that smell.  Can’t you smell that smell?  I know, I know.  It’s only preseason.  It’s still summertime.  Time to sit back and unwind.  But here’s just a little somethin’ to break the monotony of all that hardcore dance that has gotten to be a little bit out of control.  Just a little football.  Just a little Monday Night Football.  Just a little Colts/Bears football.  Is it Monday yet?  Yes it is.  Yes it is, so here’s a couple fun factoids I found while scouring Al Gore’s Internet.  Make you look all Einsteiny.  Real smart around ye olde water cooler.  Show ‘em you’re nobody’s fooler.  Take all your friends to schooler.  Now, enjoy.  But don’t say I never gave you nothing.

Rookies Rookies Who Got the Cookies

Joseph Addai:  Addai a deer.  Far, a long long way to run.  Joseph Addai ran far.  Ran far when it mattered most.  Ran far in the big games.  In his four post season games, he set rookie post season records for receptions and yards from scrimmage.  He surpassed Torry Hot Dog Holt in receptions.  There isn’t enough mustard in the whole world to cover that hot dog.  He surpassed Jamal Truck Lewis in yards from scrimmage.  Truckin’ got my chips cashed in.  Keep truckin’, like the do-dah man.  Addai was truckin’ like the do-dah man.  His 143 yards from scrimmage in the Super Bowl last year was second highest in history.  Second only to Touchdown Timmy Smith of the Washington Redskins.  And not for nothing.  Just so you know.  Touchdown Timmy Smith’s 213 yards (204 rushing yards) from scrimmage against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII is still the record for anyone.  Anyone.  Veterans and rookies alike.  Not enough?  You want one more?  OK.  Addai was only the second running back in NFL history to lead the postseason outright in receptions.  The other guy?  Chuck Foreman.  Minnesota Vikings.  Chuck also set the then NFC record 22 Touchdowns in 14 games during the 1975 campaign.

Devin Hester:  The very bester.  The bullet proof vester.  The pound your chester.  Last seen in the Super Bowl.  Taking it to the hizzy.  Opening kickoff back to the hizzy.  Making folks dizzy.  In the post season, only three other players made folks dizzy like that.  Dizzy Miss Lizzy like that.  Ron Dixon, the Gee-Men.  Nat Moore, Dolphins.  Vic Washington, 49ers.  Devin Hester.  The shake and baker.  The takes the caker.  The record breaker.  Hester scored six TDs last season.  Three on punt returns.  Two on kickoff returns.  One on a return of a missed field goal.  He set or tied these records:

• Most return touchdowns
• Most touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns
• Most touchdowns on kickoff returns in a game
• Longest play

And because Hester did all this as a rookie, these are all the rookie marks as well.  Holy cow!  The one blemish?  Fum-ble!  Hester had seven fumblerooskis.  The most of any non-QB in the league.

The Quarterbacks

Peyton Manning:  We all know the 6'5", 230 pound quarterback with the laser rocket arm is good.  But how good?  Last year in the post season, Manning completed 97 passes in four games.  97!  The old record was held by the Greatest Show on Turf.  A paltry 77 by Kurt Warner.  Last year, Peyton led the Colts charge to victory twelve times.  Win win do it again.  He did it again.  Five consecutive seasons with at least ten wins as a starter.  Ties the record.  Elway?  Nope.  Unitas?  Nope?  Montana?  Unh uh.  Triplet Troy Aikman.  Since 2003, Peyton has won fifty regular season games.  Ties the record for wins in a four year span.  That’s right.  My boy.  Tom Terrific.  Tom Brady.  Act like you know.  Know this.  Manning does not do it alone.  He has a partner in crime.  He has Marvin Harrison.  He has thrown 106 TD passes to Marvelous Marvin during the regular season.  That’s just about two times the next total since 1998.  Just about two times more than Culpepper and Moss.  Get the papers, get the papers.   Manning and Harrison own the Triple Crown.  Triple trouble.  If you wanna know the real deal about the three.  Well let me tell you, we’re triple trouble ya’ll.  We’re gonna bring you up to speed.  More completions, yards and touchdowns between any teammates in NFL history.

