This game was huge. The rivalry of the decade continued at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday night in front of a sold out crowd. The unbeaten Indianapolis Colts took on the 6-2 New England Patriots. The game dubbed as the War of 18,12.
This game was truly the game of the year and it lived up to all the hype. The dramatic come-from-behind win of the Indianapolis Colts who were down 31-14 in the second half of the game. The game featured 2 of the leagues best QB's, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and 2 of the highest scoring offenses and hard nosed defenses.
The Colts scored first, but the Patriots controlled much of the fist half. Manning's recievers seemed to struggle with catching the ball, while Randy Moss and the rest of the Pats offense seemed to move at will. And thats all I will say about the first half. I'll get into a little more detail talking about the second half.
The Colts went into the locker room down at the half and tried to to figure out a way to get things together and slow the Patriots down. Everyone who knows Colts football knows that once the Colts go into the locker room and get their heads on straight, they usually come out looking like a different football team
The Patriots got the ball at the start of the second quarter, and your first instinct is to think they are gonna put some kind of points on the bored, but the Colts defense had something to say about that. Brady throws a ball to the end zone that gets picked off by Antoine Bethea to keep the Colts hopes alive. The next drive the Colts throw to Reggie Wayne on 3rd down who makes a beautiful catch to help the Colts convert, but the very next play Manning throw a ugly floating duck to Pierre Garcon and its picked off the Patriots. From there it starts to get real ugly for the Colts. The Patriots were once again driving down feild, running and passing with ease. The Pats faced 3rd and short on the Colts 14 yard line and convert with ease. But again the Colt defense steps up and forces a Lawrence Maroney fumble in the end zone. Again the Colts are given a chance to cut the lead but the offense just wasn't capitalizing on the Pats gifts. The Colts are forced to punt and just when things couldn't get worse Wes Welker returns the punt inside the Colts 10 yard line. from there the Pats score on a Brady to Moss touchdown pass, 31-14 Patriots. But this is where the gloom starts to turn to happiness for us Colts fans.
The Colts answer the patriots scoring drive with a nice Manning to Garcon touchdown pass making the score 31-21. On the next Pats drive the defense come u big again when throws an incomplete pass to Moss on 3rd down. Pats punt, but once again this offense is struggling. A miscommunication on Wayne's route causes Manning to throw a pick. The Patriots start killing the clock and pick up a field goal, 34-21 Pats. The young Colt receivers finally get the butter off their hands are start catching some footballs. The Colts get a huge break when Austin Collie forces a big pass interference call on the Pats D which puts the Colts in scoring territory. Thanks to some hard running from Joseph Addai the Colts score and cut the lead to 6, 34-28 Pats with 2:23 to play. Instead of trying the onside kick, the Colts kick it deep and it goes out of the back of the end zone for a touch back.
And here's the drive that made the game. Tom Brady used a one of two remaining timeouts before starting the drive. I'm honestly not sure why, but hey it helpes the Colts out a little bit. The Colt defense forces Brady to a 3 and out, but the Pats use a timeout and after a long discussion, Bill Belechick decides to go for it on 4th and 2. Brady snaps the ball and immediately feels a lot of pressure by the Colts blitz. He dumps it off quickly to Maroney, but Colts saftey, Melvin Bullitt gets a HUGE stop that keeps the Pats from picking up the 1st down.
Colts ball on the Pats 28 yard line. Manning hands the ball of to Addai, who runs 11 hard earned yards to the Patriot 1 yard line. 1st and goal Manning take the snap and throw the ball to a well covered covered Reggie Wayne for a touchdown and a the Colts win the football game 35-34!
This was by no means a pretty game for the Indianapolis Colts, but none the less it was a hard earned win. Bellechick's decision for going for it on 4th and 2 at his own 28 rather than punt it away will forever be remembered. The Colts move to 9-0 and the Patriots drop to 6-3. The Colts have a lot to work on, and this week will be a long week of practicing routes and catching balls for this Colts offense. Now the Colts must focus on the Baltimore Ravens. Another tough game, and even worse an away game.
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