Was it won, or was it lost, and does it really matter? It’s in the books, forever and ever: Patriots 25, Bills 24.
“No matter how many you win by,’’ said Fred Taylor, a sagacious veteran of 147 games, “or if it’s pretty or ugly, you just want to win the game.’’
You surely don’t want to lose it the way the Bills did. Having just given up an 11-play, 81-yard Patriots’ drive that reduced their lead to 24-19 (the Patriots missed a 2-point conversion attempt), the Bills were still in excellent shape as Stephen Gostkowski kicked the ball a yard or so deep in the end zone. There was only one sensible play.
And then . . .
“I see him try to run the ball out,’’ recalled Adalius Thomas, “and I’m saying, ‘What is he doing? Why doesn’t he take a knee?’ ’’
That’s a question being asked this morning all over Western New York, and probably all over the National Football League. One can only imagine what Rex Ryan was thinking.
McKelvin defended his decision as follows: “When I caught the ball, I didn’t know if I had two feet inbounds, or if my momentum took me into the end zone. If I downed it, it may have been a safety, so I decided to bring it out.’’
You buying that?
Anyway, he brought it out, and he was met by a welcoming committee of red-clad folks, all intent on separating him from the ball. Pierre Woods got the official credit for a strip, and guess who recovered it?
Gostkowski.
“A tough kid,’’ shrugged Coach Bill, who acted as if a kicker recovering the game-changing fumble is an everyday occurrence.
The ball was on the 32, and it took Tom Brady three plays to find Benjamin Watson for an artful backward grab and a 16-yard touchdown pass. Like anyone was surprised.
