Game Recap: Colts defeat Patriots, 35-34
by MaPatsFan on Nov 16, 2009 4:07 PM EST
in Opinion
43 comments
I am stunned, but not surprised. I am stunned because as our biggest rival in the AFC, a win would've meant a lot: a chance to go 2-4 against Indy, a better face-to-face record for potential home field advantage (if tie breakers come into play), seeding... you name it. Most of all, I simply wanted to beat Indy. And for a large portion of the game, New England had the upper hand.
I am not surprised because the Colts are that good. When the Patriots get up on a team with as wide a margin as they had, it's usually lights out. Rivals simply can't recover and usually get stymied in all three phases of the game. Not so with the Colts, especially Peyton Manning. I remember thinking to myself that Manning just wasn't clicking with his receivers Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie. If he DID begin clicking, it would create problems.
For most of the first half, Tom Brady appeared to be firing on all cylinders and doing an excellent job of finding the weak spots in the Indy defense. As I discussed in my game preview, picking on the young, inexperienced Indy secondary was one of the keys to success and Brady did a good job of that. With the half coming to a close, Brady had managed 24 points and our defense held Peyton Manning and crew to 14, an admirable task. I remember thinking, "This is cool. We seem to have control of the game, but it ain't over until it's over." Boy, was I right.
The third quarter remained scoreless which was ok in my book; maintaining a 10 point lead against Indy for 15 minutes is a VERY good thing. Then, as if to guarantee the win, Wes Welker broke loose for a 69 yard punt return to the Indy 7 yard line. A 2 yard pass to Kevin Faulk was followed by a beautiful leaping grab by Randy Moss for a 5 yard TD. Brady put the ball where the 6-4 Moss could catch it and no one else. 31-14 - a 3 score lead with 14:23 left in the 4th quarter. As if in response, the Indy offense drove down the field with 5 plays in 2:04 minutes to reduce the lead to 10. I remember thinking, "Uh oh." The Patriots, working off of a Jonathan Wilhite interception, marched back down the field, only to settle for a Stephen Gostkowski field goal; 34-21.
Some call it momentum, but I call it pacing. NE seems to have a methodical, calculated approach to pacing a game - much like our head coach is perceived to be. After teams are lulled into this pacing, we switch it up. The Colts' hurry up offense is a major weapon in their arsenal and one that appears to win games on a regular basis. It's built for sprinting down the field and sets a frenetic pace that defenses have a hard time adjusting to. The result is a defense that can't work in substitutions, causing them to get gassed, especially the large defensive linemen.
In yet another sprint, the Colts scored on a 6 play, 1:49 minute drive; 34-28. A really big, "UH OH!!" NE would get the ball on their 20 after a McAfee touchback and before the drive even started, Brady burned timeout #2. Kevin Faulk went up the middle for no gain. Timeout #3. Then, Brady went to his old standby, Wes Welker, for an 8 yarder up the middle, putting us at third down and 2. Another pass to Welker was broken up by Powers, leaving us with fourth and 2. Decision time.
We've discussed the odds ad nauseam on this site. From a statistical perspective, going for it was the right thing to do. And Belichick trusted his offense to convert. Knee the ball 3 times, punt away, and Manning has almost no time to score. That was Bill's calculated risk. There's more. Belichick won't say this, but his defense was exhausted and he probably felt the offenses' chances of converting that fourth and 2 were better than the defense's chances of sustaining another Peyton Manning drive, even if a Chris Hanson punt would've planted Indy at their 30 or so. After all, the Indy offense had just demonstrated how they can score with a pair of 2 minute sprints. Hindsight is 20/20 and we now know Belichick's calculated risk more than likely lost the game. We all know what happened next. Handing the ball to a Manning lead offense on your own 29 is most likely suicide. And it was.
1 single play, player, or coaching decision does not win or lose a game; I have never subscribed to that theory because it ignores the hundreds of plays and decisions that lead up to it. But there are some that are certainly memorable.
- To correct a misconception, the Laurence Maroney fumble would not have been the difference maker in the game. Horrid to see, but Indy did nothing with that gift, punted away to Welker for a 69 yard return, and a 5 yard TD pass to Moss followed. The most a LoMo TD could've accomplished was to keep 2 minutes on the clock.
- The 31 yard PI against Darius Butler with 3:03 left in the fourth was questionable, but Austin Collie made a veteran play by recognizing he didn't have the ball and slowing down, allowing Butler to collide with him and giving the refs the impression Butler impeded his progress.
- A questionable timeout to start NE's last drive. We may never know what the reasoning was, but Brady felt he needed it.
- Not converting with 4:17 left in the fourth, forcing a field goal. RedZone efficiency (or lack thereof) strikes again.
There are a number of positives from last night:
- The rust appears to have worn off. Brady and his receivers are connecting well and didn't seem to make any mental errors like we saw in the beginning of the season.
- Sebastian Vollmer is a beast. Any rookie who can take on Dwight Freeney and be relatively successful is ok in my book. He's made a case for a starting position at left tackle while Matt Light should be moved to right tackle and Nick Kaczur benched; Colts DE Robert Mathis abused Kaczur, allowing too much pressure on Brady.
- The return of Julian Edelman was good to see. The more receivers we have, the more opponents have to worry about. Spreading the field is a good thing.
- This game was so close, it came down to a yard. If we can do that against Indy, just think what we can accomplish against the rest of the NFL.
That's all I can stomach for now. I'd like to send a shoutout to the Stampede Blue crowd for a fun week of cross blogging leading up to this matchup. We had many well mannered and thoughtful exchanges which is what it's all about for me.
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About the Colts DBs...
Tim Jennings is awful. Always has been. Him stinking it up was no surprise.
Jacob Lacey got exposed. He was an UDFA playing out of his league and showed that he couldn’t mark a top flight WR in a big game. He will be a solid nickle back in this league, but he’s not ready for the spotlight yet.
Jerraud Powers showed he was for real. I don’t recall Moss catching a single pass when Powers was on him. This was a big part of the Colts containing the Pats offense in the 2nd half. As much to do as there has been about the 4th down call, Powers came within two inches of ripping a pick-6 on the play before. He jumped all over that route and nearly won the game right there.
Incredible game.
by invisibulman on Nov 16, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
"this game was so close"
This game was so close, it came down to a yard. If we can do that against Indy, just think what we can accomplish against the rest of the NFL.
I don’t think that really describes ‘the positive’ to take from the game. The game SHOULDN’T have been that close.
In your list of things that contributed to us losing the game you may be correct to say the Maroney fumble was just a trade for the Moss TD plus 2 minutes, but you should also list the Brady interception when he slightly underthrew Moss in the end-zone. (Funny how we all complained when he over threw him by a couple of yards twice early in the season.)
If they don’t toss that interception and they convert the 4th down at 4:17, then that’s a potential 11 point swing.
But otherwise than that minor quibble, good write-up.
Volmer is going to be a beast. I would love for us to exploit him more as a point of attack for the running game.
by mmmmm on Nov 16, 2009 6:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
The game really shouldn't have been close?
The 6-2 Pats were going to the 8-0 Colts, playing in their stadium against a healthy Manning, Wayne, etc The Dome is a scary place to play on the road at the best of times – the noise is amplified, and the Colts fans know precisely when to use it.
Further, the Pats were also banged up – starting D-liners out, running-back-by-committee turned into feature back via injuries, Meriweather nicked up, practice-squad signee suddenly playing as receivers, both TEs playing hurt, starting O-line members out or playing injured.
Bearing all that in mind, the Pats really had no right to expect the game to actually be as close as it was – who predicted the first half being a significant lead to the Pats? That Manning could march back into the game against a tired, banged up Pats defence is no real surprise, given how many times he’s done it lately. If anything, I would have thought it’d be the other way around – that the Colts would’ve had a half-time lead.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Nov 16, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
heh, amplified
The new dome is only half as loud as the old dome. Though it did get as loud as I’ve heard it in 2 years on that last Pats drive when Brady called timeout. I almost want to say he couldn’t hear. That’s impressive in the open end zone side.
Good point about Maroney’s fumble. The lost fumble did give them hope, though, that the Colts may not have otherwise had. Though I guess the punt return probably sunk that just as quickly.
by willyduer on Nov 16, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hoodie still thinks the Colts fans are loud enough...
that he made the Pats practice with loud music being pumped into the practice field in the leadup to the game. It’s also how the noise is used – a constant background noise is easy to ignore, but if it ‘turns on’ at precisely the wrong time – when he’s doing his calls or cadence or whatever – it’s particularly disconcerting. Colts fans know enough about football to time it correctly, and have seen enough of Brady that they can probably tell when the right time actually is.
I personally wondered whether the failure of the goaline offence in the play that led to Maroney’s fumble, was the reason for the third-down pass to Welker in the penultimate drive. If they had decided from the outset that they’d go for it on fourth down and get the first down to win the game, then a dive on third down would’ve made more sense – get a yard to set up 4th-and-1 on third down, and dive again on fourth to get the conversion. Instead it was an incompletion, and set up a 4th-and-2, which is just that extra (and vital!) bit harder. Going to the air on third down actually made far less sense to me than going for the fourth down conversion, and I wondered if it was a reflection of a lack of confidence in the ground game to keep hold of it in vital situations.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Nov 16, 2009 8:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
True.
There was a quick and noticeable uptick in the noise level before that series. Obviously I wasn’t the only fan with a “well shit, they could actually do this” attitude. I’ll admit that I still didn’t expect a stop there, especially once they went back out for 4th.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 12:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Classic game
People will remember this one a long time
QB 1st half ratings:
Manning 128
Brady 145
When have we seen 2 great QBs have 1st halves like this in the same game ?
Plenty of dramatic moments during the game. Highly entertaining and a fancy finish.
Both teams will likely make playoffs and most likely clash again when the chips are on the line.
by WarWolf on Nov 16, 2009 6:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Volmer was excellent
first game this year Freeney didn’t pick up a sack in. Volmer was beaten surprisingly few times and whenever we was beaten he had help ready.
Butler put a forearm into Collie and started pushing him before the ball got there. There really wasn’t much he could do to prevent himself from interfering, but he interfered.
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
by shake n bake on Nov 16, 2009 7:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
not the end of the world.
luckly its a regular season game. We are 4th in the AFC playoff seeding but hopefully Denver and Cincinnati hopefully lose more than than the Patriots, so we can get the 2nd seed.
by mathew.40 on Nov 16, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure about this...
To correct a misconception, the Laurence Maroney fumble would not have been the difference maker in the game. Horrid to see, but Indy did nothing with that gift, punted away to Welker for a 69 yard return, and a 5 yard TD pass to Moss followed. The most a LoMo TD could’ve accomplished was to keep 2 minutes on the clock.
With all due respect, this makes no sense to me. It’s just as valid to speculate on how one play might have turned out differently as another. If the Patriots had scored again at any point in the game, they would have won. Maroney’s fumble might have been just as crucial a blunder as not converting on 4th-and-2. Just because the Colts didn’t immediately capitalize on the turnover doesn’t mean it wasn’t integral to their success.
by LegendaryTadpole on Nov 16, 2009 10:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I agree, that is no "misconception" about Laurence Maroney's fumble
Of course it would have been the difference maker. Seven extra points tacked onto the Patriots score would have been a game-breaker.
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Nov 17, 2009 7:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alternate point of view
I completely understand your POV. My issue is that talk radio, both hosts and listeners, are ready to run LoMo out of town. True, the outcome could’ve gone any number of ways had he scored and it’s always better to get the points when you can, but I don’t think it’s fair for the masses to point the finger at Maroney.
Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit
by MaPatsFan on Nov 17, 2009 8:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I have been a consistent defender of Maroney
but he made a costly mistake Sunday, that is no misconception. Talk radio makes my blood boil and there’s a reason for the expression, “the masses are the asses.” Good for Belichick in not needing a New England wide poll before making a decision, and sticking with it afterwards even though it didn’t work this time. His biggest lament seems to be in the miscommunication between the punt team and the offense before the play was called that forced him to call that final time out.
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Nov 17, 2009 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Official Apology From Official's Association?
For the second time in the past four years, we may be looking at a formal apology from the NFL official’s association. The last time was in the ‘05 AFC championship game when Peyton Manning grossly overthrew Reggie Wayne, giving Ellis Hobbs a bead on the ball and Wayne, doing the right thing, tackled him to prevent the interception. The refs then threw the yellow flag for what everyone ON BOTH SIDES of the game thought would be pass interference on number 87, offense. It turned out to be on #27 defense. That as well as the other horrific pass interference call in the end zone where Ellis Hobbs leaping vertically was hit in the back by the football while nowhere near a receiver and called for pass interference prompted an official apology from the Officials’ Association to the New England Patriots. Essentially it read, “Sorry we sent the wrong team to the Super Bowl.” Sorry didn’t put us in the Super Bowl.
