Bill Belichick’s destruction of Peyton Manning from 2001 to 2004 sparked my interest in sports gambling. Actually, that’s not giving Belichick enough credit. From 2001 to 2004, I made more money on Patriots-Colts games than any other annual sporting event — ever. I literally would wait for the annual Patriots-Colts showdown and bet as much money as I could reasonably afford to lose on the Patriots. Belichick never let me down.

The moments that always stick out when you reflect on Belichick’s utter domination of Manning are the ones in which No. 18 angrily snapped off his chinstrap as he hung his head while walking off the field. In most of my memories, it’s snowing and Ty Law is running to the sideline with a football in his hands as Belichick happily smacks him on the helmet. The Pats-Colts game was always easy money. The rest of America loved the Colts. The line would creep in the Colts’ favor. I’d bet the house on the Patriots. Those were the days.

Can you bring out the old Peyton, Bill? (AP)

When we look back at those games, we can honestly say it was the most recent instance of Belichick completely climbing into the head of an opposing star quarterback and owning him for an extended period of time. Belichick discovered something about Manning that no other coach could discover during that four-year stretch. For all the film that No. 18 studied, and all the timing routes he threw, he thrived on familiarity. He wanted to win the game through his preparation. He needed a sense of comfort and timing.

Belichick gave him neither. We all remember the 2003 and 2004 AFC championship games in which the Patriots had several defensive series when they rushed one defensive lineman and dropped 10 men in coverage. Even though Manning had as much time as he needed in the pocket, he couldn’t get the mental clock out of his head. The happy feet would resurface, he’d tap the ball angrily with his left hand, and he’d rush an inaccurate throw in the face of zero pressure. Last Sunday night, we heard Rodney Harrison tell a story on NBC’s broadcast about the 2004 AFC championship game. In preparation, Belichick told Harrison and Law they would switch positions for a week. Harrison would play cornerback and Law would play strong safety. Manning panicked the moment he saw a defensive look he had never seen on film. Even Harrison’s NBC colleague, Tony Dungy, admitted that his former quarterback went the entire game without being able to identify the Patriots’ base coverage scheme.

For those types of reasons, Manning started his career with six consecutive losses in Foxboro. After Tom Brady earned the Patriots’ starting quarterback job in 2001, the Patriots won six straight meetings against the Colts. The turning point came in 2005 when Belichick no longer had the horses to play any head games with Manning. Law had moved on, Harrison was hurt and Belichick’s secondary boasted players such as Duane Starks, Michael Stone and Ellis Hobbs. We all know if you give Manning an inch, he’ll take a yard. He passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-21 Colts win. From the start, Belichick coached the game like a man who knew his team was overmatched. Manning started the game by marching his team down the field for a 54-yard touchdown drive that spanned 2:23. On the ensuing drive, Belichick seemed to realize he wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop Manning, so when his team stalled on the Colts’ 21-yard line, he went for it on fourth-and-1. Belichick seemed to admit, with Manning on the sideline, that he needed touchdowns — not field goals. Where was the gamesmanship Belichick had practiced in previous seasons?

The rivalry has never been the same since. The Colts are 4-1 against the Pats since 2005. The lone Patriots victory came in their perfect regular season of 2007. Even in that game — a 24-20 Pats win — the Colts led 20-10 with 9:42 remaining. If, in fact, the days of Belichick’s domination of Manning are over, we can always reflect on those golden years from 2001 to 2004. I know I’m not the only one who made money on the Pats. But even as someone who has no vested interest in either team, I’m hoping to see one more blast from the past on Sunday night. Belichick has about 12 young defensive backs, all of whom have dreadlocks flowing out of their helmets. Maybe we’ll learn on Sunday that he drafted all of them for this very purpose: to confuse Manning when they’re on the field at the same time. Then, for perhaps one final time, we’ll remember what it feels like when Belichick gets the best of Manning.

On to the Best of the Week.

Story of the Week: If you’re a fan of the NBA, you should read CBSSports.com senior writer Ken Berger’s indictment of the situation in New Orleans on the heels of Byron Scott’s dismissal as head coach. It’s vicious. He’s not impressed by team president Hugh Weber’s decision to replace Scott with general manager Jeff Bower. Here’s the best part of the column.

