INDIANAPOLIS —
It would have been the most remarkable final play in Super Bowl history.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wound up from just beyond the 50-yard line and threw a high-arching pass into the center of the end zone. Tight end Aaron Hernandez attempted to box out three New York Giants defenders and leap for the ball.
He deflected it, and for just a moment it looked as though teammate Rob Gronkowski would have a chance to make the catch. But the ball was just outside of his reach, and the pass landed alone in the back of the end zone.
It’s going to be an offseason of what-ifs for the AFC Champions, who lost to the Giants 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“We got our chances,” head coach Bill Belichick said. “We couldn’t make enough plays, and the Giants made a few more than we did.”
The final pass was far from the only thing that didn’t fall New England’s way.
The troubles started on the team’s first offensive play, when Brady was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone and handed the Giants a safety.
Later, a 12-men-on-the-field penalty prolonged New York’s first touchdown drive after New England had apparently recovered a fumble.
“We made more mistakes than they did,” Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch said. “Regardless of the plays they made, we didn’t capitalize on the chances they gave us.”
Indeed, the Giants put two more fumbles on the ground that the New England defense failed to recover.
And Brady was responsible for the game’s lone turnover, heaving an interception deep downfield with the Patriots protecting a two-point lead.
At times against New York, Brady was at his best. He set a Super Bowl record with 15 consecutive completions, and his touchdown pass to Hernandez on the first drive of the second half gave New England a 17-9 lead.
But Brady and his receivers failed to hook up when it mattered most. Wes Welker dropped a wide-open pass late in the fourth quarter that would have put the Patriots at least in field goal range to extend their lead.
The ball was thrown a bit over Welker’s head, but he got both hands on it and couldn’t bring it in.
“That’s one of those plays I’ve made 1,000 times,” Welker said. “I just didn’t make it.”
Was it perhaps a little behind him, Welker was asked? Was there anything Brady could have done to deliver the ball better?
“I’ve made that play in games, in practices, my whole life,” Welker said. “It comes to the biggest moment of my life, and I can’t come up with it. It’s discouraging.”
Welker was far from alone.
Branch couldn’t come up with a ball thrown just behind him to start the final drive, and Hernandez dropped the next pass to bring up third down.
“We didn‚t play good football at all,” Branch said, “and we still had a chance to win the game.”
That chance had faded badly by the time Brady launched his final Hail Mary.
“Let’s be honest, that’s a low-percentage play,” guard Brian Waters said. “But we’ve got some good football players. So you know you’ve always got a chance.”
Gronkowski watched the play unfold in front of him. He’d been the center of attention throughout the week because of his ankle injury suffered during the AFC Championship Game victory against the Baltimore Ravens.
He had a chance to play the hero. But, just like his team’s opportunity for a fourth world championship, it fell just short.
“It’s just a jump-ball play, and Aaron did a good job of deflecting it there,” Gronkowski said. “We just couldn’t pull it in.”
Pro Sports
Mistakes cost Patriots fourth title
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has quickly earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit.
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Deacon Jones of famed Fearsome Foursome dead at 74
David “Deacon” Jones, the original sackmaster, has died.
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Seeking elite status
Many stages are set in the long-running drama that is the Indianapolis 500.
The 97th running on the famed oval today has the potential to provide a new four-time champion in Helio Castroneves or Dario Franchitti.
A win for either driver would tie them for the all-time lead in the Indy 500 as A.J. Foyt (1961, ’64, ’67, ’77), Al Unser 1970-71, ’78, ’87) and Rick Mears (1979, ’84, 88, ’91) are atop that mountain with four wins a piece.
While Castroveneves starts in the middle of row three, he and his team won the pit stop competition on Carb Day. The last time Castroneves won the pit stop competition, he won his third Indy 500.
“The field is so close and we have at least 20 cars that are capable to win this race,” Castroneves said. “My previous win, it was actually won on that as well. We were able to execute in the right time and they were able to put me in a very good opportunity to execute.” -
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. -
Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. -
Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
As the 2013 NFL draft gets underway tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Indianapolis Colts are continuing their wait-and-see stance in regard to the first-round pick.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. — televised by the NFL Network and ESPN — with the Kansas City Chiefs making the night’s first selection. Teams will have 10 minutes to make their decisions during the first round. Indianapolis will have the 24th overall pick in the first round.
There will be only one round tonight. The second and third rounds are scheduled for Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with seven minutes allotted per pick in the second round and five minutes allowed in the third. The final four rounds are slated to begin at noon Saturday with four minutes between selections.
As it stands now, Indianapolis does not have a second-round pick. It was traded to Miami last fall in exchange for veteran cornerback Vontae Davis. But second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has nut ruled out the possibility of trading down from the first round if the Colts aren’t satisfied with the players available. -
Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
The Indianapolis Colts’ roster moves just keep coming.
While the Colts haven’t yet added that big-name wide receiver that team owner Jim Irsay hinted at in tweets over the weekend, Indianapolis has addressed one area on offense.
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had agreed Monday night to be the Colts’ primary back-up to second-year starter Andrew Luck. He officially signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the team Tuesday morning.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Matt Hasselbeck,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in a prepared statement. “His body of work, intangibles, and extensive league experience speak for themselves. Those factors, plus his familiarity with our offensive scheme, will make him a great asset to our team and its vision as we move forward.” -
Colts introduce free-agent signees
What the Indianapolis Colts accomplished last season — posting an 11-5 record and earning an AFC wild-card berth with a young team plus having that kind of success without its head coach on the sidelines for 12 games — didn’t go unnoticed by players around the NFL.
That was especially true for the five veteran free agents who were added to the Colts’ roster Tuesday. Offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus (Detroit), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona), outside linebacker Erik Walden (Green Bay), offensive guard Donald Thomas (New England) and linebacker Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta) admitted as much Wednesday.
“I felt like this would be the best fit for me at this point in my career. I really liked what I saw was happening with the program here and the way things have taken shape. I feel like we have a really great team here and it’s on the rise. I really wanted to be a part of that,” Thomas said during a teleconference interview with the Colts’ media. -
Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
A week ago, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said it was a priority that the team retain the services of punter Pat McAfee.
McAfee, an unrestricted free agent who’s contract is due to expire March 12, was designated as the Colts’ franchise player Friday. The move allows Indianapolis extra time to work out a long-term deal for the team’s special-teams ace.
“He’s huge. He’s a major priority in free agency. Obviously, we’ve reached out and are working to get Pat re-signed,” Pagano said during the National Football Scouting Combine. “We saw what he did for us last year. He’s a great weapon, not only kickoffs and touchbacks. -
Colts' Pagano back to full work schedule at combine
Back and ready to go.
That’s the attitude Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano is taking during the National Football Scouting Combine, which completed its second day of operations Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. During a wide-ranging press conference at the combine, Pagano confirmed that he is back to a full work regimen after missing 12 games last fall as he battled a rare form of leukemia.
After undergoing cancer treatments that featured heavy doses of chemotherapy, the second-year head coach was able to return to the sidelines for Indianapolis’ final regular-season home game against Houston and for the team’s AFC wild-card matchup with eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore. -
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Former Illinois star Meyers Leonard living the NBA dream
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Leonard has moment for highlight reel, but Pacers come away with victory
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Titans to sport new look vs. Colts
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Lions present many challenges for Colts
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Wild card looking mighty doable right now: Colts improve to 7-4 with win
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Do-or-die Bills next for Colts
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How will the Colts rebound vs. the Bills?
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Colts healthy entering key road game
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Colts, Patriots renew rivalry for 10th straight year
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Times have changed
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For starters, that’s the only game the 1-7 Jaguars have won this season. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has posted wins in four of its last five games and is rolling along with a 5-3 record.
Many Colts point to that loss in the third week of the season. Indianapolis led 14-3 at the half and were ahead 14-13 after three quarters of play.
In fact, the Colts led 17-16 with 0:45 remaining in the game. That’s when Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert connected with speedy wide receiver Cecil Shorts III on an 80-yard pass play that resulted in the final margin of victory.
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Not pretty, but Colts take win
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Colts wish linebackers could play more at same time
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