Patriots not all pretty, but still stay perfect

INDIANAPOLIS — Perfection isn't always pretty.

The New England Patriots reminded the football world of that Sunday, overcoming some uncharacteristic sloppiness to keep their record unblemished in a 24-20 victory over the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts at the RCA Dome.

The Patriots (9-0), who wrapped the game up with two unanswered touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, set a franchise record with 146 yards in penalties — most coming on two long pass-interference calls — and were pawing at air on a 73-yard touchdown by Joseph Addai, who turned a short reception into a TiVo-worthy ramble to the end zone.

By beating the Colts (7-1), the Patriots halted the league's longest winning streak at 12, dating to Week 17 of last season.

"We sort of haven't had a game like this all year," said New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi, whose team had blown out opponents by an average of 25.5 points. "So winning a game like this, it's nice knowing that we still know how to win them."

The way their remaining schedule sets up, it's very conceivable the Patriots could join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only NFL teams to run the table.

So conditioned are the Patriots not to look beyond their noses, they quickly brushed off any questions about the potential of a perfect season — or a perfect game.

"I don't think we try to play perfect, I think we try to play great," defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. "There's a difference. If you go out and try to be perfect on the football field, you're just vulnerable, you're scared to make mistakes. You just can't go out and play, and leave it out there on the field, and if something happens, make adjustments. That's what football is.

"That's what we've been able to do in this locker room, and it's been fun doing it."

If the Patriots are having fun, they do a good job of disguising it. The TV cameras show them hugging and high-fiving on the sideline, but they're all business in the locker room. And coach Bill Belichick, who always looks a bit tortured talking to the media, answered questions after the game in his standard joyless monotone.

Asked about the hype leading up to the game, Belichick said: "I don't care about all that. It's a football game against the Colts, that's all it was. It was one game. That's what the significance was."

With the game on the line, Manning didn't make the plays and Tom Brady did. Beginning midway through the fourth quarter, Brady directed touchdown drives of 73 and 51 yards to erase a 10-point deficit and pull away for good. Those drives ended with scoring passes to Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk.