5 times Belichick and Pats had no business winning, and did

4. The intentional safety

Sometimes, a safety can be an offense’s best friend. We just needed Belichick to teach us why, which he did early on in the Brady era.

During Week 9 of the 2003 season, the Pats were trailing the Broncos 24-23 with 3:06 left in the game, pinned at their own one-yard line on fourth and 10. It’s one of the most inopportune positions for an offense, as a punt out of the end zone can lead to all sorts of horrible things. So instead of attempting the punt, long snapper Lonie Paxton was instructed by Belichick to snap the ball out of the end zone, resulting in a safety.

Now up 26-23, the Broncos were sitting pretty with very little time left and the likelihood of very good field possession on the ensuing Pats punt. Of course, none of what should’ve happened did, as the punt rolled all the way back to the Broncos’ 16-yard line. Following a Denver three-and-out, the Patriots were back in business.

Only needing a field goal to tie a game they had no business tying, the Patriots instead went for the kill. With 30 seconds left on the Denver 18-yard line, well within Adam Vinatieri’s field goal range, Brady said “to hell with overtime” and hit up receiver David Givens for the game-winning score. In summation: Belichick traded two points to gamble for better field position and it worked marvelously.

Next: Edelman to Amendola