It's not a strawman at all. A bunch of people on this board either don't know football or aren't applying their knowledge. For crying out loud, Vinatieri had to hit from 50+ in order for the Colts to win this game. The game plan worked brilliantly. The Colts only had 50 plays in that game, and the Patriots absolutely dominated the time of possession. It was the things that happened outside the game plan that cost the team the game:
Gaffney dropped a deep ball (NOT a conservative call, by the way) that cost the team 4 points.
Thomas got called for the personal foul.
Vinatieri hit from a distance he hadn't made in about 7 seasons.
If any of those 3 things that had absolutely nothing to do with the game plan had not occurred, the Patriots are 6-2. The notion that somehow that's "playing not to lose" is just silly.
P.S. That !#@$ wildcat crap wasn't 'conservative', either. I'd have much preferred they go conservative than run that nonsense because of the personnel involved.
