Patriotic Dungy is rooting for homecoming

We wouldn't go so far as to say he'll be phoning Bob Kraft or Bill Belichick, but yes, Tony Dungy confirmed he could be waving the New England Patriots colors today.

"We would love to have a game at home for the fans," said Dungy after his Colts beat the Ravens, 15-6, in an AFC divisional playoff game last night. "That would be great."

Indianapolis would secure a home game for its fans by virtue of a New England win at San Diego today, but if the Chargers win and force the Colts to travel, so be it, said Dungy.

"We won at home last week [against Kansas City] and on the road [last night against the Ravens], so it really doesn't matter."

Nor was Adam Vinatieri spending any time lobbying for a game against his old team.

"We're just happy we're here. The AFC Championship is a great place to be right now," said Vinatieri after he provided all the Colts' scoring with five field goals.

Though it will be lost in the glare of their brilliant defensive effort, the Colts had a streak of 34 consecutive games with a touchdown halted. You have to go back to an AFC divisional playoff game at New England in January 2005 (Patriots 20, Colts 3) for a game in which high-scoring Indianapolis was kept out of the end zone . . . With 15 points in his ledger, Vinatieri now has 143 in his postseason career, a number surpassed by only Gary Anderson (153) . . . Peyton Manning and the Colts now have four straight wins over the Ravens . . . Manning reached the AFC Championship game for just the second time in his nine-year career . . . The teams combined for just 183 yards on the ground, with the Colts' Joseph Addai held to 39 on 18 carries. Dominic Rhodes ripped off the game's longest run, a 25-yarder, but totaled just 56 yards. Baltimore's Jamal Lewis picked up 53 yards on 13 carries.

The Colts' much-maligned defense has allowed only 14 points in two playoff games and one touchdown (to the Chiefs' in last Saturday's 23-8 victory) . . . In the previous eight meetings between top-rated offenses and top-rated defenses (by yards) in a divisional playoff game, the offensive team had won six times. The Colts were the top-rated offensive team in the AFC, the Ravens top-rated defense . . . Cal Ripken Jr., recently voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, was an honorary captain.

Coach Andy Reid inexplicably decided to punt with the Eagles down, 27-24, with 1:56 left and two timeouts remaining. A few years ago, Reid went for a fourth-and-26 in a playoff game against Green Bay. Donovan McNabb converted with a pass to Freddie Mitchell, Philadelphia went on to tie it and won in overtime. But last night the Eagles' defense couldn't get the ball back against the Saints. "In hindsight, maybe we should have [gone for it] because we didn't get the ball back," Reid said. "I figured they would run the football and we might be able to stop them there and get the ball back." . . . The Eagles' defensive numbers were gruesome: The Saints marched for 435 total yards, converted 6 of 13 third downs, and gained 208 yards on the ground (led by Deuce McAllister's 143) . . . Saints wide receiver Joe Horn was inactive for the game. Horn has a groin injury that forced him out of the final four games of the regular season. The four-time Pro Bowler was questionable during the week . . . Philadelphia All-Pro right guard Shawn Andrews injured his neck in the first half and was taken to a hospital with swelling. The Eagles also lost linebacker Shawn Barber, who was carted off the field after helping defend a long incompletion in the end zone on the last play of the first half. An Eagles spokesman said Barber hurt his ankle on the play.

Jim McCabe reported from Baltimore and can be reached at jmccabe@globe.com; material from the Associated Press was used in this report.