Most disappointing play in retrospect?

[Disco Volante]

So many heart wrenching plays to chose from, which one hurt you the most?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

After our TD in the 4th and I looked up and saw 2:20 left (or whatever it was), I was worried that Eli would drive them to a solid FG try.

After the escape and subsequent catch on the top of the helmet by Tyree, I knew they were gonna drive down for the score with an absolute certainty. I even looked over at my bro (next to me) and said - "They are gonna do to us, what we did to the Rams".

 

[BelichickFan]

The Thomas "almost sack" for me. Whether he gets the sack or not, just an incomplete pass gives them a 4th and 10. To get a first down on that was, what, 1 in a 100 ?

 

[italian pat patriot]

not Brady final drive but all the others...

terrible sad day...
devastating loss...

 

[Watson's IQ]

The most disappointing play was when they failed to call a safety on TB's intentional grounding from the EZ.

What about the Patriots player whose feet the ball landed at? Wouldn't he have something to say about it? (It was Faulk, IIRC)

For me, it's Eli's Escape, no question. That play was the whole game, and as pointed out there's 100 ways that could have gone against the Giants, and it didn't.

 

[dante828]

Had to be Eli's escape....that's when I knew they were going to lose for sure.

 

[Rob0729]

I felt the 4th and 13 was the worst. I was shocked that in a 7-3 game in which the Pats had trouble moving the ball that he wouldn't go for the more guaranteed points. The fact they took a shot at the endzone was even more disapointing when they had Faulk wide open in the flat. I had a bad feeling the game was lost even with a lead at that point. Unfortunately, I was right.

 

[JoePats]

Definately the Eli escape. Look at it this way:

a) sack...Giants use TO and need to go 60+ yards with 1:20 and 1 TO and start by converting 4th and 15. Plus we have all the momentum and are getting a great pass rush. Game over.

b) incomplete pass...Giants still have to go 55 yards or so in 1:20 with 2 TOs...It's taken them 1:25 to go about 25 yards so far, and we're getting a great pass rush. Feel good.

c) 1st and 10 at 25. Clock not an issue. Giants have all momentum. Feel terrible.

Unbelievable.

 

[jcrack]

how bout the fumble we recovered & they stole from us..& why the hell didnt they jump on eli before he escaped..all they did was grab his jersey..they could of easily sacked him..& its eli freakin manning haha i still cant blieve he made that play..too many little bull sh*t mistakes in that game

 

[Lansdowne]

I know that the Eli escape/Tyree catch makes me want to vomit, as that was the play I felt we were screwed. It brought flashbacks to one of Wayne's catches in the AFCCG last year.

But the image that haunts me is Samuel dropping the game-clinching INT, and the anguish on his face after the drop. That was it right there.

 

[Disco Volante]

The one I actually felt my stomach drop was Plaxico’s game winning TD. After Eli’s escape I still had a 50/50 feeling about them actually getting in the endzone, and ultimately felt our defense would get the job done.

Plaxico being that ******* open in the endzone was absolutely horrible to watch.

Also even with only 35 seconds left, I still had confidence that Brady would lead us into overtime. With all 3 timeouts at our disposal and only needing to get in field goal range instead of getting the 7, I honestly thought he’d put together another signature Brady drive. The first incomplete pass to Gaffney deep killed me, because it appeared (Can't recall who exactly) someone was open right down the middle.

Then Alford's sack on Brady is when I felt the world crashing down. At that point I finally was coming into terms that our perfect season and pursuit at immorality, would be ending.

There’s no way any sports fan, will ever feel the demoralizing pain in consecutive years that Pats fans are now.

 

[Ootball]

"There’s no way any sports fan, will ever feel the demoralizing pain in consecutive years that Pats fans are now."

Um....Buffalo Bills fans, anyone?

 

[Lansdowne]

The one I actually felt my stomach drop was Plaxico’s game winning TD. After Eli’s escape I still had a 50/50 feeling about them actually getting in the endzone, and ultimately felt our defense would get the job done.

Plaxico being that ******* open in the endzone was absolutely horrible to watch.

Also even with only 35 seconds left, I still had confidence that Brady would lead us into overtime. With all 3 timeouts at our disposal and only needing to get in field goal range instead of getting the 7, I honestly thought he’d put together another signature Brady drive. The first incomplete pass to Gaffney deep killed me, because it appeared (Can't recall who exactly) someone was open right down the middle.

Then Alford's sack on Brady is when I felt the world crashing down. At that point I finally was coming into terms that our perfect season and pursuit at immorality, would be ending.

There’s no way any sports fan, will ever feel the demoralizing pain in consecutive years that Pats fans are now.

The Ben Watson/Champ Bailey touchback that wasn't to be

The entire second half of the Pats/Colts AFCCG in Indy

Now this.

The Patriots mystique has taken a huge blow. I can't honestly say any more in these clutch situations that I am totally confident the Patriots will prevail. The air of invincibility is gone. I'll always believe they have a chance with Brady, but I will no longer have the confidence I once did. This was a traumatic loss.

 

[CTPatsFan]

I went with Eli's final escape but that fumble that Bradshaw out-willed Woods for is close.

 

[vyrago]

Had a hard time choosing between the escape and the circus catch. Both together said, this ain't gonna be your night kid.

 

[BradyToMoss]

how bout the fumble we recovered & they stole from us..& why the hell didnt they jump on eli before he escaped..all they did was grab his jersey..they could of easily sacked him..& its eli freakin manning haha i still cant blieve he made that play..too many little bull sh*t mistakes in that game

You can thank Pierre Woods for that. How bad is that, this idiot couldn't lock onto the ball and he let a little RB rip it out of his arms and it cost us great field position at the Giants 30 yard line. Thanks Pierre, no wonder why you're not running with the starters, that was putrid.

 

[bakes781]

I chose Other

For me it was not milking the clock once they had 1st & goal in the 4th quarter. 3 straight passes & not a single rush attempt. When the Giants took the ball back on offense that clock should have been under 2 minutes.

 

[Seymour93]

Without question Eli's escape on 3rd and 5 on their final drive. That play was a total fluke, like something you would see in backyard football. He escaped the sack a couple of times and then just tossed it up only to have Tyree to make a fingertip catch. Are you ******* kidding me?

 

[Harry Yelreh]

Without question Eli's escape on 3rd and 5 on their final drive. That play was a total fluke, like something you would see in backyard football. He escaped the sack a couple of times and then just tossed it up only to have Tyree to make a fingertip catch. Are you ******* kidding me?

Agree, and I also agree with the earlier thought that that was when it seemed the Giants were destined to win. A sack there, and the Giants hopes take a MAJOR hit, even if they would be able to convert 4th and long, because of the long field and the clock continuing to run.

Amazing how many times the Pats had chances to win this one and - as if Asante's drop was the perfect metaphor - let it all slip right through their fingers, even despite the horrible OL play for most of the game.

If the Patriots had missed this many plays in the clutch in any of their previous three Super Bowls, they would have lost any of those games, too.

 

[bozotexino]

I've got to buck the trend and go with that horrible 3rd & 1 early in the game where Maroney got stuffed and lost yardage. To me, that was a big momentum changer right there. It seemed like they could get something going if only they had gotten that first down, but who knows. Maybe it would have been a different game, maybe not.

That Pierre Woods non-fumble recovery was big too. How did he not recover that ball? Somehow, I think he did, but it doesn't really matter now.

To me, those failures earlier in the game hurt worse than the stuff at the end. Change one or two plays early on, and the Patriots are up 21-3 and it's a completely different game...