The New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts will meet in the playoffs for the third time in four years as the Colts host the Patriots at the RCA Dome in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The Patriots, who are going to their fourth conference title game in six years, won the previous two meetings in the playoffs against Indianapolis. They were victorious, 24-14, in the AFC Championship Game in the 2003-2004 season, and followed that up with a 20-3 win in the Divisional Round a year later. However, both of those games took place at New England. Indianapolis has won the last two regular season meetings between these two teams, both on the road.
Peyton Manning will look to break out of his post-season slump in this one, as he has thrown five interceptions compared to only one touchdown thus far in the playoffs. He completed only 15-of-30 passes and threw two interceptions in his team's 15-6 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round. A week earlier in the Wild Card Round, Manning threw three interceptions in a 23-8 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tom Brady struggled to find his groove in his team's 24-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round, but finally got into a rhythm late in the fourth quarter. Brady threw for 280 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the win. Jabar Gaffney, who caught only 11 passes during the regular season, compiled 10 catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. He had eight catches for 104 yards in New England's 37-16 Wild Card Round win over the New York Jets.
The Colts' defense has surprisingly stepped in a big way in their first two games of the post-season, allowing a total of only 14 points. Indianapolis, whose run defense was ranked last in the league this season, has surrendered only 85 yards to starting halfbacks thus far in the playoffs. They held Kansas City's Larry Johnson to 32 yards and Baltimore's Jamal Lewis to 53.
New England's defense, ranked sixth in the NFL this year, allowed only 14.8 points per game during the regular season, second only to the Ravens. They boasted the second-ranked defense in the second half of the season. However, the Patriots will once again likely be without safety Rodney Harrison, who suffered a partially torn MCL in the final game of the season against the Tennessee Titans. Harrison has missed both of New England's post-season games thus far.
Should the Patriots win, it would mark their fourth Super Bowl appearance in six years. They have won all of their past three appearances (2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2004-2005).
Including the post-season, Indianapolis is 9-0 at home this year while New England is 8-1 on the road.
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