POSTGAME SHOTS
- Mike Reiss gives us his Game Notes, Ups and Downs, Colts and Patriots player chatter, and Belichick's reaction.
- Karen Guregian phrases it just about right, "Patriots let one get away in Indy."
- Shalise Manza Young notes the stats look good for the Patriots but the results do not.
- Chris Forsberg notes that Matt Cassel looked pretty good last night.
- Karen Guregian asserts that the next four games are crucial, against the Bills, Jets, Dolphins and Steelers.
TEAM SHOTS
- The good with the bad. Wes Welker tied NFL record for most games with six or more catches to open the season, Kevin Faulk recorded his 3,000th receiving yard, and other positives from last night.
- Pats-Colts analysis: A series of head-scratchers.
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Patriots players postgame quotes.
WHAT WENT WRONG
- Mike Reiss boils the loss down to three plays: Gaffney's drop, Dave Thomas's penalty, and Belichick leaving them with no timeouts.
- Jim Donaldson points to the coach's bad decisions and pointless possessions that didn't lead to touchdowns.
- Chris Gasper says a crucial drop and some questionable decisions doomed the Patriots.
- Dan Shaughnessey says it was a weird night for Belichick, all the small stuff went the wrong way.
- John Tomase lays it all on Belichick, saying he coached the Patriots out of victory.
- Chris Gasper reports that while Dave Thomas owned up to his costly mistake, he said he was playing hard finishing out his block and never heard the whistle.
- Ron Borges says all night Cassel was efficient and effective, but he didn't get it in the red zone enough and that is the quarterback's job.
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Shalise Manza Young approached Jabar Gaffney after the game, who took his licks at his locker and made no excuses for dropping the pass. Dave Thomas admits that the unnecessary roughness penalty made a world of difference.
LONG SHOTS
- Chris Mortensen (ESPN) reported that a DVD from Vince Wilfork's wife saved him from being suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell. "A league official maintains there was no clarity on either tape as to whether Wilfork hit Cutler in the head." Pretty steep fine for a hit that can't even be verified. Wilfork was railroaded, plain and simple.
- Peter King (SI): Stunning loss. Not a killer, though. At the midpoint of the season, New England, injuries and all, looks like the best team in the AFC East.
- Don Banks (SI) gives us Five things we learned from the Colts-Patriots. Interesting.
- Paul Kuharski (ESPN) notes how injury depleted the secondary was last night -- for the Colts. Maybe, but what about the... oh never mind.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) says the Patriots played well enough defensively, but they had little zing on offense.