Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

"Tom Brady improved his record as a postseason starter to 12-1 despite throwing three interceptions. Was it the most unlikely postseason victory in NFL history?

Consider the following:
1. Brady had never before thrown more than two INTs in a postseason game, and the Patriots had lost all seven regular-season games in which he threw three or more.
2. Brady threw 51 passes in the Patriots' victory. Prior to New England's win, 26 teams had thrown at least 50 passes in a regulation-length postseason game and all 26 lost.
3. The Patriots' longest run was for seven yards by Kevin Faulk, snapping a 25-game losing streak by teams whose longest run in a postseason game was seven yards or less. The last team to win a playoff game under those circumstances was the Baltimore Colts in the 1959 NFL championship game against the Giants."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2731517

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

In other words, no we were not crazy for wondering how the heck did we win this game all last night.

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

And I am sure the Chargers and Marty are wondering how the heck we won too..

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

And to continue that thought, should we (or other fans) be surprised that NE was quite jubilant after that game?

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

Pats over Rams in 2001 was the most unlikely playoff win ever, hands down.

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

Stats can't capture some choices... for example, throwing an INT on fourth down, when you know the Bolts get the ball anyway. Of course, that ended up being the play of the game, because the Pats don't score without the INT... but that could not be predicted. What can be said, is that the INT in that instance is not the statistical equivalent of, say, an INT in goal-line territory that gets run back to your own 1 yard line.

The Denver INT that pretty much crushed all hope last year, and the INT that really had little downside, and ended up perversely helping us win this year, both go down as INTs. What we can say, is that the Bailey INT last year was less of a solid decision than this INT, which was a good decision.

On the other hand... yeah, it was pretty evident it was a matter of gutting it out and taking what opportunities presented themselves. We certainly did not stomp them on an every-down basis; if anything, they were moving the ball on us much more fluidly.

But then, the stat that matters is the one on the scoreboard.

PFnV

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

I'm the biggest Pats fan ever, but the Jets over the Colts in 1969 was the biggest NFL playoff upset ever, and more unlikely than the Pats win against the Rams. The Pats regular season loss to the Rams at least showed that the Pats could hang with the Rams, their was no indication that the Jets could hang with the Colts.

Re: Most Unlikely Playoff Win Ever? ... Elias thinks it Might Be.
 

It is truly amazing. How poorly overall that we played, yet we still won. Hopefully we bring our A game next week.