Pats Survive Packers Scare 31-27

Monday, December 20, 2010

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

It didn’t go exactly as planned, but it was a win for the Patriots. A game that was expected to be an easy victory for New England, instead went down to the final play of the game. The Patriots Tully Banta-Cain sacked Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn on 4th and 1 from the New England 15 with no time remaining to preserve a 31-27 win.

It was a bizarre night to say the very least. The game started with Packers coach Mike McCarthy calling for an on-side kick to start the game. Green Bay executed it to perfection and proceeded to march 40 yards on 11 plays taking a (3-0) lead on a Mason Crosby field goal.

The Patriots offense answered on their first drive of the game with a 7-play 73-yard drive. BenJarvis Green-Ellis reached the end zone on a 33-yard run to make it (7-3) Patriots.

The Packers would score the games next 10 points to take a (17-7) lead late in the second quarter when the play of the game took place.

With just over 2 minutes to play, Green Bay decided to squib a kick on the ground to avoid a big return. What the Packers didn’t count on was offensive lineman Dan Connolly lumbering down the field 71 yards to the Packer 4. Connolly set an NFL record for the longest kick return by an offensive lineman on that play.

Three plays later, Tom Brady found rookie TE Aaron Hernandez from 2 yards out to cut the Packer lead to three at (17-14).

On the Packers opening drive of the third quarter, Matt Flynn was intercepted by Kyle Arrington who took it to the house. Four Green Bay players missed tackles on Arrington as the Patriots jumped back on top (21-17).

Green Bay had an immediate answer marching 59 yards on 13 plays to regain the lead (24-21) when Flynn hit RB John Kuhn for a 6-yard scoring strike. That score also featured some very poor tackling, this time by the Patriots.

Early in the 4th quarter, Green Bay had the ball 1st and goal on the New England 2. Three plays later it was 4th and goal from the 1 when McCarthy decided to bring his field goal unit on. It was a curious decision to say the least given that the Packers opened the game sending caution to the wind with their on-side kick. With a chance to go up 10 in the 4th, this hardly seemed like a time to go conservative.

That was McCarthy’s decision and it proved to be a costly one.

Down (27-21), the Pats mounted a scoring drive which resulted in a Shayne Graham 38-yard field goal pulling New England to within three.

A 3 and out by the Pack gave Brady and the Patriots the ball back with 9:38 to play. Six plays later, Brady found Hernandez for the second time, this time from 10 yards out to make it (31-27) Pats.

After two quick scoreless drives by both teams, the Pack got the ball back with 4:22 to play at their own 43. That’s when the Patriots Brandon Merriweather seemed to seal the victory with an interception. But, a penalty on Tully Banta-Cain for illegal hands to the face nullified the pick and put the ball back in Green Bay’s hands.

Flynn marched the team all the way down to the New England 15 yard line, but poor clock management and general confusion on the part of the Packers quarterback led to a unorganized final play which resulted in the Banta-Cain sack to preserve the win.

It wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing Patriots performance, but it was a win and that’s all that matters at this point in the season.

NOTES:

-Bill Belichick didn’t seem too pleased after the victory. You can bet that he will play and replay all of the shoddy tackling by his team when they watch the film today at Gillette Stadium.

-Green Bay dominated the game statistically outgaining the Patriots 369-249 in total offense. The Packers also dominated time of possession 40:48 to 19:12 keeping Brady and the offense on the sideline for much of the evening.

But, the Patriots won the all important turnover battle once again. Green Bay turned it over two times while New England extended their NFL record to 6 consecutive games without a turnover. In those 6 games, the Pats have forced 15 turnovers from their opponenets.

-Jerod Mayo led the Pats with 16 total tackles increasing his NFL-leading total to 164 on the season.

-Rookie cornerback Devin McCourty played an outstanding game once again, injure rib and all. The first round pick finished with 10 total tackles, 2 for a loss. He had 1 sack, a pass defended and a QB hit.

-At (12-2) on the season, New England travels to Buffalo Sunday before hosting Miami to wrap up the regular season on January 2nd. A win in either one of those games would clinch the #1 overall seed in the AFC meaning a first round playoff bye and home field throughout the AFC playoffs.