Firing Scott may or may not have solved anything. That’s not the point. The point is that the front man for this disastrous turn of events Wednesday was not a credible NBA coach — no offense, Coach Bower — but rather an empty suit who knows his way around a board room but not a basketball court.

Before joining the Hornets when they were in Oklahoma City in the wake of Katrina, Weber worked for Proctor & Gamble and then a company called Ventura Foods, which he grew into a $2 billion business. Good for him. Ventura Foods makes Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing. This is the stuff of a columnist’s dreams, stuff you can’t make up.

So when Weber was finishing squirting Thousand Island all over Bower’s face, he moved onto Scott, whom he accused of offering “no specific direction” on how to solve the Hornets’ problems.

Quote of the Week: I’m going to give this one to Theo Epstein, who tried to put a positive spin on Jason Varitek’s decision to exercise his $3 million option for 2010.

“We’re happy to have Jason back and we look forward to a good year from him in 2010,” Epstein said.

Isn’t that like saying, “We’re thrilled to have Manny Ramirez on our team, and we look forward to an incident-free season in 2010?”

E-mail of the Week: The Gravy e-mailed a group invitation to a day-after-Thanksgiving Wiffle Ball game this week. Unfortunately, I’ll miss the game this year because I’ll be out of town. I replied to his group e-mail to commit to the 2010 Wiffle Ball game, and he responded with the e-mail of the week.

“Moonlight Graham would have made the trip.”

Comment of the Week: For the second week in a row, I don’t think the best comment is appropriate for a re-run in the body of a story. There are rules. But you can check out the responses to Tuesday’s Joke Book for a good laugh.

"You're under arrest, sir." (AP)

Conversation Starter of the Week: Walk up to the first person you see on your lunch break and say, “Were you the woman on Oprah who got attacked by a chimp?”

Tip of the Week: If you’re the former heavyweight champion of the world, you’ve spent multiple years in jail and you’re on probation for cocaine possession, don’t punch out a photographer in the middle of an airport and then make a citizen’s arrest of that person.

What Would Jason Varitek Do? Let’s say you’re out watching the Pats-Colts game with a few friends on Sunday night. It’s you, your best buddy and one of his friends from work. At some point in the night, your buddy’s friend tells you he’s engaged. He feels awkward for bringing it up since you’re not invited to the wedding, so he asks you to stop by if you’re not busy. What would Jason Varitek do? He’d show up to the ceremony in a tuxedo 15 minutes early, then he’d stay until the bitter end of the reception, milking double-digit drinks from the open bar tab.

Stat of the Week: Jay Cutler threw five interceptions in the Bears’ 10-6 loss to San Francisco last night. Two of those picks came in the red zone and the final one was intercepted in the end zone. Over the last two seasons, Cutler leads the league in interceptions thrown in the red zone. Here is the list of top four offenders.

Most red zone interceptions over the last two seasons:
Jay Cutler: 9
David Garrard: 4
Matt Ryan: 4
Drew Brees: 4

Video of the Week: Here’s a submission from an American Idol hopeful contestant. Fast-forward to the 30-second mark if you’re getting impatient.

15 Comments for “Will Belichick ever dominate Manning again?”

1. Ron Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 10:06 am

   Relative to your question as to which is the betterquarterback, Brady or Manning, the answer is probably Brady. However,the better team is the Colts. Dallas Clark is better than any tightend the Patriots have, Adai is a bettern running back, Freany andMathis are better corners and so it goes. As far as a depleted Coltssecondary is concerned, it doesn’t matter so much if the corners arecausing the opposing quarterback to hurry his throws. There is nodoubt that Moss and Welker are premier receivers. Howver, they aregenerally having to make catches in a crowd, while the Colt receiversare able to find the open spaces. Watch for all of this on Sunday andit will take all of Brady’s talent to overcome the other deficiences.

2. TheGravy Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 11:33 am

   If there was a football analogue to TheGravy’s wiffle ball brillance, it would be Manning. The man runs the offense; Brady is a Belichick creation. Brady is great, yes, but Manning is transcendent.

