Still Rolling

By Tom Van Wyhe
for The NFL Minute

Published: November 16, 2009

comment Comment Email this post Subscribe via RSS

Peyton Manning and the Colts improved to 9-0 Sunday Night by overcoming a 17-point fourth quarter deficit.

Much of this game will be pinned on Bill Belichick, rather than Peyton Manning and Indianapolis’ offense. Belichick made a controversial call to go for it on fourth-and-two from the Patriots’ 28 yard line with a six point lead. Had he converted, the game would have likely been over and New England would have emerged victorious. The result, however, was a close but ultimately unsuccessful attempt that gave Peyton Manning the ball with 2:00 to play.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Manning drove the Colts 28 yards to the endzone while draining the clock to :16, and Matt Stover (pictured above, AP) nailed the ensuing extra point to give Indianapolis a 35-34 lead.

A hopeless New England offense took the field and botched a hook-and-ladder play as time expired. Visibly frustrated, perhaps at his own decision, Bill Belichick jogged past Indianapolis coach Bill Caldwell and off the field to the locker room.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt defended Bill Belichick today on ESPN.

“I applaud Coach Belichick for believing in his team and thinking they can get that and having the courage to make that call,” Whisenhunt said in comments. “The one downside of that is when it doesn’t work.”

While everyone contends that Belichick made a bonehead decision, let’s applaud Manning and the Colts for clawing their way back into this game. Indianapolis trailed by 10 at halftime and 17 early in the fourth quarter. Had Belichick opted to punt, there’s no saying Manning wouldn’t have driven the Colts 70 or 80 yards for the win.

Manning finished the game with 327 passing yards and four touchdowns. It was his sixth multiple-touchdown game of the season and his seventh 300-yard game.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t put a game winning drive the length of the field past him.

Do you blame Belichick for the Patriots loss to Indianapolis?

No (75.0%, 3 Votes)
Yes (25.0%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 4

Loading ...

3 Comments on "Still Rolling"

Andy on Mon, 16th Nov 2009 10:30 pm

The 4th and 2 call was definitely all or nothing, I don’t mind the call Belichick made. I don’t think it was lack of confidence in his defense as much as more confidence in his offense. And it is Peyton, he would’ve went 65 yards as easy as he went the 30 or so.

Hope they meet again in the playoffs.

David Funk on Mon, 16th Nov 2009 11:21 pm

I don’t blame Belichick for the loss, but he didn’t put his team in a position to succeed either. One can’t definitively say that the defense would have stopped the Colts offense had they punted, so I’m with you there. We’ll never know.

And yes, one has to give credit to the Colts. The Pats have a pretty tough schedule coming up, and have the possibility of playing in the wild card round staring them in face now.

Nice post buddy!

Tom on Tue, 17th Nov 2009 4:08 pm

Couldn’t agree more with your last statement, Andy – I too hope to see a Pats-Colts rematch in January!

Thanks for the kind words, David!

Still Rolling

The Latest

Recommended Sites

Related Headlines