"If something bad happens, we come back and we deliver," said veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
And so the Patriots are going to the AFC Championship game -- a game they never have lost -- Sunday at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. After losing some worthy veteran teammates and struggling to find offensive rhythm early in the season, they are 14-4 and only one victory from their fourth Super Bowl appearance in six seasons.
The Peyton Manning-led Colts already have been established as 3-point favorites against New England, and that suits the Sons of Belichick nicely. The Patriots seem to do their best work on the road when the home team expects to win. Ask the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers. Or better yet, ask the Chargers.
Chargers fans did not see their Bolts lose a game at Qualcomm Stadium in 2006. But this is January, and that is when the Patriots steal your lunch money. The Patriots exposed and exploited a talented but inexperienced Chargers team that had nine Pro Bowlers, including league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson.
Clutch performances? Brady (12-1 in the playoffs) threw a whopping 51 passes and orchestrated tying and winning drives in the final six minutes. It was the Full Montana. Fourteen-year veteran Troy Brown saved the game when he caused a Chargers fumble seconds after Brady was intercepted. Meanwhile, mad genius Belichick overwhelmed counterpart Marty Schottenheimer (5-13 in the playoffs), calling a trick play (direct snap to Kevin Faulk) for a 2-point conversion when the Patriots needed a deuce for the tie with 4:36 left. Poor Marty was ignored as he tried to call timeout when the Patriots were setting up the play.
