How do the Colts beat the Patriots? Blueprint is in fourth-quarter drive

How do the Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots?

The answer, perhaps, is to do what the Patriots do. The Colts, in fact, already have.

Indianapolis did exactly that in the latter stages of Sunday's divisional playoff game against the Denver Broncos, and it's a recipe that could pay off next week with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

The situation: 12:20 left. The Colts were protecting a one-score lead, 21-13. It was time to tighten chinstraps.

The Colts proceeded to play some of the most hard-nosed football we've seen from them in years. They ran the ball right at the Broncos, powerfully, determinedly and successfully – despite a pieced-together offensive line and a pair of backup running backs taking center stage.

By the time the damage was done, 8:14 had elapsed, the Broncos' spirit had been broken, 53 yards had been covered and a key Adam Vinatieri field goal helped ice the game.

Most important, the Colts were headed to the AFC Championship game.

Which brings us to the Patriots. They're the best in the business at exactly what the Colts did Sunday: Seamlessly adapt their offense to situations, able to do whatever the moment calls for.

The Colts know all about it. The Patriots' past two wins over the Colts didn't come via big passing days from quarterback Tom Brady. They were largely the result of a powerful rushing attack that the Colts proved incapable of slowing.

From LeGarrette Blount to Jonas Gray, the name changed, but the results did not.

This is not to suggest wholesale changes are afoot for the Colts offense. They remain a big-play offense whose strength is throwing the ball deep down the field.

But don't sleep in the importance of those hard-earned 53 yards by the Colts on Sunday.

"You're going to advance (and) you're going to move on if you're able to do that in January playing on the road in hostile environments," coach Chuck Pagano said. "It was a gritty, gritty drive. It was huge."

The Colts are still going to lean on their passing attack, but being able get tough yards with running backs Boom Herron and Zurlon Tipton would give them a side dish of power running to complement the aerial game and keep the Patriots defense off-balance.

After all, that's what is so tough about playing against the Patriots. They are a team unafraid of switching gears in any given game, adapting their offensive attack to their opponent or situation.

Just ask the Colts. In the 2013 divisional playoff game at New England, the Patriots ran for 234 yards. In a win at Lucas Oil Stadium earlier this season, New England rushed for 246 yards – 104 yards more than the next-highest tally posted against the Colts this season.

If the Colts can man up and run with authority against the Patriots, perhaps they can turn the tables on New England while allowing the Colts' passing game to be more unpredictable.

Meanwhile, running the football could contribute to keeping a certain three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback off the field.

"If (Peyton) Manning or Brady or whoever – you look at the four quarterbacks left in the final four – if they're over there chewing ice, you have a much greater chance of winning ballgames," Pagano said.

There's also the notion of establishing a demeanor, one that is typically identified with cold-weather, playoff football – the kind you'll likely see in Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday.

"We needed that bit of confidence to show we can run the ball and run the ball when we needed to run it," tight end Dwayne Allen said. "And that's what we did."

Can they do it against New England? And can the Colts rushing success impact the Patriots the way New England's power running has done in the Colts?

"When you can run it when everybody knows you're going to run it," Pagano said, "that's pretty good."

Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.

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