Banks questions the call

Or at least talks about everyone else questioning it

Indeed. And because of it, the Patriots could well come up short in this year’s playoffs as well. That’s what might have been on the line with Belichick’s call. At 6-3, the Patriots’ shot at securing homefield advantage in the AFC is probably gone. If the road to Miami and the Super Bowl goes through Indianapolis now, New England can’t be comforted by that news. Need I remind anyone the Patriots and Colts have met three times this decade in the playoffs and each game has been won by the home team?

That’s why in this series, against this particular nemesis, with so much at stake, Belichick’s decision could continue to haunt these Patriots long past Sunday night. The same way New England blowing an 18-point halftime lead to Indianapolis in the 2006 AFC title game was a singular hurt before Sunday night.