Patriots News

Washington upbeat after lost season
Comment
November 20
New York Post
 columnist Jay Greenberg
"One minute Leon Washington was closer to forcing the Jets to give him the $6 million a year he wanted. And then his right leg got twisted under the Raiders' Tommy Kelly on a first-down play even simpler than, seemingly, what to do when someone puts $5 million on a table. "One thing with business I learned, it's risk and reward," Washington said yesterday of his training-camp decision to turn down the Jets' proposed contract extension that reportedly averaged $5 million per season and guaranteed him $10 million, though the new money wouldn't kick in until next season. "I knew coming into the season that was a risk. "That said, things happen for a reason," he added. "With my faith in God, my ..."
Jets look for big returns from new special teamers
Comment
November 20
New York Post
 
"With just a couple of days separating the Jets from the most important game of their season, they're still sorting out their kickoff and punt returners for Sunday in New England. With safety Jim Leonhard (fractured thumb) not able to return punts, it looks as if receiver Jerricho Cotchery will return punts against the Patriots. Cotchery, who returned kickoffs early in his career, approached special teams coach Mike Westhoff and asked to return punts and, according to Westhoff, looks like the best option. "He's sure-handed and completely smooth back there," Westhoff said. When the Jets use their two-man return tandem, it looks as if receiver Brad Smith will be the second player back for ..."
Revis ready to face Moss again
Comment
November 20
New York Post
 
"The numbers, pedestrian at best by NFL standards, speak for themselves: four catches for 24 yards. Those were Randy Moss's receiving statistics when his Patriots lost to the Jets on Sept. 20 at Giants Stadium. They were, in large part, a result of the work Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis did on him, shadowing him from the moment he got off the team bus to the moment he walked out of the tunnel a 16-9 loser. Afterward, however, Moss refused to give Revis his props, going as insulting far as saying he could be a good cornerback himself if he so chose. "All week he was talking about being a shutdown corner, but there really are no shutdown corners in the league because they have help most of ..."
Edelman taking notes from Welker
Comment
November 20
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman made his NFL debut against the Jets in Week 2, filling in for Wes Welker, who had a knee injury at the time. Edelman caught eight passes for 98 yards in the 16-9 loss. Edelman has had his share of opportunities in his rookie season but missed two games due to a broken forearm. He returned to the lineup against the Colts on Sunday and said throughout the season he has taken notes watching and playing with Welker."
Jets' Revis has bravado covered
Comment
November 20
Boston Globe
 
"The debate out of Foxborough yesterday wasn't about fourth-down calls but how the Jets defended Randy Moss in Week 2. Flash back to Sept. 20, when the Jets held Moss to four catches for 24 yards in their 16-9 win at the Meadowlands. Moss's only catch of the second half was an 8-yard grab. After the game, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis got the praise for shutting down Moss, blanketing him throughout the game. But Moss wasn't so quick to extend Revis much credit."
Patriots come to the defense
Comment
November 20
Boston Globe
 
"At this time last year, Tedy Bruschi was a leader on the Patriots defense. This week, in an indirect way, he may have sped the passing of those duties to linebacker Jerod Mayo, already a captain in his second season. Bruschi, now an ESPN analyst, criticized Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth and 2 from his 28 in Sunday's game against the Colts because, he said, as a former defensive player, it would have "been enough to make my blood boil.'' Yesterday, Mayo further asserted himself as the team's defensive leader by offering the strongest rebuke yet by a Patriots player of the sentiment Bruschi championed."
Julian Edelman just happy to help out
Comment
November 20
Boston Herald
 
"Julian Edelman, one of the bright surprises of this year's rookie class, caught his first NFL touchdown pass Sunday night against the Colts. When he went down with a broken right forearm in Week 6 against Tennessee, the wide receiver feared his season might be over, so he was thrilled to get back so quickly and help out. "It's always very disappointing not to be able to go out there and not be able to contribute to the team," Edelman said yesterday. "But it's adversity, it's something I've been battling all my life. Injuries are part of the game. You just have to battle through it and prepare mentally every week like you're going to play so you don't get too far behind." Edelman, who ..."
New York Jets bring out worst
Comment
November 20
Boston Herald
 
