RUSH: Nicholas, Fort Wayne, Indiana, thank you for waiting, sir, you’re next.
CALLER: Hey, Rush, thanks for taking my call.
RUSH: Yes.
CALLER: Ultra mega Hoosier dittos from flyover country.
RUSH: Thank you.
CALLER: I’d just like to ask you what you think about the Indianapolis Colts and what they need to do to turn their season around. I know they’re not on the brinks yet, but with the offense sputtering the way it is, it’s sure heading that way fast.
RUSH: It’s just a minor blip in the road. I think you’re going to get fixed tomorrow night playing the Atlanta Falcons.
CALLER: Yeah, most definitely, and with Harrison being out, it’s really cut down our offensive production.
RUSH: Well, you know something? I think that’s a crutch, you have Reggie Wayne, you’ve got Dallas Clark, you got Joseph Addai. So three of your four weapons you still got. Any team, championship team’s, got to be able to withstand the loss for a couple, three weeks, of one player. If the Colts need Marvin Harrison, if they can’t put anybody in to sub for him, if they can’t get by without Marvin Harrison for a short period of time, then there’s trouble. I think people look at that as a crutch.
CALLER: I agree. I think as long as we have number 18 back as our quarterback, we’ll be in good shape.
RUSH: Yeah, you’re just reacting. What’s happening to the Colts is what happens to every team now and again, it just hasn’t happened in years. This team is getting older. This is something that happens. I think one of the biggest problems you have is losing Dwight Freeney, to tell you the truth.
CALLER: Yeah, you’re right, you’re right. He definitely could put pressure on the quarterback. But, you know, like you said, with the Falcons tomorrow night, I think we’ll get this thing turned around.
RUSH: Yeah, because the offensive line has given Manning some time, and that’s what every quarterback needs. Look at Brady. You know, I think Tom Brady is one of the most — I guess he’s starting to get some appreciation this year — Tom Brady is always left out of these great quarterback discussions that include Marino, Peyton Manning, and some of the others, and the guy is just simply a winner. He works in a system up there that Bill Belichick runs, and so they don’t have a whole lot of focus on individuals on that team from inside the team. But I’ll tell you, the season the Patriots are having is unbelievable — may be the single best team, season long, in the NFL’s history, single season team, it has to be the Patriots, especially if they go undefeated. They’re mauling people. A lot of people are saying, ‘Well, they’re running up the score, Rush, it’s not fair.’ Through the first three quarters, everything is fair game. If you go into the fourth quarter and you’re leading a hapless time like the Dolphins 42-0 and you put Brady back in when the backup quarterback throws an interception, then you can maybe say, okay, they’re running up the score. Belichick says, ‘No, actually it wasn’t, it was 48-21, fourth quarter lead, 21 points is not enough. I need to make sure we win the game.’ Belichick is simply laying waste to the league. Singling him out for cheating, spy-gate, $500,000 fine, he’s saying, ‘Okay, league, take this.’ It’s sort of fun to watch, in a way.