SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, November 15, 1994
Patriots quarterback savors winning moments on field
Bledsoe becoming one of NFL's best
By Howard Ulman The Associated Press
FOXBORO, Mass. — The arm was hidden beneath a blue Patriots sweat-shirt. The arm, Drew Bledsoe said yesterday, was feeling "pretty good."
He absent-mindedly rubbed his right bicep. His voice and his face showed little expression. He was in a hurry. He had to start preparing for New England's next opponent, the San Diego Chargers.
Bledsoe was taking it all in stride—all 70 passes and all 45 completions. Both were NFL records, but the mature 22-year-old remained on an even keel, showing the poise that is becoming his trademark on and off the field.
"I figured we threw it a lot of times but I didn't have a clue that we threw it that many," he said. "It's fun to have those kinds of things happen as long as you win."
In an improbable comeback, the Patriots did that Sunday.
Down 20-0 and outgained 286 yards
to 41 with one minute left in the first half, they went to a no-huddle offense the rest of the way, and Bledsoe led them back to a 26-20 overtime win against the Minnesota Vikings (7-3).
In the game's last 36 minutes, he completed 41 out of 59 passes for 402 yards and three touchdowns.
In the fourth quarter, the Patriots (4-6) never ran the ball as Bledsoe completed 18 out of 27 passes for 171 yards. He threw on 34 straight offensive plays starting with the next-to-last play of the third quarter.
When the game ended -- after fullback Kevin Turner hauled in the winning pass over his right shoulder 4:10 into overtime -- Bledsoe was calm.
He unsnapped his chin strap and raised his arms above his head.
"It's something that I've started to pay attention to that I wish, at certain moments in my sporting career, I would have taken a little bit more time to savor the moment," he said.
"We beat the Huskies my last home game at Washington State, and after that game everything was so exciting, and I don't remember it that much. I kind of told myself that now when things happen like that, I'm going to take some time to look around and try to remember it a little bit."
Bledsoe thrives in the hurry-up offense the Patriots switched to in an attempt to get back in the game.
“He accomplished an awful lot,” Patriots coach Bill Parells said.
“There’s a lot of pressure to execute almost every play. I think he really stood up and did a good job.”
But Parcells said that despite Bledsoe's proficiency with the no-huddle attack, it probably would not become a major part of the offense.
"I know everybody likes it because it's exciting," he said. "But, in the end, I don't think its your best way to win."
The Patriots didn't win at all the previous four games as Bledsoe struggled. He threw 11 interceptions and three touchdowns as New England dropped into the AFC East cellar.
Sunday, when he called most of the plays after halftime, he threw no interceptions in 70 passes.
"I really enjoy the two-minute offense," Bledsoe said. "You're throwing the ball almost every down so you get into a good rhythm. You're calling your own plays so that it becomes your responsibility to make them work.
"There's more accountability there and it's a lot of fun when you get into that rhythm and get it going."
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