"Hate the Jets. Loudmouths. Crybabies. Losers. And it's been going on forever. It's their lineage. For all their proclamations, exhortations and blowhardedness, what have they got to show for it? Nothing! How 'bout three division titles since Joe Namath's Jets won Super Bowl III to cap the 1968 season. That's three division titles in 40 years. Yet, the Jets strut, and pose and act like NFL hierarchy seemingly every year. This year is no different, led by the latest loudmouth, coach Rex Ryan. When they beat the Patriots in Week 2, the Jets acted as if they'd conquered the world. Today, Chelsea High would give them a game . . . a good game. From cornerbacks then, Johnny Sample, to cornerbacks ..."
Bill Belichick, Patriots rebound against reeling Jets
Comment
November 20
Boston Herald
 
"Football fans are tough to please, right coach Belichick? Right, coach Ryan? The guiding genius behind the Patriots dynasty, Bill Belichick enjoys enormous success in Foxboro along with a well-earned reputation as the most cerebral of NFL administrators. The three Super Bowls his teams have won make him a certain Hall of Famer. But off one bad call in Indianapolis, Patriot Nation is ready to turn on their coach. The nicest thing they're calling Belichick is "stupid" and he suddenly has the football acumen of a Vince Lombardi wannabe coaching his kid's Pop Warner team. The same thing is happening in New York where Rex Ryan, an inspirational leader after the Jets' 3-0 start, morphed into a ..."
Jerod Mayo insists defenders not upset
Comment
November 20
Boston Herald
 
"Jerod Mayo came out in support of Bill Belichick yesterday regarding the coach's controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 against the Colts rather than punt. The Patriots linebacker and defensive captain said he didn't think Belichick was sending a message to the defense that the coach didn't have faith in it to stop Peyton Manning & Co. "We looked at it as a challenge. People say it was a lack of confidence in us. But we looked at it as a challenge," Mayo said. "We looked at it as coach having enough confidence in us to have a short field. Unfortunately, we were unable to step up to the challenge and get the job done. Hopefully, we can get it done this week." Former Pats ..."
Wes Welker's presence shapes what goes on
Comment
November 20
Boston Herald
 
"When Wes Welker was a surprise scratch prior to facing the New York Jets in Week 2, it created pandemonium in the fantasy football world, as owners scrambled to replace one of their most productive receivers. In the real world, the void was even greater. The Patriots were left facing the blitz-happy, pressure-crazy Jets defense without one of their strongest antidotes, without quarterback Tom Brady's security blanket. When time grew short and the play grew hectic, Welker wasn't there to ease Brady's nerves. With rookie Julian Edelman filling in as the slot receiver, it wasn't the same. "We always miss Wes. He's one of the best players on our team, one of the best in the league," said ..."
Jets must punch New England Patriots in the mouth
Comment
November 20
New York Daily News
 
"Oliver McCall once had an emotional breakdown in the middle of the ring during a fight against Lennox Lewis. His sobbing and tears threw Lewis off his game. Lewis went back to his corner and asked what he should do with a man who was crying uncontrollably in the midst of a boxing match. After thinking about whether McCall was trying to lure Lewis into a trap, Emanuel Steward, Lewis' trainer, gave Lewis some simple advice. "Hit him," he said. That is probably the advice Bill Belichick will give his Patriots when they meet the Jets in Foxborough on Sunday. Hit 'em. New England will be facing a reeling Jets team that is trying to sneak back into the AFC East race. The Jets will be ..."
Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis wants to cover Randy Moss man-to-man
Comment
November 20
New York Daily News
 
