For Vinatieri, Same Time, New Station

Adam Vinatieri joined the Indianapolis Colts this season after 10 years with the New England Patriots. (John McDonnell - The Washington Post)

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 18 -- Adam Vinatieri's legacy has been forged by the "when" as much as the "what." Of his 19 game-winning field goals, two lifted the New England Patriots to Super Bowl victories in the final seconds and sent him into NFL lore. Two others came in one of the most controversial playoff games in recent times, the "tuck rule" game in which one kick sent the Patriots into overtime against the Oakland Raiders and another won the game.

And then there's the "who." Note that nowhere in those heroics are the Indianapolis Colts mentioned. All of his heroics have come with the Patriots, the team he will kick against on Sunday in the AFC championship game.

One of the best big-game kickers in NFL postseason history, Vinatieri will be one of the top story lines when the Colts face his former team. History may reside with the Patriots -- they are 2-0 against the Colts in the playoffs -- but Vinatieri does not.

"It's a fun situation," said Vinatieri, 34, who signed with the Colts in the offseason as a free agent. "Looking back at the beginning of the year, to have these two teams playing together, it's fun."

Vinatieri spent the first 10 years of his career with the Patriots. He was brought to the Colts after Mike Vanderjagt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed a 46-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game in a 21-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home last year in an AFC semifinal.

Vinatieri is well aware that if a scriptwriter were writing the game book for Sunday's game it would end with him lining up to make the game-winning -- or losing -- kick.

"I want a win. That's all I care about," he said. "If we get that opportunity, great. If I'm on the sideline cheering on our defense to hold their offense so we can win, great.

"It doesn't matter. For them, for us, you have to be prepared to play your role, whatever that role is. If that's at the end of the game or if that's you standing on the sideline cheering on the guys that are out there, I just want to win the game."

Throughout the season, Vinatieri said he kept in touch with several friends on the Patriots. But not this week.

Vinatieri's season in Indianapolis, where the home games are played in a dome, was as consistent as those in New England. He made 25 of 28 field goal attempts in the regular season. Two misses came Nov. 5 in New England when the Colts beat the Patriots, 27-20.

"It was awkward at first when they came and played us early on in the season," Patriots defensive end Ty Warren said. "He threw us a bone early on in the season, but they still came out with the win."

Perfect on his 26 career attempts at RCA Dome, Vinatieri made 11 of those kicks when he was with the Patriots. He's 8 for 8 in the playoffs this year -- he was 5 for 5 as the Colts beat the Ravens, 15-6, in an AFC semifinal last week in Baltimore -- and his 34 postseason field goals are the most in NFL history.

"Adam is amazing when it comes down to clutch in the playoffs," Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "I don't remember the last time Adam missed a kick in the playoffs period, against us, against other teams. We are blessed to have him.

"A guy like Adam playing for us, he's translated into some big points so far."

Patriots players and Coach Bill Belichick are far too savvy to offer any comments that might be bulletin-board fodder for the Colts this week. They're practically writing press releases for the guy.

"My relationship with Adam was on the football field so I didn't get to know him a whole lot off the field," Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel said. "But he's not going to miss. You're going to have to block the kick, especially playing indoors."

Vinatieri expects nothing less.

"I think they're going to do everything they can to block it," he said. "It will be interesting to see how many times I'm on the field. You never know. You prepare like you're going to be out there a bunch."

If that happens, the Colts could have a new hero -- the Patriots' old hero.