"Dwight Freeney grasps the reason behind the immense buildup to the Indianapolis Colts' Sunday night home opener at Lucas Oil Stadium against the New York Giants.

You know, the game pitting Peyton Manning and younger brother Eli.

"I do understand why they do it," the Colts' Pro Bowl defensive end said. "Trying to sell, and quarterbacks sell. Points, touchdowns. (The quarterbacks') face is always on the camera with the ball. They always have the ball more, so I guess marketability and all that stuff."

Freeney paused.

"Makes sense," he said, "but I don't like it. I really have never been into that whole 'Manning' thing. I'm a defensive guy."

There was no venom in Freeney's rhetoric. Just a tinge of frustration. This is, after all, a team sport.

"There are 52 other guys out there playing the game," he said.

The Peyton vs. Eli hype, he added, "gives the perception to people who don't really know football that there's only two guys on the field. It's really about the Colts and Giants.

"It's not just about Eli and Peyton."

And it's not just about the upcoming game. On the opening weekend of the season, the hype machine was in overdrive pumping up the Brett Favre vs. Drew Brees matchup.

"As a defensive player and other guys on the team," Freeney said, "I think you kind of do feel, 'Where's everybody else?' We're not just out there like a pawn.

"It's not (the quarterbacks') fault. It's just the na- ture of the beast. "We get to use it as motiva- tion.""