In his postgame conference Brady says:
",we played pretty good today. if we played like that today, I'd love to go against anybody, whether it's the Jaguars or any of these other teams. This happened to be the team we played against.  Like I said, we just played good..."

What I take from it is this, Brady and the bunch just got a shot of confidence and that was the worst thing that could happen to the rest of the league.  A confidence Patriots team is not what Indy or Chargers want to see going into the playoffs.  It is very reassuring hearing the leader of this team be so confident after a game. 

Is that confidence different than the confidence they had when they had won 3 in a row by a combined score of 121-24 only to give up a 17 point lead in a loss to the colts?

in 2007 the last game of the season the Patriots played the NY Giants, the Giants lost that game but because the game was so close it gave them the confidence they needed to make their SB run and beat the 18-0 Patriots.  I remember still the postgame conference after the regular season game and how excited the gianst were about their performance against the greatest offense the league had ever seen.
The Colts beat the Pats yes but the Pats know with a little better D they can go into Indy and beat your Colts at home.
not all confidence is gained from wins.

underdoggg, just worry about your gay Colts buddy! Judging from yesterday, there's stuff to worry about...

With a full Running Back contingent in place we probably would not have been in a position to lose the Colts game anyway.  We were afraid to run and worried about our defense.  Why else would you choose a short pass on the line.

pats73 - I agree that not all confidence is gained from wins, but the pats are not the rising giants, they are the team of the decade, right?  So, who do you think gained confidence in that game, the team that scored 21 points in the 4th quarter or the team that lost by giving up 21 points in the 4th quarter?

The team that had not won 18 straight regular season games, Indy knew all along they could score anytime.  The Pats were a question mark and in some areas still are.  They learn the offense can compete, IMO NE was the team to come out of that game with confidence.
By confidence I mean they knew if the fixed a few things they would have won that game.  They knew they were not playing their best football unlike the Colts and they about came out with the win. 

Does Joseph Addai still play? Just wondering...

He may have been sending a message to every team in the league.  Everyone has been questioning this Pats team for good reason.  They have been inconsistent.  They only have 1 win on the road.  4 of the 5 losses were 4th qtr collapses.  But you have to think that Brady believes this team can beat anyone when they are all on the same page.  This is still a very talented offense, but for whatever reason they have not played a game all season like they did yesterday.  Thats gives him confidence.

As far as the Colts, they could be 16-0 imo.  They gave the jests that game yesterday when PM sat out.  With that being said, I highly doubt that the Pats are intimidated by the Colts.  They went into Indy and blew them out then had one of thier infamous 2009 4th qtr collapses.  So I will take nothing away from Indy in that win, because they didnt give up when NE was up by 17.  They fought back and won.  But please believe that this team is not intimidated by the Colts or any other team in this league.

Underdogg,

the colts will be kicked out of the NFL for intentionally tanking games. 
You are now free to be a pats fan. I will send  you a brady jersey today if you would like.

i hope the pats find themselves at the Q for the AFCCG.

Yes he did..I picked it up during the 4th quarter and haven't had time to translate yet...It said.

-.--   ---   ..-   .-.     .-   .-..   ..-.    ..-    -.-.   -.-    .    -..

pats73 - so the colts were playing their best football when they allowed NE take a 17 point lead? 

The Colts have been in and out of trouble ALL SEASON LONG. Do you not watch your own team? When they were down 17 to the Patriots it's not like they'd been winning big all year and anyone was surprised they got down 17. We deserved to lose that game because of the Brady pick, the Maroney fumble at the goal line, and the second to last Patriots drive where we milked a measly 80 seconds off the clock before handing it back over to Geyton.

The Colts didn't play their best game but that's been their thing ALL YEAR. Considering their competition that day, their most convincing victory overall was beating Arizona in Arizona 31-10 coming off the Monday night game in Miami the week before. That, to me, was their most impressive win.

Oh and that game was MUCH MORE of the Patriots taking it from the Colts instead of the Colts giving it away. We attacked your secondary with Moss all day and we ran the ball pretty well that day too knowing your run defense was lousy. Our rookie LT also shut down Freeney.

ap - exactly.  The colts didn't play their best game and rarely have put together a 60 minute clinic, and yet they went 14-0 and had the lead and the ball when they went to their back ups in the 15th. 

the colts know as you do that they can play a better game and that doing so is very possible. 

And yet, with all of those positives, your team still lost.  That should trouble you.

underdogg: Here is the bottom line question - Would YOU be willing to risk some serious personal money on the colts - if they meet the Patriots in the playoffs?

PatFanInBA2 Posts: 934 First: 9/22/2009 Last: 12/28/2009

underdogg: Here is the bottom line question - Would YOU be willing to risk some serious personal money on the colts - if they meet the Patriots in the playoffs?

Now your talking my language patfan. Nothing says Fan support like a couple of notes in the key of "C".

Sorry guys.   Not a bettor, and not a predictor.  I wouldn't predict that the colts will beat the pats if they face each other again.  If you guys read my posts you know that. 

Maybe that has something to do with the smallest amount of understanding I have for the colts decision.

underdogg: 'Not a bettor' is an easy way out - most of us are not 'bettors'.

Underdoggg - are you still on about the 'team of the decade' nonsense? Do you really think any Patriot fan wouldn't trade that title for another Lombardi trophy? Don't worry - SI will anoint your beloved Colts 'team of the decade' very soon, right after they bestow the title of world's greatest man on Peyton Manning.

And the Patriots will still have 3 legitmate titles, not voted on awards like the college BCS, with 4 total Superbowl appearances, and the Colts will still only have one title, and probably only one appearance

You'll still have more regular seasons wins though, big whoop, they can't be that important as evidenced by the Colts decision yesterday( though I fully support their right to play it the way they want)

While conceding underdogg(g)'s point that the Colts could possibly play better than they did in their first meeting with the Pats should they meet again in the playoffs, it's worth mentioning that, had New England fully capitalized on all of its red zone opportunities in that game, they would have dropped 56 on the Colts.

Neither team played its best.

Anybody else notice the colts had starting Olineman in when Painter got blindsided for a TD? 

UGOH SATURDAY DIEM LILJA -IN

"i hope the pats find themselves at the Q for the AFCCG"                                                                                 -jbolted ...and so do Patriots fans jbolted.  You sound like a Steelers fan who can't wait for NE to come to Pittsburgh for yet another playoff win.  Have the Chargers ever really proven to you that they are a safe bet to win anything when it counts?  Happy New Year.