It doesn’t seem like Jamie Collins was devastated by the New England Patriots’ 27-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
The Patriots (9-5) committed eight penalties and two turnovers on the way to their loss. The number of unforced errors was staggering considering what we’ve come to expect from Bill Belichick’s teams, typically disciplined and well-coached. Perhaps that’s why Collins expressed confidence in the team with a nonchalant attitude when talking about the loss.
“[Expletive] happens,” he told reporters on Monday.
Collins dropped one interception opportunity but managed to tip a ball into the air on safety Devin McCourty’s interception. He finished with five tackles, two pass breakups and one tackle for loss. The Colts, however, ran for 226 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t exactly a successful day for the Patriots linebackers — and, frankly, the entire Patriots team.
“We had a bad day, and those guys took advantage of us,” he said. “They were the better team.”
There is room to consider a silver lining. Sometimes the successful Patriots teams have taken losses late in the season, and it helps them prepare for the postseason, where teams might attack the Patriots in the way that the Colts did. Now that the Colts showed a blueprint to beat the Patriots, New England has to figure out how to stop it. But if they can stop it, they’ll be dangerous again.
“Sometimes you need that humble pie. You need that setback just to keep you honest,” he said. “That’s what it was.”
They’ll have a chance to prove it, with a massive matchup against the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
[listicle id=116318]