Well, go back and take a look at the replay and listen to what Deion Sanders and company say here. Then check SportsCenter from this morning and LO! The rule is that forward progress is measured from where the ball first TOUCHES the receiver, not where he has possession. Also, watch the film and listen to the analysts. He’s not bobbling the ball, he has it past the marker. They marked him about 2.5 yards behind his forward progress and 1.5 yards back from where he CLEARLY had possession. Either of those locations was sufficient for a first down. Now, as if their calling that had not been bad enough, when the play finished originally, there was only 1:57 left on the clock, making the play reviewable. And that play SHOULD have been reviewed. BUT the refs went ahead and put 3 seconds back on the clock so that it became unreviewable, Essentially spotting the Colts the game-winning TD. They were also spotted a TD a few minutes before that on a BS 50+ yard pass interference call. Nothing aggravated me more than hearing that MORON commentator say “What a drive by the Colts”. Only if some of the Colts have taken to wearing vertical stripes, idiot. I would have no problem losing to the Colts, but all the official apologies in the world don’t make up for losing to the referees.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d81441f11&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true
by PaulRevere on Nov 17, 2009 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Deion Sanders is an idiot
And the fact that you’d listen to him makes you kind of an idiot too. And he doesn’t speak for the NFL or the officials. Not sure where you got that implication from. Pereira already addressed it publicly and basically said “I trust my guy on the sidelines.” And he’s never afraid to call a play wrong. (Though lately he has only been doing it on the website… cheap trick to draw traffic, I think.)
There was never even 1.5, let alone 2.5, yards covered in his entire motion when the ball was in the air. Saying the spot was off by a full yard and a half removes all credibility that you may have.
When he caught the ball, he was coming back over the line. Where he was when he had possession was anyone’s guess. At worst, it was off by 8-12 inches. 1.5 yards? Ha.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Your 1:57 argument is stupid
and has been debunked elsewhere on this site too. You should learn more about football and spend less time making a fool of yourself whining like a baby about the officials on the internet.
I’m sure you probably love to spout off about how Polian’s a big baby for complaining about rules that weren’t enforced in 2003. (Or better yet, you believe that they changed the rules!) Well listen to yourself. You’re doing the same thing.
There are bad calls in every game. They don’t all favor the Colts. Go watch any of your punt returns and see all the blocks in the back that weren’t called, or the hold on the big return. You don’t hear any Colts fans bitching about that do you? It’s part of the game. Every team faces the other team and the officials when they play. Smart teams like the Patriots prepare for each individual ref crew and adjust their style accordingly. Even then, they’re going to have some calls they don’t like. You’re not unique.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 12:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
well you'd be complaing if you guys lost.
so to be fair if the colts lost, you’d be looking at some missed penalties to explain some reasons they lost. Personally i thought the ball was placed wrong. Not by 1.5 yrd tho but it should have been pretty much on the line so it coulda done either way. When u watch the replay you see faulk had the ball and his foot was on the line when he fell. But the ball was placed no where close to the line. it wouldn’t be a guaranteed first but a very close call that coulda gone either way. The place refs placed it was no where near it.
by lololol on Nov 17, 2009 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not at all
Trust me, read my posts – I think that spot could’ve gone anywhere. If they gave them the line, I wouldn’t have complained at all. The shitty camera angle makes it impossible to tell for sure, but my hunch is that the official was so pleased to notice the bobble that he over-considered it when making the spot, placing it at the landing spot instead of where he secured it. And that could’ve been on the line.
If the Colts lost I would not say a word about the officials. I’ve come to accept the lack of holding calls, plus their line does it now too now that they know they can get away with it, and they did enough things wrong that they deserved to lose – would’ve had nothing to do with the officials. It was a LUCKY win. Two turnovers in the end zone after long drives, then that gift 4th down? That game could’ve been 45-14 just as easily as it was 24-14 in the third.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There are holds on virtually every play
In the Super Bowl vs the Giants, there were plenty of holds on Eli’s magic escape. They need to be VERY blatant to get called, though. A normal lineman block involves grabbing the jersey and/or pinning the arm. As long as the guy is more or less facing you, it isn’t called. When you’re still hanging on and he’s headed the other way, it usually but not always is called. Holding in football is called about as well as travelling in basketball.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 17, 2009 10:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I know
this is why I have come to accept it and don’t get upset by it. They only call it now if it’s obvious right by the ball. A guy can get held from behind with the numbers visibly moving on his jersey and if the ball is on the other side of the backfield, it won’t matter.
