What the Pats have going for them coming into this AFC title game is what has made them great in the past and what we saw a little more of in the San Diego game. That is, the ability to be more professional and clutch than their opponents; in other words, to play like real champions when it counts.

 That would appear to be the edge for them against the Colts, who have been an “almost” for a long time. I am not the first one to bring up the analogy of Manning vs. Brady to Marino vs. Montana. One guy has all the pretty stats, while the other guy has the Super Bowl rings.

But now Manning has a couple of things going for him that perhaps Marino didn’t, which is a running game that works the way they want it to, and if the last couple of games are any indication, a defense. The patriots do not possess most of the fundamental edges in this matchup. To win they must exploit the Colts’ run defense in a way KC or Baltimore were not able to do.

Personally, I see something wrong physically with Tom Brady. I know he directed the comeback against the Chargers, but he’s got back problems, and three interceptions in that game – that was not like him. He needs to be very close to error-free here.