Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, handing off to Dominic Rhodes on Monday night against the Titans, hasn’t been his dominant self as he tries to recover from offseason knee surgery.

AP / John Russell

FOXBORO — The Indianapolis Colts are in unfamiliar territory. At this time of year, the strong-starting team is normally locking up its hold on the division, and the starters are looking forward to getting some rest in the final weeks. This year, with a 3-4 record, the Colts may have already conceded that the AFC South title is out of reach and are grinding forward with hopes of grabbing one of the two wildcard spots.

Before this Monday night’s game against the division rival Tennessee Titans, Colts coach Tony Dungy said that if his team couldn’t win, it would be playing for the wildcard the rest of the way.

“The season won’t be over if we don’t get a win. Obviously, wildcard teams have won the Super Bowl two of the last three years, so it’s certainly not a season-ending game. But in terms of winning the division ... that’s the reality of it.”

Dungy backtracked slightly from that statement yesterday, saying that anything was possible.

“If we can get a streak like we have gotten in the past and roll off six or seven [wins] in a row, it still might not be enough to win the division, but that’s OK. If we can get ourselves playing well and get hot and be in that wildcard race, we’ll be in good shape.”

Colts tight end Dallas Clark looked at his team’s record and saw only the harsh reality of chasing the 7-0 Titans.

“That’s very difficult, but that’s the hole we put ourselves in. We have no one to blame but ourselves for that, and that’s tough. But we do know that there’s a lot of season left to be played,” Clark said.

The Colts, he said, would not quit on the season, no matter which brass ring — wildcard or division — they are chasing. “There’s still a chance for us, and we’re not checking out yet, no matter what some people might be saying, or whatever you hear,” Clark said.

The prevailing wisdom has held that the Colts have not been the same team this year. Quarterback Peyton Manning missed the entire preseason after offseason knee surgery, and his 79.0 quarterback rating is the lowest since his rookie season. Safety Bob Sanders has missed time, as have key players such as running back Joseph Addai and center Jeff Saturday.

Dungy said yesterday that he expected Addai and Sanders to play Sunday night when the Patriots meet the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts have won 50 of their last 64 games, and they are the league’s most successful team in the regular season since 1999, with one more win than the Patriots. But the two teams have met 13 times since Manning arrived in 1998, and the Patriots have won 9 of those.

Like the Colts, the Patriots have also been winners of their division, the AFC East, for the past five years. And like the Colts, these Patriots have struggled to replace key players, particularly after season-ending leg injuries to quarterback Tom Brady and safety Rodney Harrison.

Ever cautious, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is not about to look past his longtime rival, no matter what the record. Belichick sees quarters of football in which the Colts have been as dominant as ever — and dreads them putting four such quarters up against the undermanned Patriots this weekend.

“When I look at them I see a very explosive football team. Look at the last six minutes of the Houston game, look at the first quarter of the Baltimore game — you see plenty of good football from them and plenty of explosive football. That’s what worries us and that’s what we have to prepare for,” Belichick said.

dbarbari@projo.com