The Play that Cost the 2008 Patriots the Playoffs posted by Mike Dussault
It would be easy to say that Tom Brady going down in Week One was the defining moment of the 2008 New England Patriots.
Sure, in many ways it was, but with Brady going down just twelve minutes into 2008 there was still a full season of football to be played. So, ultimately the 2008 Patriots were not defined by a lack of Tom Brady, they were defined by not being able to beat any of the elite teams they faced.
In a season where the AFC East was decided by the third tie-breaker (conference record) there were a handful of plays that, had they gone the other way, the Patriots would've been crowned division champs.
You never truly know that mistakes that will come back to haunt you when they happen. Some people may point to Jabar Gaffney's dropped touchdown pass or David Thomas' Unnecessary Roughness penalty against the Colts that cost the Pats at least a shot at overtime, and potentially a win, but there was another play that I believe was truly the difference in the 2008 Patriots season.
That play came in overtime against the New York Jets in Week 11.
Matt Cassel had threaded a touchdown pass to Randy Moss as time expired to force overtime. The Pats had amassed over 500 yards of offense and looked primed for a huge come-from-behind win. But, as fate would have it, the Jets won the coin toss and choose to receive the ball in overtime.
When the New York offense took the field on their 20-yard line it was impossible to know that the playoff fate of the Patriots hung in the balance.
On first down, Pierre Woods, in his first start filling in for an injured Adalius Thomas, sacked Brett Favre for a loss of 5-yards. Then Gary Guyton broke up a pass intended for Leon Washington on second down forcing the Jets into a 3rd-and-15 situation.
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