adam vinatieri

Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Tom Brady engineered a big fourth-quarter comeback with two touchdown passes in the final eight minutes and the Patriots remained unbeaten with a 24-20 victory over Indianapolis, sending Peyton Manning and the defending Super Bowl champions to their first loss of the season.

Brady connected on 21-of-32 passes for 255 yards and three scores, including the go-ahead 13-yard TD to Kevin Faulk with 3:15 remaining. The Patriots (9-0) continued their march to a perfect season by not only coming back from a 10- point deficit and avenging a loss to the Colts (7-1) in last season's AFC Championship Game, but also overcoming an incredible amount of miscues.

The Patriots seemed invincible all season, having won every game by at least 17 points and scoring at least 34 in each contest, but they had to overcome a franchise-record 146 yards on 10 penalties to rally in one of the most anticipated regular season matchups in NFL history.

"It was a great win for this team," Brady said. "It was really the first time we were really in a ball game late. I was real proud the way the guys responded when we were down. There was never any loss of confidence or determination."

Brady came into the game with 30 touchdowns against just two interceptions, but was picked off twice in this contest. Nevertheless, the Patriots snapped Indianapolis' 12-game winning streak.

Now it's the Patriots who remain on track to join Miami as the league's first unbeaten team since Miami did it in 1972.

"I'm very proud of the fact we're 9-0 going into the bye week. Everybody could use the rest," Brady said. "It was a very hard fought victory for us."

New England's unflappable triggerman has put up at least three touchdown passes in all nine games this season, eclipsing a mark set by Manning during the two-time MVP's remarkable 2004 campaign.

Randy Moss had nine receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown for New England.

Manning completed 16-of-27 passes for 225 yards with a TD and an interception, but Jarvis Green forced him to fumble on a third-down play in the final three minutes. Rosevelt Colvin recovered the ball at the Colts 46, and Brady converted a 3rd-and-6 with a 10-yard pass to Wes Welker with just over two minutes left.

"They have excellent players and they made some good plays on defense," Manning said. "That's always the challenge when we play against them."

The Patriots then ran out the clock as the Colts were out of timeouts.

The Colts played without injured wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and Joseph Addai picked up the slack by rushing for 112 yards and catching five passes for 114 yards with a touchdown.

"Injuries are a part of it, but it's not an excuse," Manning said. "Whoever is in there, we still have to make it happen."

Manning pushed the pile up the middle behind center Jeff Saturday for a one- yard scoring run with 9:42 remaining, giving the Colts a 20-10 lead.

However, Brady wasn't to be denied, leading the Patriots on a 73-yard drive, capped by a three-yard TD pass to Welker in the right front corner of the end zone with 7:59 to go. The big play came on a 55-yard reception by Moss, moving the ball to the three-yard line.

The Colts were then forced to punt, and a 23-yard return by Welker moved the Patriots to their own 49. On 2nd-and-5 Brady lofted a ball toward the left sideline to Donte Stallworth, and the 33-yard connection moved the ball to the 13.

On the following play, Faulk caught a pass over the middle, eluded a couple of tacklers and stretched the ball across the plane of the goal line before it came loose.

This marked the first time in league annals that two teams with records of 7-0 or better met.

The Colts drove from their own 16 to the New England 32 on the first possession of the game, but Adam Vinatieri was uncharacteristically off the mark on a 50-yard field goal try. The miss, wide left, was his first at the RCA Dome after making all 28 previous attempts at the stadium.

The Patriots were then stymied on their opening drive, marking the first time this season they didn't score on their initial possession. The Colts were pinned at their own nine after the punt, but marched 88 yards in seven plays, with Vinatieri kicking a 21-yard field goal.

The drive, which ended with 3:05 left in the opening quarter, was keyed by a 37-yard pass interference penalty on Asante Samuel.

Brady then engineered a 13-play, 62-yard march, ending it with a four-yard TD pass to Moss in the left corner of the end zone with 12 minutes left in the half.

Vinatieri responded with a 25-yard field goal with 7:34 to go in the half. That score was set up thanks to another pass interference call, this one a 40- yard penalty on Ellis Hobbs, moving the ball to the six.

The Patriots had a chance to pad their lead, but Antoine Bethea stepped in front of Stallworth for an interception near the goal line.

The Colts then drove 98 yards to take the lead, with Addai rumbling 73 yards on a reception for the go-ahead score with 13 seconds left in the half. He caught a short pass, veered to the left sideline before cutting back to the middle of the field and to the end zone.

Stephen Gostkowski's 34-yard field goal with 2:22 left in the third made it a 13-10 contest.

Welker's 35-yard punt return set the Patriots up at their own 45 in the final seconds of the third quarter. On the second play of the fourth, Indianapolis' Gary Brackett came up with an amazing interception, tipping the ball twice with his right hand and then into his left as he was falling down. The 28-yard return, combined with a personal foul on Matt Light, moved the ball to the 32, leading to Manning's TD rush.

Game Notes

The Colts play at San Diego next Sunday...The previous New England record for penalty yards in a game was 139 versus Buffalo on Nov. 6, 1983...Welker has a TD catch in four straight games...Faulk became the 18th different New England player to score a touchdown this season...This was the first loss in the last four meetings for the Colts...Manning was sacked a season-high three times...Harrison was inactive with a bruised left knee...Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez suffered a finger injury in the first half.