Objects in mirror are closer than they appear...

[WilliamPitt]

Defense has Patriots in attack mode
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Having secured a third straight AFC East title with Saturday's shutout victory over the Tampa Bay Bucs, the New England Patriots can now begin looking seriously, and with a renewed degree of optimism as well, at defending a far more important championship.

And the rest of the league, particularly the playoff contenders in the AFC (yes, including the Indianapolis Colts, folks), can begin looking hard again into the rearview mirror. You know, where objects are actually closer than they appear to be and where the surging Patriots, who have returned some key injured players and regained some of their swagger, may be closer to becoming a legitimate Super Bowl threat again.

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In the first eight games, the Patriots gave up 128.9 rushing yards per game, and 4.0 yards per carry, and ranked 27th in the league in defense versus the run. With an intact starting front seven in the last six contests, New England has allowed just 60.1 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per attempt, and statistically now ranks No. 6 versus the run (the Pats were No. 11 going into the Tampa Bay matchup). In that six-game stretch, only one opponent has rushed for 100 yards, four were held under 80 yards and the last three totaled a paltry 85 yards.

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Here's why the Patriots were interested couch potatoes: Because they've got visions of a second, redemptive shot at the Colts in the playoffs. Even, of course, if they're not looking ahead. And here's what they saw: The Colts' offense struggling to move the ball against an active, athletic Chargers 3-4 defense. The Indianapolis line flummoxed by a 3-4 pass rush. The Colts scoring just twice, both when provided short-field situations on takeaways, against a basic, three-man front. Yep, the same kind of 3-4 front the Pats play, and have used so successfully in the past against the Colts.

Sneaking a peek at the projected playoff brackets, something Belichick-coached players would never do, it is more than reasonable to think that, on the weekend of Jan. 14-15, the Patriots will be in the RCA Dome for a divisional-round matchup against the Colts, who walloped them 40-21 on Nov. 7 at Gillette Stadium. In that game, Peyton Manning threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns and shredded the New England defense. But there have been times in 2005, and Sunday's loss to the Chargers was hardly the lone notable occasion, in which the Colts' offense has experienced problems against a 3-4. Let's get this straight: No defense ever completely baffles Manning, and the Colts star has a 100.1 passer rating this season in the seven games in which he faced a 3-4 defense, not appreciably lower than his overall efficiency mark of 104.3 for the season. Until Sunday's loss, he had a 6-0 record versus 3-4 defenses in 2005. But eight of Manning's 10 interceptions this year, and 10 of 16 sacks, have come against 3-4 defenses. And the outings against New England and San Diego represented his only 300-yard performances against 3-4 fronts.

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