Connolly set to put it on the line.

Byline: Jennifer Toland

COLUMN: PATRIOTS NOTES

FOXBORO - Dan Connolly got a vote of confidence from Tom Brady earlier this week, and the fourth-year offensive lineman said he's ready to do whatever is asked of him Sunday in Indianapolis.

Connolly took over for Patriots starting center Dan Koppen after Koppen went down with a knee injury in the second quarter of last week's game against Miami. Koppen hasn't practiced this week, so it looks like Connolly could make his first career start against the Colts.

Connolly played at Southeast Missouri State and began his NFL career with Jacksonville. He was on and off the Patriots' practice squad the last two seasons, and has played in six games this year.

"I think his progress has improved gradually," coach Bill Belichick said, "but in the last six to eight months, he's taken a big jump. Why that happened now and it didn't happen at some other point, I don't know the answer to that. But from last spring to training camp to the end of training camp this year, his level of play has jumped up significantly.

"He's really improved a lot in the last few months. Confidence, experience - it's really all coming into focus for him."

Like Belichick, Connolly really can't pinpoint why everything clicked.

"Every day I just try to work as hard as I can," he said, "and I finally made the improvements I needed to make."

Connolly has the flexibility of a player like Russ Hochstein, now with the Broncos. He can play guard, fullback and last week he even returned a kickoff.

"That's the job I was given," Connolly said, "and that's why I'm on this roster - to fill in wherever they need me."

Rabid rivalry

Belichick opens every Patriots-Colts week with the same sentiment: "I feel like we're back in the division again."

The Patriots and Colts have not been AFC East rivals since 2001, but they are fierce and familiar foes. They will face each other in the regular season for the seventh straight year. They've met in the playoffs in 2003, '04 and '06.

Since the beginning of the 2003 season, the Patriots and Colts are tied with the NFL's best record (83-21). The Pats have two Super Bowl titles since then, Indy one.

Patriots-Colts has to be considered one of the best rivalries in sports.

"Michigan-Ohio State is much bigger," Brady, the former Wolverine, said with a laugh. "We've had a pretty good run here and so have (the Colts). You're talking about two of the better teams that have played in the league for the last decade. It's probably because there have been so many critical games, and even though they're not in our division, we know them so well."

Oil and water

Brady will play for the first time at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts' home since last season.

The noise level in the RCA Dome, where Indy played from 1984-2007, was deafening. Brady heard Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a retractable roof, is also loud, but not as bad as RCA. His source for this information?

"Peyton (Manning) actually told me that," Brady said. "But this stadium sounds much more luxurious."

First on third

The Colts are at it again - converting third downs at a better-than-half-the-time pace, that is.

Indy leads the league with a 51 percent third-down conversion rate, making 52 of 102 attempts. The Colts have topped the league in that category each of the last four years, and in 2006 set an NFL record at 56.1 percent.

"They have explosive receivers, a good running back, and a Hall of Fame quarterback," Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas said. "They take what you give 'em."

The Patriots' defense will need to shore some things up on third down against the Colts. Miami was 9 of 17 (53 percent) on third down last week.

Extra Points

Randy Moss returned to practice after missing Wednesday's session. Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain (groin) and tight end Chris Baker (shoulder) were limited participants yesterday. There were no other changes. ... The Patriots don't have to worry about Adam Vinatieri kicking any last-second field goals against them on Sunday. Vinatieri is sidelined after undergoing surgery on his right knee Oct. 14. Colts president Bill Polian said this week he expects Vinatieri to return "probably around Thanksgiving." ... Former Boston College safety Jamie Silva is in his second season with the Colts. He has played in five games as a backup defensive back and on special teams. Silva's brother, Steve, was a star running back at Holy Cross. ... A billboard is up on Route 1 touting Junior Seau's new show, "Sports Jobs." It premieres Dec. 2 on Versus.

NAME: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS