NFL Rivalries 2017: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

A once great rivalry is currently in shambles. Do the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts still have bad blood? Where does this NFL rivalry stand?

As the 2017 NFL season approaches, we check in on the status of the best and most heated rivalries around the league. Some of these rivalries are as hot as ever. Others lay dormant after years of feisty competitions. Yet those examples pale in comparison to the most embarrassing of rivalry tropes — when you are not your rival’s rival.

Next up for debate is the AFC hate relationship between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. This was once a battle of quarterback legends and a great rivalry, but where does it stand today?

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, discuss NFL Rivalries in 2017 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

This rivalry really got going during the Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning era. These two teams dominated the conference and always seemed to stand in each other’s way. Since Manning moved on, the relationship has changed, but perhaps only for one side.

Let’s hit up the rivalry questionnaire.

1. Is this still a rivalry?

Todd Salem: Not really. Indianapolis certainly feels like this is still a rivalry. The Colts still dislike the Patriots and still need to get through New England to reach the heights they want to hit. They even played the main part in Deflategate. But the Patriots probably don’t think much about Indy anymore. They’ve moved on, at least in terms of worrying about it on the calendar. Maybe they still want to bust Indy up anytime they play, but it’s like a big kid picking on a small kid at this point. New England hasn’t lost to the Colts in any fashion this decade.

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Dan Salem: Despite Andrew Luck living up to the hype, his teams have not and this is no longer a viable rivalry. If the Colts were consistently atop their division, perhaps the NFL would match them up with the Patriots every season. But Indianapolis has fallen behind Houston in terms of dominance and Tennessee in terms of excitement.

I forgot that the Patriots and Colts faced off in the 2014 and 2015 playoffs. Want to know why? Because it didn’t matter. New England was a heavy favorite and Indianapolis was just another opponent in their way. Now don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see an actual Tom Brady and Andrew Luck rivalry develop before Brady’s career ends. But I doubt it happens. This rivalry won’t get renewed until next generation.

2. Which side of this pairing would you rather be on?

Todd Salem: The clear answer is New England. Maybe Tom Brady is on his way out of the league pretty soon, but the answer is still New England.

Dan Salem: Picking the Patriots is extremely difficult for me as a New York Jets fan. But Tom Brady is amazing and has to be fun to root for. I’m not sure the same can be said of Andrew Luck any longer. Despite those facts, I’m siding with the Colts. I’ve always held a soft spot for Indianapolis since the days of Marshall Faulk. Plus I despise New England. You won’t find me on their bandwagon.

3. What should we expect from this matchup in 2017?

Todd Salem: The two teams don’t match up in the regular season, but could face off, once again, in the playoffs. After a string of postseason meetings in the mid-2000’s, it has been a little while. But this rivalry has unfolded in the postseason in 2014 and 2015. If Indy wins its division, there could be another match in 2017, though I would expect the Pats to be heavily favored.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-training camp

Dan Salem: Since these two teams don’t play one another in the regular season, I don’t expect they will play each other at all. Indianapolis is a dark horse to make the playoffs, via division win or otherwise. I believe in Houston’s ability to overcome its quarterback shortfall more than the Colts and their ability to stay healthy. I also like the Titans. With the deck stacked against the Colts, they’ll have to truly surprise us to play the Patriots in the postseason.

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