The Colts-Patriots series began Oct. 4, 1970.
It was Baltimore vs. Boston at Harvard Stadium. It was Earl Morrall and Johnny Unitas vs. Mike Taliaferro. It was Colts 14, Patriots 6, the first of a 76-game series that continues today with an AFC divisional playoff game at Foxborough, Mass.
For all the history, though, Colts-Patriots became something of an annual national spectacle on Sept. 30, 2001, when it also became Manning vs. Brady.
Peyton Manning was in his fourth season with the Colts, while Tom Brady would make his first start for the Patriots. New England won going away 44-13.
"We've always had a great rivalry with those guys," Brady said. "They've always been one of the best teams in the league."
The Colts and Patriots were longtime AFC East adversaries, and that didn't end with realignment in 2002. Including the playoffs, they've met 13 times in the past 11 seasons.
Now, it's Andrew Luck vs. Brady, and still a must-see event. Keep in mind the series resumes next season when New England visits Lucas Oil Stadium during the regular season.
A look at the Colts-Patriots series over the course of Brady's career:
Sept. 30, 2001 at Foxborough: Pats 44, Colts 13
An injury to Drew Bledsoe ushered in the Tom Brady era. He wasn't spectacular, but efficient — 13-of-23, 168 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions — as the Patriots routed the 2-0 Colts. Manning was intercepted three times with Otis Smith and Ty Law returning two for TDs.
Oct. 21, 2001 at Indy: Pats 38, Colts 17
Manning vs. Brady II gave way to David Patten. The versatile Patriot was the catalyst to another lopsided win by scoring on a 29-yard run, 91- and 6-yard passes from Brady and throwing a 60-yard TD to Troy Brown.
Nov. 30, 2003 at Indy: Pats 38, Colts 34
Willie McGinest went down with an "injury" to stop the clock, then came right back to help stop Edgerrin James on fourth-and-goal at the Patriots 1-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. That critical stop snuffed out a furious Colts rally that had erased a 31-10 third-quarter deficit. The impact of the goal-line stand reverberated in the postseason. It enabled the Patriots to host the AFC title game ... and the Colts.
Jan. 18, 2004 at Foxborough: Pats 24, Colts 14
The Colts' first conference title appearance in a decade ended amid the cold and snow at Gillette Stadium. Manning endured a horrible game. He was intercepted four times and sacked four times. New England led 15-0 at the half and held off a late Manning-led comeback. The Patriots limited Manning to 237 passing yards and the Colts offense to 306 total yards.
Sept. 9, 2004 at Foxborough: Pats 27, Colts 24
Turnovers and an errant Mike Vanderjagt field goal kept the Colts from pulling a season-opening upset of the defending Super Bowl champions. The Colts suffered three red-zone turnovers – a Manning interception, two lost fumbles – and saw a chance at tying the score with 19 seconds to play evaporate when Vanderjagt missed a 48-yard field goal. Vanderjagt had converted an NFL-record 42 consecutive field goals. The game, again, meant the next meeting – in the postseason – would be in Foxborough, not Indianapolis.
Jan. 16, 2005 at Foxborough: Pats 20, Colts 3
The Patriots led only 6-3 at halftime but created separation after the break by dominating the time of possession and the Colts. Brady led an 87-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that drained 8 minutes, 36 seconds off the clock and added a 94-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter that lasted 7:24. The Colts were limited to 276 total yards and 22:17 of possession time.
Nov. 7, 2005 at Foxborough: Colts 40, Pats 21
The Colts' first win in Foxborough since 1995 never was in doubt. They led 21-7 at the half and never were challenged. Manning passed for 321 yards and three TDs, James rushed for 104 yards and one TD and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne combined for 18 catches, 252 yards and three TDs.
Manning led the Colts to scores on their first three possessions, but a second straight road victory included a major boost from the defense. It forced five Patriots turnovers, including four interceptions – two from Cato June and one each from Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea.
Jan. 21, 2007 at Indy: Colts 38, Pats 34
An indelible moment in the Colts' Indy era. After the Patriots took a 21-3 second-quarter lead on Asante Samuel's pick-six of Manning, the Colts staged the largest comeback in a conference championship game. The Manning-led offense outscored New England 32-13 in the second half and Joseph Addai scored the game-winner with a 3-yard run with 1:17 remaining. Marlin Jackson sealed the game with a late interception of Brady.
Nov. 4, 2007 at Indy: Pats 24, Colts 20
An epic meeting pitting two of the league's remaining unbeatens. The Patriots exited Lucas Oil Stadium 9-0 on the strength of Brady fourth-quarter TD passes to Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk. The final one came with 43 seconds remaining. The Colts entered the game 7-0 and had taken a 20-10 lead early in the fourth period on Manning's 1-yard run.
Nov. 2, 2008 at Indy: Colts 18, Pats 15
It's the only meeting with the Colts that Brady has missed. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in New England's season opener. The Colts turned back the Matt Cassel-led Patriots as Manning passed for two TDs and Adam Vinatieri converted a 52-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
Nov. 15, 2009 at Indy: Colts 35, Pats 34
The legendary fourth-and-2 game. Bill Belichick gambled with the Patriots leading 34-28 and facing a fourth-and-2 at his own 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining. S Melvin Bullitt stopped RB Kevin Faulk short of the first-down marker, and the rest is history. Manning completed an unlikely comeback – the Colts trailed 31-14 in the fourth quarter – by hitting Reggie Wayne with a 1-yard TD with 13 seconds to play.
Nov. 21, 2010 at Foxborough: Pats 31, Colts 28
The Patriots jumped to a 14-0 second-quarter lead and held off another late Manning comeback bid. The Colts cut a 31-14 lead to three points on a pair of Manning TD passes to Blair White, but got no closer.
Dec. 4, 2011 at Foxborough: Pats 31, Colts 24
Dan Orlovsky did a nice Manning impersonation, passing for 353 yards and three TDs. He also brought the Colts back from a 31-3 fourth-quarter deficit with three TD passes. Manning missed the entire season with neck injuries.
Luck's first visit to Gillette Stadium was eerily similar to Manning's. He suffered three interceptions and two were returned for touchdowns. The Patriots also were boosted by Julian Edelman's punt return for a TD. The Colts led 14-7 after one quarter, then trailed 38-17 after three quarters.
Call Star reporter Mike Chappell at (317) 444-6830. Follow him on Twitter at @mchappell51.