Rex Grossman:  Sexy Rexy.  I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt.  So sexy it hurts.  Grossman threw for 3,193 yards last season.  Say what you want about Rexy’s season but it was the second highest one season total in Da Bears history.  Second behind Erik Kramer.  Giddyup!  He did have his moments though.  Rexy had four games last year where he threw less than 200 yards.  Where he didn’t throw a TD pass.  And where he was intercepted at least three times.  That makes him the first NFL player to have four games like that in one season since 1935.  Yikes!

Other Fascinating Factoids:

Number nine.  Number nine.  Da Bears have drafted nine future Pro Bowlers over the last nine drafts.  Yowza!  Seven of those cats were selected after the first round.  Mike Brown, 2nd.  Devin Hester, 2nd.  Olin Kreutz, 3rd.  Marty Booker, 3rd.  Lance Briggs, 3rd.  Nathan Vasher, 4th.  Jerry Azumah, 5th.

Tony Dungy has led a team to the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons. Eight!  Hear that Ted Sarandis?  Only two other head coaches NFL history have done that.  Tom Landry.  Tom, in his fabulous fedora did it twice.  Chuck Knoll.  Steel Curtain. 

Public Acknowledgements:  Indianapolis Star, Chicago Tribune, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fresh Prince, Darold Knowels, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Sprint, Marvin Hagler, Beastie Boys, Right Said Fred and Seinfeld

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  I used to watch Dr. J, come through in the clutch.  Remember New Zoo Review, and Starsky and Hutch.  I remember lunchtime, we used to rhyme out loud.  Peace to the Wop and the hip-hop crowd.  -Coolio 

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Like my main Nas always says:  “I’m takin’ y’all on a trip straight through memory lane.”   Here comes the Super Bowl.  It’s coming fast.  It’s coming furious.  Dominic Toretto has nothing on this game.  Who’s gonna be the star?  That’s what we want to know.  Who’s gonna be the star?  Who’s gets themselves the big cigar?    Who gets all the cookies in the cookie jar?  That’s what we want to to know.  Everybody from here to Qatar.  Is it going to be Devin Hester, the very bester?  Are you planning on Peyton Manning?  Who’s gonna come up big in the big game?  Who’s gonna stand tall in the superest of them all.  I’ll tell you one guy who came up biggo.  A man they called Riggo.  What you don’t like that rhyme?  Come on, Sandy Baby, loosen up. You’re too tight.

You remember John Riggins.  You remember him at Kansas.  Breaking all kinds of rushing records at Kansas.  Breaking all kinds of Gale Sayers’ rushing records at Kansas.  You remember he played for the Jets.  J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.  Had that Mohawk with the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.  That Travis Bickle Mohawk with the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets.  You remember he signed with the Skins.  Signed with the Skins and then voluntarily sat out one year.  Came back.  Came back with a vengeance.  The 6-2, 230-pound Riggins was not a spectacular running back.  Not a flashy running back.  Think lunchpail.  No Barry Sanders, he.  But he was a classic workhorse ball carrier.  A Clydesdale.  A beast.  One of the the toughest summama####es to ever put on cleats.   He carried 2,916 times for 11,352 yards and 104 touchdowns during his career.  He also caught 250 passes for 2,090 yards and 12 TDs.  His 13,435 combined net yards are among the best ever.  So are his 116 total touchdowns.   He was the second player ever to run to the hizzy over 100 times in NFL histizzy.  The first to do it since Jim Brown All American did it in 1965.  But where he excelled.  Where he excelled where others have failed, was gaining the tough yardage in the big games.

The original Diesel came up big in 1982.  Yesterday was the anniversary.  Today's the day I talk about it.  Came up super.  Came up super in Super Bowl XVII.   Came up super in Super Bowl XVII versus the Dolphins.  He had 38 carries for 166 yards and a touchdown.   He had 38 carries for 166 yards and a touchdown along with a 15-yard reception.  A record breaking 38 carries.  Against the Miami’s vaunted No. 1-rated defense.  And that’s such a small part of the story. 

