The third quarter of their Week 15 game against the Kansas City Chiefs was a rough one for the New England Patriots. Entering it down 14-10, they were outscored 13-0 and lost their left tackle — the second starting O-lineman to depart — with an injury.
As a consequence of all this, and other circumstances that accumulated throughout the season as a whole up to point, it seemed head coach Bill Belichick waved the white flag in the early fourth quarter. With his team down 17 points and facing a 4th-and-3 at its own 42-yard line, Belichick decided to send Bryce Baringer and the punt team onto the field.