Without quarterback Tom Brady and safety Rodney Harrison, with just three healthy running backs and an inexperienced and injury-saddled secondary, the Patriots decided their best defense was a clock-killing, possessive offense. They limited Indianapolis to just seven possessions for the game, held a 34:24 to 25:36 advantage in time of possession, and held the Colts to just 18 points.
The plan worked until the very end when an untimely drop, an ill-timed penalty, a lack of timeouts, and a timely clutch kick by former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri had the Patriots fall back behind the Colts.
"I thought we had our chances," said New England coach Bill Belichick. "We've just got to do a little more with them."
After Stephen Gostkowski booted his third field goal of the game with 11:33 remaining to tie it, 15-15, the Colts got the ball back and drove from their 18 to the Patriots 34. Vinatieri then connected on a 52-yard field goal with 8:05 remaining to give the Colts an 18-15 lead.
Matt Cassel, who acquitted himself quite well in his matchup against Peyton Manning, going 25 of 34 for 204 yards, got the ball at his 19 with 7:59 left and moved the Patriots to the Colts 32, where they had a second and 2. But tight end David Thomas committed a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty, blocking Colts defender Robert Mathis in the back after the whistle, on a 1-yard run by rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis (15 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown).
Suddenly the Patriots, who had no timeouts, were out of field goal range and facing third and 16.
With the Indianapolis wide receivers as open as the retractable roof at Peyton's New Place most of the night, Belichick elected to go for it on fourth and 15 with 4:40 to play and Cassel was intercepted by safety Bob Sanders at the Indianapolis 25.
"I was just trying to make a block and I never heard a whistle and it was a critical mistake and it really cost us," said Thomas.
