Well, see ya later #1 seed. Perhaps see ya later #2 seed. But this game may be the most important, and most beneficial loss they could have had.
So, yeah, it would have been best if they won. It would have been better to help determine home-field advantage. It could play a big factor into who goes to the Super Bowl.
But here’s the thing: It doesn’t really matter. Sure it’d be nice to gain home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Sure it’d be nice to stop Indianapolis from winning ANOTHER game. But the Patriots still have a chance to get the #2 seed, and will most likely still win the division. Indianapolis has a good chance of winning the rest of their games. They really could. And if they lose a single game throughout the rest of the season, then that would be a missed opportunity at the #1 seed.
But what matters is that the Patriots went into Indianapolis, and thoroughly outplayed them. They had the game won in many different ways. The fumble by Maroney at the 1 yard line. The 4th and 2 that was converted, but the ref decided that he wanted to show off his ball-spotting skills by dramatically moving the ball back an entire yard too far back. The third and 2 that should have been run instead of passed.
The Patriots should have won. But, they didn’t.
The reason this is fine, though, is that the Patriots have now tasted a come-from-behind defeat. They know what it’s like to have the game in hand, and let it slip away. They have experienced what playing 60 minutes really means. This will be immensely important when the Patriots play the Colts in the AFC Title game (and yes, they will play in the title game against them). The Patriots have let two games get away in 3 years, and will not let that happen again.
Mike Singletary I think sums it up the best for me:
Bob Sanders isn’t coming back for the Colts. Sammy Morris is coming back for the Patriots. Fred Taylor is, too. Julian Edelman is going to be that much more acclimated to the NFL. So too will the rest of the young guys.
When the Patriots come back to Indy in January, they will be this much more prepared to do what it takes to win the game. They will be this much closer to Super Bowl XLIV. They will be this much better.
Oh and by the way, I’m tired of hearing the argument that Bill Belichick was showing a lack of confidence that his defense could stop Indianapolis. He lead his team all game in stopping the Colts pretty effectively. If anything he showed more respect for his own defense, as he was basically saying, “if we don’t get this first down, we can still stop them ourselves.” I know it’s hard to make an argument that punting is disrespectful to his own defense, but if going for it on 4th down is disrespectful to his defense, then punting it on 4th down is equally disrespectful to his offense. What coach doesn’t believe his team can make those 2 yards?
Besides, the true test to see if Bill Belichick trusted his defense would have been his decision to go for it on 4th down with 4:12 on the clock. If they were to make THAT first down then the game would have been over too. There would have been an excellent chance the Patriots score a touchdown, and at the very least a good amount of time would have run off the clock. It still was a 2 possession game with or without the field goal, so if he truly doubted his defense he would have kept his offense on the field on all of the 4th downs, not just the final 4th down.
Either way, it’ll be fun in January. Go Pats!!