Fourth quarter.  Ten Minutes to go.  Skins down four.  Fourth and a Lilliputian.  Theisman. (Used to be pronounced Thees-man.)  Theisman hands off to Riggo.  Riggo heads left.  Here comes cornerback Don McNeal.   Steamroller baby, steamroller.  There goes Riggo.  There goes Riggo down the sideline.  You've seen the highlights.  Riggo at the thirty.  Riggo at the 20.  Glenn Blackwood in hot pursuit.  Not to be confused with brother, Lyle.    Yes, I’m running down the railway track.  Could you help me?  Police on my back.  They will catch me, if I dare drop back.  Wont you give me all the speed I lack?  He…could…go…  He does.  Touchdown!  Touchdown!  Touchdown!  Redskins win!   It was longest touchdown run from scrimmage in Super Bowl history.  If you were from DC, it was the biggest  touchdown run from scrimmage in Super Bowl history.  No other back had ever run for 100 yards or more in four straight playoff games.   No other back has gained more than 158 yards in a Super Bowl.  No other back had ever run for 610 yards in four playoff games.  Nobody came up as biggo.  As biggo  as Riggo.

Any mention of the Riggo has to include the fact that he lived outta his van down by the [Potomac] river…Random sightings of the Diesel, face down on the bar at Nathan’s in G-town in the middle of the day.…Yep, they don’t make em “old-school” like dat anymore…

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Got a punch to crunch, cold munch for lunch.  Not Grady or the lady from the Brady Bunch.  -Run DMC

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Too soon?  Too soon to make my pick?  Too much is never enough.  Super Sunday.  Super fun day.  Super more fun than Tank Johnson’s submachine gunday.  This it.  This is it, the night of nights.  This is it, we’ll hit the heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit.  On with the show, this is it.  Bugs Bunny style.  Who to pick?  Who to pick?  That’s the question.  Who to pick?  Survey says:  The Bears.

That’s right folks I’m picking the Chicago Bears.  The Monsters of the Midway.  Super Bowl Shuffling all the way to Disney World.  Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.  You’re the pride and joy of Illinois.  Chicago Bears, Bear down!  And Bear down they will.  They will Bear down with their running attack.  The Colts’ poor tackling was a major problem during the regular season.  A major problem.  A Major Healey problem.  A Major Wolfgang Hochstetter problem.  A Lee Majors problem.  A Six Million Dollar problem.  The Colts had the NFL’s worst rushing defense during the regular season.  We know they turned that around in the playoffs.  We also know it resurfaced last week.  It resurfaced last week in the first half against the Patriots.  The Pats ran 19 times for 85 yards in that first half.  The Pats ran for a dominating 4.5 yards per carry.  Sure the Colts made some adjustments.  But the Patriots ran only five times in the second half.  I assure you, the Bears will not give up on the running game so easily.  They will run early.  They will run often.  Three yards and a cloud of dust.  Again.  Again.  And again.  Cedric Benson will Bear down.  Thomas Jones will Bear down.  He Beared down against the Saints.  Beared down for 123 yards.  Beared down for two TDs.  And you saw the drive.  You saw the drive to close out the game.  Smash mouth football baby!  Goodness! 

The Chicago defense will Bear down.  Number one in the NFC.  Number one in our hearts.  The Bears just held the NFC’s best offense to just 14 points.  Held them to 56 yards on the ground.  Terminate ‘em!  Eliminate ‘em!  Defense, defense!  Annihilate ‘em!  Oh they will.  Brian Keith Urlacher.  Number fifty-four.  That’s all you need to know.  Mean from head to toe.  He’ll catch you wherever you go.  Brian Urlacher’s gonna Bear down.  You can bet your bippy on that.  He’s the big Kahuna on this Bears defense.  The number one monster of the Midway.  It will be his job to shut down Dallas Clark.  Shut down Clark who leads all postseason receivers with 17 catches.  Shut down Clark who leads all postseason receivers with 281 yards. Clark is averaging 16.5 yards per catch in these playoffs.  He hasn’t played against Urlacher.  Urlacher is big.  Urlacher is fast.  Urlacher is big and fast.  Clark does not stand a chance.  Not a snowball’s chance.  Not a snowball’s chance in the south of France.  Lance Briggs will Bear down.  Mark Anderson will Bear down.  Ricky Manning Jr. will bear down.  The Chicago defense will Bear down and create turnovers.  Ease my troubles, that’s what they do.  That’s what they’re good at.  They led the league with 44 takeaways.  They forced four turnovers Sunday.  They made Drew Brees fumble.  They made Drew Brees fumble less than a minute after Berrian’s TD, and took the wind right out of the Saints‘ sails.  Took the wind out of their sails and shuffled to the Super Bowl.

Lastly but not leastly, Devin Hester.  You know Devin Hester’s gonna Bear down.  Gonna Bear down on special teams.  Devin Hester, Mr. Anytime, the pound your chester, the bulletproof vester, the very bester.  Expect at least one Sports Center special out of this cat.  Expect this cat to give the Bears good field position.  Expect this cat to give Chicago good enough field position to Bear down and win this ballgame.  Ellis Hobbs of the New England Patriots had 220 total kickoff return yards against the Colts in the AFC Championship Game, the second most in NFL playoff history.  Just think what the Very Bester's gonna bear down and do.  Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.  You’re the pride and joy of Illinois.  Chicago Bears, bear down!  Th-th-th-that’s all folks!

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  You telling lies thinking I can’t see.  You don’t cry ’cause you’re laughing at me.  I’m down (I’m really down).  I’m down (Down on the ground).  I’m down (I’m really down).  How can you laugh, when you know I’m down?  (How can you laugh) When you know I’m down?  -Beatles

Public Service Announcement:  Oh boy, here we go.  I’m not happy about this one.  It’s no fun writing this one.  I never thought I’d be doing this one.  But here we are.  Here we are.  Back to life, back to reality.  Soul  II Soul style.  Back to life, back from a fantasy.  How  did this ever happen?  How did we get here?  This is not my beautiful house.  This is not my beautiful wife.  I know.  I know.  I’m stalling.  I just don’t want to do this.  I don’t want to believe it yet.  Don’t want to believe what I saw on my television set.  If I were Russian, I’d say nyet.  I can’t do this without getting upset.  I’d rather write about the monks of Tibet.  Ok, ok.  Time to rip the Band-Aid off.  Let’s do this.

It started off well enough, didn’t it?  Started off like gang busters.  Here they come, here come the Patriots.  They are demons on cleats.  Their second drive.  Pitch to Crazy Eyes Caldwell.  First down!  Freeney hurt.  That’s what he gets for wearing a Yankees cap.  Everything’s coming up roses.  Fourth and a pubie.  Dillon.  See ya!  Michael Kay style.   We’re moving.  We’re grooving.  We’re at the Colts 20.  At the Colts 20 and knocking at the door.  You saw the rest.  You saw the fumblerooski.  You saw Logan’s run.  Touchdown! Touchdown!  Touchdown!  In your face Flanders!  In typical Colts/Pats fashion.  I’m already looking forward to the Peyton Manning hang dog press conference.  I just can’t wait.  This is gonna be great.  

Second quarter.  Fourth and six.  What can Brown do you for you?  First down.  First down Troy Brown.  Corey Dillon.  Woop!  Touchdown!  Touchdown!  Touchdown!  Show me what you got little mama.  Show me what you got.  Next thing you know, before you can say Ty Law, Assante Samuel.  Assante Samuel pick.  Assante Samuel pick straight back to the hizzy.  I’m getting dizzy.  Booyakasha!  Sending out those texts.  Do you smell what the Pats are cookin’? Up eighteen.  I knew it.  I just friggin knew it.  Suck it Sean Salisbury.  Suck it Tom Jackson.  Suck it Michael Irvin.  Suck it Jaws.  Suck it Meril Hodge.  Suck it all ya’all.  No way these Colts are winning.  No how brown cow. No way Jose.  We’ll be dancing in the streets once again.  Huzzah!

The beginning of the end.  80 yard drive. 80 yard drive and a FG to end the half.  Manning looks sharp. Manning looks tough.  Manning looks rough.  Manning looks like he’s playing in the regular season.  Ruh-roh Reorge.  The Manning juggernaut continues into the second half.  The Colts piled on 455 yards.  The Colts scored on six of their final eight drives.  The Colts ran roughshod all over the Patriots vaunted defense.  Sure Crazy Eyes dropped some balls.  Dropped some big balls.  Dropped the biggest balls of them all.  But when all was said and done. When all was said and done, the Patriots bend don’t break defense bent.  When all was said and done, the Patriots bend don’t break defense broke.  Still, through it all, I never thought the season was in jeopardy.  Double jeopardy.  Our love’s in jeopardy, baby.  I really didn’t.  I was wrong.  Even down four with fifty-four seconds left, I still thought we had it.  Even down four with fifty-four seconds left at our own 20, I still thought the game was ours.  I was still a believer.  Not a trace of doubt in my mind.  I still thought Tom would be terrific.  I still thought Tom would pierce his dagger into the hearts of the Colts like he has done time and time again.  He didn’t.  He marched his team to the Colts’ 40.  He gave us hope.  He threw an interception to Marlin Jackson with 16 seconds left.  He set off an eruption in the RCA Dome.  Colts win!  Colts win!  I still haven’t watched Sports Center.  I still haven’t read the paper.  I still haven’t listened to the Fan.  I still don’t want to see the proof.  But it’s there.  It’s in the pudding.  It’s in Peyton’s pudding.  When do pitchers and catchers report?

