Eight years ago today, the New England Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the 2004 season opener. Before entering the game, Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt had made forty-two straight field goals; that streak ended in the final seconds, when he missed the game-tying field goal. A rematch from last season’s Patriots’ victory in the 2003 AFC Championship Game, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning tasted defeat yet again from his highly-competitive foe, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Vanderjagt’s miss was another factor that helped brew the Manning/Brady rivalry into what it has become today – the two quarterbacks will face each other in week five of the 2012 season.
Here’s a look back at the Patriots 27-24 victory over the Colts in 2004, as originally presented on Inside the NFL.
