***OFFICIAL AFC TITLE GAME pats @ COLTS ***

[srjunkacct]

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Pats blew this game. Caldwell dropped 2 huge passes, defense couldn't come up with the big stops at the end.


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The Patriots scored a TD on the drive in which Caldwell dropped his first pass. They scored a field goal on the second non-catch's drive. Caldwell's mistakes had little impact on the score.

The Patriots' defense failed. They gave up 32 points in the second half including a 2-point conversion and a last minute TD. They allowed the Colts 32 first downs, including allowing 8/15 on third down.

This loss falls completely on the defense. It's particularly bad since the Patriots didn't turn the ball over once until the final offensive play. These were the Colts drives starting late in the 2nd quarter.

80 yards- field goal
76 yards- touchdown
76 yards- touchdown
67 yards- touchdown
-7 yards- punt
59 yards- field goal
00 yards- punt
80 yards- touchdown

When a defense allows six long drives for four touchdowns and two field goals, the loss is completely on them.

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I thought there were a few spots where the O needed to maintain possession of the ball to let the D rest and didn't. (Ellis Hobbs's long KO return excepted, obviously.) I know a lot of posters don't believe that the D tires out more easily than the O, but I'm pretty convinced it's true. I don't know if burning a timeout somewhere along the way would have helped (a risky proposition, I know).

Also, I thought the D played way too conservatively for most of the second half, allowing Indy to just take their time and pick them apart.