INDIANAPOLIS -- It was 3 o'clock on Friday afternoon and it was time for sports talk show host Dan Dakich to take predictions from his callers for the upcoming Colts-Patriots game. The Colts, winners of their first eight games, would figure to be the overwhelming choice of the callers, who were allowed to give a final score and some individual performance predictions, but it wasn't like that.

Most of the calls were predicting a Colts victory but there were many who did not, a surprising developing in Indianapolis. Dakich complimented those picking the Patriots, saying, they ''were keeping it real.''

There's no question that those keeping it real were leery about their home team, either because they feel they've underperformed despite eight straight victories or a natural fear of the Patriots because of what Bill Belichick's teams have done to the Colts in the past.

A quick survey of fans tailgating right outside of Lucas Oil Stadium showed the same type of division.

John Arrivo of Noblesville, Ind. has been a season ticket holder since the Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984 is aware of the lack of faith others have in the Colts but he says it doesn't come from veteran fans like himself.

"The younger people aren't strong fans,'' he said between bites of a spare rib.

Arrivo's contention that a generation gap exists between Colts fans was confirmed just two parking spaces away where four 20-something fans sipped on beers and wondered about their Colts. All four, Carl Couder, A.J. Nofzinger, Daniel Scott, and Brad Hoekstra, who were using season tickets owned by Couder's father, said they weren't convinced the Colts are playing as well as their record.

"Last week (vs. Houston) was the first team we beat with a winning record,'' said Couder.

Jeff Lankford is a 10-year season ticket holder who drives 450 miles from Princeton, Ind. for each Colts home game and pays $179 for a hotel room across the street from Lucas Oil that includes a parking spot for tailgating. He fell somewhere between Arrivo and the four younger fans. He felt the Colts were going to win the game but he had a list of worries.

"I don't think we're playing well,'' he said. ''We struggled against Houston and San Francisco. We've had trouble running the ball. (Peyton) Manning had to throw the ball 40 times in the first half the last game.''

The Colts have also been hurt by injuries and will be missing three starters in the secondary, just another reason for Colts fans to worry.

''I don't know how good they are,'' said Lankford about his team.

Rich Meyer, a pal of Arrivo's who's from Carmel, Ind. who has also had season tickets since 1984, was as positive as is buddy.

''I like the defense we're playing,'' he said. ''We're more aggressive, we're unpredictable.''

He also thinks rookie running back Donald Brown, who's scheduled to return from injury Sunday night, and new punter Pat McAfee has added a different dimension.

In the end Arrivo was emphatic in a simple way.

''This is the first year we have the better team than New England.''