Patriots hope to follow blueprint from past successes

	Peyton Manning picked apart the Patriots in a 40-21 Indianapolis win last year, but New England had several key injuries at the time. AP

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The Patriots' track record of overwhelming defensive success against Peyton Manning boils down to taking a rather common sense approach against the NFL's most cerebral quarterback: He can't be stopped, but he can be beaten. And New England has the game film to prove it.

The challenge for the Patriots to continue their dominance against Manning and the undefeated Colts this week appears enormous, what with Manning coming off what was widely acclaimed as the most masterful performance of his nine-year NFL career last week in Denver, when he threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns against a defense that had entered the game having allowed just two touchdowns all season.

There's no tougher defensive assignment in the league today than besting Manning, but the Patriots have consistently done it better than anyone else. How? It takes almost a perfect game by the defense, and demands that you win both the physical and mental battles that result when he's on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

"Physically, you have to be at your best against him, with no errors, but also mentally, you have to be sharp and ready for the type of game he's going to play,'' veteran Patriots outside linebacker Mike Vrabel said this week. "You know he's going to be sharp and he's going to be prepared in every way, so you have to be prepared for whatever they may try and do.

"They've got all those adjustments, just the little things he does. The fake-spike play, or if you're trying to run guys onto the field, he's going to hurry up and snap the ball, making you either call a timeout or take the penalty. I mean, it's tough. If you need a measuring stick, this is certainly the game that you'll be tested.''

But seven times in the nine meetings that have transpired since Bill Belichick became New England's head coach in 2000, the Patriots have passed that test, prevailing over Manning and the Colts. And don't get too caught up in last year's result, when Indy came into Gillette Stadium and humiliated New England 40-21 on Monday night of Week 9, with Manning throwing three touchdowns and posting a 117.1 passer rating.

That snapped the Colts' six-game losing streak against the Patriots, dating to September 2001, but in terms of where the New England defense was a year ago this weekend, that was then, and this is now.