Except for the first drive of the second half — Jacksonville’s only scoring drive Monday in a 29-7 loss — the up-the-middle runs that the Jaguars used with impunity last year went mostly nowhere (the Jaguars had 235 total yards, 117 of them on the ground). Indianapolis stuffed two fourth-and-short plays, including a fourth-and-one with 2:55 left in the first half, on the 50-yard-line, in which Sanders, the Colts' run-stuffing safety, stopped Jones-Drew, whom the scared Jaguars had run an end-around instead of just giving him the ball up the middle.

Meanwhile, the Colts offense was playing some smashmouth, too. On the Colts’ first touchdown, running back Kenton Keith finished a three-yard run by pushing three Jaguars toward the end zone for the last two yards.

The Colts ran for 141 yards, its average for the season, mostly up the middle, wearing down the Jaguars defensive line. This, against a Jacksonville team that entered the game giving up only 11.6 points per contest, best in the NFL.

Technically, undefeated New England (7-0) has to host Washington (4-2) on Sunday, while the Colts travel to Carolina (4-2) the same day, games that might appear, based on the opponents’ records, to be difficult matchups. But for pre-Colts-Patriots-hype purposes, we can assume that both teams will win, or that even if they don’t, that doesn’t really matter in the long run, that in fact aliens must have infested Brady and Manning’s brains or something in order for losses to occur. There would be no other reasonable explanation.

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In some way, it appears each quarterback is taking over the other’s brain. Brady is in the Manning role of running up gaudy statistics (is 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions in seven games gaudy enough for you?). Manning, despite appearing on just about every commercial, is in the quiet role of putting up good, but not great, numbers (11 touchdowns, three interceptions) as his team wins, as well. On the other hand, Brady is hardly having to hold up a shaky defense (Patriots are No. 4 in yards and No. 10 in scoring), as Manning has had to do in years past. Then again, this year, neither is Manning. His Colts defense is putting up even better numbers — No. 3 in yards, No. 6 in scoring.

The Colts are outscoring opponents by an amazing two touchdowns and a field goal per game, while the Patriots are outscoring opponents by an even more amazing two touchdowns and three field goals per game. So in two weeks, Indianapolis and New England finally meet the worthy opponent each has waited for.

Who will win? Whoa, let’s not push things. There’s still two weeks of hype left. Let’s not use it all up at once.