INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Tony Dungy didn’t have to search for motivational tools this offseason. The bitter reminder of January’s AFC championship game was more than enough to stoke the Indianapolis Colts’ passion.

Seven months after losing 24-14 at New England and watching the Patriots’ post-game celebration, the Colts returned to practice with one huge goal – winning the Super Bowl.

“When you get this close, you’re a game away, that’s a big deal,” center Jeff Saturday said. “We’ve put ourselves in great position three or four years in a row, and we’ve definitely got to get it done.”

On paper, the Colts look ready to make a run.

For the fifth year, they open the season with the same nucleus on offense: Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison. Manning was last year’s co-MVP, James is a two-time rushing champ, and Harrison has been the NFL’s most consistent receiver the past six seasons.

The offensive line returns intact, and the defense is young, fast and aggressive – and still improving.

Manning has the deepest, most experienced receiving corps of his NFL career, and Mike Vanderjagt opens this season trying to extend his NFL record of 41 straight field goals.

Outside the locker room, the excitement is palpable.

One highway billboard reads, “Maybe this is next year.” The season-ticket base has reached about 43,000, the Colts’ highest total since 1990. Record crowds appeared at training camp, and an estimated 10,000 fans showed up for a minicamp practice at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.

Dungy is not immune. When players reported to training camp Aug. 1, he again told them his top goal was winning a Super Bowl. But he doesn’t want to get caught up in the hype.

“If all you do is talk about it, you can lose sight of where you’re going,” he said.

To achieve his goal, Dungy knows the Colts must get better, stay focused and find a way to get home-field advantage for the AFC championship game.

The message appears to be getting through.

“We have goals, and that is one of our goals,” Manning said, referring to a Super Bowl title. “But we talk more about getting better every single day, every week, every game and every season than we do about the Super Bowl.”

The road to Jacksonville, site of this year’s Super Bowl, has plenty of obstacles.

Manning says the Colts face the toughest start in his seven NFL seasons.

Their first challenge comes Sept. 9 at New England, where they hope to start a new script against the defending Super Bowl champs. Then they get two more playoff teams, at Tennessee and home against Green Bay.

The Colts are still looking to replace both starting cornerbacks from last year’s AFC title game, Walt Harris and David Macklin, and they are using the untested Cato June to replace Marcus Washington at linebacker. Then there’s history. Since 1995, the second year of the free agency era, no AFC team has returned to the championship game after losing the previous year. Dungy experienced that plight himself in Tampa Bay after leading the Buccaneers to the 1999 NFC championship game.

The Bucs never made it back under Dungy.

Still, this could be the Colts’ best shot. After signing Manning to a $98 million contract in March, the Colts’ free agent list for next year includes James and Harrison and at least five other starters: offensive linemen Rick DeMulling and Ryan Diem, middle linebacker Rob Morris, safety Idrees Bashir and cornerback Nick Harper.

Other veterans, such as tight end Marcus Pollard and wide receiver Brandon Stokley, may have to renegotiate to make their contracts more salary cap friendly.

Saturday says players are up to the challenge.

“I think we can be better than last year’s team,” he said. “We just need to get over the hump and get it done.”

But team president Bill Polian, the architect of a record four straight Super Bowl teams in Buffalo, remains wary about the lofty expectations.

“You’re surrounded by hot air and nonsense, and the vast majority of it has no basis in reality,” he said.

“Talking about what happens in January now is absolutely ridiculous. This team is this team. It’s not last year’s team, and it hasn’t accomplished anything yet.”

AP-ES-08-26-04 1312EDT