Steve Silverman

Walking into the RCA Dome and beating the defending Super Bowl champions is about as difficult a task as there is in the NFL, even if you are the marauding New England Patriots.

The Pats have reeled off eight straight wins, none by less than 17 points. They are skilled, mature and driven. Their mental approach to taking on the Colts in their home building should be textbook perfect. But that doesn’t mean things can’t go wrong for Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Randy Moss. If they want to ensure success in their Super Bowl XLI ½ showdown, here’s what they must do:

1. Score early. Based on what has gone on through the first eight games, that is not a difficult assignment. We are not suggesting that an early touchdown or two will rattle the Colts or decide the game. But if the Patriots score on two of their first three possessions, they will limit the crowd impact. Indianapolis fans are holding their breath because they understand what Brady, Moss, Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth have done to this point. If the Colts defense wins a couple of the early battles, the crowd will be loud and confidence on the Indianapolis sideline will grow.

2. Get Laurence Maroney involved. A very talented running back, Maroney has been slowed by a troublesome groin injury. There have been whispers around the locker room that Maroney might have been able to contribute a bit more than he has to this point (74 carries for 358 yards, 0 touchdowns). As strong as the Patriots passing game has been this season, it is reasonable to believe that the running game will be of vital importance. Once Brady can get the lead with the passing game, he will want to change the pace with the running game. That may mean two or three consecutive series in the second half where Maroney pounds out first downs and the Pats control the clock. That will give the defense a chance to catch its breath and stay fresh.

3. Establish the dominance of the interior offensive line. Patriots left guard Logan Mankins might be having the best season of any interior blocker in the NFL. Center Dan Koppen and right guard Steve Neal are right behind. They are all big, powerful, nasty and skilled. On the other side, Indianapolis defensive tackles Raheem Brock (275 pounds) and Ed Johnson (297) are undersized and depend on quickness. If the Mankins, Koppen and Neal establish dominance early, Brady will have no trouble finding throwing lanes and Maroney will find running room up the middle.

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4. Get Randy Moss in 1-on-1 coverage: Fully motivated as he has been this season, Moss won't be slowed much by Colts cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden or Marlin Jackson. Dungy won’t let Moss run free and clear in the Colts secondary on a consistent basis, but he will not be double-covered on every play. When Moss does get single coverage, Brady has to get the ball to him and show the Colts the same unstoppable characteristic the Patriots offense has shown the rest of the league.

5. Spread the ball around: The Pats have a myriad of receiving weapons in Welker, Stallworth Jabar Gaffney and perhaps Benjamin Watson (slowed by an ankle injury). However, the Colts have a superb defensive weapon in strong safety Bob Sanders. He is an asset against the run because he is a superb tackler but also punishes even the toughest receivers with big hits. Welker has shown he can take the hit and still hold on to the ball, but Sanders turns the RPM up a significant level and provides a much more significant obstacle.

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6. Pressure Peyton Manning and punish Marvin Harrison. Manning has been the toughest quarterback in the league to sack for years and there has been no major dropoff this season. The Colts are second in the league when it comes to keeping their quarterback upright. However, outside linebacker Mike Vrabel has 6.5 sacks, and the Pats can bring pressure with Adalius Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin and Richard Seymour. They don’t have to put Manning down 4-5 times in the game, but they do have to pressure his throws. Cornerback Asante Samuel and strong safety Rodney Harrison also have to send a quick message to Harrison, who has been slowed by a knee injury and sat out practice. As talented as the Colt wideout is, he is not a physical player. A nasty shot in the mouth will make him disappear for long stretches of time.

7. Contain Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Wayne and Clark will not back down from the physical challenge and are almost impossible to stop. However, Manning cannot be allowed to establish a consistent red zone connection with Clark, who already has 6 touchdown receptions. Wayne caught 6 passes for 90 yards in last year’s regular season win at New England and 5 passes for 68 yards in the AFC title game win. He has hurt the Patriots before and could dominate if defensive coordinator Dean Pees does not give him the proper respect.

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