Monday's Game More Than Just A Game, It's A Passing Of The Torch

Breaking news, the podcast I briefly mentioned will debut next week. I just was not feeling up to it this weekend. It will happen next week. Promise.

(Also, if you get a chance, watch highlights from the BYU/Utah game from last night. The end was one of the more bizarre things you'll ever see in football.)

As I sit here in my apartment pondering what to post in place of the podcast for this morning, I turn my TV over to ESPN just in time to hear them gush about how amazing Joe Flacco's no huddle offense is. Joe Flacco calls this, Joe Flacco calls that. Look, a touchdown because Joe Flacco is so good at this.

They also gushed about Peyton Manning. Oh, look, the Steelers failed at disguising this blitz. Watch as Peyton identifies this and makes this pass, but only after he turns water into wine and brings Michael Jackson back from the dead.

Meanwhile, Matt Ryan gets one comment from Sal Paolantonio, who points at Merril Hoge and says something to the effect of, "YEAH, THOSE FALCONS AND MATT RYAN AND THEIR NO HUDDLE. YEAH."

Then I thought about it a little bit and realized that Monday night's game is not just a game between two fantastic quarterbacks, but this game could also be a passing of the No Huddle Torch. Manning is without a doubt in the twilight of his career, and while he can still play at a high level, he won't be playing for much longer.

For all the coverage the Falcons don't get, there were only a handful of teams that ESPN threw around as teams that were proficient at a no huddle offense, including the Falcons, Broncos, and Ravens. Careful there, Ravens. You've been doing this for a whole week now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

No doubt the Falcons have one of the best young QBs in the league, and perhaps the only one that has run a proven no huddle attack for longer than a week. Matt Ryan has shown that he can call a game as well as anyone, and it is something he admits he learned a bit from watching Manning himself.

Now that the Broncos have seen how potent Manning can be in a no huddle attack, they will be sure to use it more for their second game, and the guinea pig for their results will be us. The Falcons' D is going to have a long day if it can't corral Manning and his super football intelligence.

On the other side, Matt Ryan may have to go into a no huddle to keep up with Manning if the Falcons' D can't hold off the Broncos' O.

That could very well be the key to the game; which QB will call the better no huddle attack? Will it be the wily veteran Manning, who has seen everything twice and then some? Or will it be young veteran Matt Ryan, who is only just now starting to realize the entirety of his no huddle potential?

Should be a good one. Thoughts?