New England Patriots
The Patriots are only one win away from a visit to Tremendous Bowl LX.
FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots are one win away from Tremendous Bowl LX.
After opening its postseason run with two victories at Gillette Stadium in opposition to the Chargers and Texans, New England will now head on the highway to tackle the top-seeded Denver Broncos within the AFC Championship sport.
Kick-off from Empower Subject at Mile Excessive is ready for 3 p.m. You’ll be able to watch the sport on CBS, in addition to pay attention on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Regardless of Denver’s standing as the highest velocity within the AFC, Sean Payton’s membership shall be shorthanded on offense with backup QB Jarrett Stidham taking on for Bo Nix — who’s now out for the season after breaking a bone in his ankle final week throughout an extra time win over the Payments.
However even with that uncertainty with Stidham in at QB, Denver’s protection nonetheless figures to be a tricky matchup for Drake Maye and the Patriots offense. Throughout common season motion, Denver ranked fourth within the league in factors allowed per sport (18.9) and fifth in yards allowed per contest (287.7).
Listed below are three keys for New England on Sunday afternoon against Denver, in addition to 21 stats that could loom large in the AFC title game.
Because the Patriots attempt to make it again to the Tremendous Bowl, comply with alongside for stay updates and examine again as soon as the sport wraps for some early observations.
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4:32: Maye scrambles to try to pressure a 63-yard discipline purpose. Borregales kick isn’t any good.
7-7 sport on the half.
4:31: Will Campbell whistled for a false begin.
4:30: Man, Boutte was large open there. Maye has been manner off this half.
May have given New England a shot at a discipline purpose.
4:29: Wow. Will Lutz’s 54-yard try sails large. The rating holds at 7-7.
4:26: RJ Harvey escapes from Gibbens and beneficial properties some chunk yardage. Denver almost in discipline purpose vary.
4:24: No double rating for New England. New England goes three and out.
4:21: Denver’s offense punts as soon as once more. New England can have a double-score likelihood right here with 1:42 left within the first half. Large sack from Barmore put Stidham and the Broncos properly again.
4:11: TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS. Maye runs it in for a 6-yard keeper.
Ponder ought to have been credited for a TD, however Maye and the Patriots handle enterprise themselves.
It’s a 7-7 sport.
4:09: Nevermind! The officers rule it a backwards move by Jarrett Stidham. The Patriots have the ball, however the ball was whistled lifeless earlier than Ponder bumped into the tip zone.
4:08: Patriots dial up the blitz on Stidham on third down and he panics on that drop-back. New England thinks he fumbles and so they return it for a TD, however the refs throw a flag for intentional grounding. Fourth down.
4:06: Mims on the shallow crosser strikes the chains on Third and 5.
Denver isn’t shredding New England’s protection, however they’re doing a complete lot higher than Maye and the Patriots offense proper now.
4:00: Maye sacked as soon as once more. New England will punt for a fourth time.
3:58: Welcome again Mack Hollins. He converts on a third and 13 with a 20-yard pickup.
3:57: Annnnnd Maye is sacked as soon as once more.
3:53: New England’s protection holds. Large play by the Patriots.
New England takes over on downs from its personal 14-yard line.
Let’s see if New England can reply on offense.
3:52: Stidham scrambles for 4th and 1. Large play right here on New England’s 14-yard line.
3:51: Robert Spillane is again on the Patriots sideline. We’ll see if he attracts again in.
3:49: Now Harvey reels off one other 9-yard achieve. New England’s protection hasn’t had a number of time to relaxation up with the offense punting on three straight drivs.
3:48: Broncos driving once more. Studham hits Humphrey on a third and three to maneuver the chains. Denver in New England territory.
3:43: Finish First: Broncos maintain a 7-0 lead. New England’s offense was dreadful in that opening quarter-hour. Patriots end with simply 12 whole yards on offense.
3:39: Maye can’t hit a wide-open Stevenson. Maye not sharp within the early going.
New England’s protection goes to need to hold it shut till this offense can get going.
3:39: Robert Spillane is questionable to return with an ankle damage.
3:38: Maye sacked once more on the bootleg. Third-and-15.
3:37: Robert Spillane is heading to the locker room. Not signal.
3:36: Courtland Sutton drops a move that might have moved the chains. New England catches a break.
Denver punting.
3:35: Craig Woodson with a pleasant run stuff. Denver a Third-and-9.
3:32: Spillane walks off underneath his personal energy with the coaching workers.
3:31: Robert Spillane is down and slams his helmet. That’s not good.
3:30: Learn-option from Stidham results in an 8-yard achieve. Stidham and the Broncos offense is shifting up to now immediately.
3:29: Tough begin for Hawkins. He missed a sort out on Harvey, and he goes for 9 yards.
3:25: Patriots punting as soon as once more after Diggs reels in a shallow crosser.
3:24: Patrick Surtain bats down a deep ball to Boutte. Nice protection.
3:23: With Tonga within the backfield, the Patriots run the ball and convert on a 3rd down.
3:22: Maye’s fist completion — a 6-yard pickup to Diggs.
3:17: Broncos strike first. Stidham hits a wide-open Sutton ultimately zone for a 7-yard TD. 7-0 Broncos with 10:19 left within the first quarter.
3:15: Mims simply cooked Gonzalez for a 54-yard strike. Sheesh. Denver now on New England’s 7-yard line.
3:14: Ooof that would have been an enormous play for Mims with a wide-open lane however Stidham can’t hit him.
3:08: Patriots reply with a 3-and-out of their very own. Fairly harmful move from Maye. Threw into protection whereas on the lookout for Diggs.
3:06: Elijah Ponder dials up the stress on Stidham and the Broncos go 3 and out. Denver is punting.
3:05: Again-to-back run stuffs for New England out of the gate. Third and 9 upcoming for New England.
3:01: Patriots win the coin toss. They defer. Broncos offense and Stidham are up first.
2:54: Stefon Diggs fires up his teammates forward of kick-off.
2:25: No adjustments to New England’s offensive line throughout warmups:
LT – Will Campbell
LG – Jared Wilson
C – Garrett Bradbury
RG – Mike Onwenu
RT – Morgan Moses
2:12: Warmups are underway in Denver.
1:53: A complete lot of Patriots followers on website in Denver:
1:50: Ann Michael Maye is able to roll from Denver.
1:45: Looks as if Andy Borregales is well-adjusted to the excessive altitude in Denver.
1:39: Denver’s inactives have additionally been launched. Troy Franklin is an enormous loss for Denver’s passing sport. He was second on the Broncos with 65 catches for 709 yards.
1:35: It’s a balmy 22 levels in Denver. However Mack Hollins remains to be warming up barefoot.
1:31: A have a look at the Patriots inactives. Each Mack Hollins and Carlton Davis are energetic, with Efton Chism not enjoying now that Hollins is sweet to play. No Harold Landry, as Vrabel famous on Friday.
1:30: Drake Maye is on the scene:
1:22: Mack Hollins arrives at Mile Excessive dressed up as considered one of “The Warriors” from the cult movie.
1:21: Huge sport immediately in Denver:
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