A prayer for Colts-Patriots craziness, and an ode to the best playoff shootouts ever
Andrew Luck vs. Tom Brady has the potential to be a quarterback duel for the ages. And even if it isn’t, this is as good a time as any to revisit the magic of playoff shootouts.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The best thing to come out of the Divisional round -- and I’m speaking for the betterment of all of us -- was to see Indianapolis and New England decide to stop giving two spits about the running game. It means there’s a chance -- chance -- that we’ll get the sort of slap-stupid, id-scratching aerial fun that turns a great game into something magical during the playoffs.
The Patriots did not give a single carry to a running back in the second half of their comeback win against the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts didn't even try to establish a running game until it was well apparent that the Denver Broncos offense wouldn't be mounting any sort of threat -- 12 of the 25 combined carries between Daniel Herron and Zurlon Tipton came in the fourth quarter, when the Colts were up eight points or more. Combined, albeit in separate games, Tom Brady and Andrew Luck attempted 93 passes, which would tie for the seventh-most ever in a playoff game.
That Bill Belichick let Brady throw 50 times isn't a surprise. Perhaps no coach is as quick to recognize what isn't working and eject it from the game plan. It's a level of confidence that a head coach could only gain after 15 seasons, 194 wins and three Super Bowl titles with the same team. Belichick doesn't need any of that, mind you. He is just that much of an anachronism -- the most successful coach who somehow has the gnarliest coaching tree, and no lack of social skills if only you lived in his world.
The Colts had their decision made for them. They traded for Trent Richardson and signed Ahmad Bradshaw under the pretense that rushing is a tenet of successful football. Then Richardson busted, Bradshaw got hurt and it didn't matter what the Colts thought football should be. It would have to be Luck's offense exclusively or else the Colts could go muck around as unnoticed as the rest of their division.
Potential exists for lots of passes, deep balls and touchdowns this weekend, all to determine one half of the Super Bowl. Here is a prayer that the game is as wild as it could be. Not because we deserve it, or because we need it -- as if the NFL playoffs are ever lacking for drama -- but because we want it, badly. And sometimes, if you're Belichickian, you take what you want. Or if you're everyone else, at some point you want something so badly that it feels like it is owed to you.
So yeah, maybe we do need this.
The passers
The first best thing about Andrew Luck's method of trash talk is that it is hilarious. The second best thing is the realization that it is still trash talk. Behind every one of those compliments was malice. Luck drove defenders crazy. Hey may be an evil genius.:
Carroll was walking back to the huddle when he heard “Great job, Nolan!” He turned around, searching for the person who said it-maybe it was a teammate, he thought. “Then I realized it was Luck who said it. I’m like ‘what’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to be mad?’” Carroll said. “So then I’m the one who gets ticked off because an upbeat attitude isn’t something you see.”
Luck looks like a person who would reflexively greet you with a bear hug. More importantly, he knows what he looks like. He knows how effective his kindness can be, and how it can kill. Luck has mastered a form of psychological warfare rarely seen in the NFL. It’s insidious, and it proves just how smart and self-aware he is.
Tom Brady isn’t as clever. He won’t try to dupe opponents into a false sense of security. No one thinks he’s sweet. And anyway, Brady subsists just fine on his own fire. Last week, he got away with screaming in a ref’s face. Not only was he not flagged, he was galvanized.
The 2014 season in Brady headlines:
Brady is becoming more crotchety and potty-mouthed as his time approaches twilight. Anger may be what’s keeping him burning so bright, and what’s making him more volatile as a player.
Post-freakout Brady went out on the next drive and accounted for 56 yards and the touchdown on a 67-yard scoring drive. But on the Pats’ next possession, it was obvious he still hadn’t shaken off the confrontation -- because there is no way a clear-thinking man with 60,000 career passing yards would ever try to rifle a pass 30 yards downfield while aiming one foot above a linebacker’s head:
From a personality standpoint, this is already an A-plus matchup.
The history
Luck ranked third and Brady ranked 10th in the NFL in passing attempts and passing yards during the regular season, which means that both quarterbacks threw for a lot of yards and were effective doing so. This is good.
The best shootouts presumably feature a lot of both -- enough pass attempts to qualify for the term “shootout,” and enough passing yards to be watchable. Remove one of those elements and the game may still be good, but it’s not as certain. Few attempts and lots of yards means a lot of big plays, but it could also indicate that one quarterback is dominating the fight.
Below are the most prolific combined playoff passing performance in NFL history by attempts and yardage. Games in bold are among the top 14 all-time in both categories.
