It's an NFL season, so that means that the Colts and Patriots must play. I'm pretty sure it's part of the CBA.
Sunday's game will be the eighth regular season meeting between New England and Indianapolis since 2002, when the NFL went to eight divisions and the Colts left for the AFC South (and the 11th meeting in that time if you include the playoffs). One couldn't blame you if you thought the Colts were still in the AFC East.
The Colts have won three of the past four regular season games, including two straight and 2009's somewhat infamous 4th-and-2 call. All but one of those were at Indy, however -- Sunday's game is in New England, where the Patriots haven't lost in the regular season since Nov. 30 of 2008. But that was with Matt Cassel -- with Tom Brady, the Pats have won 23 straight at Gillette Stadium, with their last loss coming all the back in 2006. Which is why they have opened as three-point favorites against the Colts.
Opening lines for all the AFC East games after the jump.
Colts at Patriots (-3)
The Jets haven't exactly been blowing anyone out this season -- they've won their past four games by a combined 22 points and needed overtime to beat both the Lions and Browns -- and the Texans can score, so New York is probably the play there. The rest of the games are essentially pick 'ems -- take the Pats, Bears and Bengals.