The Colts–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. It is considered one of the most famous rivalries in the NFL from the 2000s due to the teams posting numerous winning seasons during the decades as well as it being the height of the rivalry between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, even though the rivalry began in 1970 when the AFL and NFL merged. While the Patriots were the unquestioned lords of the NFL during the 2000s, the Colts were one of the few teams that could retrospectively give the Patriots a run for their money, especially since with their higher winning percentage and 2006 season. The two teams have combined for seven Super Bowl victories (six by the Patriots) and eleven AFC Championships (nine by th