From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe

Yesterday, Bill Belichick found himself in a position in which clock management skills were of paramount importance. The Patriots were trailing 20-12 with just 2:17 remaining to be played in the AFC championship game and the ball on his own 29-yard-line.

This was a similar position in which Andy Reid and Doug Pederson found themselves on the previous Saturday.

The Chiefs were trailing 27-13 to the Patriots – two scores – with just 2:52 remaining to be played in the AFC divisional round game and the ball on their own 20-yard-line. By now – as Eagles fans – we are all too aware of how Andy Reid and Doug Pederson bungled the clock management last week. We’ve heard the preposterous alibi about not wanting to put the ball in Tom Brady’s hands too soon.

You can go back and read about Doug Pederson’s clock-management skills here.

Now, let’s see how Bill Belichick handled his situation.

In yesterday’s game, depending upon your point of view, it was either a one-score deficit or a two-score deficit:

1. One Score – You need a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie the game.
2. Two Score – You need a touchdown and a field goal to win the game.

From where I was sitting, I saw a two-score game. If I’m the coach, I’m thinking that a two-point conversion is risky. Here’s the way I saw it:

1. Score a touchdown or a field goal.
2. Kickoff, hold the Broncos and force a punt.
3. Get the score I need to win the game.

But – in case you’re unaware – I am not the Patriots coach. Bill Belichick is – and here’s how he played his hand:

Tom Brady moved his team 65 yards in 11 plays – and into the Red Zone. With 3rd-and-6 at the 14-yard-line, Brady threw an incomplete pass. That brought up 4th-and-6 with just 2:26 remaining – and a crucial decision for Belichick to make.

Myself – it was an easy decision. I’m sitting there with three time outs and the two-minute warning coming up to also stop the clock. My defense has been pretty stout and I’ve got one of the best quarterbacks at crunch time. And 4th-and-6 is even riskier than making a two-point conversion.

I’m bringing out Stephen Gostowski to kick a field goal and cut the gap to 20-15. Yes, I know he missed a PAT earlier. But he also hit two field goals since then. And even if he botches the field goal, I’m still in position to score a TD and make that two-pointer to tie the score.

But Belichick didn’t see it that way.

He went for it and – in a curious play-call – Brady completed a pass to Julian Edelman behind the line of scrimmage for no gain and turned the ball over on downs.

Now, just 2:25 remained. Broncos 1st-and-10 on their own 14-yard-line.

Please, Doug Pederson, pay attention to what went on from here. Watch how Bill Belichick managed the clock and gave his team a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime.

1. First Down – The Pats stopped C.J. Anderson after a two-yard gain – and Belichick used his first timeout with 2:13 remaining.
2. Second down – The Pats dropped C.J. Anderson for a two-yard loss – and Belichick used his second timeout with 2:09 remaining.
3. Third down – Peyton Manning played into the Pats hands by throwing an incomplete pass to stop the clock with 2:04 remaining. If the broncos had run the ball, Belichick would’ve been forced to use his last timeout – probably wouldn’t have done that – or let the clock to run down to the two-minute warning. But the incomplete pass negated that decision and gave the Patriots an extra play.
4. Fourth down – The Broncos punted and Brady took over at the 50-yard-line. Which ran the clock down to the two-minute warning.

Tom Brady – clutch quarterback – then moved his team 46 yards in seven plays. But with the ball at the 4-yard-line, the defense stiffened.

With just 0:12 remaining, it was 4th-and-goal from the 4-yard-line. That’s when Brady found Rob Gronkowski in the end zone to make it 20-18. And that set the stage for the risky two-point conversion that would either tie the game – or lose it.

The two-pointer failed. The Broncos won and the Patriots lost.

If Belichick had opted to kick the field goal and Gostowski canned it, the Pats would’ve won the game. But that’s not the message I’m trying to send. Belichick had a decision to make, and he made it.

The message I’m trying to send – and directed directly to Doug Pederson – is, please, go back and observe how Bill Belichick milked every second out of the clock and gave his team a chance to win. He wasn’t concerned about putting the ball in Peyton Manning’s hands with time left on the clock. He was trying to win and he used the clock perfectly.

Doug – if you need a hand, I’ll work on a reasonable pre-diem basis and teach you all about clock management.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow