AFC Championship New England vs. Indianapolis January 21, 2007

The critics were all lined up ready to ask the obvious, “Peyton, what is Belichick doing to beat you guys year in and year out?” It seemed that New England was headed for its fourth Super Bowl in six years. The Patriots were winning in all facets of the game. Tom Brady was his usual calm self in the pocket. The defense was getting pressure on Peyton Manning. Even the special teams were outplaying the Colts. At this point you didn’t want to see another Patriots Super Bowl. Not because they didn’t make them exciting, but you wanted Peyton to finally get his chance at winning the Super Bowl. Everyone did. The story as it usually goes is you have to beat your rival to get to that game. Well, he did in dramatic fashion.

Everything went the way it was supposed to for the Patriots. Three touchdowns, including an interception by Asante Samuel of Peyton Manning seemed to seal the game at halftime if you can believe it. New England lead 21-6 and all seemed lost. Now I don’t think anyone else I knew were thinking that this game still could be won. Peyton has had great comebacks before, but none of this magnitude. Peyton drove down the field scoring a touchdown to start the second half. Down 13-21. The ball came back to Peyton and he lead another drive that resulted in a score plus a two point conversion. Game tied 21-21. All signs were in favor of the Colts.

Tom Brady answered with a touchdown pass to give New England the lead again, 28-21. All hope was nearly gone in the fourth quarter when a fumble in the endzone by Indianapolis resulted a stroke of luck when Jeff Saturday, the starting center recovered the fumble for the tying touchdown. The next three possessions resulted in field goals, two by New England and one by Indianapolis. Patriots lead 34-31.

Peyton’s moment came in the Colts final possession. During the drive, he jammed his thumb on a Patriots helmet. It appeared the comeback would not be complete. We knew that wouldn’t keep him out of perhaps the most important game of his career up to that point. He taped it and began to methodically drive down the field completing pass after pass. The final play was not won by his arm, but by running back Joseph Addai for the go ahead touchdown with one minute left. New England was stunned. The celebrating could last only for so long as the Colts had to stop the Patriots from scoring, which weren’t a problem as Tom Brady was intercepted to end the game.

The Colts had finally gotten over the hump and into a Super Bowl with their franchise quarterback. They went on to beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI 29-17. Peyton’s moment though was and will always be this decade the game before the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick had no answer for Peyton in the second half. The Patriots did not just fall over by any means, but the Colts had more determination to win it. The greatest quarterback of my generation got his big ticket on this day and will probably get another one or two before you know it.