The Result
It was far from pretty and it was far from the blow outs we’ve seen all year but in a match up of the NFL’s two best teams the New England Patriots came from ten points down in the fourth quarter to beat the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts, 24-20 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis IN. They are now 9-0, while the Colts are 7-1.
If any Patriots fan says there was never any doubt they’re lying. These games between these two teams are always good and we were treated to a great game today.
Since he took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001, Tom Brady has now led the Patriots on game winning drives in the 4th quarter or overtime 25 times. That is the most in the NFL in that time period.
As I said in the preview that this is far from the end for the losing team. The Colts are a great team as we all just witnessed and there’s no doubt in my mind that these two teams will play for a trip to Super Bowl XLII.
Enjoy the week off Patriots fans there is a lot more work to be done.
Scoring Plays
| New England | 0 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Indianapolis | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
1st Quarter
- IND – Vinatieri 21 yard FG – 3-0 Colts
2nd Quarter
NE – Brady 4 yard pass to Moss – kick good – 7-3 Patriots- IND – Vinatieri 25 yard FG – 7-6 Patriots
- IND – Addai 73 yard run – kick good – 13-7 Colts
3rd Quarter
- NE – Gostkowski 34 yard FG – 13-10 Colts
4th Quarter
- IND – Manning 1 yard run – kick good – 20-10 Colts
- NE – Brady 3 yard pass to Welker – kick good – Colts 20-17
- NE – Brady 13 yard pass to Faulk – kick good – Patriots 24-20
Offensive Players of the Game
Patriots QB Tom Brady was 21 of 32 for 255 yards, 3 TD’s and 2 INT’s
Colts RB Joe Addai had 26 carries for 112 yards, 5 catches for 114 yards and TD
Defensive Player of the Game
Patriots safety Rodney Harrison had 6 tackles and an INT
Turning Point(s) of the Game
Jarvis Green pressures Peyton Manning forcing a fumble recovered by Rosevelt Colvin with 2:30 left to play.
Wes Welker makes a first down catch at the two minute warning to seal the win.
Offensive Leaders/Notes
In addition to Brady the Patriots were led by Randy Moss who had 9 catches for 145 yards and a TD.
Tom Brady gets sacked by Robert Mathis on the first offensive play of the game leading to a three and out.
Nice juggling catch in 1st qtr by Randy Moss on a play action pass and an even better one for the 1st TD.
A leg whip penalty on Matt Light puts Pats in a 2nd and 24 on Indy 38 late in 2nd qtr.
Laurence Maroney ran with relative ease especially on draws, he had 59 yards on 15 rushes.
Brady gets picked by Antoine Bethea on the 2 yard line killing the late first half drive.
Patriots got stopped on a three and out to start the second half.
Brady got sacked by Mathis on 2nd and 12 after the Harrison INT. Puts the Pats in a 3rd and 20 and they end up punting.
Another leaping juggling catch by Moss for a 17 yard gain in the 3rd qtr.
A defensive holding tacked onto a 19 yard jaunt by Brady on 3rd and 7 gives the Pats the ball at the Colts 35.
Maroney was dropped for a two yard loss on 3rd and 1 from the 14 forcing a FGA.
Brady was interecepted by Gary Brackett early in fourth quarter to kill a drive. Matt Light gets a personal foul at the end of the play and the Colts had the ball on the Patriots 32.
Patriots get a 55 yard pick up on a Brady bomb to Moss who was double covered and interfered with and still caught the ball at the Colts 3.
Moss was called for pass interference in the end zone for the second time this season.
Patriots go 51 yards on 3 plays in 43 seconds to take a fourth quarter lead.
Huge first down catch by Welker to bring the clock to 2 minute warning.
Defensive Leaders/Notes
In addition to Harrision, Ty Warren had 7 tackles, Mike Vrabel and Jarvis Green each had 5 tackles and a sack.
Ty Warren jumps off side giving Indy a first down on first drive. Patriots had a tough time containing Colts on opening drive until they stopped Joe Addai for a loss and forced a FGA.
Patriots Richard Seymour get a partial hand on Adam Vinatieri’s FGA in the 1st quarter and it goes wide from 50 yards. It is his first miss ever at the RCA Dome. It is Seymour’s 6th career block.
Addai gets 21 yards on first down on Colts second drive.
Pass interference on Asante Samuel gives the Colts 1st and goal at the nine. Patriots appeared to have caused a fumble on 1st and goal but officials ruled the ball down. On third and goal the Patriots rough up Anthony Gonzalez and he drops a TD pass forcing the Colts into a FGA.
Illegal contact on Rodney Harrison in 2nd qtr gave Colts a 1st down.
Nice tackle for loss (3 yards) by Harrison on Addai in 2nd qtr.
Interference call on Ellis Hobbs gives Indy first and goal in 2nd qtr. For the second time the Patriots stop the Colts in the red zone forcing a FGA
Poor coverage and tackling on Addai 73 yard TD run giving the Colts points before the end of the half.
Rodney Harrison intercepts Peyton Manning on his first play of the second half. Giving the Patriots the ball at the Colts 30.
Jarvis Green drops Addai for a 9 yard loss in the 3rd qtr. Puts Colts in 3rd and 20 forcing them to punt.
Mike Vrabel gets a sack of Manning on first play after the Brackett INT. Then Addai gets stuffed for a loss and its 3rd and 15. Colts convert with a 17 yard pass to Dallas Clark.
Rosevelt Colvin forces Manning to fumble Colts recover but are forced to punt.
Big pass break up by Harrison to put Colts in 3rd and 9 with 2:34 left.
Jarvis Green pressures Manning who fumbles and Colvin recovers on the Colts 46.
Special Teams Leaders/Notes
Opening kick off they stop the Colts prior to the 20.
Hobbs runs back kick off 34 yards after 1st Indy score.
Willie Andrews gets an unsportsmanlike penalty for continuing to block a Colts player out of bounds on a punt return pushing the Pats back to the 10.
Kyle Eckle makes a nice tackle holding Indy to a 9 yard KOR.
Wes Welker had a 35 yard punt return in the 3rd qtr.
Stephen Gostkowski gets a touchback after the Welker TD.
Coaching Decisions
1st qtr – NE challenges a completed pass to Aaron Moorehead – overturned
Injuries
- IND – Anthony Gonzalez dislocated thumb, did not return – 3rd qtr.
- IND – Bob Sanders leg injury, returned – 4th qtr.
- IND – Marlon Jackson leg injury, returned – 4th qtr.
The Officials
John Parry was today’s referee. It’s his 8th year as an official and his 1st as a referee. The officiating crew was average at best calling several penalties that didn’t exist and missing obvious penalties. It was the poorest officiated game the Patriots have played all season.
Two officials missed the fact that Aaron Moorehead was out of bounds.
Awful pass interefence call on Hobbs. Should have been a no call similar to the one in the end zone in the first qtr.
Missed Gary Brackett hook Kevin Faulk on a pass play on 3rd and long.
Bad call on Moss pass interference.
Game Notes
Patriots safety Eugene Wilson wass out with an ankle injury. Linebacker Eric Alexander was out as well with a knee injury. There was speculation that cornerback Eddie Jackson would be activated and take Sammy Morris’ roster spot after he was placed on the IR on Friday. That won’t happen as the Patriots have elevated safety Ray Ventrone from the practice squad.
The Colts All-Pro wide receiver Marvin Harrison missed the game with a knee injury. Also out for the Colts were linebacker Freddy Keiaho with a concussion, linebacker Tyjuan Hagler with a neck injury and offensive tackle Tony Ugoh with a neck injury.
The Patriots are just one of two teams (New Orleans) who haven’t allowed a point on the game’s opening drive.
Patriots failed to score for the first time all season on their opening drive and went three and out.
Today was first time Patriots failed to score first.
First quarter was only the third scoreless quarter all year for New England.
Moss tied the team record for TD catches in one season with 12.
The Patriots are 18/18 in red zone scoring this season.
Brady set a team record for TD passes with 33. He has thrown at least 3 TD passes in every game.
Patriots trailed for the first time at the half all year.
Tom Brady threw two interceptions matching his total for the entire year coming in.
Joe Addai is the first Colt to ever have 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
The 55 yard pass to Moss was the largest completion against Indianapolis all year.
Patriots set a record for most penalty yards in a game with 146.
Wes Welker has caught a TD pass in 4 consecutive games.
Brady now has 25 game winning drives in 4th quarter or OT. The most in the NFL since 2001. Manning has 29 career game winning drives since 1998.
Manning lost his first fumble at home since 2005.
Post Game Press Conferences
Listen to what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady had to say about today’s game.
Press conferences via patriots.com
Things To Work On For Next Week
Run defense, cut down on pass interference penalties
Next Week’s Opponent
The Patriots have their bye week next week. They return to play the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park NY on the 18th.
