Patriots News: Bill Belichick, LeGarrette Blount, Colts rivalry and Bill O'Brien

Matthew Slater talks the continued rivalry between the Patriots and Colts ahead of Week 10 matchup

The longtime rivalry between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts is well documented, with one of the more controversial incidents stemming from the beginning of the years-long scandal called deflategate.

It has left a sour taste in the mouths of those who work for the Patriots organization and their fans, a drawn-out situation that will forever be remembered by all who experienced the debacle in real-time. But that's not the only reason there is tension between the two teams.

Other than the rivalry between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning when he spent the first 13 years of his career in Indy, there is also the reignition of the feud when Josh McDaniels accepted the position as their new head coach, only to back out at the last minute in order to return to New England.

It prompted Colts GM Chris Ballard to declare the "rivalry is back on" as he ended the press conference in response to McDaniels' decision not to take on the role.

Fast forward nearly six years later, and players will tell you it still feels that way even after all this time.

Matthew Slater spoke about the history between the two teams ahead of their matchup in Germany on Sunday, mentioning how this game is a meaningful game for both teams, and although circumstances are different than they used to be, their matchups still hold equal meaning for all involved.

Since the infamous line by Ballard in 2018, the teams have met just twice and split the games, but that doesn't mean the competitiveness is any lower than it used to be. Slater reiterated that point on Friday, stating the games still feel personal despite the significant changes made to both teams over the years.

"I’ve certainly felt it. Coach (Belichick) has gone out of his way to highlight the past two years, the way those two games went. They were two totally different games, so it does have that feel. It’s certainly personal for both sides, I’m sure both teams are excited."

It will be interesting to see how this may become a factor in their matchup on Sunday and if it will potentially fuel the Patriots to get the job done in Frankfurt, coming home with another win for the fans.