Madden Veteran Alliance :: Patriots News Wire

Big Chill in New England

New England | Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:04 am | Author: pigskin |

Team News Wire

With the San Diego Chargers traveling across the country to meet the Patriots, the Bolts are met with a shock, as they left a sunny 80 degree home and entered into the ice age stadium hosted by the Patriots. With rain falling an hour before the game, and with the temperature dipping into the 20's, the rain soon turned to snow by game time. This sudden change in temperature and weather conditions showed in the first half of the Chargers play, as they slipped and slid their way backwards each time they went on offense. Time after time, the running backs were losing their footing and being tackled for a loss by the Patriots defense. And when the Chargers would venture into the abyss of the passing game, it wasnt much better as receivers were falling down from the frozen field and quarterback Jay Cutler unable to scramble because of the footing and his passes coming out like wounded ducks due to the swirling wind, it soon became evident, that the weather conditions were going to dictate and determine who would win this game. As the Chargers were having problems with the weather, the Patriots were not having any better luck. With their running backs having the same problems with footing, the biggest problem with the Patriots receivers were having stone cold hands , as they dropped several passes that quarterback Brady was able to toss thru the wind , only to have them flutter off the hands of open receivers and bounce off the ice hardened turf. Although the Patriots were able to put a drive together with Brady tossing short passes to the outside, and then hitting TE Shockey on a 47 yrd toss down the middle , after Shockey had got behind a Charger linebacker to set up a 1st and goal from the 6 yrd line. On the next play HB Stewart took a toss to the outside to score the first TD. Patriots 7-0. After the kickoff, and with the Chargers kick returner slipping down trying to make a cut to the outside, the Chargers found themselves at their own 15. After an unsuccessful run up the middle on 1st down, the Chargers called a pass on the second play, when Cutler rolled out , he sees his receivers covered and attempts to scramble to the outside where after a 5 yrd gain he meets head on into OLB Brian Cushing who jars the ball lose with a crushing tackle and there to pick up the loose pigskin is CB Ellis Hobbs . Wtih the Chargers defense stiffening , the Patriots add a field goal. Patriots 10-0. The events of the firsl half, with the Chargers not being prepared for the weather and the Patriots being a little more accustomed to the conditions, is what in the end decided this game. With the Patriots own turnover in the first half an interception, the Chargers were able to add a field goal, ending the first half, Patriots 10-3.
Coming out the second half, the Chargers were more prepared, after changing shoes and adding a couple more layers of clothing as in different gloves, and even longer shirts under jerseys, they seemed ready for a different game the second half. The 3rd quarter was controlled by the Chargers as they scored a td and field goal to the Patriots two field goals, as the Chargers defense forced the Patriots into 3 and out several times, while their offense seemed to get things going, as HB Tomlinson seemed to find holes that were not there before, and Cutler started to hit receivers on the money, with the help from the wind as it seemed to subside in the second half. As the fourth quarter started the score was deadlocked at 16-16. With both teams, being careful and just trying to put up one more score, in any form, they both knew that may be the winning score, in this no man land of weather conditions. With the clock ticking down the Chargers looked as tho, they would be the ones to put the final points up to notch a win and get back to sunny California. With a time consuming drive and starting from their own 12 yrd line, the Chargers ate up time with Tomilson picking his way thru the line and Cutler adding a scramble here and a well timed pass there. With 4:25 left on the clock the Chargers found themselves on the Patriots 31 yrd line. With the Patriots calling a time out, in order to give the players time to catch their cold breath and for the coaches to put their heads together to set what would become the most important play since the first half. With the defensive coaching staff deciding the Chargers might try a pass they set the stage for what would spell disaster for the Chargers. As the Chargers came to the line and the Patriots defense set for the pass with a spy linebacker in Brian Cushing waiting, the play began. With Cutler rolling out to his right, and OLB Cushing in pursuit, Cutler cuts back to his left and sees a wide open Tomilinson , but before he can get the ball off, Cutler is hit by DE Seymour trailing the play from the opposite side and jars the ball lose and the Patriots recover.
With Brady taking over , the Patriots begin a drive that will result in the final field goal, taking a win from the chilled Chargers. On the drive, HB Stewart had a couple of nice runs , one for 22 yrds, and with a couple of nice catches by WR Moss , TE Shockey and WR Caldwell the Patriots were able to split the up rights from the 12 yrd line of the Chargers to put the seal on this ice capade . Patriots 19 Chargers 16

GG to Coach K-dee