Colts QB Peyton Manning looks downfield against the Patriots for an open receiver. Getty Photo.

The Result

It was a back and forth game all night that was just strange from the coaching challenges to the time outs to the poor penalty by David Thomas to the Jabar Gaffney dropped TD to the two point conversions to the final score.  Maybe it was the Halloween weekend thing but it was a strangely played game that saw the Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots 18-15 when Adam Vinatieri kicked a 52 yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to eek out a win over their arch AFC nemisis and beat his former team they way he used to beat everyone else.

All that matters is what the scoreboard says in the end but if you look at the stat sheet the Patriots had their way with the Colts they had more first downs, more net yards, more rushing yards, fewer punts and more time of possesion.  It just wasn’t meant to be.

Scoring Plays

PATRIOTS 0 6 6 3 15
COLTS 7 0 8 3 18

1st Quarter

  • IND – Manning 12 yard pass to Gonzalez – Viniateri PAT

2nd Quarter

  • NE – Gostkowski 29 yard FG
  • NE – Gostkowski 35 yard FG

3rd Quarter

  • NE – Green-Ellis 6 yard run – 2 point conversion failed
  • IND – Manning 8 yard pass to Gonzalez – 2 point conversion pass to Wayne

4th Quarter

  • NE – Gostkowski 25 yard FG
  • IND – Viniateri 52 yard FG

Offensive Player of the Game

Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning was 21 of 29 for 254 yards and 2 TDs.

Defensive Player of the Game

New England LB Jerod Mayo had 11 tackles and knocked down one pass.

Turning Point(s) of the Game

Personal foul penalty on New England TE David Thomas for 15 yards after BenJarvus Green-Ellis would have been close to a first down.  That made 3rd/16 from the IND 46 instead of 3rd/1 at the IND 31 and took the Patriots out of at least field goal range and possibly a first down to keep the drive running.

Offensive Leaders/Notes

Patriots QB Matt Cassel was 25 of 34 for 204 yards and 1 INT he was not sacked.  RB Kevin Faulk had 98 all purpose yards as he had 60 rushing yards on 10 carries and 38 receiving yards on 5 catches.

  • 1st drive from NE 21
  • 3 and out NE to punt
  • 2nd drive from NE 33
  • Patriots QB Matt Cassel rolls out against the Colts. Getty Photo. 1st/10 Matt Cassel throws to Kevin Faulk for 6 yards
  • 3rd/3 from NE 40 Cassel throws to David Thomas for 8 yards to NE 48
  • 1st/10 Cassel runs for 3 yards to IND 48
  • 2nd/6 Cassel to Faulk for 8 yards to IND 38
  • 1st/10 BenJarvus Green-Ellis runs for 11 yards
  • 1st/10 from IND 27 Green-Ellis runs for 5 yards
  • 2nd/5 Faulk on direct snap runs for 4 yards to IND 18
  • 3rd/1 Green-Ellis runs for 1st down to IND 16
  • 1st/10 Cassel runs for 5 yards
  • 3rd/5 incomplete to Watson, Gostkowski for 29 yard FGA
  • 3rd drive from NE 22
  • 1st/10 Green-Ellis runs for 5 yards
  • 2nd/5 Cassel to Green-Ellis for 8 yards
  • 1st/10 at NE 35 Green-Ellis runs for 8 yards
  • 2nd/2 Green-Ellis runs for 4 yards
  • 1st/10 Faulk runs 6 yards to IND 47
  • 2nd/4 Cassel passes to Faulk for 7 yards and 1st down
  • 1st/10 from IND 36 Cassel to Wes Welker for 5 yards
  • 3rd/4 from IND 31 Cassel throws 11 yards to Jabar Gaffney
  • Kevin Faulk runs against the Colts. Getty Photo.2nd/10 at IND 20 direct snap Faulk throws to Welker to loss of 3
  • 4th/5 Gostkowski  35 yard FGA
  • 4th drive from NE 28
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Watson for 9 ayrds
  • 2nd/1 Green-Ellis runs for 7 yards to NE 45
  • 3rd/7 Cassel runs for 7 yards for 1st down to IND 45
  • 2nd/10 Cassel runs for 4 yards
  • 3rd/5 Cassel to Randy Moss for 9 yards
  • 3rd/8 Cassel throws 10 yards to Welker to IND 19
  • 1st/15 Cassel to Welker for 7 yards to IND 17
  • 2nd/8 Faulk runs 9 yards to IND 8
  • 1st/goal at IND 8 Cassel to Thomas for 2 yards
  • 2nd/goal at IND 6  Green-Ellis runs 6 yards for TD
  • 5th drive from NE 24
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Moss for 11 yards to NE 35
  • 2nd/10 Faulk runs 15 yards to midfield
  • 2nd/10 Faulk runs for 9 yards to IND 41
  • Logan Mankins celebrates a TD by BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Getty Photo. 3rd/1 Cassel sneaks for 1st down at IND 39
  • 1st/10 Gaffney drops TD pass
  • 3rd/8 from IND 37 Cassel to Moss for 11 yards to IND 26
  • 2nd/4 from IND 20 Cassel throws to Watson for 4 yards
  • 2nd/10 from IND 16 Cassel toWelker for loss of 1
  • 3rd/11 Cassel to Welker for 10 yards  Gostkowski 25 yard FGA
  • 6th drive from NE 19
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Moss for 13 yards to NE 32
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Welker for 8 yards
  • 2nd/2 Green-Ellis runs for 4 yards to NE 44
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Thomas for 16 yards to IND 40
  • 1st/10 Faulk runs 8 yards to IND 32
  • 2nd/2 Green-Ellis runs for 1 yard personal foul on NE
  • 3rd/16 at IND 46Faulk no gain
  • 4th/16 Cassel intercepted at IND 25
  • 7th drive from NE 20
  • 1st/10 pass incomplete to Moss
  • 2nd/10 pass incompete to Moss
  • 3rd/10 pass complete to Moss for 23 yards game over

