What did you think about Belichick’s decisions to pull Brady with five minutes left in the game?
I didn’t like it. I think there is 5 minutes and 40 econds left to go. Even with playing a Saints team that Brady can take them from the 27-yard line, 73 yards in two, 2-1/2 minutes? It is not out the realm of possibility. It is probably a one-in-five chance, I think, that you convert an onside kick, one-in-six maybe. So, is that out of the realm of possibility? I don’t think so. So, if those two things happen it is conceivable to score 14 points in four minutes or so and be there at the two-minute warning or so in the game, kicking off. It is not the worst decision a coach has ever made, but I just raised the point that Bill Belichick was the guy two years ago who had them on for 60 minutes every game. Again, I don’t think you need to relive what happened two years ago in the fourth quarter of some blowout games but, the fact is, he played those same players up 38 points in the fourth quarter of games two years ago.
I went back and looked at the Washington game. I believe the score was 38-0 with two minutes left in the third quarter and Brady was in and they played absolutely normal, throwing the ball downfield. On the play-by-play, I don’t remember the game, but on the play-by-play I believe there was one play described as a deep pass down the side of the left side to Randy Moss to make it 45-0.
Brady came back in the game that year against Miami after Matt Cassell threw a pick-six to Jason Taylor …
I will never argue with it when there is 25 minutes left in a game. The only thing I am saying is that they were ahead of the Washington Redskins 38-0, throwing the ball downfield with 12 minutes to go in the game. That was then. All I am saying is that is how Bill Belichick coached Monday night surprised me. It is an indictment of his coaching ability? No? To me it is an inconsistency that is curious and especially, even though you are getting your rear end handed to you. I just bring up the game that the Indianapolis Colts played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Is it a once-in-a-lifetime game? Yeah? Is it probable or even likely that the Patriots are coming back against the Saints? Absolutely not. I am just saying that in 2003 the Colts scored 21 points in four minutes against the fifth=ranked defense in football. I don’t think it is out of the realm of possibility that Brady could have rallied them. But I don’t think it is likely either.