3. Favre Superfan! Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

   Excuse me? Manning is the 2nd most talented. Brady is the 2nd best leader. Rivers has the 2nd most fun playing the game. Big Ben is the 2nd toughest. Cutler has the 2nd biggest arm. Fitzpatrick is the 2nd smartest. Romo is the 2nd most creative. Who’s the 2nd best overall? I really don’t know. I’m too busy enjoying one final year with the Greatest of All-Time!

4. JaMarcus Superfan! Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 1:04 pm

   To Favre Superfan:

   Cutler has the 3rd biggest arm. The time for honoring the ol’ gunslinger will soon be at an end.

5. Jon Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 1:10 pm

   Fitzpatrick is the smartest, sorry. Brady is the best of this era, Manning is a close 2nd, but not that close. #’s 3-1 vs. 1-0 and 14-3 vs 7-8. My favorite was Marino but 0-1 in Superbowls just doesn’t get you in the coversation. Montana is still the best.

6. TheGravy Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 1:31 pm

   Sure Jon, the numbers and trophies point to Brady, but football is a team sport, (maybe THE team sport – gotta consider basketball, too) and I think he gets too much credit that should go to the coaching staff. Manning is on another level mentally. Nobody operates an offense like Manning. Nobody. He is literally a player/coach. Brady is a player/celebrity. TheGravy has all three characteristics by comparison.

7. KD Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 2:29 pm

   Iverson in 2001 and Lebron in 2007 shows us that basketball is hardly a team sport.

   Also, putting too much stock in the talent of the actual QB is foolish. Look at Matt Cassel w/ Patriots (great offensive line, great receivers, great QB) vs. Chiefs (bad protection, average receivers, bad QB). Wes Welker can zig-zag across the entire field 3 times before Brady has to get rid of the ball. Just imaging if JaMarcus Russell had this kind of time! He would have taken the 2007 Patriots to a 22-0 season at least. Sadly, Brady Quinn would still have gone 8-8.

   The only thing that separates the great QB’s from the average ones is 2-minute drills & whether or not you puke in the 4th quarter of the Superbowl.

8. TheGravy Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

   Yeah KD, two examples of athletes bringing their lousy teams to the cusp of championships in the history of professional basketball totally squashes the arguement that basketball is a team sport. Watch a college game someday.

   Regarding Matt Cassel. If he’s not the stock of QB talent that we thought, like you imply and evidenced in his performance thus far in KC, then perhaps Brady’s success is a product of his evironment rather than the success being a product of Brady himself.

9. Jon Says:
   November 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

   Gravy, I almost agree except Brady with Moss and Welker 0-1. Brady without Moss and Welker 3-0. Manning had Harrison, Pollard, and James for most of the years he was losing. He had plenty of help more than Brady I think. Pats D was better then so I’ll give you that but they were the “bend don’t break” group, certainly no Steel Curtain or Ravens D.

10. Chris Says:
    November 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pm

    Favre superfan has got to be kidding. Any Manning mentally above Brady??? Hellooo…ever seen Brady berating his receivers on the field because he is “cold” and cannot figure out an Indy defense??? See Manning 01′ through ’05 and in playoff situations with the exception of one year. Please….watch the games before commenting.

11. TheGravy Says:
    November 13th, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    Hellooo…. I said that. And you’re talking about emotionally. Brady is a savant. He’s a hall of fame QB but he couldn’t bag groceries in the real world. As for Brady with Moss and Welker… they went undefeated (!) and then lost to a lesser opponnent in the super bowl…

    How’s this… if you switched the qb’s and Peyton played for the Pats, Brady for Indy, would this even be a discussion?

12. TheGravy Says:
    November 15th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

    TheGravy is a vindicated Gravy.

13. Bill Belichick Says:
    November 15th, 2009 at 11:49 pm

    [nodding, nodding, hands over face]

14. Kathleen Poplar Says:
    February 1st, 2010 at 12:46 am

    Go Saints! Become a fan of facebook page here: Colts Will Lose Super Bowl 2010!

15. Dante d'Amore Says:
    May 29th, 2010 at 10:49 am

    I used to think Brady was the clearly the best, but Manning is now right there with him.

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