Chuck Pagano isn’t beating himself up over one of the worst play calls in recent memory.
The Indianapolis Colts completely botched a fake punt attempt Sunday in the third quarter of their 34-27 loss to the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. The failed attempt at trickery sent the Internet into a frenzy, but Pagano, who shouldered the blame immediately following the Colts’ defeat, refused to budge Monday when asked whether he regretted calling for the ill-advised fake punt.
“No, no, not at all,” the Colts head coach told reporters. “I’m not pleased, obviously, with the way that we prepared the guys or coached the guys to go out and execute the play. That’s on me. I talked about that with great length, and I’ve got to be better. But I don’t regret the play call at all.”
Pagano might not regret one specific play in the third quarter — as crucial and as horrible as it was — but Sunday’s loss clearly stung. The Patriots have owned the Colts since Pagano took over as Indianapolis’ head coach before the 2012 season. And those are demons he’ll likely need to exorcise at some point, seeing as how the defending Super Bowl champions look poised for another deep playoff run.
“You sit there and you play it over and over again in your head and ask, ‘Let me fall asleep for just a couple hours, please.’ Everybody goes through that,” Pagano told reporters Monday of the loss. “So, you get a couple hours and you move on. Life moves on. You dust yourself off and you move on.
“We cannot have a hangover from this. We put it behind us (Monday) afternoon.”
Apparently, the phrase “no regrets” has no boundaries in Indianapolis.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Hoffman/USA TODAY Sports Images
