Comeback Kid Finally Falls Short
Monday, January 22, 2007; 12:35 AM
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tom Brady had an unfamiliar look on his face Sunday night, the look of a comeback quarterback who finally ran out of rallies.
That boyishly handsome face that has graced so many magazine covers was blank _ neither a smile nor a frown. The right arm that has squired actress girl friends to glitzy parties had just thrown an interception that ended the Patriots' season.
  New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) stands on the sidelines in the closing moments of the AFC Championship football game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007, in Indianapolis. Indianapolis beat New England 38-34. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (Amy Sancetta - AP)   The Indianapolis Colts overcome the rain and a sloppy start to beat the Chicago Bears, 29-17. The Colts' victory ignites a wild celebration among the white-and-blue attired fans in the sea of colorful vinyl rainwear that populated the soggy stands. Peyton Manning fills the final hole in his legend as the greatest quarterback never to win the biggest game. Leonard Shapiro: Tony Dungy and Manning seal their place in history by winning the Super Bowl. Manning adds a Super Bowl MVP award to his long list of achievements. Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes plow forward for the Colts go-ahead touchdown and never look back. There was a collective failure by the Bears' offense, but Rex Grossman provides the most vivid images. Notebook: Two assistant coaches who participated in the Super Bowl likely will interview for Dallas' head coaching job. On Our Site Wilbon and Kornheiser share their thoughts live during Sunday's big game. Photos: Relive all of the action from the NFL playoffs. Audio: Manning on the Win. Audio: Grossman on the Loss. Audio: Dungy Praises Smith. Quarterly Report (PDF) A Slew of Errors (PDF) Graphic: Play of the Game. MARK MASKE'S NFL INSIDER • Jaguars Tackle in Critical Condition • Lions Bolster Backfield With R. Johnson |
The Super Bowl spotlight would not be his. Not after the Indianapolis Colts pulled off the biggest comeback in conference championship game history in a 38-34 win.
When Brady's last pass was picked off by Marlin Jackson with 16 seconds left, Brady removed his helmet and walked slowly to the sidelines _ stunned.
"It was over, that was my only thought," he said.
Usually, Brady's smiling at the end of playoff games _ he had only lost one of 13 before Sunday.
But even he knew what he was up against when he took his first snap of his last series of the season. He was at his own 21 with only 54 seconds left. A field goal wouldn't do.
"You're backed up and time was an issue," Brady said. "It's not like you have 2 minutes and 30 seconds. You have a minute or less. ... It's tough."
Twenty-four times Brady had led New England to a victory from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie. He did it just a week earlier in a 24-21 win over San Diego with 10 points in the last five minutes.
He did it in his first Super Bowl, when the Patriots beat St. Louis 20-17 in 2002. With 1:21 and no timeouts left, the Patriots had the ball was at their own 17 and the score was tied at 17. Brady completed 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards to set up Adam Vinatieri's last-play, 48-yard field goal to win it.
The first sign of Brady magic came in his first postseason game _ the AFC divisional playoffs in 2002, a 16-13 overtime win over Oakland in the snow at Foxborough _ the "tuck rule" game. Brady's apparent fumble seemed to end the Patriots' drive for the tying field goal, but it was overruled by replay when he was said to be tucking the ball away rather than throwing it.
The Golden Boy seemed poised to lead another winning comeback Sunday night when he led the Patriots to two fourth-quarter field goals and a 34-31 lead after Indianapolis had tied the game at 28.