Defensive Leaders/Notes

In addition to Mayo, rookie LB Gary Guyton and 2nd year S Brandon Meriweather each had 5 tackles.

  • 1st series from IND 24
  • 2nd/2 from IND 32 Joseph Addai stuffed by Richard Seymour no gain
  • 3rd/2 Terrence Wheatley knocks down pass for Marvin Harrision IND to punt
  • 2nd series from IND 9
  • 1st/10 at IND 9 Addai stopped after 3 yards by several players
  • Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez celebrate a TD. Getty Photo. 1st/10 Vince Wilfork stops Addai no gain at IND 32
  • 1st/10 at IND 49 Addai stopped after 2 yards by Wilfork and Seymour
  • 1st/10 at NE 23 Ty Warren stops Domenic Rhodes after 2 yards
  • 2nd/8 James Sander makes nice tackle after a completion to INd from a first down
  • 1st/10 at NE 12 Manning throws 12 yards to Anthony Gonzalez for TD on Jonathan Wilhite.
  • 3rd series from IND 20
  • 1st/10 from IDN 20 Wheatley knocks ball away from Marvin Harrison downfield.  wheatley hurt on play.
  • 1st/10 from IND 30 Tedy Bruschi stops Addai for 1 yard
  • 3rd/4 Mike Vrabel stops Addai for one yard loss IND to punt
  • 4th series from IND 18
  • 1st/10 pass deflected at line by Warren
  • 1st/10 at IND 48 Adalius Thomas stops Addai fir no gain
  • 2nd/10 at IND 48 Thomas tips pass almost INT by Mayo
  • 3rd/10 to Harrison for 1st down at NE 27
  • 1st/10 Indy called for false start 10 second run off end of half
  • 5th series from IND 43
  • 1st/10 Manning 18 yards to Dallas Clark to NE 39
  • 2nd/6 Manning under pressure incomplete pass
  • 1st/10 from NE 24 Gary Guyton stops Addai for 2 yards
  • Colts RB Joseph Addai was collared by the Patriots. Getty Photo.1st/goal at NE 8 Addai stuffed by Warren and Seymour for no gain
  • 2nd/goal pass incompete
  • 3rd/goal Manning 8 yard pass to Gonzalez for TD
  • 6th series from IND 18
  • 1st/10 James sander misses tackle leading to IND first down at IND 39
  • 2nd/9 at IND 40 Jerod Mayo breaks up pass for Clark
  • 2nd/6 at NE 33 Guyton stuffs Addai for loss of one yard
  • 3rd/7 pass incomplete Viniateri for a 52 yard FGA
  • 7th series from IND 25
  • 2nd/7 from IND 45 Addai stopped by Mayo for one yard
  • 3rd/6 stop Adai short of first down IND to punt

