INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Peyton Manning goes after each opponent with the same zeal. He’s not motivated by a desire for revenge or pressured by past failures.

Advancing to the AFC championship is the only thing on his mind this week as the Indianapolis Colts prepare for their playoff rematch with New England.

“Obviously, you study on film the games, especially the one we played earlier this year, but it doesn’t have a whole lot to do with what’s going to happen in this game,” Manning said Wednesday. “Our record up there is not good, but as far as what happens on Sunday, whoever executes the best is probably going to win the game.”

In last year’s playoffs, that honor went to the Patriots, who beat the Colts 24-14 in the AFC title game on their way to the Super Bowl championship. It was one of Manning’s worst games in his seven-year NFL career.

The Colts didn’t fare much better in this season’s opener, a 27-24 loss at New England.

Since then, the team’s fortunes have improved. The Colts finished 12-4 and won the AFC South. Statistically, Manning had perhaps the greatest year of any quarterback in NFL history: an NFL record 49 touchdown passes, a 121.1 passer rating and a sixth straight season with at least 4,000 yards passing.

Still, there’s that New England jinx that Manning and the Colts can’t seem to shake.

The Patriots have beaten Indianapolis the past five times they’ve played. Manning, despite his numbers, is 2-9 overall against New England.

The NFL’s Most Valuable Player isn’t making excuses.

“No question, last year was a disappointing ending, but I’m proud of the way we bounced back this season,” Manning said. “The one thing we have done is sort of respond … and try to give ourselves another opportunity.”

That opportunity comes courtesy of a 49-24 rout of Denver in the first round last week. New England (14-2) had a bye.

That their next playoff game is against the Patriots in Foxboro, Mass., is irrelevant, Colts coach Tony Dungy said.

“It really doesn’t matter this week if we’d won eight straight there. We still have to win this one,” Dungy said.

Brandon Stokley, one of three Indianapolis receivers with more than 1,000 yards and a league record 10-plus touchdowns each, said the Colts have to let go of the past.

“It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve beaten us in a row, that we’ve never won in the cold weather, whatever it is. … We just have this new challenge in front of us and have another opportunity in a playoff game to advance.”

No question, a Colts victory would be sweet for this team. But tight end Marcus Pollard – the only current Indianapolis player with a win in Foxboro, in 1995 – said revenge is not a factor.

“We want to go over there and win,” he said. “Hopefully we can rewrite history this week.”

Manning, who was intercepted four times in last year’s playoff loss to the Patriots, said he doesn’t have any “earth-shattering answers” in trying to beat New England on Sunday.

“It’s important we try to execute, to move the ball, stay on the field, try to get some touchdowns … just try to do whatever we can to score enough points to win. That’s really the ultimate goal,” he said.

He has said he didn’t play well in last year’s playoff game, but he credits much of that to New England.

“They can make a team make mistakes. So all the credit they’ve gotten has been well deserved,” he said.

New England quarterback Tom Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, said Manning can handle the pressure.

“He’s an incredible player, and he seems to get better every week,” Brady said. “Every year, he raises his game.”

AP-ES-01-12-05 1842EST