What kind of a sports blogger would I be if I didn’t write an article about the biggest regular season game arguably in the history of the NFL?
The Nations media has had a field day with this game over the last two weeks, building it as the epic it was. Super Bowl Forty-one and a half was the cleaver phrase. The 7-0 Indianapolis Colts against the 8-0 New England Patriots. It is considered footballs best rivalry of the 21st century. The two best Quarterbacks, and team leaders going against one another. Pretty Boy Tom Brandy versus Daddy’s Boy Peyton Manning. Joseph Addai the Colts running back against Laurence Maroney the Pack Back. The fan favorite head coach Tony Dungy, against the hated Bill Belichick. The talk was over, the hype had concluded, CBS was ready and at 4:20 Eastern Standard Time on Sunday November 4, 2007 the week nine NFL distinguished bout kicked off.
The Colts won the coin toss, and Indianapolis looked sharp in their first possession, driving the ball down to the Patriot 40 yard line to set up a 50-yard field goal. Right off the bat the expected became unpredicted, as Adam Vinatieri missed his first ever field goal in the RCA dome.
The Patriot Offense took the field for their biggest challenge of the season.
It was Robert Mathis hitting Tom Brady for a ten-yard loss on the first New England offensive play of the day, setting the games tone. It would not be business as usual for Brady and the Eastern Division leaders on this day. The next two plays were not enough to make up 20 yards and for the first time this season New England didn’t score on their first drive.
The Colt's Joseph Addai was the difference in the first half, running the Patriot defense rapid. His ability to run early opened the door for Peyton Manning to throw to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Clicking on all cylinders Indy was down in the red zone with five minutes left in the first quarter, and at 3:05 in the first, Vinitari hit from 21 yards out, and Indy took the lead 3-0.
The defensive pressure was something Brady had not seen all season. Dwight Freeny also pressured the New England QB. Feeling the defensive pressure, number 12 found a new best friend in Randy Moss who he would throw to all day. But it was an initial seven-yard touchdown pass with 12:00 minutes in the second that gave New England the lead 7-3.
Going 175 passes without an interception Brady threw an interception at the one-yard line with two minutes left in the half. It Concluded Tom’s worst first half this season.
Even with the interception it still looked like Patriots 7 Colts 6 would be the halftime score.
However Joseph Addai had other plans!
Joseph Addai ran the ball in for a 73-yard Touch down with thirteen seconds left in the half, giving Indy a 13-7 lead.
At half time the score was 13-7 Indianapolis.
Early in the second half New England’s Rodney Harrison intercepted Manning, giving each QB one pick on the day. On the ensuing drive Mathis stopped Brady again in a big spot forcing another failed offensive drive by the Patriots.
Penalties were killing the Pats almost as badly as Joseph Addai was. However Brady’s 20 yard run, along with two passes to Randy Moss got New England into field goal range where the AFC Eastern Dominators put three on the board to make the score 13-10.
New England got the ball right back but it was Gary Brackett intercepting Brady for his second pick at the start of the fourth quarter. The future was looking mighty bleak for the New England.
An exhausted New England defense, with 10:00 minutes left in the game was unable to hold Indy off from scoring a gargantuan touchdown. Peyton in from one yard out ran in on a QB sneak to put the Colts ahead by two huge scores with less then ten minutes left in the game.
But then suddenly the entire game changed!
The pace, the tempo, the winners, the losers, the score all changed dramatically.
Brady found his favorite target (Moss) with a 58-yard pass setting New England up on the three-yard line. Then Wes Welker caught a Brady TD with exactly 8 minutes left in the game. It was a sign of things to come as Tom was finding targets aside from Moss: Brady to Stallworth for 30 yards, Brady to Faulk for a touchdown, Brady to Welker for a first down.
What a difference ten minutes can make on the scoreboard in the NFL!
Now with only two minutes left New England had a 24-20 lead!
The Colts without any timeouts after the two-minute warning could only watch as the Patriots killed the clock and got out of the city of Indianapolis having stolen a victory.
Belichick and Dungy met at midfield only long enough to shake hands and turn away.
Super Bowl Forty-One and a half was in the books, the hype and excitement all gone. Only one NFL team remains undefeated and it’s the team that I think will go 16-0 this season.
Everyone still thinks I am crazy for predicting it. But after watching every play of every down on Sunday, watching New England play their worst game this season and still find a way to win, there is no doubt in my mind they will immerge undefeated this season.
Now some will ask what about Pittsburgh (a tough opponent remaining on the Patroit schedule)? And what happens in week 15 and week 16 (when Belichick rests is starters for the post season)? And how about all the Colt injuries (Harrison and Gonzalez) that may have contribued to thier loss? All great questions and great possibilities still exist this season.
However New England showed me all they needed to on Sunday to make me a believer in thier quest for an undefeated season.
There is not a loss to be found within this organization this year!
P.S. I am sick of writing positive stuff about New England teams!
