Colts can’t shake Patriots’ game

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – When the Colts returned to work last week, there was a focus that even the new players picked up on – the AFC championship loss to the Patriots left a bad taste that just hasn’t gone away.

“Nothing’s changed,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson. “Even last year, my first couple days here, we had one common goal, that’s every year.”

And that common goal was forged by that terrible loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions. When you lose 45-7 in the biggest game of the year, the memory won’t go away.

“It’s a bit embarrassing in a sense, and it fuels you,” added Andrew Luck. “You realize if you want to do anything in the AFC, you’re going to have to figure a way to beat those guys, so it’s a great team, a lot of respect for how they play, and we’ll work to get in a position to hopefully have a chance to beat them when we play them.”

It all starts with number 12, and if there’s one team that Luck has struggled with, it’s New England. Four blowout losses in four meetings. Message sent.

“There’s a lot of energy here to win ball games,” added newcomer Trent Cole. “To especially beat the Patriots. From what I’ve seen and what happened, but I see why the hatred, why there’s a lot of hatred there. There’s nothing wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Luck says it fuels him. “I have respect for the Patriots and how they play, it’s a heck of a team, a heck of a franchise, and deserve to win the Super Bowl, they’re the best team, but I wouldn’t say we get too caught up in it too much, but the last game does motivate. The guys in this locker room who played in that game want to try to right wrongs in a sense.”

Luck added that he’s looking forward to that Oct. 18 Lucas Oil Stadium date against the Patriots to see yet again what he can do against the NFL’s best. And so are the fans.