A Tribute to the Rivalry of our Decade

This article was written by Ted Hao, NOT myself (John Hao). He is my older brother and will contribute occasionally with randoms such as this or fantasy advice.

Bill Belichick

While America was busy commemorating the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 and enjoying the start of another NFL season, the current rivalries of today and tomorrow were being created and built up. Whether it be age old rivalries such as last season’s NFC championship game featuring the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers to fresh and refreshed teams like the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens and of course divisional games like the hard hitting NFC East, the rivalries add an extra dimension of interest to these games. The greatest NFL rivalry of the past decade or is not traditional in the form of division grudges but rather two dominant (and different) forces. Our greatest rivalry of the past 8 seasons involves two individuals rather who lead their respective teams. If you’re thinking the hated New England Patriots and the rigid Indianapolis Colts, give yourself a hand. As you peel the onion back, if the faces that come to mind are Peyton Manning and Bill Belichek, you should enjoy the rest of this article as an astute observer of the NFL. Despite Peyton’s recent injury and looming possibility of a season long recovery, this rivalry has dominated the NFL for most of the last decade and although will be sorely missed.

Now I know most of you are automatically tuning this out as soon as Tom Brady didn’t appear as the prime candidate for a Colts/Patriots rivalry (especially the fantasy geeks out there). While Brady is a phenomenal quarterback in Belichek’s system, he is indeed just that; a system quarterback. Albeit he is one of the best of this era or any era for that matter, he is still nonetheless a system quarterback. Without spending much time on debating whose team the Pats belong to on the field, I’ll briefly mention it was Belichek who won games first with Bledsoe and then with Brady (when Bledsoe got injured) and furthermore elected to leave Brady as a starter when Bledsoe returned from injury to win their first superbowl together in 2001. Advantage there goes to Belichek as he had the gall to think outside of the box and use a green and raw player rather than a proven star. Brady’s statistics weren’t eye popping or jaw dropping as he did just enough to move the chains, control the clock and make crucial plays. The following season resulted in the Pats going 9-7 and missing the playoffs with Brady as the featured volume passer (600+ attempts) and we all know the rest. Now granted the Pats wouldn’t have won as many titles without Brady, however Belichek coached the Pats to an 11-6 record with unproven (and mostly unknown) Matt Cassel when Brady went down during the first drive of the 2008 season, leading many to believe he would have either retained Bledsoe and remained competitive if not won or developed another player.

Consider the coach called Belichek and the successful seasons he has had with the Patriots. Remember the betting line of the 2001 superbowl and the kind of underdogs the Patriots were against Vermeil’s Rams? How then did a team of no name superstars conquer a team consisting of then all-world Marshall Faulk and 2 time MVP Kurt Warner (not to mention hall of famer Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt)? Brady didn’t pass for a million yards and a dozen touchdowns to get the win as the game was a close one (20-17). Like any good coach, Belichek puts his players in positions or situations to succeed and unique ones at that. From game winning Vinatieri field goals to game ending Bruschi defensive plays, they constitute the bottom line. Under Belichek, the Pats aren’t a flashy, high scoring run and gun team (save 2007), nor do they consistently rely on specific strengths (heavy running attack, stifling defense, high volume passing, etc.). Instead they transform and adapt on a game-to-game basis and season-to-season situation. They reflect the coaching style that has governed and led them to successive years of success. Whether Belichek is isolating key match ups, exploiting a team’s weakness or playing to his own strengths the Patriots at the very least always leave themselves with a chance to win in the end and key players (depending on the opposition) are always strategically left in a position or opportunity to succeed.

Peyton Manning

Once Peyton mastered Tom Moore’s offense in Indianapolis, the sky was the limit and he took the Colts franchise along for the ride. As soon as the turnovers were cut down on his game, Peyton proceeded to amass monstrous statistical seasons in addition to the deep playoff runs and eventually that elusive superbowl ring. I don’t need to go into detail about his 4 MVPs or his then record setting touchdown season (surpassing Dan Marino). All of a sudden here was Archie’s kid, calling and changing plays at the line of scrimmage like a head coach or offense coordinator. At first much to the dismay and aggravation of the general audience but overtime would capture the hearts and cheers of America as his play calling and unique game control resulted in near guaranteed touchdowns. No quarterback has ever been able to execute the style of play calling he does with regularity and achieve such overwhelming and tenured success. His understanding of the game has allowed him to become a true hybrid of a coach and player by the time he came into his own, a revolutionary to his position as well as the overall impact on the game. Although Belichek is not considered in general to be a revolutionary coach as Peyton is to the quarterback position, both individuals will most certainly be considered the greatest at their craft during their respective time.