"Put yourself in this situation: You have a great day at work, maybe your best day ever. You're feeling good, but your competitor questions the performance, calling it misleading. There's no let-up, and you start to wonder if it's a smear campaign. Now you know how Darrelle Revis feels. The Pro Bowl cornerback held Randy Moss to four catches for 24yards in the Jets' victory over the Patriots in Week 2, but Moss refused to acknowledge that Revis got the best of him. Now, with the rivals preparing to meet again Sunday in Foxborough, the message from the Patriots is the same. It's like they have affixed an asterisk to Revis' performance: Solid game, but not a one-man operation. Covered Moss ..."
Facing Patriots, Jets Know It's Now or Never Mind Playoffs
Comment
November 20
New York Times
 
"The season is in a free fall and with New England next up on Sunday, urgency has replaced normalcy at Jets headquarters. Coaches wore extra stubble and vacant stares from lack of sleep. The team parted ways with a defensive assistant (Kerry Locklin) and a special teams veteran (Ahmad Carroll). Running back Thomas Jones addressed his teammates in a players-only meeting, the theme of his speech summarized in two words - last chance."
Belichick dodges fourth-down talk
Comment
November 19
New York Post
 
"The fallout over the controversial failed fourth-and-2 call Bill Belichick made in Sunday night's loss to the Colts continues to resonate around the NFL. And it has opened a door of opportunity to the Jets. Speaking yesterday on a conference call, Belichick predictably didn't waver from his decision to go for that first down from his on 28-yard line in the closing moments Sunday night. He, too, didn't flinch when asked about the rash of criticism he's received from so many people, including some of his own former players, who publicly lashed out at the move. Two prominent former Patriots, Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi, ripped Belichick's decision in separate TV forums. "Everybody is ..."
Brady: No tears from Bill
Comment
November 19
New York Post
 
