Colts look for revenge against New England
A high-powered Colts’ offencse led by Peyton Manning will be tested by host New England’s defencse as the Patriots try to extend a 13-game win streak and reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, having won in 2002.
“In my six years in the league, no defence is as complex,” Manning said. “This is going to be our greatest challenge.”
The Eagles lost to Tampa Bay at this stage last year and to St. Louis in 2002. This time their Super Bowl path is barred by Carolina, a ninth-year Panthers team that only came this close in 1997, when they lost at Green Bay.
Manning has been superb in two play-off romps, completing a combined 44-of-56 passes for 681 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions as the Colts beat Denver 41-10 and Kansas City 38-31 without ever punting away the ball.
But New England beat Indianapolis 38-34 seven weeks ago, a regular season meeting in which Manning penetrated Belichick’s attacking and well-disguised defencse with 29-of-48 passing for 278 yards and four touchdowns.
Manning is 1-4 against the Patriots under Belichick, completing 117-of-191 passes for 1,411 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Cornerback Ty Law has four interceptions against Manning, returning two for touchdowns.
The Patriots, 3-0 when playing for a Super Bowl berth, are led by Tom Brady, who is 3-0 against the Colts.
Brady, the 2002 Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, has completed 55-of-78 passes for 606 yards and five touchdowns against Indy.
Philadelphia, 13-4, lost to Oakland in 1981 in its only Super Bowl trip, although the bitter near-misses of the past two years haunt the Eagles.
“A lot of the guys have walked this road,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said.
“Any time you go through it once you understand the magnitude of it. Our guys have gotten here and didn’t achieve so you even understand it a little bit more.”
The Eagles, 11-1 in their past 12 games, are trying to avoid becoming the first club to lose three games in a row with a Super Bowl berth at stake since Dallas from 1980-1982.
The Eagles defeated Carolina 25-16 seven weeks ago when Panthers kicker John Kasay missed three field goals and a conversion that would have given Carolina the victory.
Carolina, 13-5, might be without NFL rushing leader Stephen Davis, who hurt his left quadricep muscle in last week’s double overtime victory over St. Louis. Quarterback Jake Delhomme has the Panthers confident they can overcome the challenge.
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