FOXBORO, Mass. -- One game into the season this is what we know about the New England Patriots. They absolutely, positively can't lose to the Indianapolis Colts. They make the right plays at the right moments. And their quarterback is just as good as he was the last time we saw him.
But there was something new, something different and something downright disturbing about the defending Super Bowl champions in Monday's 27-24 victory over Indianapolis. Their defense looked like last year's Kansas City Chiefs.
 | |
| Willie McGinest wraps up Peyton Manning for the sack that saves the game for the Patriots. (AP) |
Sure, the Patriots forced three Indianapolis turnovers inside their 20 -- including a crucial fumble by Edgerrin James on the 1 -- but they surrendered 202 yards rushing, 142 of them by James. Not only didn't an opposing back puncture them for that many yards last year but no team did it, either.
But that's not all. No opponent ran for more than 119 yards last year, and only twice in the past 15 games -- including a playoff win over Indianapolis -- did a club produce 100.
Now this.
"We played a very bad game," said safety Rodney Harrison, sounding more like a survivor than a victor. "There was so much we did wrong that there were a lot of guys disappointed. There's a lot of room for improvement."
The good news here, of course, is that despite their shortcomings the Patriots prevailed -- winning their 12th straight game at home. But they prevailed because quarterback Tom Brady played like the Super Bowl MVP he is, hitting 26-of-38 for 335 yards and three touchdowns. As is his custom, he spread the ball around -- hitting seven different receivers -- with seven completions of 20 or more yards.
"I'd like to take my hat off to the offense," said linebacker Willie McGinest. "They kept us in the game."
Well, so did McGinest. He made the evening's climatic play when he sacked quarterback Peyton Manning for a 13-yard loss on a third down at the New England 17 with under a minute left. That led to a 48-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal that twisted right, his first miss in 43 tries, and the rest you can figure out.
McGinest's play was reminiscent of one he made last year when he stuffed James at the Patriots' 1-yard line in a 38-34 win at Indianapolis. This time, he blitzed Manning from the blind side while Harrison occupied the Colts quarterback with a blitz to his left. It was the second time all night New England called the defense, and it produced the desired result.
"I came off the end, and they forgot about me again," said McGinest. "We figured we would go get them and, God willing, I just came in free. I didn't want to miss, so I didn't try to knock the ball out of his hand. I just tried to take him down."
