Week 7 Picks

This Sunday features the return of Peyton Manning to Indianapolis. We all know the story about the reasons why Manning was let go by the Colts. Manning's NFL future was uncertain following four neck surgeries which kept him out of the entire 2011 season. The Colts, after finishing 2-14, were slated to pick #1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Andrew Luck was the consensus #1 pick. Luck was considered the best QB prospect to come out of college since Manning. The Colts decided to release Manning, and go with Luck to kickstart the franchise. It was understood by everyone involved that this move made sense, but the one question that puzzled everyone was how Manning was going to play when he came back in 2012 with a new team. Manning picked the Broncos after becoming a free agent, and he has played sensational since coming to Denver. The Colts went 11-5 with Luck as a rookie and look like a playoff team once again this year. It seems like everyone wins in this scenario. The only thing that is crazy about the situation is that the breakup between the Colts and Manning was about as easy and painless as you can get. This week some sparks flew when Colts Owner Jim Irsay kind of tweaked Manning by mentioning that the Colts only won one Super Bowl in Manning's time there. Although Irsay's comments might have been taken out of context, the marriage between Luck and the Colts and Manning and the Broncos has worked out extremely well for both franchises and fan bases. That is where this game has so much meaning to me. How do the Colts fans feel about Manning as he returns to Indy? They have watched Manning battle back from injury, and basically picked up where he left off after all those years in Indy. Do they still feel good about the move? Are they fine with it? It seems like it is a tough question in my view. I can tell you one thing if Denver had released John Elway under the same circumstances and he came back to Denver for a game in the same situation, then I think it would be hard for me to handle. I think I would have a very tough time watching Elway put up video game numbers for another fan base. This isn't like when Brett Favre returned to Green Bay as a Minnesota Viking. It is pretty close to when Joe Montana faced off against Steve Young when Montana became a Chief, although Montana never returned to SF for that matchup because the game was in Arrowhead. This is different because it never really had to happen. If the Colts kept Manning and traded the #1 pick, then they would have made the playoffs last year, and they would still be sitting atop the mediocre AFC South again this year. It is one of the weirdest breakups in sports history, and it all comes to a head on Sunday night. There are a few games in a 16 game season that really stand out. So far Denver has had the opening night revenge game over Baltimore, the Manning Bowl in Week 2, and the shootout in Dallas a few weeks ago. This is the game that everyone wants to see though. The Colts are good and present a real challenge to the Broncos, but I got a feeling that Manning plays lights out, and shows the Colts and Irsay that he is still the king of Indy, and Lucas Oil Stadium is really the place that he built.

Denver (-5) over INDY:
Final Score: Broncos-31 Colts-24

Onto the picks for Week 7.....
Last Week's Record: 9-5-1
Thursday Night Game: 1-0
Overall Record: 48-41-6
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

NY JETS (+4) over New England

San Diego (-7) over JACKSONVILLE

KANSAS CITY (-6) over Houston

DETROIT (-2) over Cincy

MIAMI (-7) over Buffalo

Chicago (PICK) over WASHINGTON

Dallas (+3) over Philly

ATLANTA (-6) over Tampa Bay

St. Louis (+7) over CAROLINA

TENNESSEE (+4) over San Francisco

Cleveland (+10) over GREEN BAY

PITTSBURGH (-2) over Baltimore

NY GIANTS (-3) over Minnesota