FOXBOROUGH, Ma. – New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez undercut an Anthony Richardson throw intended for wide receiver Alec Pierce, grabbed the ball and rolled to the ground with what easily could’ve been a game-sealing interception.
With about eight minutes left, the Patriots had a 24-17 lead and the ball just shy of midfield. Any points there would’ve put New England up by two scores, likely without enough time for the Colts to mount a comeback.
But for the first time in Sunday’s game, the Colts’ defense kept the Patriots from moving the ball past the 50-yard line. The Colts took over after a punt on their own 20-yard line with 5:34 left, in need of an 80-yard drive to – let’s be real here – save their season.
Richardson and the Colts’ offense delivered. It took 19 plays, including three fourth down conversions, and then a gutsy decision by head coach Shane Steichen to go for two and win the game – or lose and face nearly-insurmountable odds to make the playoffs. Every play carried the weight of a season on it. The Colts executed when it mattered. And they won.
Here’s how it happened, with an inside look at those three fourth down plays before the two-point try:
Fourth-and-3, 3:33 left, ball on the Colts’ 40-yard line: The Colts did still have three timeouts left, but realistically, a turnover on downs would’ve given New England a prime chance to ice the game with a field goal. As Steichen relayed the play to Richardson, he told him: “You’ve got to have it right here. You’ve got to make it work. Find a way.”
The play was designed to free up wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. against man coverage, but the Patriots dropped into zone with safety Jabril Peppers blitzing off the right side of the formation. Peppers had an unobstructed path to Richardson, who was forced to bail out to his right – where no pass-catcher was designed to be.
Richardson evaded Peppers – an impressive piece of…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at News…