Patriots Save Their Streak

Willie McGinest refused to let an injured knee slow him down Sunday.

With 14 seconds left and the Indianapolis Colts one yard away from completing another fourth-quarter rally, McGinest got around the right side of the offensive line and caught Edgerrin James in the backfield to preserve New England’s 38-34 win.

The Patriots won their eighth consecutive game, the longest streak in the NFL, and improved to 10-2 for the first time in franchise history. McGinest’s game-saving tackle, on a fourth-down play, typified the Patriots’ charmed season.

“When it came down to it for the gusto, our guys came with it on the goal line,” said McGinest, who saved the game two plays after limping off with a knee injury. “That’s how you want to win it.”

Indianapolis (9-3) dropped out of first place in the AFC South, at least momentarily, for the first time this year. Tennessee (9-2) plays the New York Jets tonight.

As for the Patriots, each week they seem to find another player to fill in, and another way to win.

Although quarterback Tom Brady played well Sunday, it was kick returner Bethel Johnson who turned the game and McGinest, the once-feared Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker, who secured it despite the knee injury.

“I wasn’t going to sit on the sideline,” McGinest said.

Even before quarterback Peyton Manning tapped his rear end, telling McGinest it was a run, the Colts were in trouble, despite having a first down at the two-yard line.

Tight end Dallas Clark left early in the second quarter because of a fractured right fibula. Fullback Detron Smith left in the first half because of a right knee injury and running back James Mungro, Indianapolis’ short-yardage runner, sat out because of a foot injury.

That forced the Colts to go with something other than their power package.

New England pulled to a 31-10 lead behind the solid play of Brady, who completed 26 of 35 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, the strong running of Michael Cloud, who scored twice, and Johnson’s kickoff returns, one for a touchdown.

But Manning valiantly rallied the Colts from a 21-point deficit for the second time this season.

“We knew that wasn’t enough,” McGinest said of the 21-point lead.