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Today in Patriots History
Pats Rout Colts, 43-22
Pats Rout Colts, 43-22
Saturday January 11, 2014 at 8:15
2013 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Game at Gillette
New England Patriots 43, Indianapolis Colts 22
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Chuck Pagano
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Andrew Luck
Odds: New England favored by 7
Patriots improve to 13-4, advance to AFCCG at Denver
Colts finish to 12-6
Key Stat I:
Interceptions: Luck 4, Brady 0
Key Stat II:
Patriots Rushing: 46 attempts, 234 yards, six touchdowns
Colts Rushing: 21 attempts, 69 yards, zero touchdowns
Key Stat III:
Time of Possession: Patriots 35:00, Colts 25:00
Doesn't-matter-even-if-they-know-the-play-call Stat:
LeGarrette Blount took 27 snaps on offense.
Of those 27 snaps he ran the ball 24 times (89%).
Despite this tipping of their hand, Blount ran for 166 yards (6.9 yards per carry), and four touchdowns.
Colts run out of playoffs by Patriots, 43-22 | IndyStar
On the third play from scrimmage, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck threw left, toward wide receiver LaVon Brazill. Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard stepped in front of Brazill, intercepted the pass and returned it 27 yards to the Indianapolis 2-yard line to set up a touchdown.
Luck's second interception came on a deflected pass that was a bit behind fullback Stanley Havili but should have been caught. The football bounced off Havili's shoulder pad to linebacker Dont'a Hightower whose interception spiked a promising Colts' drive at the New England 36.
No. 3 came on a deep pass intended for tight end Coby Fleener. Linebacker Jamie Collins intercepted and returned to the Indianapolis 18 to set up another touchdown. Luck added a fourth late in the final quarter.
Run-heavy Patriots end the Colts season with a 43-22 win | Fox59 Indianapolis
This new era of Colts kept up one of their recent traditions: starting off slow then rally. But as even the team admitted at times this season, it finally caught up to them at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Colts fell behind 14-0 quickly in the first quarter and cut the lead down to seven on a few occasions, but were never able to tie or get the lead in a 43-22 loss to New England.
Chuck Pagano’s second season ends with a 12-6 overall record, advancing farther than any Colts team has since 2009. Indianapolis is now 0-3 all-time in playoff games played in Foxborough.
Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount broke a few franchise records | CBS Sports
LeGarrette Blount rushed for four touchdowns and Stevan Ridley added two more as New England ran by the Colts. The six rushing touchdowns were the most in franchise history and the second most in NFL playoff history, trailing only the seven touchdowns the Chicago Bears ran for in the 1940 NFL Championship Game.
The Patriots' 234 rush yards were the second most in the team's postseason history, trailing only the 255 yards the 1985 team ran for in the AFC Championship Game against the Dolphins.
A large chunk of that 234 rushing yards came on Blount's 73-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, which was the second-longest scoring run in Patriots playoff history. Blount had more yards on that one run than the Colts had in the entire game (69).
Blount tied Curtis Martin's franchise record for most yards rushing in a playoff game (166) and set the team record for most rushing touchdowns in any Patriots game, ever.
LeGarrette Blount runs for 4 TDs as Patriots clobber Colts | ESPN (AP report)
The Colts got a break late in the first half when Danny Aiken's snap sailed over punter Ryan Allen's head, ending up in a safety. The Patriots also got a break that the Colts didn't get a touchdown out of it after Allen failed to concede the safety.
Allen fumbled into the air, and Indianapolis' Jeris Pendleton slapped the ball out of the end zone.
"Ryan probably wasn't sure how close they were to him," Belichick said.
Allen hurt his shoulder on the play, and place-kicker Stephen Gostkowski punted the rest of the game. Brady took over Allen's holding duties.
Rapid Reaction: New England Patriots 43, Indianapolis Colts 22 | ESPN (Mike Reiss)
Running game sparks attack again: For the third consecutive game, the Patriots' ground attack was the difference-maker, led by hard-charging LeGarrette Blount (franchise-record four rushing touchdowns). The Patriots split snaps at running back evenly among Blount, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, and sliced up the Colts with strong work up front by the offensive line -- left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Logan Mankins, center Ryan Wendell, right guard Dan Connolly and right tackle Marcus Cannon -- as well as tight ends Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan and fullback James Develin. When the Patriots run it like this, it brings back memories of the 2004 Super Bowl championship team for which bruiser Corey Dillon was the lead back.
Stock watch: Jamie Collins -- up. The Patriots' top pick in the 2013 draft (52nd overall) was thrust into an expanded role, in part because linebacker Brandon Spikes was placed on season-ending injured reserve earlier in the week. Collins had played just 25 percent of the defensive snaps during the regular season, but he didn't come off the field and made his presence felt as a tackler, pass-rusher and in coverage with an interception. He was all over the field in what was a coming out party for the ultra-athletic defender from Southern Mississippi.
What's next: The Patriots will play in the AFC Championship Game against the winner of Sunday's game between the visiting San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos (4:40 p.m. ET). If Denver beats San Diego, the AFC Championship Game will be played in Denver. If San Diego beats Denver, the AFC Championship Game will be played in New England.
