The Associated Press

FOXBORO, Mass. - Edgerrin James slashed off tackle on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 14 seconds left. Willie McGinest dumped him, and Peyton Manning slapped the turf at the RCA Dome in disgust.

Who says one play can't impact a season?

Especially when that play gave the Patriots a 38-34 win over the Colts on Nov. 30, setting up Sunday's AFC championship game in windy Foxboro instead of indoors at the RCA Dome.

"It was good that we stopped them and that we won, but it could have gone either way," McGinest said. "They've been on fire since then. It's a new season and they've been on top of the world. We've got a lot of other stuff to concentrate on than just that play."

True, the Colts are hot - they have not punted in two playoff games leading up to this one and have scored 41 and 38 points in the two.

But playing the Colts in Foxboro, where Manning is 0-4 in his career, is certainly more preferable for the Patriots than playing them in Indy, which might have been the case had McGinest not made his play. Temperatures Sunday are expected to be in the high 20s or low 30s with a chance for snow after a week around zero with subzero wind chill.

The Patriots have certainly earned the right to play there.

They have won 13 straight and can become the first team since the unbeaten 1972 Dolphins to win 14 games in a row in one season. They're 9-0 in Foxboro after beating Tennessee 17-14 last week and have allowed just 82 points in those nine games, going the final six home games of the regular season yielding just one meaningless touchdown.

But they still perceive a certain lack of respect. They do not have many players with big national reputations other than quarterback Tom Brady and kicker Adam Vinatieri, who combined to lead them to an upset Super Bowl victory over St. Louis two years ago.

Their only Pro Bowlers are defensive lineman Richard Seymour, cornerback Ty Law and McGinest, who was added this week as an injury replacement at linebacker.

"We pride ourselves on being unselfish," says coach Bill Belichick, who was voted coach of the year for posting the NFL's best record despite an early spate of injuries that required him to plug in new starters weekly - including a half-dozen rookies. "We don't have anyone who is looking for individual glory."

Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy has noticed the same thing.

"They don't care how they win," Dungy says. "They are a team that utilizes everyone on their roster, a team that plays as a team, not just as individuals."

The Colts are loaded with high-profile stars, especially on offense, where Manning, James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison have been one of the league's best trios for a half-decade.

In beating Denver and Kansas City, Manning has thrown for eight touchdowns with no interceptions and has a passer rating of 156.9, just 1.4 points short of perfect. But that was with good field conditions against lesser defenses.

Still, he has new options to play with - Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley give him new reliable targets, especially Stokley, who has three TD catches in the two playoff games and is averaging 25.3 yards per catch.

Nor do they fear Foxboro.

The Colts are 8-1 on the road and have shown the ability to win big games from behind, even when they are away.

The most spectacular was a victory on a Monday night in Tampa, where they set an NFL record by coming back from 21 points down with four minutes left to tie the game, then win in overtime. They also beat the Titans in Nashville, a difficult task in any season, and the Dolphins in Miami.

But they haven't won outside in bad weather - it was in the 50s in Kansas City last week and their 17-14 victory in Buffalo in late November was played in uncharacteristic balmy temperatures for that time of the year.

They will get that chance this week.

"It's the wind as much the cold that can bother you," Brady said.

Brady also has what Manning doesn't - a Super Bowl ring and Super Bowl MVP trophy from the Patriots' victory over St. Louis. And he's turned into a top-tier quarterback in his own right - third this season in the MVP voting behind co-winners Manning and Tennessee's Steve McNair.

Still, this game could come down to locale - and thus to that final play in Indy.

"We know playing New England is tough enough," Manning said. "Playing them at their place, where they are undefeated this year and haven't given up a lot of points, is going to make it even tougher, but it's nice to have the opportunity."

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots

Records: Colts 14-4; Patriots 15-2.

Time: 3 p.m.

Line: Patriots by 3 .

Record vs. common opponents: Colts 8-1, Patriots 10-1.

