Series leader:Saints, 5-4
Streaks:Saints have won five of past six matchups
On TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC (John Madden, Al Michaels)
Remember the last time? Sept. 28, 2003: Colts 55, Saints 21. Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning posts perfect 158.3 passer rating, throwing for 314 yards and six touchdowns, including three scores to WR Marvin Harrison.
Inside the game:
Saints: Advanced to 1st Championship Game in franchise history last season ... Head coach Sean Payton was named 2006 AP NFL Coach of Year and has 3-0 record in September ... Quarterback Drew Brees set team records with 4,418 yards and 96.2 passer rating. Had eight 300-yard games, including 510-yard performance ... RB Deuce McAllister led club with 1,057 rush yards, his 4th 1,000-yard season in past 5 years. Reggie Bush had team-best 88 receptions, most in NFL history for a rookie RB ... WR Marques Colston led team with 1,038 yards and was first player drafted in 7th round or later to record 1,000 yards in rookie season. WR Devery Henderson averaged 23.3 yards per catch (32-745), tops in NFL ... Pro Bowl DE Will Smith led team with career-best 10.5 sacks. CB Jason David makes New Orleans debut. Had eight interceptions in past three seasons with Colts. Saints were 6-0 last season when DE Charles Grant recorded a sack
Colts: Team won first Super Bowl in 36 years last season ... Previous defending Super Bowl champs 26-13-1 on kickoff weekend ... Head coach Tony Dungy is NFL’s winningest coach since 1999 (90-38, .703 win pct.) ... New Orleans native Peyton Manning has league record seven 4,000-yard seasons (Dan Marino, 6). In last meeting vs. Saints, Manning had career-high six TD passes ... RB Joseph Aaddai led all rookies with 1,081 rushing yards in ’06 ... WR Marvin Harrison needs 80 catches to become first player in NFL annals with 9 consecutive 80-reception seasons ... WR Reggie Wayne earned first Pro Bowl nod last season and set career highs in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,310) ... Harrison and Wayne led all NFL receiving duos with 2,676 yards ... DE Dwight Freeney is franchise leader in sacks (56.5) ... Defense ranked No. 2 in pass defense in ’06 and forced seven interceptions in postseason play last season.