One of the newer rivalries, the Patriots Colts rivalry is a new kind of competition largely fueled by the team quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts were two of the most successful teams of the 2000′s and with two elite teams year in and year out an NFL rivalry is never far behind. This is a newly revived rivalry of one that echoes from the past. What many younger NFL fans don’t realize is that the Pats and Colts used to be divisional rivals from 2970 – 2001 before the NFL was reorganized.

As two of the most successful teams in the AFC, both teams have their share of accomplishments. A big part of the Patriots Colts rivalry in the 2000′s has been the battle between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning over who is the best quarterback in the game. Manning has four MVPs to Brady’s three, and between them the teams have won four of seven Super Bowl titles. Both are headed by fantastic front offices the Colts have GM Bill Polian while the Pats have head coach Bill Belichick running just about the entire franchise.

Teams with this much success have some great moments. In the early part of the 2000′s the Patriots had the upper hand, with New England kicking the Colts out of the playoffs in 2003 and again 2004. However the Colts got their revenge when they knocked out Pats en route to Superbowl XLI.

The renewal of the rivalry dates to September 30, 2001, Tom Brady’s first NFL start, when he filled in for the injured Drew Bledsoe. Brady would win the first Patriots Colts game, and followed that up with winning his first six games against the Colts. These included the 2003 and 2004 AFC Championship Game, with the Pats continuing all the way to win the Super Bowl. The Colts finally broke through in 2005 with a regular season win, then kept the momentum rolling the next year. In 2006, not only did the Colts beat the Patriots in the regular season, but went on to take the 2006 AFC Championship Game en route to winning Super Bowl XLI. After that the teams have not met in the post-season, as the Patriots struggled with the Tom Brady injury in 2008, and suffered a lackluster end of the season in 2009. But as long as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the quarterbacks for their respective teams, the Colts Patriots rivalry will remain one of the most riveting in the NFL.

Colts vs Patriots Rivalry Highlights

Significant Patriots Colts games:

• August 13, 1967 marked the first time the Colts and Patriots would face off when the Boston patriots hosted the Baltimore Colts at Harvard University. This pre-season game was a precursor to the merging of the NFL and the American football league.
• During their meeting on October 4, 1970, the Colts held a commanding 7-0 lead entering the fourth quarter, when the Patriots staged a comeback to get the game to 7-6. However after the second field goal, Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas completed a 55-yard touchdown to Roy Jefferson to seal the 14-6 game.
• The Patriots last played the Baltimore Colts and lost 12-7 on October 9, 1983.
• November 18, 1984 marked the first meeting between the Patriots and the newly renamed Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots would win 50-17 in the Hoosier Dome, highlighted by four touchdowns from quarterback Tony Eason.
• In 1987 the Indianapolis Colts won their first game over the Patriots as the Indianapolis Colts after six straight losses. Dean Biasucci kicked three field goals, Donnell Thompson returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Matt Bouza and Albert Bently also had touchdowns for the Colts.
• 1994 marked the first year under the new ownership of Robert Kraft for the New England Patriots. After five losing seasons the Patriots opened the season 10-5 and went on to sweep the series for the Colts, who were dealing with new quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who replaced Jeff George.
• 1999 marked the first time the Peyton Manning-led Colts defeated the Patriots. Not in the first game of the season however. On September 19 the Colts managed to amass a 28-7 lead at half time but were unable to hold on for the win. After scoring a touchdown in the fourth, the Patriots would go to score 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The fourth-quarter Patriots surge featured three Colt turnovers as well as two touchdowns from Drew Bledsoe and Ben Coates. Adam Vinatieri would score the game-clinching filed goal with just 30 seconds left. The Colts got the revenge in the rematch though. Indianapolis entered the game as one of the AFC’s best with a 10-2 record, contrasted to New England’s 7-5. Edgerrin James ran for more than 100 yards and the Colts never trailed in the 20-15 win. Following three straight losses to the Patriots, this game marked the first time Manning would beat New England.
• September 30, 2001 would be the first time Tom Brady and Manning faced off, as well as Brady’s first start in the NFL. Brady went on to throw for 168 yards while Manning threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. In the second game of the season the Patriots would win again, highlighted by David Patten scoring touchdowns three different way. He threw a 60-yard pass, caught a 91-yard throw from Brady, and rushed for a touchdown as well. With Patten scoring 21 points, the Patriots would go on to win 38-17 at the RCA Dome.
• In 2002 the Indianapolis Colts were moved to the AFC Southern Division, and this marked the first time in 32 years the Colts and Patriots did not meet.
• The 2004 NFL season opened in Foxboro with the Patriots hosting the Colts after winning Super Bowl XXXVIII. The Colts managed to head into half time with a 17-13 lead. However Tom Brady threw two touchdowns in the third-quarter. With the game on the line and the clock ticking down, Colts kicked Mike Vanderjagt shanked a 48-yard field goal and the defending champion Patriots won 27-24.
• On November 7, 2005 Peyton Manning won at New England for the first time after going 0-7 in Foxboro. The Colts won 40-21, with Manning throwing for 321 yards, Edgerrin James rushing for just over 100 yards, and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne both with 9 catches and a touchdown. This game is also remembered for Colts GM Bill Polian screaming “break his leg” in the press box when New England brought in backup QB Doug Flutie in the closing minutes.

2007 AFC Championship Game

Many NFL observers believe that the the Patriots Colts rivalry changed with the January 21, 2007 AFC Championship Game. As the two winningest teams of the past ten years, this game had all kinds of attention before the game. Many football fans, especially Colts fans, mark this as game as the turning point in the Patriots Colts rivalry. The Patriots seemed in control from the outset, maintaining their dominance from the most recent meetings between the teams. The Patriots got out to a huge 21-6 heading into half time after and Adam Vinatieri field goal. The Colts came out of the gates in the second half, with Peyton Manning leading the team on a 14 play, 76 yard drive that ended in a touchdown. A Colts touchdown and two-point conversion tied the score at 21-21 late in the third quarter. The Colts hung on in a slugfest, and the game was capped by Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson intercepting Tom Brady with just 25 second left. The Colts would go on to win the Super Bowl, with Manning shedding the reputation of shrinking in big moments and the Patriots Colts rivalry was never the same.

Yes there have been some great games between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. And this rivalry is still going!