The New England Patriots have just put the finishing touches on the most impressive half-season in NFL history. The team’s week-eight dismantling (52-7) of a Washington Redskins team that entered the contest at 4-2, was symbolic of the team’s eight-week stretch to open the season.

New England hasn’t scored less than 34-points in any one game this season. The team has also managed to dent the scoreboard for at least 48-points in each of the past three weeks. There isn’t an offense in the league averaging close to the 41-points and 440 yards-a-game that the Patriots are.

Quarterback Tom Brady, who could have retired before the start of this season and probably still been elected into the Hall-of-Fame, is throwing for 304 yards-a-contest. He has also tossed 30-touchdown passes and yielded just two-interceptions, an unprecedented TD-INT ratio.

There’s a handful of passers in the Hall-of-Fame who never threw for more than 25-scores in a season, and Brady has 30 at the midway point. His numbers are breath-taking. Two of his receivers, off-season acquistions Randy Moss and Wes Welker, are on pace for more than 1,300-yards and double-digit touchdowns.

Despite the fact that New England’s offense has been stealing all of the ink dedicated to the team’s impressive start, the team’s defense is also playing better football than it has in recent seasons.

The unit is allowing just 16 points-a-game, the fifth-best ranking in the league, and is giving up just 267-yards a contest, the third lowest total in the league. The Patriots are coming off of a suffocating performance against the Redskins, in which the team allowed just seven-points and 47 rushing-yards.

New England’s defense - which has now helped to defeat six-teams who either have winning records in 2007 or were in the playoffs in 2006 - will face its toughest test yet this Sunday, when the Patriots travel to Indianapolis for a showdown with the Colts.

Indianapolis is the league’s only other undefeated team, entering ths weekend’s tilt at 7-0. The Colts resume’ isn’t nearly as impressive as New England’s, as the Colts don’t have wins over opponents like San Diego, Dallas, or Washington to boast about. But the team has beaten everybody on its schedule, and has looked good doing it.

I’d be shocked if the Colts found a way to beat the Patriots today. New England’s offense is too good right now, too potent, too unstoppable, and I just can’t see Indianapolis’ defense making enough stops to stay in the game.

If Washington’s defense looked lost and was run-over and out-matched by the Patriots, then the Colts’ pedestrian unit doesn’t look to have much of a chance. Lucilly Indy and it’s defense though, games are not played on paper, and the team will have a chance to pull off an impressive home-upset on Sunday.

Expect more ostentacious digits from Brady and another productive afternoon from Randy Moss. If New England tries to run up the score this weekend, as it has in past weeks, or leaves Brady on the field longer than they should, expect things to get chippy.

Unlike the Redskins and the Dolphins, the Colts are involved in a bitter rivalry with the Patriots that goes back several seasons. Indianapolis isn’t going to tolerate getting beat, let alone getting embarrased.

Bill Billicheck would be best off yanking his starters if his team gets another comfortable second-half lead, because not every team will be as kind to his players as Washington was in garbage-time a week ago.

Billicheck may not have to concern himself with pulling starters this week though, because his squad should have its hands full. At least more so than in recent weeks.