The Call Heard Round New England | Patriots

November 15, 2009 -- For Pats fans, this game won't be remembered for what it should be: a great contest between two of the NFL heavyweights; a game that the Pats dominated for 55 minutes; a contest in which the Pats defense made the Colts offense look anemic for possession after possession after possession.

By outsiders this game won't be remembered by the 10-14 points that the Pats left out on the field, with the goal-line fumble of Lawrence Maroney and the unnecessary interception on a throw into double coverage by Tom Brady.

No, no. This game will simply be remembered as the game Bill Belichick went for it on 4th-and-2 from his own 28. This game will be remembered as the night the championed and cherished coach became too bold and too brazen for the good of his team and the good of himself.

Before this evening, Bill Belichick shared the unique and distinct honor of being the only coach left in the National Football League whose fan base trusts him blindly. Although that is unlikely to change, after tonight, fans were undoubtedly scratching their heads around the region. Fourth-and-two, six-point lead, on their own 28. Smart money says, not any other coach in the history of NFL would have sent his offense back out on the field.

But whether it was the confidence he had in his offense, the tired condition of his defense, or a small universal window into a man that many have referred to as egotistical bordering on narcissism, Brady and Co. strutted out on the field in a 4-wide-receiver set, with Kevin Faulk in the backfield.

Brady hit Faulk on a quick out but came up a half-yard short of the first down. From there, Peyton Manning did what Peyton Manning always does when facing a tired defense with 29 yards to go and two minutes left to play. Final result: Colts 35 Patriots 34.

The feeling left with those watching the game was a numb, void and sucker-punched---a sucker-punch driven into a fan base by an individual who is so entrusted, he carries his own "In Belichick We Trust" slogan.

But in a game with such big implications, a game in which a win or a loss could mean the difference between home-field advantage or a 3rd/4th seed in the AFC, Belichick placed his team and the victory into a 35% slot (the NFL average for fourth-down conversions). Peyton Manning or not. Simply inexcusable.

Perhaps the defense was gassed. Perhaps the scoreboard would have read the same had the Pats started Manning on his own 25 with two minutes to play.

Perhaps during the two timeouts called, Belichick had visions of another Manning driving down the field against his defense in the waning moments of a big game (Super Bowl 42), and he couldn't bare to stand back while his team once again fell to a late-game drive.

Regardless of the thought process, the call was Simply Inexcusable.

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The offense was hot and firing on all 8, the defense was not. Maybe he weighed his choises in his mind....trust the offense to get two measly yards of trust the D to stop Peyton on a two minute drill. Given the field position, time and the score, I think the right decision would have been to punt, but I don't think it's "Simply Inexcusable" to go with call he did, either. Win or lose, they're still headed to the post-season, maybe even a first round bye still.

Posted by: kwe325 | Monday, November 16, 2009 12:09:26 PM | Mark As Violation