The NBC "Sunday Night Football" studio analysts were split during a conference call this week on which future Hall of Fame quarterback they prefer among the two who will compete in what should be another classic Colts-Patriots game on Sunday night.
Naturally, former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison took New England's Tom Brady, who is 7-3 against the Colts, including 2-1 in the postseason.
"[Colts quarterback] Peyton Manning is the best pure quarterback in the National Football League, but Tom Brady is my quarterback with a minute left and we're down four points and we need a touchdown," Harrison said. "Three Super Bowl rings, Super Bowl MVP, a guy whose preparation goes above and beyond anyone in that facility. It's not very often that you find Tom Brady not prepared or ready to go."
Supporting Manning, naturally, was Tony Dungy, the former Colts coach. Manning has won four of the past five meetings against the Patriots. He also has led the Colts (8-0) to 17 consecutive regular-season victories and needs to beat the Patriots (6-2) to tie the 2003-04 Patriots for the second-longest regular-season winning streak in NFL history.
"There is no other quarterback that I would want," Dungy said. "I've been with Peyton Manning for seven years. I've seen him prepare and I've seen what he does and how he's led our team. ... I can't imagine anybody running the offense and doing as much as Peyton does for the Colts."
Why the fumbles, Adrian? Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has fumbled 15 times and lost nine in 38 regular-season games. One third of the fumbles (five) and lost fumbles (three) have come in his past three meetings with a Lions team that was working on a 19-game losing streak.
With the Lions visiting the Metrodome on Sunday, I asked Peterson why the best back in the league gets the dropsies against the worst team in the league.
"I don't know," he said. "I really didn't think about it. Thanks."
