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Vinatieri to give Colts a kick in right direction

Place-kicker Adam Vinatieri was there for the New England Patriots, time and again, in the past 10 seasons. In wearing a Colts uniform this season, Indianapolis fans have good reason to eye the championship trophy that escaped them in past years, repeatedly meeting the Patriots and Vinatieri in the playoffs.

Since signing with the Patriots in 1996 as an un-drafted free agent, Vinatieri has played in four Super Bowls. His team lost the first Super Bowl he appeared in, in his NFL rookie season, but Vinatieri made sure that would not repeat in later appearances. He played a deciding role in winning the next three championship seasons, including the 2001 "Snow Bowl" playoff game, in which Vinatieri sent the game into overtime with a field goal, and later won it on another.

His departure to the Indianapolis Colts in the off-season was a major loss to the Patriots team, and possibly a winning move for the Colts. He will replace former Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys. In last year`s divisional playoff game loss to Pittsburgh, Vanderjagt missed a 46-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime. The Colts can only hope to reach a similar situation this year.