"Bill Belichick a crier? Don't think so, Tom Brady says. "I can't ever imagine Coach Belichick doing that in front of us," Brady said yesterday when asked about Cryin' Rex Ryan. "Every coach has a different style," Brady said, according to NESN.com. "It's an emotional game. I think we all put a lot into it every week. Physically, it's pretty demanding. Psychologically, in weeks like this, it's pretty demanding. So you try to convey a message. "Our coach always conveys a message: the truth. 'This is how I feel, this is the truth, this is what we need to do.' I think we always find a way to respond to that.""
Jets remain confident in locker room unity
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"There were no notes, no crib sheets in Mark Sanchez's hands as he strode to the lectern Wednesday. That's just as well, considering the test he really needs to ace will be administered Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. Three days after his odd postgame news conference Sunday, when he gave a rambling opening statement in which he referred to notes he had scribbled moments earlier, Sanchez met again with reporters. "I just changed things up a little bit," Sanchez said when asked to explain his previous public appearance. "I thought I had everything figured out, of course, as a 23-year-old rookie would, but (it was) probably not the best way to go about it. It didn't go over very well, so trial and ..."
NFL backs decisive call
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"Upon further review, the NFL says the call stands. NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said yesterday on the NFL Network's "Total Access" that he believed the spot on Patriots running back Kevin Faulk's catch on fourth-and-2 was "hard to dispute" Sunday night in Indianapolis. Faulk briefly bobbled the ball just past the first-down marker at the Pats 30-yard line before being tackled at the 29."
Rex Ryan still confident
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said yesterday he couldn't question Bill Belichick's controversial decision Sunday to go for it on fourth-and-2 against the Colts. "He is the best coach in football . . . he has such confidence in his offense. It wasn't a lack of confidence in his defense, I just think he has such confidence in that offense, in Tom Brady, in (Kevin) Faulk," Ryan said. "How can you question a guy that's won three Super Bowls and has the record and success he's had? I'm definitely never going to question that." Does that mean he would have done the same? "If I would have made that decision and it wouldn't have worked, I'd be hanging from the Empire State Building," Ryan cracked ..."
Memories Wayne for Jonathan Wilhite
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"Jonathan Wilhite is human. He won't deny that he took a few extra moments to think about Colts receiver Reggie Wayne beating him in coverage for the game-winning, 1-yard touchdown catch Sunday night. "You wouldn't be a football player if you didn't think about it," Wilhite said. "But Wayne made a good catch, Peyton (Manning) made a good throw, and it happened. It's football." The play came at the tail end of an eventful game for Wilhite, one that included making an interception and shadowing Wayne for the majority of the night. Wilhite has moved on the best way he knew how. "Me personally, I focus on this week," Wilhite said. "I have a load this week (against the Jets), too. Moving on is ..."
Revis says he had Randy Moss in a corner
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"Darrelle Revis claims he means no disrespect. And he has no intention of getting into another trash-talking battle with Patriots receiver Randy Moss. But the Jets star cornerback is still adamant that in Week 2, he "shut out" Moss one-on-one, without safety help. "Everybody saw the game, everybody knew I was in man coverage," Revis said, getting agitated. "He's supposed to say that - (that) day wasn't his day. He got shut out, and he was frustrated about it. Cool. I don't have nothing against him. I still think he's one of the best receivers in the league. If that's what he said, that's on him." Moss had just four catches for 24 yards in the loss, but bristled at praise for Revis. "I mean, ..."
Dan Koppen steady anchor
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 
"There is no indecision with Dan Koppen's injury status this week. His knee is fine, and the Patriots center even played against the Colts Sunday night after being forced out of the previous week's game against the Dolphins. In preparation for a hyperactive, confusing Jets defense that is predicated on attacking the quarterback, having your Pro Bowl center in place is probably good news. Tom Brady knows. "Very important, very important," Brady said of his longtime center and one of his best friends. "He coordinates what the offensive line is doing, which really puts the running back in their assignment, and I understand what they're doing, so I can focus on my assignment. He really leads ..."
Belichick's Patriots know how to bounce back
Comment
November 19
Boston Herald
 columnist Karen Guregian
"The New York Jets should be a little nervous about facing a Patriots team coming off a loss, and a devastating one at that. Looking back over the previous nine seasons that Bill Belichick coached the Pats, an impressive pattern developed with respect to what happens the week after a defeat. Belichick's teams rarely lose back-to-back games. The Patriots have demonstrated an amazing ability to bounce back after a loss. Forget about any hangover or lingering effects. They have only lost consecutive games once since 2002, while only losing two games or more six times since Belichick took over the team in 2000. In other words, the Pats have gone on what would be considered a losing streak just ..."
New England Patriots quickly put Indianapolis Colts loss behind them, prepare for New York Jets
Comment
November 19
New York Daily News
 
"The Patriots are no strangers to controversy or drama, which gives them some pretty good practice for reacting to it. They got back to practice Wednesday for the first time since Bill Belichick's Barry Switzer imitation in Indy, vowing to put the Colts loss behind them and to focus on Sunday's rematch against the Jets. With this team, you believe them. "We've won so many games in this locker room, we're quick to turn it off and turn it back on," Junior Seau said. "Right now, we need to have a short-term memory. That's the only reason you're going to succeed in this league, whether it's good or bad. Go to work the next day." "We're playing the Jets. It's always a good week for us," Tom ..."
No bad-mouthing Belichick or Harbaugh here
Comment
November 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Scott Ostler
"Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick - did they blow it? The complaint against Bad Call Bill is pure nonsense. Tedy Bruschi said if he were still a Patriot, "I would look at this decision (not to punt) as a lack of confidence in our ability as a defensive unit to come up with a big play to win the game." What, then, is the New England offensive unit? Chopped clams? Wouldn't the offensive guys be tweezed if Belichick elected to punt? Wouldn't they be hurt at his obvious lack of confidence in them? By punting, Belichick would have put the ball in the hands of Peyton Manning. And we saw what can happen when you do that. Good call, bad result. Case closed (rap gavel here). As for Harbaugh the ..."
Pats shut down Freeney
Comment
November 18
Indianapolis Star
 
"Dwight Freeney arrived at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday expecting just about anything from the New England Patriots. They didn't disappoint, frequently bringing in a third tackle, Mark LeVoir, to help block him. "They did a great job," said Freeney, the Indianapolis Colts defensive end. "They quick-counted when they needed to. They slid the protection when they needed to. I was guessing wrong sometimes. I couldn't get there. "Like I've always said, if (sacks) come, they come; if they don't, they don't. You don't really know when it's going to happen. The big thing is about winning the game." The Colts did that, 35-34, to move to 9-0 with a visit to Baltimore coming Sunday. Freeney had sacks ..."
Jets have run into some turbulence on this approach to Foxborough
Comment
November 18
Boston Globe
 
"An AFC scout provides a look at the New York Jets, this week's opponent: "One thing that's interesting is that at the beginning, with [Mark] Sanchez, they weren't asking him to win games, and that was based on the run game with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. "Shonn Greene wasn't playing as much then. But ever since they got Braylon Edwards, it's like they have this new toy, and they're losing their identity to a certain degree, and now they're putting too much on Sanchez's plate."
These things tend not to grow
Comment
November 18
Boston Globe
 
"Need evidence that the Patriots will bounce back fine from Sunday's devastating loss to the Colts, and do so in short order? The Patriots have lost consecutive games just once in the last seven seasons, and they'll have plenty of motivation this week, with the archrival Jets and their smack-talking coach, Rex Ryan, visiting Foxborough. When the Jets beat the Patriots, 16-9, on Sept. 20, they became the first AFC East team to win consecutive games against New England since 2001, when the Patriots snapped a five-game losing streak to the Dolphins."
Patriots are hitting red lights in red zone
Comment
November 18
Boston Globe
 
"There is a category in which the offenses in Detroit, Jacksonville, and Washington outrank the Patriots. A pretty important one, too. Hard to believe? Believe this: New England's Tom Brady-driven attack ranks 25th in converting red-zone opportunities."
Shedding tears no way for Rex Ryan to break down Patriots
Comment
November 18
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"Late Sunday night Bill Belichick felt like crying. Monday morning Rex Ryan did. That's the difference between having three Super Bowl rings and having none. Belichick's chuckle-headed decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 at his 28-yard line with 2:08 to play contributed mightily to a bitter 35-34 loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts but he could live with it. He could even stand firm a day later, insisting he'd done "what gave my team the best chance to win." If giving the ball to Peyton Manning 29 yards from the game-winning touchdown gave his Patriots the best chance to win then they really had no chance, or so he seemed to be saying. Whatever he said though, he could always fall ..."
Bill Belichick not here to talk about the past
Comment
November 18
Boston Herald
 
"The public still is debating Bill Belichick's controversial fourth-down call, but the Patriots coach is moving on. Belichick faced questions about the call in two news conferences since going for it on fourth-and-2 from his 28-yard line late in Sunday's stunning loss to the Colts in Indianapolis. Yesterday, he was done with the whole debate. "All that's been talked about," Belichick said. "I gave you what I knew about it in the game, what my decision was. At this point, I am on to the Jets." Despite being the subject of rare criticism, his colleagues say Belichick is handling it well. "As far as I can see right now, it's business as usual," defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. "I haven't ..."
Injured Pats tackle Matt Light 'almost there'
Comment
November 18
Boston Herald
 
"Matt Light is not used to standing on the sideline, watching his teammates compete without him. A knee injury gave the Patriots left tackle no choice in Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Colts. For a player who appeared in every game the previous three seasons and once boasted a 66-game consecutive start streak, there was only one way to describe the experience. "Horrible," Light told the Herald last night in his first extensive interview since the knee injury forced him out of the Broncos game Oct. 11. "Last weekend was the first time I've ever sat on the sideline and watched the game. I don't care to do that again. It's definitely tough, but if you're here long enough, you'll experience ..."
Fans make wrong call after Bill Belichick gamble
Comment
November 18
Boston Herald
 
