The New England Patriots survived Week 10’s test against the New York Giants by the skin of their teeth.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski’s game-winning 54-yard field goal grabs the spotlight, but it was Danny Amendola’s clutch conversion on 4th and 10 that extended the drive and made the winning boot possible.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about the play during his Monday conference call and admitted it was a close call.
“We kind of had a similar play called the play before when Tom stepped up in the pocket and tried to hit (Brandon) LaFell and there was some space there,”Belichick explained, “but on the completion it looked like (Giants linebacker Jonathan) Casillas just backed off a little bit and Danny got in front of him and got the yardage. It was a close play but it was just enough room to get in there and make it.”
Amendola’s catch sparked the Patriots, who added four more completions in the next 1:09 to set up the victory.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports Images
