The Chargers turned the ball over four times in the first half and were held in check until the end of the fourth quarter. Despite all of this, the Chargers had a 50 yard FG attempt by kicker Kris Brown(not to be confused with the great-Rihanna beater Chris Brown) to send the game into OT with 1:30 left. This guy is very white but hit the right upright with the kick and the Patriots eeked out a 23-20 win for the second week in a row. The Patriots lead 23-6 at a point in the fourth quarter. This lead dwindled as Chargers QB Phillip Rivers(34-50 336yds, 1 TD 1INT) lead a drive that ended in a Chargers TD on a pass to the injured Antonio Gates. The Chargers then pulled off a gutsy on sides kick which they recovered at their own 40 yard line. They then took the ball down the field again and scored once again on a Mike Tolbert run to make it 23-20 with four minutes left. The Patriots' offense was unable to put them away and had a fourth and one at their own 49 yard line where a first down puts the game away for the team. Once again, coach Bill Belichick elected to go for it and once again they were stopped. This decision will be broken down all week long but I think Belichick makes it every time in this situation. His defense had been chewed up on two straight drives and he thought the best chance to win the game was to go for it. However, the argument can be mad that he had the confidence in the defense to hold the Chargers to a long field goal attempt if the offense failed. It was a gutsy call and one could say punting would have been more logical here but you play to win the game and Benjarvus Green-Ellis is an excellent short yardage back. In the end, the defense held the Chargers to a long field goal attempt which clanked off the right upright and lead to the Pats fifth win this season. It was not pretty at all but the Patriots did enough to take advantage of San Diego's mistakes to win the game and that is all that counts in the standings.
The Patriots return home next week for a re-match with Randy Moss(aka the pothead),Brett Favre(sponsor of Wrangler open fly jeans) and the Vikings which should have plenty of headlines besides the actual game. The offense looks to get back on track against a defense that is getting ripped apart by the Packers right now.
Winners/Losers
Winners:
1. The defense- They won this game for the team against a potent San Diego offense causing four turnovers in the first half and holding them at the end of the game.
2. Zoltan Mesko- his average punt yardage was only 38.3 but he scooped numerous Jake Ingram(see losers) snaps off the turf and got them off.
3. Stephen Gostkowski- the kicker hits 3/3 and that's all you can ask for as he also hit some great kicks on kickoffs.
Losers:
1. Jake Ingram- the second year long snapper from Hawaii could be looking for work this week after numerous shaky snaps on punts and field goal attempts.
2. Tom Brady- this is being critical of the all-pro but it falls on his shoulders when the offense doesn't move the ball which they didn't all that well today. Without the defense, the Pats lose.
3. the offensive line- Brady was sacked 4 times and hurried all game long making it difficult to generate much offense.
P.S. went 2 for 2 in my Money in the Bank this weekend so hopefully dad can pay for food in the house this week
Bill Belichick Press conference here.
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