FOXBORO — Are you ready for some football?

No, I mean the stuff we've been spoiled on for much of the last decade.

New England Patriots versus the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football. I'm talking Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning. I'm talking home-field advantage.

From a Patriots' perspective, it seems like a long time coming, doesn't it?

Brady officially is healthy. Randy Moss and Wes Welker are the most lethal long-short receiving combo in the NFL, maybe ever. And the New England Patriots defense, at worst, is good.

All of the above can be proved through eyesight or statistical analysis.

Brady has completed 75 percent of his pass and thrown for 300-plus yards for three straight weeks. Moss and Welker have combined for 105 catches, 1,280 yards and nine TDs (remember, Welker missed two games). And the Patriots have allowed only 14.3 points per game, third lowest in the NFL.

The Patriots are halfway home in 2009 and you have to admit, at 6-2 after yesterday's 27-17 win over the Miami Dolphins, everything appears to be in its proper place.

The Patriots are pretty much where we expected. Good and getting better.

Enter Manning and the undefeated Colts.

Gone are the Titans, London and the gimmick offense. The Patriots have officially taken firm grasp of the AFC East Division, after a one-season hiatus, and now appear ready for prime time.

Now they are back in familiar territory, when the Patriots and Colts was a grudge match.

The two quarterbacks, Brady and Manning, are on top of their games, with 15 TD passes and only four interceptions apiece.

The Patriots have scored 225 points versus 217 for the Colts. The Colts have allowed 108 points versus the Patriots 115.

What is interesting about the 2009 version of the Patriots and Colts is that neither is blowing away the competition.

Yesterday the Colts nipped the Houston Texans, 20-17, to go 31âÑ2 games up on the AFC South. The Patriots had a little easier time, but it wasn't easy getting a two-game advantage on the second-place Dolphins.

"We had chances. (The Patriots) had chances. In the end they made more plays than we did," said Dolphins defense end, Jason Taylor. "Trust me, I've seen it for a long time. There are different guys (on the roster), but it is the normal cast of characters, with Tom (Brady), Bill Belichick, Randy Moss, Wes Welker. ... The key guys are still there."

Taylor might as well have been talking about the Colts. They have a new head coach and a few new offensive linemen. But nothing has really changed with the likes of Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Dwight Freeney leading the Colts to 17 straight regular season wins.

"I think the one thing about that is you've got to play a great game to win," said Brady, referring to next week's game in Indianapolis. "You can't go out there with your 'B-game' because you won't beat those guys. They're good. They can rush the passer. They cover. Obviously, they can score a lot of points."

The ironic thing is that in previous seasons, anticipation for a Patriots-Colts game in November started in September.

But, at least from the Patriots' perspective, there was too much work to do.

Well, now they've done it and done it quite well.

It's time to see if the Patriots are better than good. It's time for prime time.

E-mail Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.