4th and 1

[RockThatBlue]

I absolutely think we should have went for it. We were marching down the field. I am glad we got the three points but I must question Pagano about not going for it there. We get a TD there and this game could have went in a different direction. JMO but what do you think?

[Flash7]

RBs had rushed for negative yards up until the 4th and 1. They showed no ability to get that yard, and every possibility to lose yards.

[Derakynn]

I agree, but honestly with that defense there was no way we were winning. If they didn't throw an interception then they got a touchdown. There were more punts in the Steelers game. Nothing we would have done on offense would have changed the outcome. 

[sfergson727]

Nah, 4 and 1 wasn't big enough of challenge, but he didn't seem to mind going for it on 4th and 10.

I think we should have gone for it on 4 and 1, as three points was worthless with our lack of defense.

[MTC]

It wouldn't of mattered. The Defense couldn't stop Brady and company. 

[Mr.Debonair]

Not a different game just the final score would have been closer. We had no answer for anything NE did

[Flash7]

I absolutely think we should have went for it. We were marching down the field. I am glad we got the three points but I must question Pagano about not going for it there. We get a TD there and this game could have went in a different direction. JMO but what do you think?

Can't question Pagano there. The O-line was absolutely dominated the entire game. We all saw it, the coaches saw it and the Pats probably wanted us to go for it there just so they could shut us down even more. O-line and RBs gave Pagano no confidence to go for it, and as mentioned earlier, we had rushed for negative yards up until that point, with the exception of Luck's scrambles.

[krunk]

I didn't agree with going for it on 4th down at the Patriots 30 like we did.  I thought that was absolutely stupid.

As bad as the D was playing you still can't just sit there and hand them an extra 7 points like that.

[RockThatBlue]

I didn't agree with going for it on 4th down at the Patriots 30 like we did. I thought that was absolutely stupid.

As bad as the D was playing you still can't just sit there and hand them an extra 7 points like that.

I didnt agree with that call either.

[RockThatBlue]

Can't question Pagano there. The O-line was absolutely dominated the entire game. We all saw it, the coaches saw it and the Pats probably wanted us to go for it there just so they could shut us down even more. O-line and RBs gave Pagano no confidence to go for it, and as mentioned earlier, we had rushed for negative yards up until that point, with the exception of Luck's scrambles.

We could have threw it or had Luck run it. Luck was our leading rusher after all lol

[Flash7]

We could have threw it or had Luck run it. Luck was our leading rusher after all lol

only on scrambles, not designed run plays. Also, the Pats DBs got away with holding all night, not willing to put the game in the hands of the refs.

[ThaCaliColt]

The coaches understand the ineptitude in the running game…They won't admit it but it's painfully obvious. These offensive linemen are good at pass protection, but certainly aren't terribly effective when hard fought yards are needed. The rushing stats tonight were beyond unacceptable. Running backs continually getting plastered at the line of scrimmage or behind the line of scrimmage is an embarrassment and unacceptable. 

[Dr. Guildo]

It wouldn't of mattered. The Defense couldn't stop Brady and company. 

Brady did nothing that great, and the Patriot run game should get all the credit for this game. Having said that I think two plays could have changed this game the Bradshaw dropped pass and/or the play mentioned above. Ok, maybe three because the 4th down that gave them the ball at the 30 was pretty weird call. 

[MTC]

Brady did nothing that great, and the Patriot run game should get all the credit for this game. Having said that I think two plays could have changed this game the Bradshaw dropped pass and/or the play mentioned above. Ok, maybe three because the 4th down that gave them the ball at the 30 was pretty weird call. 

 

Brady played lights out the second half. I don't know if you saw that. He made a lot of nice passes to open recievers. 

[chrisfarley]

why do we give up so many rushing yards to the Patriots every single time we play them?  we don't do that to most other teams with even better running backs?  doesn't make sense.  I can't imagine what Jamaal Charles would do to us.

[ricker182]

why do we give up so many rushing yards to the Patriots every single time we play them?  we don't do that to most other teams with even better running backs?  doesn't make sense.  I can't imagine what Jamaal Charles would do to us.

It's Belichick. He's just a genius who knows how to prepare. 

We contained Charles the first time we faced him last year.

[chad72]

Two times where Pagano could have done things differently:

 

1. 4th & 1, down 28-10, it is make able and you go for it, even if Luck has to run for it
2. 4th & 10, down 15, with more than 8 minutes to go and all your timeouts intact, in your side of the field, that was a panic move and Pagano should have punted. I understand your D has not stopped them but at least, you wouldn't be giving Brady a short field to put the game out of reach. The risk outweighed the reward there, IMO

Of course, on the offensive side, Bradshaw's drop earlier in the game, and Luck overthrowing Moncrief while he had beaten Browner, were 2 missed opportunities which could have swung momentum in our favor too.

[Dr. Guildo]

Brady played lights out the second half. I don't know if you saw that. He made a lot of nice passes to open recievers. 

He made a few pass here, or there... but again it was the running game that was on fire.

[chad72]

It's Belichick. He's just a genius who knows how to prepare. 

We contained Charles the first time we faced him last year.

 

Patriots know not to bang their heads against the wall throwing 50 times against our pass defense, so they lined up and ran against us because they know they could, just like last year's playoff game.

[Malakai432]

Patriots know not to bang their heads against the wall throwing 50 times against our pass defense, so they lined up and ran against us because they know they could, just like last year's playoff game.

Yep, Pats OL and DL both dominated them to the point where the Colts can't stop the run nor run the ball. That's not going to net even one win against the Pats if they continue to play like that.

I thought things just may be different, but unfortunately they were not.

