The Patriots are a great team, and they helped make this game an all-timer. Hat’s off for being a tough team. These two teams are so evenly matched that the difference between winning and losing was literally one yard.

I think the poll is biased because of hindsight.

…don’t and we lose.

Punt and we have a greater chance of winning. I would have gone for the punt. I thought our offense was only on the field out of hope that the Colts would burn a time out and we’d send out punting unit out on the field after the TO.

people would say he was a genius for going for it but since he failded then he was dumb. risky call that just didn’t work out cant get all of them right

The 4th and 2 was absolutely indefensible for 31 other quarterbacks in the NFL. However, Peyton Manning is not 31 other quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s Peyton Manning.

Think about it this way: if Kevin Faulk makes it three more feet, the Colts get their first L of the season, and the Pats have an inside edge on homefield in the AFC.

Instead, Colts win. Savaging Belichick for that playcall is, frankly, ridiculous. If you punt, you’re trusting your defense to stop Peyton Manning with two minutes and a timeout. If you make it, you assume the Victory formation and walk away winners. If you don’t make it, Peyton has two minutes and a timeout to go 30 yards.

Either way, that was a hell of a game. This rivalry gets better every year.

But the third down call does. If you’re in four down territory, and the clock is an issue, why are you passing!

The Big Picture says a 1 point loss to an 8-0 team on the road out of the division is not that big a deal. The Pat’s schedule looks a lot more benign the rest of the way than the Colt’s schedule, btw.

The best news is the Pat’s D is about as good as it has been in many a year; and has gotten way younger…. overnight. This is bad news for the rest of the league, as youngsters get better and better….. and the Pat’s are LOADED with draft picks. The future’s so bright we have to wear shades.

Advanced NFL stats thinks your coach made the Best % decision. also to take into account is that your D gave up 21 points and 130+ yards in the 4th, i think they were tired and missing key players they would have not be able to stop the colts from their 34, look at how that last 30yards played out it was too easy for the colts to score in the end and your coach knew it. one more comment about the 4th and 2 ; faulk made the catch with one foot in the air , in the NFL the catch is not completed until both feet hit the ground ,there for the catch was marked as a completion when his shoulder touched the ground short of the first down, this was the right call , even if they challenge it or review it it would have stand. Our D made the stop and deserve the credit for it, but this game will go to the classics and your team played an almost perfect game for 3 quarters , the 4th was all colts.

a quote from Advanced stats site:

With 2:00 left and the Colts with only one timeout, a successful conversion wins the game for all practical purposes. A 4th and 2 conversion would be successful 60% of the time. Historically, in a situation with 2:00 left and needing a TD to either win or tie, teams get the TD 53% of the time from that field position. The total WP for the 4th down conversion attempt would therefore be:

(0.60 * 1) + (0.40 * (1-0.53)) = 0.79 WP

A punt from the 28 typically nets 38 yards, starting the Colts at their own 34. Teams historically get the TD 30% of the time in that situation. So the punt gives the Pats about a 0.70 WP.

Statistically, the better decision would be to go for it, and by a good amount.