This Sunday night, uber quarterback Peyton Manning, brother to Eli and son of Archie, will bring his intimidating stare and surgically-repaired knee to virginal Lucas Oil stadium as the Colts take on the Bears in the Week 1 rematch – in case you forgot – of Super Bowl XLI. No word yet on if Manning will bring the rented fog machine.

Manning missed the entire preseason after undergoing surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee. Initially, there was doubt on whether he would be able to start Week 1, but he insists he is ready to go.

Now, Bears fans’ hopes rest on Manning being a bit rusty, and two key members of the Colts’ offensive line being absent. Center Jeff Saturday and left guard Ryan Lilja are out with their own respective injuries.

For the Bears to win, they must establish a run game early and control the clock. You know Kyle Orton won’t make dumb decisions, but he can’t play too conservatively either. Or else the Bears could be at the wrong end of a 17-3 final score.

The teams’ defense remains a moderate question mark after preseason play, but unless it is customary for eleven players’ skill levels to drop off considerably and simultaneously for no apparent reason, they’ll be a factor in the contest.

If you’ve managed to not click out yet, you can catch more of my take on the team and this weekend’s game on Most Valuable Network’s NFL Outsider, part of MVN.com, starting this Saturday.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to a wonderful two days of selling beer tickets to obnoxious drunkard attendees of the Long Beach Lobster Fest. See you after the game.