"An ancient adage holds that victory has a hundred fathers while defeat is always an orphan, and you'll find no better illustration than the hysteria over the Bill Belichick ploy that didn't work three nights ago. With 2:08 remaining in a game his team had dominated, the Patriots' unflappable coach was faced with a fourth-and-2 on his own 28, leading by a scant six points. The risk of going for it was obvious, but so was the reward. If it didn't work, it would be tantamount to gift-wrapping a win for the Indianapolis Colts. But if it did work, it would effectively cement his own team's triumph. Belichick, in defiance of conventional wisdom, went for it, asking Tom Brady, who had already ..."
Papa Ryan believes Rex will leave Pats crying
Comment
November 18
New York Post
 columnist Steve Serby
"Rex Ryan may cry us a river between now and Sunday's game against Bill Belichick's Patriots, but Buddy Ryan is certain that his emotional son will soon be swimming — not sinking — in it, and the tears will turn into cheers. Ryan once rode the roller coaster of NFL head coaching emotions, especially when he engaged in brass-knuckle brawls with Bill Parcells' Giants in the 1980s. From his old Kentucky home, he's watching Rex, the rookie head coach of the Jets, once 3-0 and now 4-5, take the same trip. As a father, he doesn't want his son to stay down, and doesn't expect him to. "He's a real emotional guy," Buddy told The Post last night. "He's a great motivator. We know he knows the game. ..."
In Bill we trust?
Comment
November 17
Boston Globe
 columnist Tony Massarotti
"Bill Belichick says something like this after most every loss, of course, but most times we just gloss over it. We usually take it as nothing more than politically correct mumble-babble from the distinguished coach of the Patriots, a man frequently accused of acting as if he is smarter than everyone else and a man who usually is."
Colts gain edge, thanks to Belichick
Comment
November 17
Buffalo News
 
"The NFL's rivalry of the decade turned in another game for the ages Sunday night as the Indianapolis Colts remained unbeaten after rallying to defeat the New England Patriots, 35-34. The game was reminiscent of the 2006 AFC Championship Game when the Colts overcame an 18-point deficit to knock out the Patriots, 38-34. But the Colts had three quarters to pull off that comeback. On Sunday, they were down 17 points with a little more than 12 minutes left in the game. The Colts-Patriots matchups (12 since 2001) have defined seasons and often determined home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. The Colts (9-0) clearly have the inside track now. Some observations from Week 10 in the NFL: • ..."
The day after
Comment
November 17
Boston Globe
 columnist Dan Shaughnessy
"Roughly 12 hours after what is sure to become one of the most discussed coaching decisions of his remarkable career, Patriots coach Bill Belichick stuck to his call to go for it last night on fourth and 2 from the 28-yard line, the defining play of the Patriots' 35-34 loss in Indianapolis. "The same thing I said after the game -- I thought it was our best chance to win," Belichick said at a press conference. "I thought we needed to make that one play, then we could basically run out the clock. And we weren't able to make it.""
The Belichick Error
Comment
November 17
Boston Globe
 columnist Christopher L. Gasper
"Bill Belichick is no stranger to controversial or unpopular decisions. He chose Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe in 2001. In Super Bowl XXXVI, instead of kneeling on the ball with 1:30 left and no timeouts and playing for overtime, he let a second-year quarterback fire away and set up the winning field goal. He cut starting safety Lawyer Milloy five days before the 2003 season, and watched his team win its last 15 games, including the playoffs, to hoist the Lombardi Trophy."
Bill Belichick's on 'D' in face of questions
Comment
November 17
Boston Herald
 