As the Colts game onto the scene as legitimate title contenders, Belichek’s Patriots were there to foil their plans year after year. Following a regular season loss to the Pats at home in 2003, Peyton would eventually throw a game ending interception at the hands of Teddy Bruschi (whom Belichek put in place by making the linebacker aware of Peyton’s favored check down in the red zone) in Foxboro. Adding salt to the wounds, the Colts then lost in Foxboro on opening night the following season in a 27-24 heart breaker. Needless to say Belichek masterminded a 20-3 thumping of the Colts later on that year in the playoffs on their way to a 3rd superbowl ring. If the Colts were ever going to win behind Peyton, then Belichek and the Patriots were the longstanding obstacle they had to overcome. A superbowl win without such going through the arch nemesis Belichek would be considered empty as the rite of passage came when Peyton finally broke the spell of his increasing reputation of big game losses in 2006. The Colts were trailing 20-6 at the half of the AFC championship game and everyone had started thinking same song and dance when the Colts rallied to win 38-34 and eventually on their way to a superbowl ring of their own. The superbowl was a first and much needed in terms of Peyton’s legacy but the punctuation of the season was the comeback win against Belichek and his Patriots that will be a game for the ages.

The telling moment of this rivalry came however during the 2005 season following the Patriots 3rd superbowl win. Although neither of these titans went to the February dance that season, both were heavy if not outright favorites to represent the AFC. During a regular season Monday Night game, the Colts met the Patriots in New England (Colts were 8-0 and the Pats were 4-4 at the time). Peyton had never won in Foxboro throughout his career up to that point (hence losing 2 years in a row during the playoffs to the Pats) and Belichek had just achieved immortal football status (3 superbowl rings in 4 yrs). The chips were stacked against the Colts but Peyton came out fighting and ignored the media. Despite unanimous opinions on both Peyton and Belichek’s professional, conservative and flawless reputations as a player/coach, both flashed mortal behavior in the midst of their competitive nature. Peyton had just drove the Colts to a 40-21 4th quarter lead that had virtually assured his first win in New England and furthermore a momentum breaker in the one sided rivalry. Rather than kick the extra point, Peyton convinced then head coach Tony Dungy to go for 2 (as if he wanted to put the Colts ahead by 3 TDs). There was brief confusion and before the play was snapped Belichek threw the red flag for a challenge with an unusual and frustrated scowl on his poker face. And there it was for everyone to see, the pundits, the experts, the die-hard fans, the fantasy nuts and all of football nation. Two of the greatest minds in football history playing dirty on a personal level. There was no need to add insult to injury in this game, as the result was a forgone conclusion. Perhaps Peyton had enough of the years of torment and out maneuvering at the hands of Belichek. There was no need to throw the challenge flag. The touchdown play that resulted in the score was as clear as day for all to see, irrefutable evidence that could definitely not be overturned. The play was a touchdown by all leaps and bounds from every and all angles, why then the red challenge? It became apparent as the officials huddled up with the coach and eventually advised Belichek to pick up the flag as this was not going to prevent Peyton from running the play as opposed to kicking the PAT. The 2-point conversion failed and neither team scored again as the clock was run down but the point was made and the gauntlet was cast for all to see on national television. This was a rivalry that had been in the making since 2003 when Peyton had just burst onto superstardom and Belichek had just begun to build a dynasty. Unlike quarterback match ups where neither player technically sees the other on the field, the trademark and chess play of these legends were met directly in every game. Peyton’s ever changing and ever evolving offensive play calling at the line of scrimmage against Belichek’s calm, cool and collected anticipatory defense.

Since 2006, both teams have returned to the February game once without a win on either side. With exception to the game mentioned above as well as playoff games in 2003 and 2004, the final outcome was decided by 4 points or less including playoff games when these 2 individuals met up to and including last season (Pats won 31-28 at home). While Peyton (and Brady) is locked into a long-term contract agreement and Belichek’s tenure in New England is far from over, there is no guarantee of success in the NFL. This could not be more evident in the recent surgeries Peyton has had to endure and the gloomy outlook the Colts face without their franchise quarterback. Let the injury serve as a reminder to long for the seasons left with Peyton and Belichek, remember this long and outstanding rivalry and savor the moments to come. Bearing witness to both of these tremendous individuals will in time provide us the privilege to recant their rivalry for future generations. What a campfire story that would be as these two were indeed that special.

These teams could have (and some will guarantee it) won an additional superbowl or 2 if not for the other. Who can say if the red hot Colts led by Peyton wouldn’t have defeated the overachieving Carolina Panthers in 2003, the mistake prone Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 or the miracle New York Giants in 2007? Or if the Belichek led Patriots wouldn’t have overcome the awful interception throwing Chicago Bears in 2006 or the blitz heavy New Orleans Saints in 2010. One thing is for certain, coach Belichek and Peyton would have had a change of pace game plan or line audible for those hypothetical teams as well as being decent if not heavy Vegas line favorites. And in Vegas you can bet it is Peyton and Belichek that the odds makers think of first when they prepare the lines for this non-divisional rivalry.