Marquee value: Red-hot quarterback Peyton Manning tries to win for the first time in Foxboro, Mass., where he is 0-4 and the Patriots house one of the league's best defenses. The Colts have touchdowns on 10 of 17 possessions and didn't punt in two playoff games. New England allowed just 68 points and had three shutouts at home during the regular season. When the teams met in Indianapolis on Nov. 30, the Patriots foiled the Colts' opportunity to win with a goal-line stand in the waning moments, emerging with a 38-34 victory. The winner of the rematch heads to Super Bowl XXXVIII.

What the Colts must do to win: Keep piling up points with an offense that has scored touchdowns on 10 of 17 possessions and didn't punt in its first two playoff games. Manning's play has been phenomenal during the postseason (681 yards, eight TDs, no interceptions), and the balance demonstrated by the unit - involving several players in the passing game and an average of 101.5 rushing yards a game from Edgerrin James - could test the Patriots on several fronts. But it won't be easy against a nasty defense that should get an extra edge in the cold weather.

What the Patriots must do to win: Pressure Manning, then keep him off the field. The Patriots have matched up well against Manning and the Colts in the past, especially in Foxboro, and are prone to keep any offense off balance with a variety of looks, disguises and other twists. Make Manning uncomfortable and force him into mistakes throwing against a solid secondary, and New England's chances get better. Even so, the best defense might be an offense that hogs the clock and keeps Manning & Co. watching from the sideline.

The Colts' season ends if: The defense doesn't take some of the pressure off its offense. When the teams met seven weeks ago, New England matched its season high with 38 points - which included a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown by Bethel Johnson, one of three kick-return TDs against the Colts this season, including playoffs. To improve its chances, the Colts must take quarterback Tom Brady out of his comfort zone. Brady hasn't thrown a single interception (282 passes, including postseason) at home this season, but when the teams last met at the RCA Dome, he was picked off twice to help Indianapolis mount a comeback from a 31-10 deficit.

The Patriots' season ends if: They fall behind by a huge margin early. New England scored impressive comeback wins at Miami and Denver, but Indianapolis' success in the playoffs has been punctuated by fast starts. The Colts scored touchdowns on their first four possessions vs. Denver and on their first three drives at Kansas City. The Patriots' D surely wants to buck that trend and avoid getting into a shootout.

Rising stock: Colts cornerback David Macklin has produced three of the team's four takeaways during the postseason (two interceptions, one forced fumble/recovery). Patriots rookie receiver Bethel Johnson stung Tennessee with a 41-yard TD catch, following a touchdown grab in the season finale as his role in the offense expands.

Falling stock: The Colts defense allowed Priest Holmes to rush for 176 yards Sunday and never sacked Trent Green. Not good. Patriots punter Ken Walter has struggled all season, and wintry elements don't help.

Last time they met: Willie McGinest provided the signature moment with his stop of James on fourth-and-1, but also notable was that Manning had the highest passer rating (92.0) in a game vs. the Patriots this season.

Matchup to watch: Patriots defensive end-tackle Richard Seymour vs. Colts tackle Tarik Glenn and guard Rick DeMulling. It figures that Seymour, one of the league's most disruptive defensive linemen, will draw plenty of double-team assignments. A quick inside rush could be a huge problem for Manning.

Key injuries: Colts: Out: TE Dallas Clark (ankle). Questionable: S Idrees Bashir (shoulder). Patriots: Doubful: C-G Damien Woody (knee).

Stats the difference: The visiting team has won three of the last four AFC title games, and the Colts are 8-1 on the road this season. But New England, 9-0 at home this season, has 10 consecutive wins at Gillette Stadium.

Who will win: The Patriots have won 13 games in a row and have shown an incredible ability to adapt while enduring a slew of injuries. Yet the momentum the Colts have built in the playoffs has been impressive, too. The hottest quarterback, Manning, might be the difference. Colts 27-24.

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