"The questions aren't likely to stop, and the answer is even less likely to change. Addressing the media yesterday after his unsuccessful call to go for a first down on fourth-and-2 at the Patriots 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining in Sunday night's 35-34 loss to the Colts, Bill Belichick offered the same explanation as he did after the game. "I thought it was our best chance to win," Belichick said. "I thought we needed to make that one play and then we could basically run out the clock. We weren't able to make it." Belichick thought the Patriots did make it. Tom Brady hit Kevin Faulk with a pass in the right flat, but Faulk bobbled and immediately was tackled by Melvin Bullitt. The ball ..."
Not short on criticism
Comment
November 17
Boston Herald
 
"While Patriots coach Bill Belichick hunkered down in his office, back to work after one of the most debated decisions of his illustrious career, criticism rained down. For the first time since he was a beleaguered coach of the hapless Browns, Belichick was hit from all sides for going for it Sunday night on fourth-and-2 from the Patriots 28-yard line with 2:08 left and a six-point lead. The decision was the key play in the 35-34 loss to the Colts in Indianapolis. Ex-players such as Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison ridiculed the call and the message it sent. Local and national pundits pounced, lambasting the call on all mediums. In Belichick's day-after news conference yesterday at Gillette ..."
Patriots Report Card
Comment
November 17
Boston Herald
 
"Every game with the Indianapolis Colts comes down to who does what at the end and Sunday's 35-34 loss at Lucas Oil Stadium was no different. The only difference was this time it was Bill Belichick who made the critical error, not one of his players. Much was made in the aftermath of his decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 at his 28-yard line with 2:08 to play that statistics were on his side. That's true if you count teams going for it against the Lions, Bucs, Browns, Chiefs, Raiders and the rest of the NFL dregs. The odds of making it against an elite team are not as high and, more importantly, the risk-reward ratio of what can happen if you fail against a Peyton Manning-led team ..."
Coach Bill Belichick loses it all on bad gamble
Comment
November 17
Boston Herald
 
"Jim Zorn won an NFL game Sunday afternoon, and I have to be honest: I thought he got fired three weeks ago. Screaming Todd Haley won, too, and so did the ghost of John Fox down in Carolina. Even Norvell Turner coached his team to a big victory. If you're keeping score at home, every coach in the NFL has won at least one game this season, and somehow that bloated slug out in Oakland actually has won twice. Of course, Bill Belichick has won more than any of them. In 15 seasons as an NFL head coach, the Patriots' boss has won 144 regular-season games, tops among active coaches. He is generally considered the best coach in today's game and one of the best ever, but Sunday night in ..."
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick defends his fourth-quarter gamble in loss to Colts
Comment
November 17
New York Daily News
 
"In New England, they're calling it temporary insanity. In New York, they're calling it a temporary reprieve. Did the head coach go loco when he rolled the dice on fourth-and-2 from deep in his own territory Sunday night? Whatever the case, Bill Belichick certainly changed the dynamic of the AFC playoff race when his call blew up in his poker face, Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne doing the final honors for the unbeaten Colts, who rallied from 17 points down for a 35-34 win. Belichick didn't change his tune Tuesday at his day-after press conference Foxborough, where his team will attempt to avenge its earlier defeat to the now-bumbling Jets Sunday. "Same thing I said after the game. I ..."
Belichick dissed his defense
Comment
November 16
ESPN.com
 columnist Tedy Bruschi
"When the New England Patriots play the Indianapolis Colts, it promises to be the game of the year and Sunday night was no exception. Yes, there are many things I can mention. In the past, I have spotlighted a few of my observations that I felt were major factors in the game. I could do the same this week. I could write about the outstanding play of offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer. I could break down the play of the young Colts defensive backs and how they did against Randy Moss and Wes Welker. But let's not beat around the bush. Let's get right down to the question we are all wondering: Why did Bill Belichick go for it on fourth-and-2 with 2:08 left? The easy answer is that he wanted ..."
Belichick's shot backfires on Patriots
Comment
November 16
Indianapolis Star
 
