The much-hyped up Sunday Night match up between the New England Patriots and The Indianapolis Colts was for the most part a one-sided affair. The New England Patriots seemed like the better team the entire night and outplayed the Colts in every facet of the game. So why were the Colts jumping around in excitement when the final seconds ticked off of the clock?
After the game last night, I tried to count how many times I caught myself saying this game is over only to stop and think, but that is Peyton Manning over there. That happened so many times that I gave up trying to count how many there was and I’m a very stubborn person. The amazing thing was is that I kept saying, but what about Peyton Manning on a night when Peyton Manning didn’t resemble Peyton Manning. Make sure you are seated for this one Manning fans, but Peyton looked almost human last night. I know, who would’ve thought that was even a possibility? I know that Manning fans will be quick to point out that he was 28-44 for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Were the two picks that bad that I’m saying he was unlike himself last night? Actually, yes that is what I’m saying. The two interceptions he threw were dead ducks and he even had one or two others that were pretty ugly. Does that mean Manning had a bad game? No, it just means that he is so great that we come to expect near perfection from him. Against the New England Patriots, the Colts usually need that from Manning to get a win, but the Patriots felt in a bit of a giving mood last night. So much so that they gift-wrapped opportunities for the Colts to stay unbeaten and no matter how off of a night the Colts are having, that is something I just don’t suggest doing. Early in the fourth quarter, the Patriots improved their lead to 17 points. The Patriots don’t blow 17 points leads. It’s so rare that this was first time that a Bill Belichick coached Patriots team lost when they had a lead of 13 or more points in the fourth quarter. The Patriots did what they could to keep the Colts just barely hanging in there like fumbling at the goal line. How rare is that for the New England Patriots? It is the first fumble lost by New England on a rushing play all season! The Colts breezed down the field for a touchdown and cut the deficit down to 34-28 with 2:23 left in the game and all three time outs remaining.
That’s okay Patriot fans; you have Bill Belichick on the sideline. There is a reason he is widely considered the best coach in the game. He never does anything that is even borderline stupid let alone go for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining in the game. Is that the Patriots lining up on fourth down? It’s okay they are just trying to draw the Colts off-sides there is no way they are going to…snap it. They didn’t really just snap it, did they?
The game went much how it should go after that decision. Kevin Faulk pulled in the pass around the first down marker, but was juggling the football and it was ruled to be just short of the first down. The Patriots had used up the last of their time outs just before that, so they couldn’t challenge the play.
The Colts had just shy of two minutes left and less than thirty yards to go. Is there anybody that watched this game that didn’t think Peyton Manning would find a way to lead his team to victory with just a few seconds left? Just as if it was scripted, Manning found Reggie Wayne in the end zone with only 13 seconds left and the Colts rallied for an impossible 35-34 win. At least, it should’ve been impossible, but that is why you keep watching.
After the game Peyton Manning showed why he is so well respected and loved for giving all the credit of the touchdown grab to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Peyton didn’t say that he called the play, or even that they decided, but instead admirably admitted that Reggie Wayne called the final play.
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