FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- ESPN's Stats & Information tracks every play of every NFL game, and with that data to dissect, here are four statistical areas of note leading into Sunday's game between the Patriots and Colts:

Manning getting blitzed more without Clark. Peyton Manning and the Colts rank first in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per pass play, but that doesn't mean he isn't facing blitzes of late. With tight end Dallas Clark out of action, opponents have brought at least five pass rushers on 38 percent of Manning’s dropbacks. In the first six games of the season, when Clark was healthy and in the lineup, it was 21.9 percent.

Welker and dropped passes. Sunday in Pittsburgh, receiver Wes Welker dropped his sixth pass of the 2010 season. That is uncharacteristic for Welker, who totaled seven drops over 30 games in the 2008-2009 seasons.

Tight ends produce touchdowns. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has eight touchdown passes and no interceptions when targeting his tight ends this season. While passer rating is a flawed statistic, it can serve as a general guide as to how a quarterback performs, and Brady has a 130.5 rating when throwing to his tight ends. Only Philip Rivers (138.7) and David Garrard (131.8) are better when targeting tight ends.

Colts' conservative pass rush. The Colts are the NFL's least likely team to blitz. They have sent five or more pass rushers on less than 17 percent of opponent pass plays. The next lowest percentage is the Chiefs at 23.