Frustrations could have boiled over later in the first half when Manning threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. That upped the Patriot lead to 21-3 and all but ushered in another disappointing end to the Colts season.

Then something different happened in the series. Instead of falling apart, the Colts regrouped and managed to drive the ball down the field in the last minutes of the first half. With the ball on the nine-yard line, but only seven seconds remaining in the half, the Colts didn't panic and try for a desperation touchdown to end the half. The team simply allowed kicker Adam Vinatieri to boot an easy field goal to make the halftime deficit 21-6.
 

This simple field goal may have been the play of the game because for the first time in recent memory, the Colts entered halftime with some momentum on their side. The 21-6 deficit was a large obstacle to overcome, but the Colts now knew that they could actually move the ball on the Patriots and if they just kept plugging away, fortunes might actually fall their way. It was a titanic shift from the norm because Indianapolis was usually stunned and clueless at this point of a post-season game. Now it was as if they had gotten the mental anguish out of the way and now they were ready to play some football.

The Colts indeed played some football in the second half. They came roaring back and tied the score before the third quarter was even done. The Patriot dominance was now over and the game was on.

The Patriots, however, didn't win three Super Bowls by quitting when the opponent gained momentum. They came right back and scored a touchdown to end the third quarter and took back the lead.

The next Colts drive was the one that proved that the times might be changing, not only because the Colts scored a touchdown, but also by the way the touchdown was scored. With the ball near the goaline, Manning handed the ball off to Dominic Rhodes in an attempt to pound the ball into the endzone. Rhodes was promptly stripped of the ball and the fumble rolled loose on the ground prompting a free-for-all to recover it. Once the pile of humanity was removed, it turned out that an Indianapolis lineman had control of the ball and he was in the endzone. The Colts had recovered their own fumble for a touchdown, just as the Patriots had done at the beginning of the game.