Just got home from the game

[JTO Smooth]

It was a long 9 drive hour drive back home today. Just got back a couple of hours ago. Our hearts are aching and our spirit is broken, but the Pats just couldn't hang on last night.

It was a perfect trip until the last 33 minutes of the game. Pre-game Indy was a lot of fun. I highly recommend St. Elmo's Steakhouse and all the bars and restaurants are within easy walking distance of the hotels and stadium. Very nice, clean city. We wore Pats jerseys the whole time and got some ribbing, but were treated pretty well by the locals. No complaints.

One disappointment, though. There weren't nearly as many Pats fans as I thought there would be in Indy. In our entire section, the two of us were the only Pats fans. I saw a handful of Patriots jerseys here and there, but they were few and far between.

The RCA Dome is actually nice if you like domes. I will say one thing about it, it's the loudest place I've ever been. You couldn't hear yourself think when we had the ball. It was incredible. I've never experienced anything like it before.

But at 21-3, we were giddy. It looked like it was going to be one of the greatest road trips of all time. But give Manning credit, he did what he had to do to win the game. Their defense is really quick on that carpet, and we wore down as the game went on. They were tired also, but they fed off the energy that their crowd generated in the building.

At 21-21, we were worried. Then Ellis put us back on track with his KO return and TB made it 28-21, and we got optimistic again.

Then they came back.

Then we came back.

Then.... well, you know.

As much as I hate to lose, the Colts beat us, and deserved to win. Last night, they were the better team.

Give them credit, and good luck to them in the Super Bowl.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Yes good luck , but Im pulling for the Bears...

 

[mosi]

The last thought I had was 3rd and 3, run the ball. 4th and 3, run the ball. If you can't make 3 yards to win the game, then you really should not think about winning.

 

[JTO Smooth]

In hindsight, what killed us most was failing to get a 1st down on the next to last series. We started with a 12 men on the field penalty, and 1st and 15. In three downs we only gained 11 yards and had to punt. Without that penalty, who knows. If we had gotten ONE STINKING FIRST DOWN right then, TB would have seriously milked the clock, probably all the way down to 0:00.

 

[Willie55]

Was it as hot in the dome as has been said?

 

[JTO Smooth]

Nope, it might have been a little warm, but 60,000 rabid, screaming Colts fans caused most of that heat. That place was crazy loud, and the natives created a lot of energy in that place.

This BS about Polian "turning up the heat" at the Dome is Loser's Limp. There's no way anybody could use that as an excuse. Besides, the Colts players played in the same building.

 

[JTO Smooth]

I keep hearing a rumor that Teddy Bruschi is going to retire in the offseason.
That would be a big blow for this defense.

 

[Willie55]

As long as he doesn't pull a Ted Johnson and do it on the eve of training camp I think we'll be all set. The Pats should be able to find an adequate replacement.

 

[bigdgp]

Was it as hot in the dome as has been said?

Yes, it was that hot in there and there was a lot of noise coming over the intercoms as well. It was also comical what a bunch of babies some of the Colts fans were. Literally whining when it was 21-3. It was like before the Sox lost to the Yankees in 2003 when Pedro got left in. I couldn't believe what a bunch of crybabies they were before they took the lead back. I was not impressed with many of the Colts fans. Despite minding my business before and after the game, I had people throw snowballs at me, taunt me, push me. It was ridiculous. It sucks that the NFL let them cry their way all the to the Superbowl and now we're going to have to listen to jackasses espouse how they're such a great team the way people never did for the Patriots after they had won 3 titles. Hallelujah Baby Polian gets his way..

 

[Michigan Dave]

I got back about 3:30 Monday morning, but have been too sick to my stomach to post. This one hurts.

It was sooooooooo hot in that dome, BTW (someone asked.) I had originally worn a long sleeve, my Belichick hoody, and then by Brady jersey. By the end of the game, I just had on a tee and my jersey, I had sweated through everything else. I lost 4 pounds, and I didn't even play.

I just feel ill right now. 3 minutes, the ball, one first down to the Super Bowl. Ugh. I haven't felt this bad in a looooong time.

 

[italian pat patriot]

It was a long 9 drive hour drive back home today. Just got back a couple of hours ago. Our hearts are aching and our spirit is broken, but the Pats just couldn't hang on last night.

It was a perfect trip until the last 33 minutes of the game. Pre-game Indy was a lot of fun. I highly recommend St. Elmo's Steakhouse and all the bars and restaurants are within easy walking distance of the hotels and stadium. Very nice, clean city. We wore Pats jerseys the whole time and got some ribbing, but were treated pretty well by the locals. No complaints.

One disappointment, though. There weren't nearly as many Pats fans as I thought there would be in Indy. In our entire section, the two of us were the only Pats fans. I saw a handful of Patriots jerseys here and there, but they were few and far between.

The RCA Dome is actually nice if you like domes. I will say one thing about it, it's the loudest place I've ever been. You couldn't hear yourself think when we had the ball. It was incredible. I've never experienced anything like it before.

But at 21-3, we were giddy. It looked like it was going to be one of the greatest road trips of all time. But give Manning credit, he did what he had to do to win the game. Their defense is really quick on that carpet, and we wore down as the game went on. They were tired also, but they fed off the energy that their crowd generated in the building.

At 21-21, we were worried. Then Ellis put us back on track with his KO return and TB made it 28-21, and we got optimistic again.

Then they came back.

Then we came back.

Then.... well, you know.

As much as I hate to lose, the Colts beat us, and deserved to win. Last night, they were the better team.

Give them credit, and good luck to them in the Super Bowl.

thks for the report

 

[italian pat patriot]

In hindsight, what killed us most was failing to get a 1st down on the next to last series. We started with a 12 men on the field penalty, and 1st and 15. In three downs we only gained 11 yards and had to punt. Without that penalty, who knows. If we had gotten ONE STINKING FIRST DOWN right then, TB would have seriously milked the clock, probably all the way down to 0:00.

i agree 100% with you

imho that was the 'moment' that killed us - correct

 

[cringelyindy]

Pre-game Indy was a lot of fun. I highly recommend St. Elmo's Steakhouse and all the bars and restaurants are within easy walking distance of the hotels and stadium.

One disappointment, though. There weren't nearly as many Pats fans as I thought there would be in Indy.

Didn't you go to the Hard Rock before the game? Seems like EVERY Pat fan in town was there. Was impressed how the word got out to meet there and how many actually made the trip but your right they were lost in the dome. My friends found out that the HR was the pre game rally point and played a trick on me and we had lunch there to watch the Bears game. ( At this point I need to appolgize the the guy in the Minuteman hat and foil Lombardi trophy.. he was going from table to table and when he got to ours I told him to get away...sorry, just too much pre game jitters combined with my seething dislike for the Pats.. made for great yucks with my friends tho and I am sorry was unsportsmanlike of me)

In all my years I have never been in the dome when it was that hot. I can buy into consiracy theories that say it was done purposefully.

Anyway all in all you guys aren't the a-holes I expected and were gracious in defeat. Hope to see you all next season for the regular season game. This time we will choose a better place then the generic Hard Rock!

 

[JTO Smooth]

I actually thought the Colts fans were OK. Nobody threw any snowballs at me, and nobody taunted me. As far as the crowd noise, I agree, it was the loudest stadium I've ever been to. And I don't know where you sat, but the fans around me were going apesh*t for the entire game. Yeah, when we were up 21-3, and they were plenty worried, but I would have been, too.