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Hey Bill! Next Time, Punt!

Belichick's decision cost the Patriots the game.

By Jason Hendry

| Monday, Nov 16, 2009 | Updated 9:45 AM EST

Kevin Faulk comes up short on a crucial fourth and two from their own 28. The Colts scored on their ensuing drive for a 35-34 win.

Boy, Sunday was not a great night for New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

On 4^th and 2 from his own 28-yard line and leading by 6, the Patriots' head coach decided to go for it. The man once described as a genius made one of the most classic bone-headed calls of all-time.

Not only did his team fail to get the necessary yardage, but he also handed the ball over to Peyton Manning and his offense with just a few yards of green in front of them for a win.

Did Belichick forget who Peyton Manning was? Did he not realize that this was the most prolific quarterback in the league? He gave a future Hall-of-Famer a 28-yard field to get a winning score. I guess he didn’t get the updated tapes on how good Manning is.

The obvious call in that situation would have been to punt. Even an average punt would have put the Colts at their own 30-yard line. Hmmm, let's do the math here. What’s easier? A 70-yard drive or a 28-yard drive? I’m no mathematician, but I’ll go with option “A” thanks.

What are the ramifications of this gigantic brainfart? Besides the immediate loss, this could hurt the Patriots come playoff time.

Right now, they stand at 6-3 and are the third seed in the AFC. The Colts have a three-game lead over them for home field advantage and the Denver Broncos have a one-game lead. As of now, this could mean a trip to Denver or Indy for a second round game instead of hosting it in Foxborough.

Losses like these tend to sting early and bite back later in the year.

For the Patriots' sake, let's hope the genius didn’t out-smart himself.

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