FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The question of when Peyton Manning would win his first road game against the New England Patriots has been answered. Now, he and his Indianapolis Colts face a more pleasant one:

When — if ever — will they lose their first game this season?

It didn't happen against the two-time defending Super Bowl champs Monday night when the Colts dominated in a 40-21 victory. Manning threw three touchdown passes, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne each had more than 100 yards receiving and Edgerrin James gained 104 yards on 34 carries.

So Manning is 1-7 in Foxborough, the Colts are 8-0 this season and Miami's status as the last team to have an unbeaten season, 17-0 in 1972, remains in jeopardy.

"It seems like a long way away," Manning said. "We're not talking about that. We're talking about winning the AFC South."

Perhaps it's time to change the subject now that the Colts lead second-place Jacksonville by three games and have five of their remaining eight at home.

Maybe it's time to describe the Colts the way the Patriots have been portrayed in winning three of the last four Super Bowls — as a complete team with a potent offense and a very stingy defense.

"They showed why they're pretty much the best team in the league," linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said after the Patriots (4-4) allowed at least 40 points for the second time this season. "It's pitiful. It's embarrassing."

The Colts scored on seven of their nine possessions, held the Patriots to 34 yards rushing and recovered a fumble that began a touchdown drive.

In the stadium where their last two seasons ended with playoff losses, they reached the midpoint of this season by beating a banged-up but still competitive team.

"These guys are tough up here," Manning said. "We saw what their record is now, but they've been beat up before and beaten us. I kind of throw the records out the window."

The Patriots lead the weak AFC East, but haven't won consecutive games. And they're not taking their mediocrity well.

Coach Bill Belichick was more stone-faced and reticent than usual during his postgame comments. Tom Brady made a brief statement after throwing for 265 yards and three touchdowns, but took no questions after his first loss to Indianapolis in seven career games.

Neither smiled.

"I'll make it short and sweet," Brady said. "We got our butts kicked."

At least the Patriots are done with the toughest part of their schedule; six of their last eight games are against teams with losing records.

Only two of the Colts' first eight opponents had winning records, and beating the Patriots on the road loomed as their toughest challenge so far. Their last five wins have been by at least 17 points.

But five of their remaining eight games are against winning teams, including division leaders Cincinnati and Seattle.

"People say things about the records of teams we played," Manning said. "That means you are supposed to lose to them? We can't apologize for the schedule and how the record is. And we know what we have ahead of us."

He completed 28 of 37 passes for 321 yards. His 1-yard pass to Harrison was the first touchdown, and his 30-yarder to Harrison was the last. His 10-yard pass to Wayne had made it 21-7 just 9 seconds before halftime — after Brady tied it with a 16-yard scoring pass to Deion Branch and James made it 14-7 with a 2-yard run.

Getting an early lead "was huge," Wayne said. "It was (just) another game for us, but it's a big momentum builder."

His touchdown followed Jason David's recovery of Corey Dillon's fumble.

"That was a big situation," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said. "We had breathing room in the second half."

A 4-yard touchdown run by Dominic Rhodes made it 28-7 before the Patriots scored on a 31-yard play on a screen pass from Brady to Daniel Graham with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

Belichick then made a risky move. He ordered an onside kick — aware of his defense's trouble stopping Manning — but the Colts recovered and took over at the New England 22. Mike Vanderjagt then kicked the first of his two field goals.

"We were just trying to catch them off guard," Patriots safety Eugene Wilson said.

Linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who played his second game since having a mild stroke last February, was downcast: "The way I feel right now is something I've got to get over quick."

Manning wanted to savor his first win in Foxborough in his eight-year career, but knows he and the Colts will hear that there's more to accomplish.

"There always will be something else, like this was not a playoff game," he said. "I am very content to have won this particular game."