Wind out of Colts' sails
Sam Farmer
Los Angeles Times
The Packers will lose before the Colts win. Even great teams are capable of a letdown, and when you factor in that Green Bay is likely to ease its foot off the gas if it locks up the top seed in the NFC, the odds of another 16-0 regular season go down.
Besides, as the Patriots reminded us a few years ago, a perfect regular season guarantees nothing. Meanwhile, any wind filling the sails of the Colts is gone. They are simply playing out the season.
Jim Caldwell is on his way out — deserved or not — and Andrew Luck is on his way in. For so long because of the remarkable reliability of Peyton Manning, the franchise worked without a net. This season, it slipped off the wire.
Tests ahead for Packers
Dan Pompei
Chicago Tribune
The Packers are doing so many things so well that it is difficult to imagine them losing in the near future.
But they play two opponents — Lions and Giants — in the next three weeks that are very capable of beating them or anyone else.
It won't help the Packers that both games are on the road. Ford Field in particular should be in an absolute frenzy on Thanksgiving Day, and the Lions will have something to prove against a rival.
The Packers appear to be able to adjust their game and play well in any type of condition and against any type of opponent, but these games will be true tests.
The Colts are playing so poorly it's difficult to imagine them winning this season. In their last four games they have been outscored 137-27.
Streaks end in Week 12
Baltimore Sun
I guess it depends on who plays earlier in Week 12, and since the Packers have to face the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, I'm going to say the Packers lose that game. If they don't lose, they ruin the holiday for thousands of Lions fans. The Lions have to win that game so they can eat the turducken after.
Detroit has a real shot at the playoffs and a win over the Packers would go a long way toward helping secure a spot. I see Ndamukong Suh making life difficult on Aaron Rodgers, and grabbing a big, old wing for his efforts.
If the Colts played the Carolina Panthers earlier on Thanksgiving, they'd be eating the turducken. Both streaks are going to end in Week 12. Let us give thanks.
Luckless Colts go winless
Dave Hyde
Sun Sentinel
Even with such an impressive season, Green Bay's masterpiece isn't as likely to withstand November and December like the trash heap in Indianapolis.
Green Bay has outscored teams by a league-high 134 points. But Indianapolis has been outscored by a more impressive 169 points this year. It has two touchdowns in the last four games. It currently has a quarterback controversy involving Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky.
Who knows what Green Bay's motivation will be in its final two games against Chicago and Detroit?
The Colts, meanwhile, are constructed perfectly to go winless through this season and have the perfect reason to win the prize of Andrew Luck.