My friends, THE GURU is ready for kickoff as the Colts (1-2, 0-1 road) battle My Beloved Commies (1-2, 1-0 home) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Tea and biscuits? Check.
Union Jack shorts? Affirmative.
Def Leppard blaring in the background? Absolutely.
These teams only play every four years, but they used to be neighbors. Indeed, the Washington and Baltimore stadiums were once separated by just 36 miles, as the crow flies. That changed, of course, in 1984 when owner Robert Irsay carpetbagged, taking the Charm City’s pride and joy to their current Indianapolis home.
When I think Commies and Colts, I go back to 1994 when FATBACK HOBBS and I watched seventh-round rookie QB Gus Frerotte dismantle Indy in his first NFL start, a 41-27 shellacking that included two TD tosses to James Jenkins1. It was a grand time in the RCA Dome, and we celebrated afterwards at the airport with CBS game analyst Jerry Glanville, ex-head coach of the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons.
Frerotte’s counterpart that afternoon was one James Joseph Harbaugh, playing his first season with the Colts after spending the first six years of his career with the Bears (1987-93). He remained the starter in 1995 and led Indy to the AFC title game, losing to Pittsburgh when his Hail Mary attempt fell just short.
This weekend’s Colts–Commanders tete-a-tete is on NFL Network with Dave Pasch, Jason Kelce, Kurt Warner and Molly McGrath calling the action. Washington is 0–1–1 in international regular-season games - including last year’s overtime loss to Miami - while the Colts are 2-1, beating Atlanta in Berlin in 2025.
Catch the action at 9:30 am ET as My Beloved Commies earn a hard-fought 26-24 victory. A guy can dream, can’t he?
From dreams to nightmares, LE GURU’s record stands at 29-20 (.592) after Thursday night’s Pittsburgh loss to Cleveland. On to the games…
SUNDAY — 1 PM ET — CBS
New England’s (1-2, 0-2 road) misery continues at Buffalo (3-0, 2-0 home). The rivals first met in 1960 during the American Football League’s inaugural season and the Pats hold a commanding 80-52-1 series lead. That won’t help Vrabel & Co. this weekend…
…Jacksonville (2-1, 0-1 road) falls at Cincinnati (2-1, 1-0 home). This one feels like a shootout…
…Arizona (1-2, 1-1 road) loses to the host Giants (2-1, 2-0 home). These teams are connected by star running back Ottis “O.J.” Anderson, who toted the rock for St. Louis (1979-86) and New York (1986-92) during his illustrious NFL career.
Anderson is oft remembered as a Giant because of his two Super Bowl wins but was actually much more of presence with the Cardinals, earning 78% of his career rushing yards and 59% of his touchdowns in the Gateway City. Dude was a stud during some lean years for the St. Louis franchise…
…Tennessee (0-3, 0-1 road) gets boat-raced at Baltimore (2-1, 0-1 home) as Derrick Henry takes his former mates to the woodshed.
1 PM ET — FOX
The Rams (1-2, 0-1 road) falls at Philadelphia (2-1, 1-0 home) and I’m thinking of legendary QB Norm Van Brocklin, who played for the Rams (1949-57) and Birds (1958-60) in his Hall of Fame career.
The most amazing thing about “The Dutchman”? His single-game passing record of 554 yards - set in 1951 - still stands. Seventy-five years later! Indeed, though the game has changed to favor offenses, Van Brocklin still reigns supreme…
…Green Bay (1-2, 1-1 road) gets a win at Tampa (0-3, 0-2 home). These teams were NFC Central rivals for 25 years (1977-2001) but that’s about all they have in common…
…Chicago (2-1, 1-1 home) gets a home win against the Jets (1-2, 1-1 road) in their first meeting since 2022…
…Dallas (1-2, 0-1 road) loses to in-state rival Houston (0-3, 0-2 home). It’s time for some serious soul-searching in the Big D. Some of the most beautiful words I’ll ever type.
4:05 PM ET — FOX
Miami (0-3, 0-2 road) travels to Minnesota (3-0, 1-0 home) and I’ll take the hosts.
When I think of these teams, I recall Super Bowl VIII when the Dolphins throttled the Vikings to the tune of 24-7. Miami ran for 196 yards in the game while QB Bob Griese attempted seven passes, the fewest by a winning quarterback in Super Bowl history.
The second fewest attempts by a winning QB? The previous year in Super Bowl VII when the Dolphins beat Washington, 14-7. Griese threw just 11 passes as Miami ran for 184 yards.
That said, Griese wasn’t a caretaker at QB. The man was a pinpoint passer and a heck of a leader, attributes that led to his enshrinement in Canton. A Purdue Boilermaker to the core.
4:25 PM ET — CBS
Kansas City (3-0, 1-0 road) wins at Las Vegas (3-0, 1-0 home) in a renewal of one of football’s most bitter rivalries…
…Denver (2-1, 0-1 road) takes the “L” in San Francisco (3-0, 2-0 home) as memories of “Black 59 Razor” echo through the ears, eyes, nose and throat of every Broncos fan, all still traumatized from Super Bowl XXIV…
…GULF COAST JON’s LA Chargers (0-3, 0-1 road) lose in Seattle (2-1, 1-0 home) to remain winless.
A loss would drop the franchise to 0-4 for the first time since 1992 when Bobby Ross was at the helm. Ross, like THE CHIEF a Richmond, Va., native and VMI graduate, knew how to lead men and the Chargers rebounded to finish 11-5 and win the AFC West. No other team has started 0-4 and made the playoffs.
Of course, the biggest question in LA is whether the Jim Harbaugh-Mike McDaniel marriage can make it through the season. Heck, Zsa Zsa Gabor would’ve called it a day by now. Stay the course, men.
8:20 PM ET — NBC
Dee-troit (2-1, 0-1 road) wins at Carolina (1-2, 0-1 home) in just the 13th meeting between these teams. Their last matchup was a 42-24 Lions victory in 2023.
MONDAY — 8:15 PM ET — ESPN
Atlanta (1-2, 1-1 road) at New Orleans (1-2, 0-1 home) renew their rivalry with plenty at stake for both squads. Go with the hosts.
That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!
Jenkins was a tremendous blocking tight end for 10 seasons in Washington (1991-2000) but only caught 15 passes in his career, including seven touchdowns. That day in October was his proverbial day in the NFL sun, albeit indoors.