Our wives have trouble believing that with as much Tony and I communicate at times during the day we often times get no deeper than the nuances of the football season. Here’s an excerpt that illustrates how we manage to keep minor issues of the day like politics and natural disasters from getting in the way of talking about important things like sports.

Andy: Thoughts on any games you’re particularly interested in this weekend?

Tony: If I could watch one game this weekend…

Tony: well, there’d be all kinds I’d be interested in, actually.

Tony: In fact, I might be coming over Sunday.

Andy:  I’m only going to be here for part of the first game actually.

Tony: even better.

Andy: I’m looking forward to seeing if the Falcons can maintain their running prowess against a much better defense than they faced last week against Detroit.

Andy: No way they get 300 yards rushing against Tampa but that game stays competitive only based on what Turner and Norwood can do at busting the Tampa defense.

Tony: yeah, that was the one I was going to throw out there.

Tony: Especially since you picked Tampa as like our 13 when I had Atlanta as like 12

Andy: Well, it did slip my mind that Derrick Brooks might miss his first game ever. But I still think Tampa is the better team and will end up winning Sunday.

Andy: What else?

Tony: Well, I’m mildly curious to see how Matt Cassel looks – although I would flip the channel whenever the Jets have the ball.

Tony: I’d like to see who Drew Brees throws to in New Orleans.

Tony: How is Green Bay only -3? Wanna go to Vegas?

Andy: I’m curious about two other backup quarterbacks. I believe both Tennessee and Kansas City are better with their backups (Kerry Collins and Damon Huard respectively) than they are with their starters (Vince Young and Brodie Croyle).

Andy:  Yeah, Green Bay should be -10

Tony: The only way you could watch long stretches of the KC/Oakland game is if you’re the kind of person who drives around looking for fatal car accidents to gawk at.

Andy: While I don’t think Huard makes Kansas City a playoff competitor I think if Collins has anything left in the tank he could make Tennessee borderline competitive for a wild card – if they were to stick with him when Young gets healthy.

Tony: I would rather watch a State of the Union Address than that game.

Andy: That might be true.

Tony: I’ve heard a lot of people say Tennessee was borderline wildcard with Young.

Andy: I think they’re a stronger borderline wild card with Collins.

Andy: I enjoy watching Young. He’s a freakish athlete. But he is clearly a disappointment to this point as a quarterback.

Tony: yes

Andy: Tennessee also had the door kicked open a crack by the decimation of the offensive line in Jacksonville and the rust of Peyton Manning last week.

Tony: true

Andy: A win against Cincy and Tennessee puts itself in a pretty nice spot.

Tony: I initially had Cincy in that game.  Although I changed that.

Andy: Speaking of Jacksonville, they play Buffalo this week. We both saw Buffalo beating Seattle last week but I didn’t necessarily expect the one-sidedness of that game. Now with Jason Peters coming back they should get even better. Do you think they are for real?

Tony: I thought they were for real before the Seattle game–I guess I was a little surprised at how much they dominated the game without Peters, but I expected the win.

Tony: But I think Buffalo is a good team possibly stuck in an ultra-competitive division – but their playoff potential may have been given a glimmer of hope too, with Brady out

Tony: And Indy and Jax, as you mentioned.

Andy: Yeah, I still think Indianapolis ends up one of the AFC elites by the time the dust settles but the Patriots sans Brady are a tough read. The Pats still have more skill position talent than any other team in football, arguably anyway, but I’m fairly certain I’d take Trent Edwards over Matt Cassel at quarterback.

Andy: I actually like the prime time games this weekend too – hard to argue with Pittsburgh/Cleveland Sunday night and Philadelphia/Dallas on Monday.

Tony: true, although I expect the Pittsburgh one to be fairly one sided.

Tony: Wouldn’t shock me to see the Dallas one to be one sided either.

Andy: I think the underdogs will be up enough for the games that they’ll keep them competitive for a half or so. Cleveland has been a disappointment so far though, no question.

Andy: They looked pretty inept against Dallas and their preseason was bad. Brady Quinn anytime soon?

Tony: I think they would have to be pretty bad for that to happen before the bye, whenever that is.

Andy: Week five. Yeah, I suppose I’d agree with that.