The Chicago Bears called off the dogs late in their blowout win over the Patriots in Week 7 -- apparently much to the dismay of ESPN's Peyton Manning.
Manning, co-hosting the weekly "Manningcast" simulcast alongside brother Eli, expressed his disappointment when the Bears ran out the clock from inside the five-yard line in Patriots' territory.
"Do not take a knee," Manning moaned with the Bears up 19 points and 25 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
"You didn't like that one?" laughed Eli.
"I think if you have a chance to score 40 in Foxboro, you score 40 in Foxboro," Peyton said.
It's not exactly clear where Peyton was coming from on that one, but the Patriots of course have long been accused of running up the score under longtime head coach Bill Belichick.
Perhaps most famously, the Patriots' ill-fated 2007 season -- during which they went unbeaten in the regular season only to fall to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII -- was widely seen as a "revenge tour" after they were punished by the league as part of the Spygate scandal.
Even as recently as last season, Jets players complained after they were drubbed by the Patriots by the score of 54-13 in Week 7.
Meanwhile, the Patriots delivered some of the more devastating losses in Manning's illustrious career, including in the Divisional Playoffs in January 2005 and a 24-point comeback in Week 12 of 2013, both in New England.
So, perhaps Peyton is just holding on to some bitter memories.
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