Belichick Imperilment Gives Manning, Colts Victory (VIDEO)
Belichick Imperilment Gives Manning, Colts Victory (VIDEO)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belchick, defying convention, had his team “go for it” on 4th and 2, at the Indianapolis Colts’ 28 yard-line, with 2:08 left in the game while leading by six.
The prudent play was to punt, but Belchick entrusted the game to the arm of Tom Brady. The Golden Boy found Kevin Faulk on a two-yard out, but the veteran running back bobbled the ball and eventually tackled before the first down marker.
Bill Belichick walks off the field after his New England Patriots fell 35-34 to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday.
The Pats were stopped short.
It was a controversial spot, but the Pats couldn’t challenge since they were out of time outs. The team used their last two time outs before the series started and prior to the fourth down play.
The Colts took over on downs on the Pats’ 28 yard-line.
Four plays later, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning found Reggie Wayne in the endzone for the game tying touchdown. The point after was good and the Colts took the lead for good, 35-34.
Belichick: “We tried to win the game on that play. I thought we could make the yard. We had a good play, we completed it. I don’t know how we couldn’t get a yard.”
Victory in “The Game of the Century” moved Indianapolis to 9-0. They have all but locked up home field advantage in the playoffs.
Immediately, Belichick’s brave decision was scrutinized. Several experts, including analysts Tony Dungy (former Colts head coach) and Rodney Harrison (former Patriots defensive back) derided Belichick’s fourth down charge.
Of all the coaches in the NFL, Belichick is the only one with the clout to try such a risky ploy.
However, he should not be chided but applauded (especially if you’re non-Patriots’ fan). Belichick’s controversial decision provided NFL fans with yet another indelible moment.
Yes, his decision was wrought with arrogance but in a league comprised of timid coaches, his gallantry was refreshing.
Due to the game situation, Belichick was just two-yards away from victory. If a team can’t gain two yards, they don’t deserve to win.
The Pats head coach also put the fate of his team into the hands of a hall of fame quarterback and one of the greatest offenses the NFL has ever seen.
Brady: “That fourth-down play, that’s one of your best plays, and you go to one of your best guys. We’ve got our offense on the field. We have over 450 yards of offense at the time. We’ve got a lot of great players on our offense. They stopped us.”
Had he punted on fourth down, he would have given the ball to another hall of fame quarterback, who had nary two minutes and a timeout to mount a game-winning drive.
He eschewed the safe decision and tried to make an impact and deliver a message. It didn’t work, but New England could have lost just the same had they punted to the Colts and Manning rallied his team for a score.
This loss won’t affect the Pats’ post-season aspirations. They will win their sorry-division and more than likely earn a bye.
New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk is tackled by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Melvin Bullitt.
Bombastic Sports heard ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer declare the Pats dominated the game. While there were moments where the Patriots look phenomenal, the game wasn’t as lopsided as Dilfer claims.
The Pats had one more 1st down and two more 3rd down conversions than the Colts. New England had just 22 more yards rushing and committed one more penalty than their hosts. The Colts had one more sack than the Pats and
The only the stat that was overwhelmingly in the Patriots’ favor was time of possession and kick return yards. New England held the ball for 35:02 while Indianapolis’ time of possession was 24:58. Both teams amassed over 400 yards of total offense but the Patriots had just 70 more yards than the Colts.
Another way to look at it: Indy gain 85% as much territory as New England and did so in nine more plays. The Pats averaged 6.6 yards per play while the Colts averaged 6.5.
The Colts outscored or tied the Pats in scoring in every quarter but the second.
Lastly, in the only statistical category that matters, the Colts had one more point than the Pats.