Now, the one that Mathis did on Marvin last year in the Jags at Colts game before his pick six… I’ll still complain about that one. That was just ridiculous.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I particularly enjoy being called an idiot...
… who doesn’t know anything about football. The fact that I’m reading mostly English words tells me that the midwest has developed an education system sufficient to foster the growth of writing among its cretinous inhabitants. Perhaps by the next ice age you’ll even have started believing in the merits of Darwinian theory. Ok, but enough jabs at your geographic location and all manner of pejorative stereotypes directed thereat. Do note that I am intentionally trying to rile you up. Don’t let me succeed.
Hi, I’m a professor of theoretical physics and am only 23 (think abut permutations on the name TIM). Does this refute your ’You’re kind of an idiot’ argument? Oh, right, you meant ignorant of football. I believe your predicate logic needs work. The conclusion does not follow from the hypothesis. It’s doubtful we’re going to agree and frankly I don’t really know why I’m suffering the indignity of responding to you (actually I do… it’s because I’m pissed off about losing and have had a hard time thinking of anything else all day), but here goes:
I was exaggerating the distance, and I do agree that Sanders is an idiot, but it WAS a first down and the other two guys agreed with Sanders. Deion is also both unbiased in this situation and not blind. That first qualifcation makes him a better judge than both of us. Also, to refute your “You don’t know much about football claim”, I do know that the NFL rule book says very clearly that the forward progress is marked where the receiver first touches the ball and that was past the marker.
by PaulRevere on Nov 17, 2009 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm from New York, actually
I’m sure that makes you like me even more.
Who agreed, Mooch? Eisen? Not helpful. All the mediots also thought Belichick was a moron for going for it in the first place. Citing anyone on any of those shows does not help your argument. I’ll disagree about Deion being unbiased though – he seems to be pretty clearly anti-Colt for some reason, not that that bothers me. I don’t want to be on his side about anything.
I was mainly referring to the 1:57 reference. Booth reviews only apply to plays which are snapped within 2:00. And they put three seconds back because that extra time ticked off after the play ended while they were deciding what was going on. I’ll have to read more about forward progress but I have never seen it called that way. Suppose a receiver does kind of a volleyball setting motion (similar to DHB in the Raider game yesterday) while just over the goal line. The ball floats back to the two, where he catches it. Is that a touchdown? Of course not.
I’ve said in several other posts that I think it’s entirely possible that the spot was wrong – it’s impossible to say for sure from the camera angles they had, but it looked like he was falling towards the sideline with one foot on each side of the 30 and the ball roughly mid-body… which to me means that it’s a first down – so it’s not like I’m trying to take a totally opposite side. But you definitely came off as an uninformed whiner. And yeah, maybe I went a bit overboard. But look how polite I’ve been in every other post… it was bound to happen. I’m an asshole from NY and I’ve been really really nice to a fanbase I have always hated. That wasn’t going to last forever.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 12:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
don’t get too riled up. it’s only one guy.
by lololol on Nov 17, 2009 1:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not riled up!
God damn it!
Nah, seriously I’m the same way. I didn’t do a minute of actual work today. I spent the whole day reading the dumbass criticisms of your coach and watching highlights over and over. Hell, I signed up here too (for what it’s worth I’m rooting for the Pats the rest of the way, just on the strength of that call. Also, turns out I really kind of like Randy Moss.) Football is such a great game. But boy does my productivity go down during the fall. And I don’t even play fantasy football or gamble.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 1:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Funny
I didn’t get much of substance done Monday either, but I did the opposite of you – I avoided talk radio, NFLN, ESPN and the sports sections. It was the right thing to do because now it’s back in perspective. Just one loss. And I would rather have a coach who goes for the win, risking his reputation on it, rather than making his decisions based on how he’ll look in the press. He has the full backing of the owner, and from me.
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Nov 17, 2009 7:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Courage
And I would rather have a coach who goes for the win, risking his reputation on it, rather than making his decisions based on how he’ll look in the press
Me too. BB had to be bold to make a decision like that, and this game was so close that we don’t really know how it would end if that 4th and 2 worked out.
