Hurley: Colts' Defense Posing For Celebratory Photo Should Go Down In History
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
FOXBORO (CBS) -- There's always something when the Patriots and Colts play each other. Whether it's Colts executives complaining about air pressure inside of footballs while getting rolled in a playoff game, whether it's the Colts running the single-worst fake punt in the history of 11-on-11 football, whether it's Bill Belichick calling for an infamous fourth-and-2 attempt, whether it's Willie McGinest conveniently suffering a very minor injury at the right time, or whether it's Ty Law or Rodney Harrison ruining Peyton Manning's seasons, there tends to be a memorable event whenever these two teams meet.
And, to be sure, the majority of this most recent 38-24 Patriots victory over the Colts should be forgotten. It was a Thursday night game, it featured what felt like 300 injuries, it included three interceptions off dropped passes, and it was not the most competitive affair.
However, one event -- one, singular moment -- should be remembered forever.
That moment was this:
For the sake of record keeping, that's Pierre Desir, George Odum, Najee Goode, Lenzy Pipkins, and Malik Hooker in on the celebration with Farley.
If you weren't watching, or perhaps if you looked away for a moment, the backstory is this:
The Indianapolis Colts trailed the Patriots 24-10 midway through the third quarter. The Patriots were driving. The Colts left Chris Hogan all alone on a second-and-8 for what should have been at least a gain of six. Tom Brady threw a pass to Chris Hogan. The pass hit Hogan in the arms. But Hogan didn't make the catch. Instead, he allowed the ball to bounce off his arms and into the air.
Conveniently for the Colts, it bounced right to Matthias Farley, who made the interception and stifled a Patriots scoring drive.
It was a big play, but the Colts still trailed by 14 points at the time, after trailing by 21 points at halftime. There clearly was a long way to go.
But, well, you only get so many opportunities in your lifetime to gather your pals and pose for a pretend photograph on the goal line at Gillette Stadium after "picking off" Tom Brady. So, by golly, Farley gathered up his pals and did exactly that.
The Colts fumbled the ball away four plays later.
In the end, the interception cost the Patriots 20 yards of field position.
Farley later left the game after suffering an injury while getting stiff-armed to the turf by rookie Sony Michel during a 34-yard touchdown run.
In true Colts fashion, head coach Frank Reich said he didn't even know about the on-field demonstration.
"Honestly, I didn't even see it. And that's the honest truth," Reich said when asked after the game about the display. "I have to think about that one. I"m not sure. I feel good about our players celebrating when they make a play. We tell them that all the time. 'Hey, when you make a play, there is nothing wrong with showing a little enthusiasm.' And certainly, score and circumstance has to factor into that on some level. That will be something to think through and evaluate."
That it will. This thing will be evaluated and thought through until the cows come home.
And after that evaluation and thinking, the only reasonable conclusion is that the photo should live on forever. That thing is a beauty. May a banner-sized print-out one day hang high above Lucas Oil Stadium, sitting among the many otherworldly accomplishments of the Colts organization.
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
