The Associated Press

Patriots cornerback Ty Law, shown manhandling Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison, is the only starting defensive back remaining from the Patriots' 2002 Super Bowl-winning team. (Jim Rogash/The Associated Press)

Who: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers. When: Feb. 1, 6:25 p.m. at Houston. TV: Chs. 12, 7.

FOXBORO, Mass. - New England beat Steve McNair and Peyton Manning in the playoffs by smacking their receivers and stealing their passes.

So if the Patriots' defensive backs could make the NFL's co-MVPs look ordinary, they should toy with Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme in the Super Bowl, right?

Patriots strong safety Rodney Harrison knocked down that idea as if it were a tight end coming across the middle.

"The co-MVPs are at home while he's playing in the Super Bowl," Harrison said Thursday when the Patriots returned to practice after two days off. "How are we going to get overconfident? We haven't done anything. We haven't won a Super Bowl yet."

Not this year, anyway.

They did that in 2002 against St. Louis. But cornerback Ty Law is the Patriots' only starting defensive back from that game still with the team. After last season, cornerback Otis Smith was cut and safety Tebucky Jones was traded to New Orleans.

The last starter to leave was safety Lawyer Milloy, an emotional team leader with four Pro Bowl appearances. He was released five days before the season in a contract dispute.

Four of the Patriots' top five defensive backs are newcomers this season. Harrison, a free agent signed in the offseason, spent his other nine pro seasons losing most of his games with San Diego.

He and the other starters have done just fine this year.

Harrison led the team in tackles and intercepted a pass in the end zone on Indianapolis' first drive of the AFC championship game.

Free safety Eugene Wilson, a rookie converted from cornerback, leveled Colts receiver Brandon Stokley on an incompletion over the middle.

Cornerback Tyrone Pole and Law led New England with six regular-season interceptions apiece. And Law added three pickoffs against Manning in last Sunday's 24-14 win in the AFC title game.

Their tight coverage led to three sacks and an interception against McNair in the 17-14 playoff win over Tennessee, and four sacks and four interceptions against Manning.

That's what Delhomme, a seven-year veteran and a first-year starter, will face on Feb. 1 in Houston. And Steve Smith said he and fellow receiver Mushin Muhammad expect to see the same hard-hitting style.