Special Teams Notes

  • Opening KO coverage good
  • Great coverage on first punt in the 1st qtr to pin IND inside their 10
  • Gostkowski gets touchback on KO after 2nd qtr FG
  • Give up 40 yard return to IND after 3rd qtr TD

Coaching Decisions

  • NE – Challenging 12 men on the field in 3rd qtr for IND defense – denied NE charged a TO
  • NE – 4th/1 at IND 7 was going for it changed their mind called TO and kicked FG
  • NE – 4th/16 at IND 46 pass intercepted at IND 25 by Bob Sanders

Injuries

  • NE – CB Terrence Wheatley hand injury 2nd qtr – did not return

The Officials

  • Bill Carollo was the referee.

Game Notes

  • This was the Patriots first ever game at Lucas Oil Stadium which opened this season and features a retractable roof.  The roof was open for the game.
  • Inactives for the Patriots: RB LaMont Jordan (injured – calf), RB Sammy Morris (injured – knee), OLB Shawn Crable (injured – shin ), CB Lewis Sanders (injured – hamstring), S Matthew Slater (injured – ankle) OL Wesley Britt, LB Eric Alexander (injured – hamstring) and QB Matt Gutierrez (3rd QB).
  • Inactives for the Colts: DB Dante Hughes (injured – ankle), DB Kelvin Hayden (injured – knee), RB Clifton Dawson (injured – concussion), C Steve Justice, LB Freddy Keiaho (injured – knee), WR Roy Hall (injured – knee), TE Tom Santi (injured – shoulder) and DT Daniel Muir.
  • Note: The third quarterback can still enter the game at any time, but if he does so in the first, second or third quarters, the team can no longer use its top two quarterbacks the rest of the game.
  • Offensive starters for the Patriots:
    QB: Matt Cassel
    RB: BenJarvus Green-Ellis
    WR: Wes Welker
    WR: Randy Moss
    WR: Jabar Gaffney
    TE: Ben Watson
    LT: Matt Light
    LG: Logan Mankins
    C: Dan Koppen
    RG: Stephen Neal
    RT: Nick Kaczur
  • Defensive starters for the Patriots:
    DE: Ty Warren
    NT: Vince Wilfork
    DE: Richard Seymour
    LB: Tedy Bruschi
    LB: Adalius Thomas
    LB: Jerod Mayo
    LB: Mike Vrabel
    CB: Ellis Hobbs
    CB: Terrence Wheatley
    S: James Sanders
    S: Brandon Meriweather
  • The Colts won the toss and elected to receive.
  • Wes Welker has 13 consecutive games of catching 6 or more passes.
  • The Patriots are 15-6 in the last 21 meetings against the Colts and are now 14-8 all-time in Indianapolis.
  • Since replacing Tom Brady, Matt Cassel is now 4-3 as a NFL starting QB. Brady was 5-2 after his first seven NFL starts.
  • New England is now 64-15 in games played after November 1st since 2001.
  • Peyton Manning is now 6-11 in his career against New England.
  • S Bob Sanders returned to the Indy lineup after missing 5 games and RB Joseph Addai was back after missing 2 games.
  • Patriots haven’t allowed an opening drive score since Week 17 in 2007 against the New York Giants.

Post Game Press Conferences

Listen to what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Matt Cassel had to say about the game.

Post game press conferences via patriots.com

Things To Work On For Next Week

Learning how to rebound from a game they should have won on the road, not taking the costly penalty and some better situation management as far as knowing what they are going to do on 4th and short without having to waste a time out that was needed late in the game.

Next Week’s Opponent

The Patriots will entertain the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium as they battle for first place in the AFC East at 1 p.m.