Jan. 16, 2005: New England 20, Indianapolis 3 (AFC divisional playoff)

Manning had just completed a regular season in which he threw a record 49 touchdown passes, and he had lit up Denver for five more touchdowns in the wild-card round. So of course he wouldn’t get in the end zone against New England!

The Patriots ran the tortoise vs. hare strategy better than they ever had before. Brady’s first touchdown drive was 15 plays and 87 yards, taking up 8:16 of the second quarter. He killed the fourth quarter with a 14-play, 94-yard touchdown drives that lasted 7:24. The run-pass ratio of those two drives was 20-9. Brady finished a pedestrian-looking 18 of 27 for 144 yards and a touchdown. He completed those 18 passes to 10 different receivers.

Meanwhile, Manning matched most of his numbers from the previous New England playoff game. He was 27 of 42 for 238 yards. At least he only threw one interception. Of course, Ty Law wasn’t on the New England roster anymore.

Nov. 7, 2005: Indianapolis 40, New England 21

Even Manning had to be amazed at how easily he smote the Patriots for his first win in Foxborough. This time, Manning was the tortoise, leading an offense that controlled the clock, 36:17-23:43. The Colts’ second touchdown drive was 17 plays, 86 yards and nearly nine minutes of game clock. Manning’s numbers looked more Manning-like: 28 of 37 for 321 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for old times’ sake. James rushed 34 times for 104 yards, and didn’t fumble, for once.

Brady didn’t look horrible. He was 22 of 33 for 265 yards and three touchdowns, with no picks. But the Patriots barely ran, gaining 34 yards on 14 carries. Plus, Belichick was making wacky calls, like a third-quarter onside kick, that blew up in his face. For what looked to be the first time in his life (at least his life outside Cleveland), Belichick appeared to be outcoached.

Nov. 5, 2006: Indianapolis 27, New England 20

The schedule-makers send the Colts to New England so often, you wonder how they didn’t find a way to get Sunday’s AFC championship game there, too.

Anyway, the morphing of Manning to tortoise and Brady to mistake-prone hare continued in this game. Brady was a meager 20 of 35 for 201 yards and four interceptions, although Ty Law was not on the Colts’ roster. Granted, two of those interceptions bounced off his receivers’ hands, including one to Kevin Faulk as New England drove for its last chance at a game-tying touchdown. But still, Brady never looked comfortable, even though he faced little pressure (he wasn’t sacked).

Manning was 20 of 36, but he had 326 yards, two touchdowns and only one perfunctory interception. He overcome another idiot kicker, former Patriot Adam Vinatieri, who honked two field goals back in his old home stadium. (OK, Manning would probably never refer to Mr. Clutch as an idiot kicker, even if Vinatieri did get liquored up, especially what with Vinatieri bailing him out with five field goals in the Colts’ 15-6 divisional playoff victory over Baltimore.)

New England’s running game was a bit better, gaining 148 yards. Then again, that was below the 173-yard average Indianapolis’ rotten rushing defense allowed all season. For more evidence on how much one player makes a difference to the Colts defense, New England was one of the few games safety Bob Sanders played in the regular season.

So Manning has appeared to slay his regular-season curse against New England. But he has not done it yet in the postseason.

But is as if fate is setting up Manning by delivering New England to his RCA Dome doorstep. If God is satisfied that Manning has become humble enough not to get a big head if he vanquishes his most difficult foe in the playoffs, we will know with an Indianapolis victory. If not, we will know when we see Brady again walk off the field laughing while Manning again shakes his head, helmet half-on, in despair and disillusion, humbled again.

MORE FROM NFL

NFL Section Front

Brady vs. Manning — who has the edge? Cimini: Patriots-Colts greatest NFL rivalry of 2000s   Slideshow: Peyton vs. Brady through the years   Video: Playing 'what if?' with Peyton's career Report: Raiders want to fire coach Tom Cable Eagles-Bears matchup will remain Sunday night game PFT: Rest of league is catching up to Broncos PFT: Tomlinson hints at retiring after this season PFT: Ex-Packer Brown rips McCArthy PFT: Quinn reportedly will start for Browns again   NFL Section Front   Add NFL headlines to your news reader: