The win was the second for new coach Raymond Berry, a former Colts receiver.
On other plays, Patriots defenders pummeled Colts receivers after they caught the ball.
In the third quarter, a pass by Manning was intercepted by Ty Law with no Colts receiver in the vicinity.
None of the other Colts receivers were able to offset the lack of big plays from Marvin Harrison.
As an assistant coach with the Baltimore Colts, he knew Perkins, then a Colts wide receiver.
Colts receivers burn a former teammate, cornerback Jason David, for three touchdowns as Indianapolis begins its title defense.
Or they pushed Colts receivers out of bounds.
Brooks was the Colts top receiver for five of his seven seasons with them, and recorded a career best 1,131 yards in 1986.
Back when Young was a scout and an assistant coach with the Baltimore Colts, Perkins was a Colts wide receiver.
Young had been an assistant coach with the Baltimore Colts when Perkins was a Colts wide receiver.