| Date | Teams | Comb. pass attempts | Date | Teams | Comb. passing yards | |
| Jan. 14, 2012 | 49ers-Saints | 105 | Jan. 7, 2012 | Lions-Saints | 839 | |
| Jan. 2, 1982 | Dolphins-Chargers | 102 | Jan. 2, 1982 | Dolphins-Chargers | 809 | |
| Jan. 10, 2015 | Ravens-Patriots | 96 | Jan. 4, 2014 | Colts-Chiefs | 799 | |
| Dec. 29, 1968 | Raiders-Jets | 96 | Jan. 10, 2010 | Packers-Cardinals | 779 | |
| Jan. 8, 2011 | Saints-Seahawks | 95 | Jan. 16, 2000 | Vikings-Rams | 762 | |
| Jan. 3, 1987 | Browns-Jets | 95 | Jan. 5, 2003 | Browns-Steelers | 752 | |
| Jan. 5, 1996 | 49ers-Packers | 93 | Jan. 6, 1985 | Steelers-Dolphins | 747 | |
| Jan. 29, 1995 | Chargers-49ers | 93 (Super Bowl) | Jan. 13, 2008 | Colts-Chargers | 714 | |
| Jan. 26, 1992 | Bills-Washington | 92 (Super Bowl) | Jan. 9, 2005 | Colts-Broncos | 714 | |
| Jan. 4, 2014 | Colts-Chiefs | 91 | Jan. 10, 2015 | Ravens-Patriots | 700 | |
| Jan. 13, 2013 | Patriots-Texans | 91 | Jan. 14, 2012 | 49ers-Saints | 699 | |
| Jan. 5, 2003 | Browns-Steelers | 91 | Jan. 5, 2003 | Giants-49ers | 683 | |
| Jan. 17, 1999 | Falcons-Vikings | 91 | Jan. 13, 2013 | Patriots-Texans | 669 | |
| Jan. 20, 2013 | Patriots-Ravens | 90 | Jan. 3, 1987 | Browns-Jets | 666 :o |
The box scores of the bolded games is a reminder of just how wonderful football can be:
Drew Brees vs. Alex Smith (Saints-49ers), 105 attempts for 699 yards -- Jan. 14, 2012
A game of swings that featured a combined 34 points scored in the fourth quarter and a breathless finish. Brees was blistering -- 462 yards on 63 attempts -- but Smith got the best of him. On the final four full offensive possessions of the game, the two quarterbacks went a combined 16-for-21 passing for 301 yards and four total touchdowns (one rushing). Smith hit Vernon Davis for a 14-yard touchdown at the end of an 85-yard drive to give the 49ers the lead for good, 36-32, with 14 seconds remaining.
Dan Fouts v. Don Strock (Chargers-Dolphins), 102 attempts for 809 yards -- Jan. 2, 1982
A stunning game. You probably don’t remember Don Strock. He was a career backup in Miami. But he came off the bench to go 29-for-43 passing for 403 yards, four touchdowns and one interception to nearly outduel Fouts. He did lead the Dolphins back from a 24-0 deficit, but lost in overtime, 41-38.
Joe Flacco v. Tom Brady (Ravens-Patriots), 86 attempts for 700 yards -- Jan. 10, 2015
You JUST saw this game. The Patriots came back from two 14-point deficits to win. It was great.
Bernie Kosar v. Everyone (Browns- Jets), 95 attempts for 666 yards -- Jan. 3, 1987
DOUBLE OVERTIME. Just six double-OT games have ever occurred in NFL history. This one wasn’t much of a duel. Bernie Kosar dominated the stat sheet, going 33-for-64 passing for 489 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Browns outgained the Jets, 558 to 287, but faced a 10-point deficit with 4:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. They needed a field goal at the end of one of the third-longest NFL game ever to pull out the win, 23-20.
After, Browns head coach Marty Schottenheimer called it “one of the finest games in the history of this sport.“
Andrew Luck v. Alex Smith (Colts-Chiefs), 91 attempts for 799 yards -- Jan. 4, 2014
Alex Smith was on the happy end of a playoff thriller in 2012, so maybe the universe felt he needed to be humbled. After scoring a touchdown to take a 38-10 lead just after halftime, the Chiefs held a 99.1 percent win probability. Then everything slowly came apart. The Chiefs' defense became complacent, allowing short passes to turn into big gains. The Chiefs offense wasn't nearly as efficient as it had been for a little more than a half. Luck threw three interceptions, but also had 443 yards and four touchdowns.
The game ended feebily on fourth down incompletion by the Chiefs. Smith became the first quarterback to throw four touchdowns with no interceptions and lose a playoff game. Final score: Colts 45, Chiefs 44.
Matt Schaub v. Tom Brady (Patriots-Texans), 91 attempts for 669 yards -- Jan. 13, 2013
(The only real dud on this list. The Texans never led after kicking a field goal to go up 3-0 early in the first quarter. The Patriots eventually went up, 38-13, in the fourth quarter, and only a late flourish from Schaub made the score look more semi-respectable at 41-28. Maybe you should just ignore this one.)
Kelly Holcomb v. Tommy Maddox (Browns-Steelers), 91 attempts for 752 yards -- Jan. 5, 2003
Who do you root for when both combatants are Rocky Balboa? Maddox actually played well as the Steelers’ primary starter that season, but Holcomb was only in action because Tim Couch broke his leg in Week 17. Then coming off a 7-for-14 debut, he lit it up in the playoffs, going 26-for-43 for 429 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. The game might have been the high point of his career if Maddox hadn’t been on fire in the second half. Maddox bounced back from two first half interceptions to lead touchdown drives on four of the Steelers’ final five possessions. After going down, 24-7, in the third quarter, the Steelers came back to win, 36-33. That was the last time the Browns made the playoffs.
---
Luck or Brady appears three times in the games above, so your most optimistic hopes aren’t misplaced. Whether Luck v. Brady lives up to those hopes is another matter. But even so, let us be thankful for the joy that shootout football has brought us. This game’s forebears taught us the lessons that make watching sports so valuable: that no deficit is insurmountable, that greatness is permitted to everyone, and that everything is possible. Just think, this Sunday you may get exactly you wanted. Amen.
See More:
