Heading into the 2003 season Mike Vanderjagt was known mostly as the guy Peyton Manning called the “idiot kicker” after Vanderjagt ran his mouth off about Tony Dungy not being a tough enough coach and Manning not being a tough enough quarterback to lead the Colts deep into the playoffs.

Since Vanderjagt, who made his comments about this time a year ago, played for the Colts, it could have made for a tense situation in Indianapolis. But for the sake of team chemistry, kicker and quarterback brokered a truce and now both players have shed the images each had for the other.

Manning has erased all notion he can’t win the big game by performing brilliantly in playoff wins over the Broncos and Chiefs. Having thrown for eight touchdowns in completing .785 percent of his passes, Manning has led the Colts to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at New England, where the winner earns a trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.

Vanderjagt isn’t simply an “idiot kicker” either. He has been the best kicker in football this year and an important contributor to the Colts’ success. He’ll enter Sunday’s game having converted 40-of-40 field goals attempted this year and 44 straight dating back to last season. His regular season streak of 41 is a NFL record.

Take him out of the comfy environment of the RCA Dome and he remains deadly accurate. He booted a career-long 54-yield field goal during a snowy night in Denver last year to send a game into overtime, then a 51-yarder to win it for the Colts. And he actually has a better percentage outdoors (.881) than indoors (.877).

Normally, when the Patriots play a January home game in Foxboro, New England kicker Adam Vinatieri has the most feared leg, but not with Vanderjagt in the building.

“He’s had a lot of big kicks for us, an overtime winner against Tampa, a game winner to start the season and a game winner to end the season,” Dungy said. “He can make big kicks on the road, and he’s a guy that feels great under pressure. That’s a good trait to have. We appreciate him a lot.”

Vanderjagt, 33, isn’t short on confidence. Some would call him cocky. A few might say arrogant. He’s also been known to chat with teammates and fans before important kicks. Timeouts intended to ice him, only motivate him.

“When you’re a field goal kicker in the NFL, you better be able to handle the pressure,” Vanderjagt has said. “You have to embrace it.”