When Patriots coach Bill Belichick took to the field after his team came up short in its bid to force overtime in Super Bowl XLII, we initially assumed that referee Mike Carey would simply run the final second or two off the clock and call it a game.

We became even more convinced of it after Belichick acted like Carey was invisible while Belichick tried to give his former colleague with the Giants, Tom Coughlin, a quick post-game hug.  Then, Carey’s body language after getting blown off by Belichick seemed to indicate that there would be no need to proceed.

As Belichick made his way off the field, however, it became obvious that one final play was required.  But Belichick didn’t return. 

Though we can understand why he left, and why he’d want to get the hell out of there, he should have stayed. 

Still, we don’t view what he did as the equivalent of that infamous early exit from receiver Randy Moss in the 2004 regular-season finale.  The Vikings still arguably had a sliver of hope in that game; for the Patriots, there would be no Miracle in the Meadowlands.  The last snap was a victory formation formality, nothing more.

If Belichick had left before the fourth-down play that preceded his exit, it would have been very, very different.

That said, Belichick is a guy who has never had any regard for perception.  It’s one of his few flaws, but it’s a big one.  In his world, many of the things that the rest of us regard as important simply aren’t, and he either doesn’t realize (or doesn’t care) that folks might think ill of him based on the otherwise meaningless things that he says or does.

It’s something that he needs to change.  And if Giants coach Tom Coughlin can change, anyone can.