Colts are the Measuring Stick 09' Pats Need | Patriots

November 9, 2009 -- After reeling off three straight victories, the New England Patriots will encounter their most difficult task of the year facing off against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts. And for the Pats, this is a game that should be good for them, win or lose.

You see, Indianapolis represents a unique challenge as they are the symbolic measuring stick, charting the progress the Pats have made since the beginning of the season---and where they want to be by season's end.

Simply put, the 2009 Patriots have yet to make their mark and prove they are a legitimate contender. Sure they've beaten teams like Baltimore and Atlanta, but those games were played in the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Currently, the Pats are 5-0 at home and just 1-2 on the road, with the sole away W coming against the lowly Buccaneers in London...not Tampa. And although the result against Tampa would have likely been the same regardless of game location, championship teams are capable of going on the road in the most hostile and difficult environments and coming out victorious. To this point in the season, the Patriots are 0-2 when heading into those "hostile and difficult environments".

In New York, the Pats offense wilted under the pressure of a heavy Rex Ryan-led blitz scheme. Brady was playing just his second game back from knee surgery and looked awfully uncomfortable in an ever-contracting pocket. The final score read just a 7 point victory, but had the Pats defense not been stout, the outcome could have been worse. The offense managed to put up just nine points, with Brady misfiring in the red zone on several occasions that would have resulted in touchdowns.

Against the Broncos, the Pats seemed to tire in the high-altitude conditions of Denver getting outscored 13-0 in the final 35 minutes of the game. In the fourth quarter of that game the Pats squandered several chances to win as Stephen Gostkowski missed a 40-yarder with five minutes to play that would have given the win to the Pats. Brady also was strip-sacked by Vonnie Holiday at mid-field while on a potential game-winning drive with just over two minutes to play.

Thirty-four days, four weeks, three victories, and a two-game AFC East lead later, to all eyes the Patriots have seemed to straighten out their inadequacies and are heading into Lucas Oil Stadium with as much momentum as possible. Regardless, questions still remain unanswered, as they do for any NFL team.

As a team, has New England learned how to win on the road against a difficult opponent yet? Can the Patriots make the leap from a playoff-team to a championship contender? Is the secondary capable of

stopping teams with dynamic passing attacks such as Indianapolis or New Orleans (who they will play 3 weeks from now)?

For a team whose success has been largely predicated on playing at home, beating Indianpolis and pulling within a game of the Colts for the AFC's best record/home-field advantage, would ultimately provide the answers we are hoping for.

Ready or not, Belichick and co. will find out Sunday night.

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