By George Bremer, Herald Bulletin Sports Writer
ANDERSON — Jeff Judge could sympathize with Bill Belichick on Monday.
The Anderson University football coach, in fact, probably understands New England’s controversial late-game call better than anyone else in Madison County.
“I did the exact same thing,” Judge said.
Facing a fourth-and-2 at his own 28-yard line late in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night, Patriots coach Belichick decided to go for a first down rather than punt the ball away to Peyton Manning’s offense.
New England running back Kevin Faulk first made contact with Tom Brady’s pass between the 31- and 32-yard lines. He appeared to juggle the ball, however, and was ultimately brought down at the 29.
The Patriots, with no timeouts remaining, couldn’t call for an instant replay review, and Manning found Reggie Wayne in the end zone four plays later. Matt Stover’s extra point with 13 seconds left clinched the Colts’ improbable 35-34 victory.
Judge faced a similar circumstance in October of 2004, during his first season as the Ravens’ head coach.
AU led Franklin 45-43 late in the fourth quarter, and Judge faced a fourth-and-6 inside his own 30-yard line.
The Grizzlies had been routinely beating AU on a post route, and the Ravens’ offense was playing exceptionally well.
Judge decided to go for the first down, and the offense failed.
But AU was bailed out when a defensive end hit the Franklin quarterback while he was throwing, and then-cornerback Maurice Swain made a game-saving interception.
“I felt, all things considered, there’s a better chance to go for (the first down) and get it than there is to stop them on defense,” Judge explained.
The Grizzlies had scored on the post route on their two previous possessions, and their offense was able to dictate AU’s defensive formations.
“We didn’t have any answers,” Judge said. “Belichick was probably in the same place I was. (Thinking) it doesn’t matter if they have to go 70 yards or 20, they’re still going to score.”
The Colts had marched 79 yards on just six plays in 1 minute, 47 seconds on their previous possession.
A punt, based on Chris Hanson’s work to that point in the game, would have left Indianapolis somewhere near its own 28-yard line with about 2:00 and one timeout remaining.
The prior drive is proof that’s far from an insurmountable task for Manning.
“I loved it,” Lapel coach Nate Andrews said of Belichick’s decision. “Here’s a coach who wants to win the game. He’s tough enough to make the decision he thinks is best for his team, and he’s not afraid of what anyone else thinks.”
Pendleton Heights coach John Broughton understands Belichick’s thought process.
“One play, and you win the football game,” he said. “Two yards.”
But he doesn’t agree with the decision.
“I can tell you, 100 percent of the time, in that situation, with the lead, with the game where it was, you punt the football,” Broughton said.
Andrews admitted he likely wouldn’t have made the same call.
“I probably wouldn’t have done it, even though I did love it,” he said. “Maybe I’m just not confident enough in my own abilities yet.”
Judge has done it. Even though it worked out, he clearly still has some reservations.
The most pressing concern is the impact such a decision has on the defense.
Former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi told a national radio show Monday morning he was disappointed in Belichick.
New England, Bruschi said, has a championship defense. And, in his opinion, championship defenses should be given the chance to win a game.
“There’s a confidence factor,” Judge said. “The defense is judging your confidence in them by what you do as a coach, the decisions you make.”
Andrews, who served as a defensive captain as a senior at Ball State, took a different perspective.
“I think he showed confidence in his offense,” he said. “That’s the way I looked at it.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to kick off deep instead of going for an onside kick after Indianapolis scored to cut the lead to 34-28 showed great confidence in his defense.
That decision was rewarded when safety Melvin Bullitt stopped Faulk inches short of the final first down.
“That’s how close this game is,” Broughton said. “What an exciting finish.”
