By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It seems the only thing that can redeem Bill Belichick for Sunday night’s supposed gaffe is a fourth Super Bowl title three months from now in Miami.
Get another shot at the Colts in the AFC Championship game in Indy and win, and temporary amnesia will set in. Go on to win the Big Game two weeks later, and all will be forgotten and forgiven — Sunday’s heartbreaking, mind-numbing, earth-shattering fourth-and-2 decision and impending defeat never happened.
Win it all in February, and Belichick, the Patriots and their faction of fickle fans will finally be able to get a decent night’s sleep. Until then, the tossing, turning and living nightmare that is Peyton Manning and Colts getting the last laugh despite trailing by 13 points with a measly 4:12 left to play continues.
All this, due to one man’s decision to go for it on fourth down deep in his team’s end. Fortunately, it was a regular-season contest. Belichick and the Pats indeed live to play another day, 4:15 p.m. this Sunday in Foxboro against the struggling Jets to be exact.
And it’s a good thing, too. Imagine the hand wringing, grab-the-pitchforks and fire him mentality that would’ve ensued had Belichick’s gutsy decision ended the team’s season? It very well could’ve spelled the end of his coaching career in New England.
Fortunately, that is not and will not be the case, unless of course, the same thing happens again and costs the Pats another game. Chances are pretty good it won’t, but then I wouldn’t put anything past the Great One. After all, he shocked much of the NFL world with Sunday’s decision to go for it.
But not me.
If Kevin Faulk converts the first down — I think the ref blew the call and Faulk made it: (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8143b069/Colts-4th-down-stop) — the Pats win and Belichick maintains his genius status. Instead, the unthinkable happens and Belichick is crucified.
I liked the decision. In fact, I turned to the person with whom I was watching the game and said they should go for it. “Not way,” he said. “Yes,” I said, “they’ll get it.”
So what if they punted it instead? Manning and company would’ve promptly marched downfield and scored anyway. Either way, it was in the cards for the Colts to win the game. Either way, Belichick would’ve been roundly criticized. A punt followed by 60-, 70- or 80-yard strike by the Colts would’ve had the same nitwits calling for Belichick’s committal today, saying he should’ve went for it.
You can’t have it both ways, people. Nobody understands that better than Belichick. You know, the guy with three Super Bowl rings this decade to your zero.
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I don't know if I buy the "he has three rings, you zero agrument." Sounds like the whole "you don't know because you never played" agrument pro athletes like to throw out there. Plus there are too many variables to know for sure what would have happened if they punted. The kick could have been fumbled. There could have been a tipped pass that was picked. I could go on and on with possible outcomes, but you never really know for sure.
ReplyDeleteSecond quessing is part of the game, and after such an emotinal loss, it kind of unrealitic to expect everyone not to have an opinion one way or the other.
My biggest question is this: Is there a tipping point for BB or does he get a free pass forever because of his resume?
And what about Brady. On 3rd down on the last series, he should have been picked, and it would have been returned for a TD. Do you think he would have been bashed the same way as BB?
you're playing right into BB's hands. you're right, if they punt SEVERAL things could've happened. they go for it, and there's only TWO possible outcomes -- get the first down, they win, or, as we all saw, fail and they lose. that's the mad-genius beauty of Belichick; he keeps it simple while making it look difficult. ... as for the "free pass/SB rings" theory, again the answer is a simple and resounding, "YES!", of course he gets a free pass. he and every other Super Bowl-winning coach before and after him always will. ... As for Brady, of course he would not get bashed -- he's not the coach.
ReplyDeletecoulda, woulda, shoulda -- it's why they play the games. And why these wonderful blogs and sports radio exist!
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ReplyDeleteI respect your opinion, but just happen to disagree. I just feel at some point you must have your defense step up and win a game for you.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Kevin Faulk agrument, I do agree with you. It looked like he had control of the ball at the marker. I don't understand why there was not a booth review of that play.
Dan, in all due respect, the defense DID have a shot to step up but they failed to keep the Colts out of the end zone, from 29 yards out, so they did have a shot but they gave us a brief glimpse of what a drive would have looked like if it was from 70 or so yards out. The defense didn't deserve to be counted on with the way they played when the chips were on the table in the fourth quarter.
ReplyDeleteThe best part of the Patriots is their offense, so Bill put it in their hands to get two yards. You never rely on your weakness in anything you do in life, yes, even football.
One thing that we can agree on I hope, is that it is time to move on and start thinking about the Jets. This loss has lingered way to long.
ReplyDeleteThe media coverage for this has been nuts.
I would not want to be the Jets, the Pats will be out for blood this week.
Plus now that things have settled down a bit, the Pats still have a good shot at the second seed and a first round bye. They only trail the Bengals by a game.