LOCAL SHOTS

• Karen Guregian feels the Patriots will focus on the running game Sunday.
• Robert Lee and Shalise Manza Young talk up Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes.
• John Powers discusses Peyton Manning's slump, his toughest stretch since his rookie year.
• Shalise Manza Young thinks Adalius Thomas may assume Dallas Clark cover duty.
• Chris Gasper talks about Adalius Thomas' distinctive role, being in command of the huddle.
• Robert Lee notes that injuries usually can't keep Richard Seymour off the field.
• Jim Donaldson wonders how long the reserves can keep the Patriots going.
• Ron Borges writes that Sunday will be "one hard night for two hard luck teams ready to show the world they may not be what they were a year or two ago but they still have some fight left."
• Jim Lazar realizes that Pats-Colts holds an endearing and enduring place that no two teams in the NFL can come close to claiming.
• Tony Massarotti offers yet another Patriots and Colts matchup isn't the same this year... yada, yada, yada...
• Christopher Price asserts that the Patriots aren't buying Colts' tale of woe.
• Herald's Patriots Notebook notes Randy Moss wasn't acting hurt in the locker room, a bit more on Wilfork, and that Richard Seymour says pressure on Manning more effective than sacks.
• Globe's Patriots Notebook reports Ellis Hobbs returned to practice, and other team notes and  news.
• Mike Reiss looks at some key NFL stats and where the Patriots rank among other clubs, and talks about what impact the injury to Colts Marlin Jackson will have on the team.
• Mike Reiss heralds high honors for Jerod Mayo: NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, and Stephen Gostkowski: AFC Special Teams Player of the Month.  Having earned McDonalds' Employee of the Month back in May 1980, I know how they feel.
• Tom Wilcox points out the deepest unit on the team is the Wide Receivers.
• Nancy Marrapese-Burrell wonders if Cassel is ready for prime time.
• Bob Halloran attempts to get inside the head of Tom Brady.

LONG SHOTS

• Keith Kidd (Scouts Inc.) analyzes why the Patriots are always fierce against the pass and discusses what to expect from New England against the Colts.
• Matt Williamson (Scouts Inc.) just goes to town in his bashing of Matt Cassel.  He lists his reasons, but to me they don't add up to the QB he's becoming.  Sunday will be one heck of a test.
• Peter Schrager says that these two squads have had some classic bouts over the past few years, and Sunday night's may very well be the best one yet.
• Peter King (SI) gives New England the edge on Sunday in his pregame analysis of both teams.
• Don Banks (SI) Patriots-Colts losing it's luster.  Maybe to him it is, but ummm... haven't we read this somewhere before?

FOCUS ON THE COLTS

• Phil Richards (Indy Star) talks with the Colts' sack-men, who would love for Matt Cassel to hold on to that football.
• Mike Chappell notes that Bob Sanders is raring to return to Indy's lineup and is ready to turn the team around.
• Surprise, surprise.  Three Indy Star Colts' writers pick the Colts to win on Sunday.  So does their "Visiting View" writer from The Boston Herald, our special Patriots beat reporter, John Tomase.
• Mike Reiss offers us his Colts in Focus pregame analysis.
• Tom Wilcox lists his Three Keys vs. Colts.