Indy Star Points To RCA Dome Crowd As "X-Factor"

I found this in the Colts Blog area of the Indy Star:

The RCA Dome will probably be at its loudest. It’s often said that home-field advantage doesn’t matter to the ultimate competitors in the most important games, but the climate-controlled venue should have a dramatic effect on this game. Colts fans have waited 22 seasons for their first AFC Championship Game in Indianapolis. They won’t sit on their hands unless New England forces them to do it. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is seasoned enough to block out the noise, but New England must be careful in how it attacks a fast-improving speedy Colts defense, which feeds off crowd energy and, led by pass rusher Dwight Freeney, has been a step too fast for visitors this season. The Colts have enjoyed four home games this season with four sacks apiece. That includes the AFC wild-card playoff victory over Kansas City. The Colts have generated 23 of their 31 sacks at home. And the Colts are 9-0 in their dome this season.

Edge: Colts

I could not agree more. This already noisy crowd will be sky-high jacked up for this first-time-in-Indy contest. It's hard for me see the Colts not feeding off this tribal-warfare-dance level frenzy of people. It will impact everything. It's just that -- if you're Peyton Manning -- you hope the crowd know when to be quiet and when to get loud.