NFL

Colts at Patriots

By JOANNE KORTH
Published January 16, 2005

WHEN/WHERE: 4:30 today; Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. TV/RADIO: Ch.10; 1010-AM. LINE: Patriots by 11/2. WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL: Fasten your seat belts. The high-powered Colts lit up Denver's fourth-ranked defense in a 49-24 wild-card victory. Quarterback Peyton Manning has more targets to choose from than a cross-eyed sniper: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Dallas Clark, Edgerrin James. The Patriots defense has some problems. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi is tough as nails, but the injury-riddled secondary is held together with rubber bands. At times, converted receiver Troy Brown plays nickel cornerback and linebacker Don Davis safety.

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL: New England is all about efficiency. Quarterback Tom Brady doesn't have Manning's playmakers, but he makes excellent decisions. Running back Corey Dillon has given the Patriots offense an elite runner. Meanwhile, the Colts ranked 29th among 32 in total defense in the regular season, but was among the league's best inside the 20-yard line. In a tight game, the Patriots have the league's top field goal kicker in Adam Vinatieri.

DON'T BE SURPRISED IF: Pats coach Bill Belichick, a defensive Einstein, finds a way to slow the Colts offense, even without starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole. In the past, Belichick has given Manning fits with disguised coverages and multiple fronts.

HEAD GAMES: For Manning, obscene statistics always come with an asterisk. In college, Manning left Tennessee as the SEC's all-time passer but never beat Florida. In the NFL, New England is his Achilles'. The two-time league MVP is 2-9 against the Patriots, 1-6 since Belichick took over, including a 24-14 loss in last year's AFC Championship.

IMPACT PLAYER: Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney led the league with 16 sacks. Matched against left tackle Matt Light, Freeney can tip the scales in the visiting team's favor by putting Brady on the ground a few times.

THE EDGE: It will be cold. The crowd will be hostile. Belichick will scheme. But this time the Colts might be too much for the Patriot's patchwork secondary. Manning and Indy coach Tony Dungy are ready to get over the big-game hump.

[Last modified January 16, 2005, 00:33:22]