Peyton almost scored 3 late TDs? Must be his usual magic, right?
Well, after getting three score leads against CIN and PIT - that Patriots D allowed both Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer's offenses to score an additional three TDs late in the game.
A 31-3 game against CIN (halfway through the 3rd) ended up being 38 - 24.
A 23-3 game against Pit (in the 4th quarter) ended up being 39 - 26
Also, A 14 -10 game against the Jets (late in the 3rd) ended up being a 28-14 loss
I won't even mention the 30 points that a Ryan Fitzpatrick lead Bills team managed to score against the Pats. Or the CLE game.
Again, the biggest difference between being up 21 (Steelers) or being up 3 (Colts) or losing the game (Jets) is whether the O can keep scoring -- which they always have to -- which is why they are ranked #1 in points (out of bare necessity). The D keeps leaking like a sieve.
Turnovers are nice, but they don't happen often enough to hang your hat on 'em...[/quote]
The Patriots and Jimmy Sanders in particular,almost had a spectacular day against Peyton. As I was reviewing film, Jimmy Sanders would have had two more INTs to go with his game winner in the dwindling seconds.
Both occurred in the next series after Meriwethers pick. Both times Sanders was prepared for the INT when the "help" of his own players turned the INTs aside.
Mayo and McCourty tipped passes that took away sure INTs. In McCourty's case his first tip, let Jimmy dive for where the tipped ball would go. But McCourty tipped it a second time, away from and out of the diving hands of Sanders.
In the second case, Mayo tipped a clearly errant pass that was going to be thrown directly into Jimmy's hands. The WR went one way, and Peyton tossed the ball the other, and there was no body around to interfere with Sanders catching the INT, but teammate Mayo's leap and tip pushed it aways from Sanders waiting arms.
That would have given the Pats 5 INTs for the game, more than Peyton has given up all season (4), in the other 9 games.
As it was, it was still a turnover filled contest for the Colts.