Even juicier, Indianapolis has won 19 in a row, two short of the league mark set by the New England Patriots last season.

And even better _ at least for the Colts _ is their opponent on Sunday, the Houston Texans. To say Indianapolis has owned Houston since the Texans were born in 2002 is like saying Peyton Manning isn't a bad quarterback.

The Colts have won 14 of their 15 contests, and their 20-17 victory this month was typical: Manning and his mates made the big plays and Houston didn't, including Kris Brown missing a 42-yard field goal as time expired.

Can the Colts sweep Houston within a three-week span?

"It's different. I don't remember the last time we played a team this close to back to back," Manning said. "They had a bye, so they'll be fresh. We're coming off two tough, emotional games, so it will be a challenge."

Maybe more of a challenge for the Texans, no? Like, say, climbing Everest?

"It's going to be a big test for us," star receiver Andre Johnson said. "We played them close the last few times we've played them and hopefully Sunday we can get over the hump and get a win."

On Monday, New England is at New Orleans in the Patriots' latest opportunity to spoil an unbeaten season. They almost ended Indianapolis' spotless record two weeks ago in a high-scoring game. Another shootout is expected, particularly with the Saints averaging 36.9 points a game and on course to score 590 this season, one more than the 2007 Patriots did.

Those Patriots are the only team to complete an unbeaten 16-0 regular season, and who better than them to ruin the Saints' perfect record?

"I remember the kind of confidence we had taking the field as an undefeated team and knowing that if we played a good game it was going to be almost impossible for teams to beat us," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "If you don't play well you do get beat, as evidenced by what happened in the Super Bowl that year."

The matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans features two of the hottest teams, one chasing a division title and the other, perhaps, chasing history.

The Cardinals are 5-0 on the road, have won three in a row overall, and are beginning to have that special look they captured in last January's playoffs. But quarterback Kurt Warner sustained a mild concussion in the win at St. Louis, and the drop-off to Matt Leinart is huge.

San Diego in 1992 had the worst start to a season for a team that still made the playoffs, going from 0-4 to 11-5. The way Tennessee has turned it around with four wins since an 0-6 start, who knows?

Also on Sunday it's Miami at Buffalo, Carolina at the New York Jets, Seattle at St. Louis, Tampa Bay at Atlanta, Cleveland at Cincinnati, Washington at Philadelphia, Chicago at Minnesota, Kansas City at San Diego, Jacksonville at San Francisco, and Pittsburgh at Baltimore.

The round began on Thursday with Denver humbling the New York Giants 26-6, Green Bay beating Detroit 34-12, and Dallas accounting for Oakland 24-7.