tom brady-peyton-manningYeah, that’s right, Yankees-Red Sox can eat my ass. It might have greater historical prestige and hold more meaning in the upper right quadrant of the country, but nationally, no rivalry currently carries the cachet of Colts-Patriots . The two winningest franchises of the decade, led by the premier players of their generation, with seven years of disdain and grudgingly-won respect between them. Even if you hate Peyton Manning or Tom Brady or Bill Belichick or Bill Polian or Spygate (or anything involving these two teams), you can’t deny that Colts-Patriots is one rivalry that (almost) always lives up to the hype.

Now, here’s a quick look back at the five most memorable games in the rivalry’s history, and a glance ahead to Sunday night’s contest.

1. “We’re goin’ to the Super Bowl!”

The most vivid meeting between the Colts and Patriots was one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history, a 38-34 Colts victory that sent them to their first Indianapolis-era Super Bowl. The last two minutes of the 2006 AFC Championship Game changed the tenor of this rivalry forever. For once, it was Manning leading the game-winning drive and Brady throwing a late INT (caught by Marlin Jackson, who has likely played his last game in a Colts uniform).

2. The Patriots Prevail at “Armageddon”

The Colts-Patriots 2007 regular-season matchup may have been the most hyped non-playoff game in NFL history. And with good reason, as the 7-0 Colts were the defending Super Bowl champions and the 8-0 Patriots’ early-season dominance had spurred talk of a perfect season. The Colts led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter thanks to two Brady interceptions and Joseph Addai’s 200 total yards, but their defense wilted down the stretch. Two deep completions to Randy Moss and Donte Stallworth, respectively, led to 14 Patriot points in the final 10 minutes and Roosevelt Colvin forced a Manning fumble that ended the Colts’ last chance at a comeback.

3. “I think this is what they were lookin’ for, they ain’t got it!”

The Colts came into their 2004 AFC Divisional matchup against the Patriots having put together one of the finest offensive seasons in league history. Manning threw for a then-record 49 TD passes. Three Colts receivers (Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley) surpassed 1,000 yards receiving. And it all evaporated in the Foxboro snow once again as the Patriots dominated the Colts throughout, winning 20-3 en route to their second-straight Super Bowl title. Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi stripping Colts RB Dominic Rhodes late in the game, then holding the ball up on the sideline and yelling the quote listed above encapsulated the Colts-Patriots rivalry up to this point. The Patriots took what they wanted, and the Colts couldn’t (yet) match that intensity. Bruschi might as well have been holding up the Lombardi Trophy.

4. The Manning Face Emerges

Surely, you’re familiar with Bill Simmons’ liberal use of perhaps his most famous term of derision, “The Manning Face.” It originated here, in the 2003 AFC Championship Game, as Manning (who’d passed for 681 yards the previous two weeks) came apart in the New England winter, throwing four INT’s in a 24-14 loss. Despite five team turnovers, the Colts actually had the ball twice late with a chance to tie - and turned it over on downs both times. Rodney Harrison and Ty Law tortured and confused Manning all game long, leading him to throw his hands up in confusion and, thus, the Manning Face was born. And then hammered into the ground like a Daniel LaRusso reference.

5. The Tide Turns (In the Regular Season, at Least)

After seven consecutive losses in Foxboro, Manning and the Colts finally broke through with a decisive, 40-21 regular-season blowout of Brady and the Patriots, running their 2005 record to 8-0 in the process. Manning picked apart a New England secondary decimated by injuries, leading the Colts to scores on seven of eight possessions. It didn’t mean much come January, though, as a Ben Roethlisberger tackle and Champ Bailey interception return ended the Colts’ and Patriots’ seasons prematurely.

Sunday Night

All signs point to a Patriots victory. The Colts’ secondary is minus three starters and Brady’s thrown for 10 TD’s in his past three games. The Colts have looked sluggish in two straight escapes against the 49ers and Texans, while the Patriots have been rolling up 400 yards of offense with ease. NBC would love a shootout on Sunday Night Football, but these are two of the best scoring defenses in football. Expect a repeat of their 2007 meeting, with the Colts clinging to a narrow lead before giving way at the end to Moss and Welker.

Prediction: Patriots 21, Colts 17