Two yards.

That's all Tom Brady and the New England offense had to pick up to wrap up a victory over the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.

Two plays. Two chances. Two yards.

That's what Brady was looking at as the Colts kept calling timeouts while the clock ticked down toward the two-minute mark in the fourth quarter Sunday night with the Patriots clinging to a 34-28 lead that, two minutes into the fourth quarter, had been a seemingly insurmountable 31-14.

The fact that Peyton Manning and the Colts quickly had trimmed that 17-point deficit to six with a pair of lightning-like 79-yard drives -- one that took just five plays and 2:04, followed by another that took six plays, but only 1:49 -- was a major factor in Bill Belichick's controversial decision to put the game in Brady's hands.

And why wouldn't he?

Brady is a two-time Super Bowl MVP with a history of coming through in the clutch. He holds the NFL record for touchdown passes in a season -- 50 -- set in 2007, when the Patriots were 16-0 in the regular season. He is a sure-fire, first-ballot, Hall of Fame selection.

But Brady, who had thrown for 374 yards and three touchdowns (as well as a costly interception in the end zone), couldn't come through this time.

On third down, his pass to the right sidelines intended for Mr. Reliable, Wes Welker, was broken up by a rookie cornerback -- Jarraud Powers.

I repeat -- a rookie DB prevented Brady, one of the two best QBs in the NFL today (you really don't have to ask who the other is, do you?), from completing a pass to a veteran who arguably is the best "possession" receiver in the game today.

That incompletion created a 4th-and-2 at the New England 28 with just over two minutes remaining and the Colts down to one timeout.

Instead of punting, and risking yet another game-winning drive by Peyton Manning and the Colts -- in addition to his fourth-quarter heroics Sunday night, Manning had led the Colts on an 80-yard drive in the final two minutes to cap the biggest comeback in a conference championship game in NFL history in the 2006 AFC title game -- Belichick entrusted Brady and the Pats' potent offense to get the job done.

They couldn't do it.

Throwing quickly with the Colts blitzing, Brady hit running back Kevin Faulk just across the 30-yard line -- which would have been good for a first down except the officials ruled Faulk was juggling the ball at the time and didn't have complete possession until he was brought to the ground short of the 30.

It was a questionable decision, but it wasn't subject to automatic review because it did not occur inside the two-minute warning. Nor could the Patriots challenge the play, because they had no timeouts.

Now everyone wants to question Belichick for showing confidence in is quarterback.

The coach may even arque that he also was showing confidence in his defense; that he was confident that, even though the Colts might gain possession close to the red zone, the New England "D" still could keep Manning out of the end zone.

The reality, however, is that Belichick knew the Colts couldn't be stopped.

Now everyone wants to blame the coach, while excusing Brady.

As expected from a player of Brady's caliber, and character, he offered no excuses Sunday night.

"All you can really ask for as an offense," Brady said, "is to take a chance there on third-and-two, and then again on fourth-and-two. We had an opportunity to win the game.
You punt it to them, and they showed on the dirve before that they can go down pretty quickly and score. So, we make that play and we win the game.

"Coach was being aggressive and I love that about him. He gave us a chance to make the play and we just didn't do it."

Too many Patriots fans just don't get that.