Patriots-Colts: The Showdown No One Cares About Anymore

The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts are preparing to add another contest to their long-standing rivalry—and it couldn't be any less important.

Gone are the days where the mid-season battle would serve as a preview to the playoffs. It's no longer a primetime worthy war between teams leading their divisions. It's no longer the game that could mean the difference in home-field advantage for the postseason.

In 2008, it's just another game.

The injury-riddled Colts sit at a far second-place in a division led by the Tennessee Titans. Peyton Manning and his offense are no longer the dominant powerhouse that once defined the cream of the NFL's crop. Their identity in 2008 is that of a team desperately seeking a new one.

The Patriots season is going better, but it's not reminiscent of seasons past. They're a team that's managing to win games, but they're doing it differently every week. They're fighting for their victories and have found success, but the air of confidence that once existed in New England is no longer a reality.

Without Tom Brady—and with the way the Colts have played thus far—is this still a game worthy of primetime hype?

The extensive media coverage would lead you to believe otherwise. All of the top sports' sites and news outlets still want the NFL fans to believe that this game is as important as it's ever been.

Sports' sites have featured clocks ticking down until the kickoff for this game. Long, well-edited segments on televison help to create a dramatic atmosphere for two teams whose seasons are better defined by tragedy.

The implication here is not that the game can't be exciting. It's not to say that neither team will make the game competitive—or that the game isn't worth watching.

It's moreso that neither team really deserves such recognition in a season dominated by more impressive teams.

It made sense for the last few years.

Placing some of the NFL's most familiar and marketable faces against one another on primetime television was a great way to sell the NFL to the casual fans.

Unfortunately, it's not realistic in today's NFL.

It's an insult to the teams that have played well in 2008. Denying them the national stage in favor of teams for what they've done in the past is absurd.

The teams aren't to blame in this situation, though.

No one expected Brady to be lost for the season at Week One. And no one would've expected the Colts to be battling to get to .500 at the halfway mark, either.

This situation points to a bigger problem in the NFL. This is the flaw with the schedules being decided before the season. The schedule-makers hope to save the most exciting contests for the primetime slots, but there's no way to determine which games will be exciting between two teams.

The league can decide which teams will play on any given day, and which network the game should be aired on—but forcing the fans to witness feigned excitement over a game that's no longer as significant as it once was does more harm than good to the product the NFL hopes to sell.

Angel Navedo is the Head Writer at NYJetsFan.com, boasting Jet Fuel Radio, frequently updated news and opinions, and a premier fan community. He is also the Community Leader for the New York Jets on Bleacher Report.