Looking Back (Nov. 4) | Patriots 24, Colts 20
It was billed as the greatest regular-season game of all time, and Sunday's Patriots-Colts matchup did not disappoint.
The last two remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL met in a rematch of last year's AFC title game, which Indianapolis came back to win 38-34. This time around, the defending Super Bowl champion Colts were underdogs against the visiting Patriots, who had piled up record-setting offensive numbers in their first eight games.
Early in the game, the New England defense had no answer for Peyton Manning and the Colts offense, struggling particularly with running back Joseph Addai. The Patriots' defense held the Colts twice in the red zone, but Indy got a sensational touchdown on a 73-yard screen pass to Addai before the half to make the score 13-7.
The Patriots managed to keep the game close, but found themselves down 20-10 with just over nine minutes remaining. Tom Brady responded emphatically, engineering a 73-yard touchdown drive that featured a 55-yard pass to Randy Moss and was capped by a Wes Welker touchdown catch.
When Manning and the Colts had a chance to finish off the Patriots, their offense faltered. An aggressive New England defense got a forced fumble on a sack from defensive end Jarvis Green, and the ball ended up in the hands of linebacker Rosevelt Colvin.
Brady then took over, finding Donte' Stallworth for 33 yards down the sideline to set up the game-winning touchdown pass to Kevin Faulk that gave the Patriots the 24-20 win that kept them unbeaten at 9-0.
Looking Ahead (Nov. 10) | Football: Middlebury At Tufts
The Tufts football team has a chance this weekend to do what it hasn't done this century: win a NESCAC championship. Despite a heartbreaking 19-16 loss to Colby last weekend, the Jumbos are still in the conference title hunt at 5-2. The 6-1 Middlebury Panthers are atop the league standings all alone, but with a win at home Saturday, Tufts can claim a share of the championship.
Middlebury comes to Medford fresh off a 28-0 thrashing of the Hamilton Continentals, and hasn't lost since a 30-22 Week 4 defeat at the hands of Williams. The Panthers boast the league's stingiest defense, allowing just 10 points per game, led by senior Erik Woodring, the team's lone captain and the NESCAC's leader in tackles with 88.
The Panthers have a new quarterback in freshman Donald McKillop, who has thrown just nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions, but their running game is among the league's best. Senior David Randolph is the NESCAC's second-leading rusher this year with 526 yards and six touchdowns.
Saturday is Senior Day for the Jumbos, who take the field before a home crowd at Zimman for the fourth time this season. They are 3-0 at home heading into the crucial Middlebury showdown.
