A loss for words

Patriots crash late at Indy after a stunning turn of events

November 16, 2009|Adam Kilgore, Globe Staff

INDIANAPOLIS - With all the hype washed away - the Rivalry Of The Decade and Manning-Brady story lines set aside - it all came down to an eye-popping, unforgettable gamble by Bill Belichick. The Patriots’ lead had been chopped to 6 points, just more than two minutes remained, and it was fourth down. And their punter was running off the field.

Bravado, guts, madness - call it what you want. As the Colts streamed from their sideline last night after the clock struck zeros, still undefeated and still the team to beat in the AFC, one thing was clear: It didn’t work.

Just when the Patriots seemed poised to announce themselves one of the best teams in the NFL, the Colts erased a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit, stunned the Patriots with a last-minute touchdown, and won, 35-34. The result came to pass, depending on one’s interpretation, because Peyton Manning snatched the victory from the Patriots or their own coach handed it over.

With the Patriots, Belichick never before had lost a game when leading by 13 points or more in the fourth quarter largely because his unconventional decisions such as the one he made last night have only left people shaking their head in awe - How does he do it?

This morning across New England and the nation, those who watched last night are still asking themselves, What was he thinking? Manning gave the Colts the winning score with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left, but the Patriots’ fate was sealed minutes earlier, when they went for it on fourth and 2 with just more than two minutes remaining. Tom Bra dy hit Kevin Faulk near the first-down sticks, but the officials ruled Faulk down inches before the marker, and the Colts took over on the Patriots’ 29-yard line.

“We tried to win the game on that play,’’ Belichick said. “I thought we could have made that yard. I thought we had a good play. We completed it. I don’t know how we could not get a yard on that completion, but I guess we didn’t.’’

Belichick wanted to keep the outcome in the hands of Brady, who threw for 375 yards, and out of Manning’s. Make the play, kneel three times, keep Manning on the sideline, and celebrate.

The plan, unlike so many Belichick decisions - remember Lonie Paxton snapping the ball off the goal post in Denver? - never materialized.

Before Belichick went for the win, the Patriots had sent their punting unit on. It scrambled off the field in favor of the offense, making a timeout necessary. They spread the field, sending Faulk in motion out of the backfield as the fifth receiver. Surely, though, they were at least trying to draw the Colts offsides.

Right?