Pats-Colts renew rivalry

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New England Patriots (6-2) will meet the undefeated Indianapolis Colts (8-0) tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium in what has become one of the most anticipated dates on the NFL calendar (Ch. 7, WHDH/NBC).

Coverage of the heated rivalry begins locally on WHDH Ch.7 at 6:30 p.m. with “7 On the Sidelines,” followed by NBC’s “Football Night in America,” with analysts Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy, and then the game at 8:20 p.m.

The game will feature not only two of the NFL’s elite teams, fighting for AFC supremacy, but two of the league’s all-time great quarterbacks in New England’s Tom Brady and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning.

Since Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe in the 2001 campaign, here is a look at the way things have played out:

Sept. 30, 2001: Patriots 44, Colts 13 (Foxboro)

Oct. 21, 2001: Patriots 38, Colts 17 (Indy)

Nov. 30, 2003: Patriots 38, Colts 34 (Indy)

Jan. 18, 2004: Patriots 24, Colts 14 (Foxboro, AFC Championship Game)

Sept. 9 2004: Patriots 27, Colts 24 (Foxboro)

Jan 16, 2005: Patriots 20, Colts 3 (Foxboro, AFC Divisional Round)

Nov. 7, 2005: Colts 40, Patriots 21 (Foxboro)

Nov. 5, 2006: Colts 27, Patriots 20 (Foxboro)

Jan. 21,2007: Colts 38, Patriots 34 (Indy, AFC Championship Game)

Nov. 4, 2007: Patriots 24, Colts 20 (Indy)

Nov. 2, 2008: Colts 18, Patriots 15 (Indy)

The Patriots are 7-4 over that stretch against the Colts and lead the all-time series 44-28. The teams both used to play in the AFC East until the NFL realigned in 2002.

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