The Patriots Tackle Eligible Plays and Edelman-to-Amendola Take You Into the Weekend

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January 10, 2015. Five years ago today. One of the truly great non-Super Bowl wins of the Bill Belichick Era in New England. The Divisional round playoff at home vs. Baltimore. Two comebacks from down 14-points. The Pats pulling out the Tackle Eligible formations that they'd studied over the bye week. Plays that had been run by the Titans against the Jets in Week 15 and Alabama ran vs. LSU. They'd done their homework. Checked with the league about the legality of them. Conferred with the game officials the day before. And sprung them out of desperation when the game was close to getting out of hand.

The Ravens were so unprepared that John Harbaugh stormed out on the field and drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike. Even when the official took the unheard of step of pointing to Shane Vereen and telling the Baltimore defense, "Don't guard No. 34," they covered him anyway. And left Michael Hoomanawanui wide open up the seam. And the first 14 point comeback was jump started. 

The other trick play was Julian Edelman's first career pass, a perfectly executed bomb to a wide open Danny Amendola to complete the second two-touchdown comeback. There were two dozen crucial plays in this one from both sides. But those are the ones we'll remember on our death beds.

If by the time the weekend is out and Josh McDaniels is the head coach of the Browns, plays like this will be the reason why. Happy anniversary of one of his finest moments.