INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis Colts aren't ready to compare their offensive stars with the trio of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin, who made the Dallas Cowboys an NFL power for nearly a decade.

The Colts (4-2) play the Cowboys (4-2) Sunday in the first meeting between the teams since 1996.

"They've got the rings, all I have is the desire to win rings," said Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who leads the AFC with 13 touchdown passes and has a quarterback rating of 89.4, fifth in the league.

"It's much too soon to compare those guys. We're just young pups and those Dallas players have been great for years," said Indianapolis coach Jim Mora.

"I'm just a rookie trying to learn," added running back Edgerrin James, whose 520 yards rushing ranks fourth in the league. "Emmitt has proven himself as one of the best backs ever. It's flattering that people are comparing me, but it is premature."

Receiver Marvin Harrison was hesitant about such comparisons, too.

"Those three guys in Dallas are a tremendous group of players. To compare us right now wouldn't be a timely thing," Harrison said. He goes into the game second in the league with 45 receptions and 709 yards receiving,and shares the league lead with eight TD catches.

"We could be as good as them in the future with some work and effort, but right now we're still young and we're still learning the game. They know it."

Still, the Cowboys see themselves challenged defensively by a team that has allowed Manning to be sacked only three times this year.

"Obviously they're doing something right. Peyton's passing the ball quick or the offensive line is protecting," said Dallas defensive end Greg Ellis. "Whatever it is they do, they're getting it done well."

Manning has completed nearly 59 percent of his passes for 1,679 yards in his second season, and in 22 games has thrown for 5,418 yards.

"He's well ahead of his time. He doesn't seem like a second-year quarterback. He's a student of the game. Knowing him personally, he's the kind of guy who goes in early and learns what he needs to learn," said Ellis, who like Manning was a first-round draft pick last year.

Ellis admitted he hadn't heard of James, taken ahead of Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams as the fourth overall pick this year.

"I think everyone knows who he is now," Ellis said. "He's not the kind of guy that's going to run around. He sees the first-down marker or wherever he wants to get to and he picks his hole and goes to it."

The Colts anticipate Dallas will depend frequently on cornerback Deion Sanders to neutralize Harrison, who has already matched his career-high for TD catches in a season.

"He has done that in the past, roamed to the other side to cover other team's top receivers," Manning said. "You just have to be accurate with the football. Certainly with Marvin in the game, we have to try and get the ball to him. We can't take Marvin out of the offense.

"You have to account for Deion's great speed and his great cover ability. You just have to put the ball on the money."

Sanders missed the opening two games recovering from surgery on his right big toe in April. Since returning, he's made an impact both at cornerback and returning punts. Last week, he ran back a punt 70 yards for a touchdown to tie Eric Metcalf for second place in punt-kickoff return TDs with nine.

Although rarely used on offense, Sanders has 22 touchdowns in regular season and postseason play. Eight have come on interceptions, one on a fumble return, three on kickoff returns and six on punt returns. He's also had three TD receptions and ran for a TD.

"You have to account for him at all times," Mora said of Sanders, who led the league with a 15.6 punt return average last year and was selected to the Pro Bowl both at cornerback and as a kick returner in 1998 for the second time in his 11-year career.

"If your pass is a little bit off, or a little bit late," Manning said, "he'll make you pay."

DALLAS Season schedule and results

INDIANAPOLIS Season schedule and results

September 12 @Washington W 41-35 September 20 Atlanta W 24-7 October 3 Arizona W 35-7 October 10 @Philadelphia L 10-13 October 18 @NY Giants L 10-13 October 24 Washington W 38-20 October 31 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 8 @Minnesota 9:00pm ET November 14 Green Bay 4:15pm ET November 21 @Arizona 4:15pm ET November 25 Miami 4:15pm ET December 5 @New England 8:20pm ET December 12 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 19 NY Jets 4:15pm ET December 24 @New Orleans 3:05pm ET January 2 NY Giants 4:05pm ET

September 12 Buffalo W 31-14 September 19 @New England L 28-31 September 26 @San Diego W 27-19 October 10 Miami L 31-34 October 17 @NY Jets W 16-13 October 24 Cincinnati W 31-10 October 31 Dallas 1:00pm ET November 7 Kansas City 1:00pm ET November 14 @NY Giants 1:00pm ET November 21 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 28 NY Jets 4:15pm ET December 5 @Miami 1:00pm ET December 12 New England 1:00pm ET December 19 Washington 1:00pm ET December 26 @Cleveland 1:00pm ET January 2 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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