After one of the most exciting finishes of the year, the AFC Championship nearly got off to a one-sided start that was only saved by a Tom Brady red zone interception.
After a few mostly uneventful possessions, a punt went off Josh Cribbs facemask, giving the Patriots a short field they turned into a touchdown. Blount ran it in twice, the first time being overturned on review and the second one, well, not.
The Colts had a decent response of their next drive but it ended with Patriots double agent Adam Vinatieri missing from 51 yards.
The Patriots went go for the kill and scored again, this time with a one-yard pass to James Develin. That’s right, an Ivy League educated white fullback touchdowns? Patriots fans probably don’t even care about winning now that they got to see that.
New England nearly ran away with the game. Only a D’Qwell Jackson interception of Tom Brady in the red zone saved the Colts from possibly going down 21-0. An outstanding pinpoint 37-yard bomb to T.Y. Hilton got the Colts into field goal range. A Coby Fleener catch and run that at first looked like it might have resulted in a fumble was ruled down at the 1. From there, Zurlon Tipton, who may or may not be a Buzz Lightyear nemesis, took it into the end zone to make it 14-7.
Then the officiating went to total shit on the Patriots final drive of the half. There was a ridiculous roughing penalty on a hit on Tom Brady. Vontae Davis got away with pass interference. Both times the CBS broadcast was quick to defend the refs. Ultimately, the Pats came away with a field goal to take a 10-point lead at half.