Colts, Patriots rivalry deepens

INDIANAPOLIS – After 18 consecutive regular-season wins and the latest one coming in dramatic, or possibly implausible, fashion, the 9-0 Indianapolis Colts found a way to pull out another win by beating the New England Patriots 35-34 in front of a sold-out crowd.

They found a way to win a game that they had no business winning – on paper.

This is a young team that has lost three starting defensive backs since the season’s start. Those same three key players in the secondary helped bring Indianapolis to its first Super Bowl win three seasons ago.

What reason was there to believe that a team with virtually unheard-of players like rookies Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers in its starting lineup could compete with the likes of Wes Welker and future Hall-of-Famers Tom Brady and Randy Moss?

These were the Patriots, who were led by the three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Brady and arguably the best coach in all of football Bill Belichick.

Sunday Night Football’s matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium was a measuring stick for both teams. For the Colts, it would begin to indicate whether or not they could remain Super Bowl contenders while riding the ailing secondary.

For the Patriots, it would prove if they were in fact back in tune after Brady missed all of 2008 with a knee injury and two closeroad losses at the beginning of this year.

Down by 17 in the fourth quarter, most, including myself, counted the Colts out. The
lead was too big. There was Moss facing defenders with half his size and athleticism. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who threw two interceptions in the win, wasn’t having his typical 300-yard, three-touchdown night.

But most importantly – as has been true during the Manning era – the Colts didn’t count themselves out.

What made this Colts comeback different from all the rest was that when the time called, there was a defense to bail Manning out. For the last 10 years or so, it’s been Mannning putting up numbers to out-score the opponent.

The first half of Sunday night’s contest hinted that the Colts would for once live up to the outside perceptions of why they couldn’t win. Mismatches with New England’s receivers and the strength of Patriot running backs Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk boosted them to a 24-14 halftime advantage.

With just more than four minutes remaining, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski hit a 36-yard field goal to put the Patriots up by 13 with a score of 34-21.

Two series after Colts running back Joseph Addai’s second touchdown of the night, a game-changing play epitomized Belichick’s infamous lack of respect for defenses.

Facing 4th- and-2 inside their own 30-yard line with a 34-28 lead, New England failed to convert their only fourth-down attempt. The Colts did what was previously unthinkable and came up with a stop. The play would eventually lead to wide receiver Reggie Wayne’s game-winning touchdown pass reception from Manning.

The talk within the Lucas Oil Stadium press room centered around Belichick’s controversial decision to go for it on fourth down. Don’t forget this was a Colts defense that previously allowed New England to convert 7 of 14 third downs.

And it was the same Colts defense that previously had no control of the line of scrimmage and, as is common with young players, lacked the intensity up front as the game progressed.

In addition, and possibly more pressing, is the fact that punting would have guaranteed Manning a chance to win the game with two minutes remaining, an area in which his reputation is second to none.

For that, I’m not questioning Belichick’s decision. Let’s face it: Had New England converted, Belichick would have been praised back in Foxboro, Mass., instead of scrutinized.

Known for his rather blunt and quick press conferences, Belichick was barely audible after the game.

“I thought we could have gotten that yard,” Belichick said. “We just placed our trust in our team.”

Manning, whose offense totaled more than 400 yards in the contest, said it best.

“You just never know what to expect against New England,” the 12-year veteran said. “It’s just great for our young guys to get this win.”

What has been so successful for the Patriots organization in the past eight years – that sense of controlled arrogance – came back to bite them in a game they had no business losing. It caught up to them in a game that looked strikingly similar to the 2006 AFC Championship matchup between the two teams.

On this night, it was the Colts who lived up to Bear Bryant’s saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of fight in the dog,” silencing constant New England claims that they were soft.

And it was an added milestone that only fueled the possibility of another storybook matchup down the road this coming January.