[RockThatBlue]

Yep, Pats OL and DL both dominated them to the point where the Colts can't stop the run nor run the ball. That's not going to net even one win against the Pats if they continue to play like that.

I thought things just may be different, but unfortunately they were not.

It was the NE playoff game all over again.

[GoColts8818]

Bigger reasons why we lost than this but no question they should have gone for it there.  Had the defense been able to slow down the Pats then I would have been okay with it but the way the defense was playing the Colts needed a TD there. 

[OLD FAN MAN]

only on scrambles, not designed run plays. Also, the Pats DBs got away with holding all night, not willing to put the game in the hands of the refs.

belichick  looks at what the refs are not calling and uses it to win. he is a great coach in all parts of the game

[chrisfarley]

It's Belichick. He's just a genius who knows how to prepare. 

We contained Charles the first time we faced him last year.

he got hurt early in the playoff game i believe but yea, we were able to contain him some for sure.  Foster worries me for the return trip of the Texans which is up in several weeks right?

[ukcolt12]

should have gone for it all day long.  We need a TD.

Chuck got it wrong there and not for the first time

[crazycolt1]

It wouldn't of mattered. The Defense couldn't stop Brady and company.

I don't think Brady was the problem. The problem was not being able to stop the Pats running game. Brady didn't have what you could call a great game. He threw for 257 yards and 2 TDs. That's lower than he normally does. We did pick him off 2 times. Giving up 248 yards and 4 TDs on the ground is what killed the Colts.

[Dark Superman]

4th and 1 was pretty much equivalent to 4th and 30 the way we were playing last night.

[ricker182]

he got hurt early in the playoff game i believe but yea, we were able to contain him some for sure. Foster worries me for the return trip of the Texans which is up in several weeks right?

We played them in the regular season also and contained him.

[coach kline]

I absolutely think we should have went for it. We were marching down the field. I am glad we got the three points but I must question Pagano about not going for it there. We get a TD there and this game could have went in a different direction. JMO but what do you think?

Ya give it to Trent .

[MTC]

I don't think Brady was the problem. The problem was not being able to stop the Pats running game. Brady didn't have what you could call a great game. He threw for 257 yards and 2 TDs. That's lower than he normally does. We did pick him off 2 times. Giving up 248 yards and 4 TDs on the ground is what killed the Colts.

The second half Brady was 9/10 for a lot of yards.

[lollygagger8]

Should've went for it, and thrown the pass to Bradshaw out of the backfield that he's scored many times with. 

 

 

I said if continue to kick FG's, we would lose. Booooooo. 

[chrisfarley]

We played them in the regular season also and contained him.

indeed

[Superman]

4th and 1 was pretty much equivalent to 4th and 30 the way we were playing last night.

 

Perfect time for a bootleg, maybe a read option (like in the Chiefs playoff game), etc. There were a dozen things we could have done to pick up a yard.

 

I don't think that decision was consequential; no matter what, we needed a defensive stop, and we proved on the next possession that hoping for a defensive stop was futile. But I do think we should have gone for it. 

[RockThatBlue]

4th and 1 was pretty much equivalent to 4th and 30 the way we were playing last night.

True. But we went for it on 4th and 10 later which made no sense.

[Dark Superman]

True. But we went for it on 4th and 10 later which made no sense.

We had no choice, we had zero confidence in our defense and we had every right to be.

[mitchholden281]

I think the 4th and 10 call was a lot more questionable. The 4th and 1, yes we probably could have picked up a yard, but the idea was to make it a 1 score game and give luck a shot with his late game heroics. 4th and 10 on our half of the field was just dumb, I get that we had not stopped the Pats all game, but 8 and a half minutes is a lot of time, and I have seen a lot of crazy things happen in that amount of time (i.e. Chiefs wild card game). giving them the ball back at our 30ish yard line sealed our fate. With the way Pat has been punting this year, pin them deep and pray we come up with a stop. is it possible that they just continued to run all over us? yes it absolutely is, but it is also possible that our defense has a good series and gets a stop, or that in the length of a drive there is miscommunication or mishandling of the football and we come up with a turnover, not only giving us the ball back but also a big momentum shift. Instead they get the ball in our territory and the defense comes in with no fire and deflated because they are already in scoring position.

[-JJ-]

I think the 4th and 10 call was a lot more questionable. The 4th and 1, yes we probably could have picked up a yard, but the idea was to make it a 1 score game and give luck a shot with his late game heroics. 4th and 10 on our half of the field was just dumb, I get that we had not stopped the Pats all game, but 8 and a half minutes is a lot of time, and I have seen a lot of crazy things happen in that amount of time (i.e. Chiefs wild card game). giving them the ball back at our 30ish yard line sealed our fate. With the way Pat has been punting this year, pin them deep and pray we come up with a stop. is it possible that they just continued to run all over us? yes it absolutely is, but it is also possible that our defense has a good series and gets a stop, or that in the length of a drive there is miscommunication or mishandling of the football and we come up with a turnover, not only giving us the ball back but also a big momentum shift. Instead they get the ball in our territory and the defense comes in with no fire and deflated because they are already in scoring position.

I agree with that. 4th and 10 shocked me- that's a panic call. You're right, 8 1/2 minutes is a long time. Maybe NE fumbles or whatever.

But to chance giving the ball to NE 30ish is like here's the nail for our coffin.

 

4th and one a coach can never win. If they miss people will say why didn't you take the points. If they get it the coach is a hero.

You tend to take the points in that situation.

[BOTT]

The second half Brady was 9/10 for a lot of yards.

Not knocking Brady, but I think his biggest plays where a short pass to Shane Vereen where Verren did all the work and his pass to Gronk where he swatted colts defenders away like flies.