We have a really great team and a genious as our coach. Good perspectives to the rest of the season.
by kleitonsc on Nov 17, 2009 10:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It's also worth noting
that the only idiots I saw in the stands were Colts fans. There was a lower Patriot fan turnout than some other games, at least in my area, but not a single one was unruly or obnoxious like I expected. As a New Yorker (upstate, not city) I have always had a pretty low opinion of Boston fans. Also, we had some real assholes behind us in that title game. So I feel a little weird hanging out here defending Belichick and admitting that the spot could very well have been off.
I am still going to defend that DPI though. Kind of a lame rule, but I understand why it still has to be called. I’d prefer that the kid just caught the ball. That would’ve been better.
by willyduer on Nov 17, 2009 1:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks, Paul, for insulting mid-westerners...
as if geography makes someone more intelligent. Obviously, you’re proud of your accomplishments and your Alma Mater, but that gives you no right to insult others. Also, intelligence is no substitute for class.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 17, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A prof of theoretical physics that works on Wall St. (from your profile bio)
I’m inclined to think you’re full of shit.
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
by shake n bake on Nov 17, 2009 8:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow. Never thought I'd agree with you, but there's a first time for everything.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 17, 2009 10:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If Willy had called him a wussy you think he'd have been a fireman?
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
by shake n bake on Nov 17, 2009 10:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
or an MMA star?
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 18, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Today
I am a Nobel-prize winning economics professor and statistician, so I wager that the chances of that will be high.
Probably works better if I change my profile to suit my claims, but I’m lazy.
If it’s on the internetz, it must be true.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Nov 18, 2009 6:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Truth is stranger than friction...
and a lot harder to come by.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 18, 2009 7:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
this article pretty much sums up alot of the criticism of the agmes by fans...
And the guy has a point about where the ref was. My friend who is a cards fan and watch the game told me earlier today he thought the ref was no position to make the call. (he didn’t say it was a first or not) i didn’t even thought about it til he told me, then this article backs up what he saw.
by lololol on Nov 17, 2009 12:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
just felt the need to say
awesome recap. really good job, i don’t think i’ve read an analysis of the game so far that was done so objectively and based on FACT. everyone else has been too bummed out i guess, but this was fantastic
by j-ace on Nov 17, 2009 1:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Tough loss
Couldn’t post this yesterday thanks to the 1-day waiting period (WTF? do I get a handgun with my membership?) but as a Colts fan I just wanted to offer my perspective.
Please believe me when I say, I think Belichick made exactly the right call for the Pats. The spot could have very easily have been the first down that iced the game. Maybe they should have gone for more than “just enough”, maybe they should have saved that last timeout for a challenge, but the decision itself was not wrong.
More than that, I feel that going for it on fourth down was playing to win. Punting would have been playing to “not lose”. Sure it looks like less risk than going for it and missing but it puts the game back in your opponent’s hands. I feel like the Colts played to “not lose” last year in the playoffs and yet they still lost anyway. I give Belichick and the Pats credit for wanting to write their own ending to the game rather than let the other guy write it for them.
Tough, amazing game all around. See you again in January.
Never approach a vast undertaking with a half-vast plan.
by szquirrel on Nov 17, 2009 11:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
No more words needed
More than that, I feel that going for it on fourth down was playing to win. Punting would have been playing to "not lose"
by kleitonsc on Nov 17, 2009 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Waiting period
Couldn’t post this yesterday thanks to the 1-day waiting period (WTF? do I get a handgun with my membership?) but as a Colts fan I just wanted to offer my perspective.
I hear ya, I hate waiting periods, too. We had a fair number of idiotic trolls immediate after the game. I was up for 2 hours after the game hiding and deleting stupidity. Unfortunately, the waiting period “net” gets cast on thoughtful commentors like yourself. Now that the trolls have run out of something to say beyond “YEAH!!!!!!!!”, I can lift the waiting period.
Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit
by MaPatsFan on Nov 17, 2009 12:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Thanks MPF
for putting in the extra above-and-beyond efforts to keep this blog ‘clean’ and relatively troll-free. After a loss like that, it is doubly appreciated and with such a great week of discussion with Colts’ fans it would be a shame to end it on such sour notes. Thanks again.
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Nov 17, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, thanks
Some people aren’t satisfied with a win, they also want to kick you when you’re down. I wasn’t looking forward to checking in yesterday, but due to your efforts, it wasn’t so bad.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Nov 17, 2009 1:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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