FOXBORO, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- If not for a goal-line stand, then perhaps the Indianapolis Colts would be hosting the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.
Instead, Peyton Manning and the Colts will have to come into Bill Belchick's backyard when the former division rivals meet on Sunday afternoon.
All that's on the line is a date in Super Bowl XXXVIII against either the Carolina Panthers or Philadelphia Eagles on February 1 in Houston.
New England, which owns the NFL's best record and a 13-game winning streak, is seeking its second Super Bowl title in three years under coach Belichick. The Patriots won on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-17, in the 2001 AFC championship game en route to winning Super Bowl XXXVI.
In fact, the Patriots are 3-0 in AFC championship games and Tom Brady is 3-0 against the Colts. The MVP of Super Bowl XXXVI, Brady has completed 55-of-78 passes for 606 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions in the three wins over Indianapolis.
Meanwhile, Manning, the NFL's co-Most Valuable Player, is 2-7 against the Patriots, including 1-4 since Belichick took over in New England in 2000.
This matchup again will be a classic battle of Manning, the master of audibilizing and changing plays at the line of scrimmage, and Belichick, the defensive guru with the multiple fronts, assortment of blitzes and disguised coverages.
"In my six years in the league, no defense is as complex as Belichick's," said Manning, who has completed 117-of-191 passes for 1,411 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions in five games against the Patriots under Belichick. "This is going to be our greatest challenge."
Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law recorded four interceptions against Manning, returning two for touchdowns.
In the last meeting November 30 at Indianapolis, Manning rallied the Colts from a 21-point deficit, throwing second-half touchdowns to Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Troy Walters in a span of less than six minutes.
But Brady hit Deion Branch with the go-ahead 16-yard touchdown with 8:36 remaining and the Patriots held on for a 38-34 victory.
Rookie Bethel Johnson not only set up that touchdown with a 67-yard kick return, he also closed the first half with a 92-yard kick return for a score.
Linebacker Willie McGinest stopped Edgerrin James on a 4th-and-goal from the 1 to cap a dramatic goal-line stand. With 14 seconds left and the Colts at the New England 1, McGinest lined up on the left side of the line and raced unblocked into the backfield to tackle James, who barely got the ball from Manning before he was taken down.
James, who had 88 yards on 25 carries, rushed for one yard on the first play and was stuffed for no gain on the second play. After calling a timeout with 18 seconds remaining, Manning attempted to hit Aaron Moorehead in the left corner of the end zone, but cornerback Tyrone Poole had superb coverage and the ball fell incomplete.
Manning finished 29-of-48 for 278 yards and four touchdowns with an interception and a fumble.
Brady passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns and fullback Mike Cloud rushed for a pair of scores for the Patriots.
The Colts are firing on all cylinders heading into this matchup. They have yet to use punter Hunter Smith in the postseason, erupting for 79 points in playoff wins over Denver (41-10) and Kansas City (38-31).
Manning has been flawless, completing 44-of-56 passes for 681 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception in his first two postseason wins.
"You really can't play any better than the way Peyton is playing now," Belichick said. "He's really spreading the ball around and making it difficult for anyone to defend them."
The Patriots will welcome the challenge. They have allowed a total of 36 points in their last seven home games, including a 17-14 victory over Tennessee last week in the divisional playoffs.
The Patriots will likely be without guard Damien Woody, who is listed as doubtful with a knee injury suffered last week against the Titans.
