A game of importance: Patriots vs. Colts game preview

New England Patriots (2nd seed) vs. Indianapolis Colts (4th seed)
8:15PM, January 11th, 2013
Gillette Stadium, Foxburough Massachusetts

When Tom Brady an Peyton Manning both retire at some point in the coming years, Andrew Luck will be left as one of the best quarterbacks in football. Saturday night's AFC Divisional Playoff Game might likely serve as a firm link between this current era of QB's like Manning, Brees and Brady to that of the future that will contain names like Russel Wilson, Colin Kapernick, Cam Newton, and of course, Andrew Luck.

This game carries meaning and the kind of meaning that must truly coincide with such a bridge to the future. For Tom Brady and Bill Belichick this will be the 25th time they have taken the field in a playoff game. However, while the first 9 of those 25 went splendid for the team, it has been 8 years since their last Super Bowl win back in 2004 and since their 2007 dive to the title game that ultimately ended in a crushing loss to the Giants, the dynamic duo of situational football have gone 3-4 in the postseason with 2 of those 3 wins coming in their 2011 AFC Championship winning season. For the first time in his career, Tom Brady is a man under question knowing that if he looses this game the distant whispers that it is time for him to consider retirement may intensify and come to a point where he is sent away before he believes his time has come.

As for Andrew Luck, a win here will put the one logged in Wild Card Week against the Chiefs to shame as the pure level of extreme dominance that this Patriots team still achieves makes it so that when it comes to AFC football teams beating them is like beating the Packers or 49'ers. A win here will further endure him to his fans and like so many other new eras that could begin in the coming years, reignite the competitive fire that ruled Indianapolis back when Peyton Manning was their man.

While it would be wrong to over-stress the importance of this game 14 years after it began a loss here could pinpoint the point in time where one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history ended. A loss here could turn these 6 division titles, these 3 Super Bowl wins and 5 total title game appearances from statistics and memories of a team with the capabilities to revive them to just plain history.

But onto the outlook on the Colts. As we pick through the records of their star QB it is clear that the now 24 year old, 6 foot 4 thug of a signal caller has the qualities that really do make up a pro bowl athlete. Unlike players like Ben Rothlesburger or Russel Wilson who thrive when the play breaks down Andrew Luck has the pure human strength to keep a play together long enough to get the throw off. This is not because of any sort of exceptional offensive line possessed by the Colts and yet Indianapolis was top 10 in the league when it came to fewest sacs against. Luck stays on his feet and uses a very quick throwing motion to get of a clean powerful throw even when he has 3 defenders within a yard of him. Even without some of his top threats who will be injured in this game, shutting down Andrew Luck will be a difficult task for the Patriots secondary largely because of the sheer number of accurate throws he will surgically blast down field from the first to the final whistle.

At 8:15 Saturday night, Andrew Luck will get it going big time revving his engines for a game that if he ends the way he wants it to will have him 1 win away from playing in Super Bowl 48. As for Tom Brady he will be trying to prevent that from happening as he looks to channel his inner 2007 and blow the Colts out of the playoffs.

*Check back later tonight for first half notes and any other news regarding the game