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Is it getting better?  Or, do you feel the same?  Will it make it easier on you, now you got someone to blame?  -U2

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go.  One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.  LaDainian Tomlinson.  Larry Johnson.  Shaun Alexander. Tiki Barber.  Best running backs in the National Football League.  LaDainian Tomlinson. Larry Johnson.  Shaun Alexander.  Tiki Barber.  Done for the year.  It takes two to make a thing go right.  It takes two to make it outta sight.  Hit it!  The Chicago Bears.  The New Orleans Saints.  The New England Patriots.  The Indianapolis Colts.  They all employ dynamic duos.  They all are playing for it all.

Chicago Bears:  Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson.  Thomas Jones.  You stick around, I’ll make it worth your while.  Got numbers beyond what you can dial. Maybe it’s because I’m so versatile.  Numbers and versatility.  That’s Thomas Jones.   He’s run for over 1,200 yards the past two seasons.  He can pass block.  He can catch passes.  He is elusive.  He broke Tiki’s all time rushing record at the University of Virginia.  He is coupled with Cedric Benson.  Fourth overall draft pick.  The Punisher.  Powerful and bruising.  Hard- they’re calling card.  With these two totally different styles, it makes it hard for defenses to adjust. Very hard indeed.

New Orleans Saints:  It takes two baby, to make a dream come true.  Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush.  Deuce McAllister.  The Deuce is loose.  Coming back from a knee surgery.  Coming back with a vengeance.  The thunder part of the backfield.  Saints all-time leading rusher.  He moves the pile.  He can deek if he needs to.  He gets the tough yards.  The rough yards.   In his first-ever playoff start, McAllister rushed for 143 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.  He had 4 catches for 20 yards and another touchdown.   He has help.  Reggie Bush.  Lightning.  Mr. Excitement.  St. Reggie.  He reverses field, woop!  He fiddles, woop!  He diddles, woop!  Gone! 

New England Patriots:  Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney.  Corey Dillon.   Driving dirty.  Corey Dillon has a tattoo on his chest.  The ink says:  Down & Dirty.  How apropos.  Down & Dirty.   That’s how this cat plays.  Bone-crushing, will breaking, smashmouth football.  14th all-time leading rusher in the NFL.  Leads all active backs.  He’s been to the Promised Land.  He has a ring.  He knows what he’s doing.  He’s leading the charge.  Right behind him?  Laurence Maroney.  The Kid.  Tick, tick, tick, boom!  He’s big.  He’s fast.  He’s an explosion waiting to happen.  He loves the stiff-arm.  He is the future of the New England Patriots. 

Indianapolis Colts:     Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai.  Dominic Rhodes.  The little fella. Coming up big.  Getting the big yards.  The first undrafted player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards as a rookie.  Last week against the Ravens during the Colts’ final clock-eating possessions, he was the featured back.  The featured back that led the squad to a field goal with 23 seconds left.  The featured back that ran the rock five consecutive times to start the drive and 11 of the 13 snaps.  Nothing flashy.  Just effective.  Leave the flash for Joseph Addai.  The Colts’ number one draft pick.  The NFL rookie rushing leader.  The NFL rookie rushing leader without starting a single game.  He starts now.  He starts in the playoffs.  He started against the Chiefs.  Rushed for 122 against the Chiefs.  Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack gets through the hole lickety-split. 

The NFL is a copy cat league.  Four teams left in the playoffs.  Four teams with a two pronged running attack.  How long before every one is copying these cats?

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!