Why Colts weren't fooled by Patriots fake spike: 'That's a Belichick thing right there'
FRANKFURT, Germany — A Colts defense that dominated the Patriots passing game all day ended up facing a couple of wrinkles on New England’s final drive, the last gasp hope for the Patriots to leave Deutsche Bank Park for a win.
For starters, Bill Belichick pulled starting quarterback Mac Jones and sent backup Bailey Zappe into the game for that drive.
Then Zappe tried to pull a fast one.
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Deep into a drive with the clock ticking down, Zappe faked a spike, dropped back and fired a ball to Demario Douglas, draped in coverage by three Colts.
Free safety Rodney Thomas II picked off the pass, sealing a 10-6 win for Indianapolis and a long but relieved flight home for the Colts.
“That’s a Belichick thing right there, trying catch us off guard, little things like that, you have to pay attention to,” defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. “Reaching in the bag right there, trying to find a play.”
New England’s play had problems right away.
“I mean, can’t say what I want to say, but we were kind of behind on time the way we talk about yards — one yard for every second,” Zappe told Patriots reporters after the game. “We were trying to get ahead of the time by taking a shot. We figured the play that we had — fake spike, trying to catch the defense off guard, not get the rush going — that worked, but that’s just me trying to force it.”
Before the ball was even snapped, the Colts defensive linemen and linebackers stood up straight, pointing at the Patriots offensive line to ask for a flag.
“Two of them moved early,” Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I don’t know if he even gave a cadence.”
Zappe hesitated for a beat, then continued into his drop.
Few in the Indianapolis back seven were fooled.
Franklin stood up in his stance for a moment, calling for a false start, then realized the play was continuing, found Douglas and ran underneath him, taking away the short throw while Thomas II and Blackmon sat over the top of the route.
“First of all, it was a false start, but it wasn’t a good fake,” Franklin said. “If you spike the ball, you’re not going to look at another receiver after that, you’re probably just going to walk off.”
Thomas II picked off the pass easily.
And to back up his middle linebacker, the Indianapolis free safety didn’t even realize the Patriots had faked the spike.
For him, it was an easy catch over the middle to end the game.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts not fooled by fake spike: 'That's a Belichick thing right there'