"Strange, without question. Unconventional, to say the least. But New England coach Bill Belichick thought his team could win Sunday night with one more play. The Patriots needed 2 yards for a first down, and it didn't matter that they were ahead by just six points and standing on their 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining. Belichick took the shot. And did it ever backfire on the coach hailed in New England as a genius for his three Super Bowl triumphs. Tom Brady's pass to Kevin Faulk was complete but came up short, allowing the Indianapolis Colts to cash in on the short field for the game-winning touchdown and a 35-34 comeback victory that was as improbable as it was stunning at Lucas Oil ..."
Bullitt's tackle of Faulk on 4th down turns game
Comment
November 16
Indianapolis Star
 
"With the New England Patriots facing a fourth-and-2 at their 28-yard line with 2:08 remaining and leading by six points, safety Melvin Bullitt and the Indianapolis Colts defense headed to the sideline. It had done its job, forcing a late punt. Not so fast. "We left the field prematurely,'' Bullitt said. Rather than punting, Patriots coach Bill Belichick sent quarterback Tom Brady back onto the field. "They challenged us,'' Bullitt said. "They said, 'We're going out, we're going to take it.' "And they didn't. We finished it.'' On the game-defining play, Brady went to his short-yardage standout, running back Kevin Faulk, on a quick turn-in. Bullitt read it, closed, stopped Faulk short of the ..."
Patriots go for it; the Colts win it
Comment
November 16
Washington Post
 
"Bill Belichick has pressed plenty of the right buttons while coaching the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl titles. But when he made the boldest of fourth-quarter gambles Sunday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, it backfired on him and the Patriots, and the Indianapolis Colts escaped with an improbable 35-34 comeback triumph that kept them unbeaten. The Colts got a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Reggie Wayne to cap their rally from deficits of 24-7 in the first half and 31-14 early in the fourth quarter. The Colts scored 21 fourth-quarter points in improving their record to 9-0 and prevailing in the latest high-profile get-together between these ..."
Bill Belichick heads off victory
Comment
November 16
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"Is there an insanity defense for football coaches? That's about the best the "In Bill We Trust" crowd is going to be able to come up with this morning to explain away what happened at Lucas Oil Stadium last night because not even Edward Bennett Williams would try to argue this case in front of a jury of Bill Belichick's peers. Maybe the Twinkie defense that got Dan White a reduced sentence after assasinating the mayor of San Francisco and a city councilman named Harvey Milk might work. A Bay area shrink named Martin Blinder convinced a jury that White's "capacity for rational thought" had been diminished by eating junk food so maybe there's a defense for anything. Anybody check Belichick's ..."
Tully Banta-Cain early exit
Comment
November 16
Boston Herald
 
"The game was not even a quarter old, and the Patriots were already down a pass-rusher. Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain left last night's battle at Indianapolis with a rib injury, crumpling to the turf on the kickoff following the Colts' first touchdown. It was a tough loss for a team that was already missing previously starting ends Ty Warren and Jarvis Green. The injuries didn't stop there in the 35-34 loss to the Colts. In Banta-Cain's place went Rob Ninkovich, who is mostly a special teams player. On his second play, Ninkovich pressured Peyton Manning, causing a third-down incompletion. But then Ninkovich went down with a knee injury, causing Adalius Thomas to play defensive end."
Peyton Manning picks Patriots apart in 4th quarter
Comment
November 16
Boston Herald
 
"There was a time when anything and everything the Patriots defense did to Peyton Manning made him cringe. They owned him. Those days seem so long ago. Nowadays, you get the feeling it's the other way around. The Pats are nothing more than his human puppets. That's sure the way it looked when Manning rallied the Colts from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit last night. "I got no words," said nose tackle Vince Wilfork, as he fled the locker room, dodging reporters following the devastating 35-34 loss. Manning had engineered an 18-point comeback in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, so this was nothing new in the Patriots/Colts rivalry, which early in this decade was lopsided in the Pats' favor, ..."