DENVER — The Patriots are heading to the Tremendous Bowl after outlasting the Broncos in a freezing, snowy, blustering defensive showdown.
This wasn’t a rock combat. It was an ice combat.
With the Patriots main 10-7 with 4:46 left within the recreation, the Broncos despatched out kicker Will Lutz to try a 45-yard discipline aim by snow and excessive winds. Defensive sort out Leonard Taylor, elevated for the sixth time this season from the follow squad, bought his hand up and tipped Lutz’s kick, forcing it no good.
The Patriots couldn’t get something happening offense all recreation and had been pressured to punt.
Two performs into the Broncos’ subsequent offensive sequence, cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham to seal the sport.
The Patriots received in ugly vogue, nevertheless it was sufficient to ship them to their file twelfth Tremendous Bowl.
Quarterback Drake Maye had his worst efficiency of the season, passing for simply 86 yards whereas finishing lower than 50% of his passes. Patriots operating backs averaged lower than three yards per carry, and punter Bryce Baringer and kicker Andy Borregales had hassle kicking in robust climate situations.
However the Patriots’ protection was an excessive amount of for Stidham, beginning for Bo Nix, who fractured his ankle within the divisional spherical of the playoffs. And their run protection, because it’s been for a lot of the season, overwhelmed rookie operating again R.J. Harvey.
The Patriots’ protection didn’t permit a single level after the Broncos’ second possession, when the primary completion, first down and massive play of the sport got here when Stidham accomplished a 52-yard move to broad receiver Marvin Mims over cornerback Gonzalez. Two performs later, Stidham hit broad receiver Courtland Sutton for a 6-yard landing with a protection breakdown from the Patriots protection to take a 7-0 lead.
The Patriots picked up one first down on their second drive however had been pressured to punt once more on third down. Baringer’s punt went simply 33 yards, giving the Broncos the ball on the Patriots’ 23-yard line. The Patriots’ protection pressured a punt, even with beginning linebacker Robert Spillane within the blue medical tent, nursing an ankle damage.
Maye and the Patriots had been pressured to punt after one other three-and-out.
The Patriots’ protection got here up with an enormous cease on fourth-and-1 from their very own 14-yard line, when defensive tackles Milton Williams and Cory Durden introduced strain to drive an incompletion. Rookie security Craig Woodson almost picked off the move however got here away with a move breakup.
The Patriots had been pressured to punt, as soon as once more, earlier than their protection stepped as much as make a play. The Patriots introduced strain and compelled Stidham to fumble on a backwards move. Rookie exterior linebacker Elijah Ponder recovered it and walked in for the landing, however the whistle had blown after the restoration as a result of the play was initially dominated an incomplete move.
It didn’t matter. Maye scored on a 6-yard rush two performs later to tie the rating 7-7.
The strain was beginning to get to Stidham by the tip of the second quarter. Patriots defensive sort out Christian Barmore bought dwelling on second down for a sack to assist drive a punt.
Baringer was pressured to punt for a fifth time to provide the Broncos the ball again on the Patriots’ 49-yard line with 48 seconds left within the half. Stidham was capable of lead the Broncos on a four-play, 15-yard drive to set his workforce up for a discipline aim, however Lutz missed from 54 yards.
The Patriots had simply sufficient time for a three-play, 16-yard drive earlier than rookie kicker Andy Borregales missed a 63-yard discipline aim to finish the half.
Borregales did hit a 23-yarder popping out of the half to provide the Patriots a 10-7 lead. The Patriots ate 9:31 off the clock with snow flurrying from the sky earlier than the rating.
The Broncos went three-and-out earlier than punting, giving the Patriots the ball at their very own 21-yard line. An eight-play, 51-yard drive arrange Borregales for a 46-yard discipline aim, however he missed broad proper in swirling snow.
The Patriots pressured their second consecutive three-and-out due to robust play by cornerback Carlton Davis, who held up in opposition to a double workforce to drive Mims out of bounds, and cornerback Marcus Jones to interrupt up a move on third down.
The 2 groups, as soon as once more, traded punts, giving every workforce six on the afternoon.
Greatest
DT Milton Williams: The strain that Williams and the remainder of the Patriots’ defensive entrance introduced all recreation was huge. Stidham was clearly flustered by it an increasing number of as the sport went alongside. Williams had six pressures, per PFF’s preliminary charting.
DT Christian Barmore: Barmore had a key second-down sack late within the first half to drive a Broncos punt.
WR Mack Hollins: In his return from an injured-reserve stint with an belly damage, Hollins was the Patriots’ big-play risk by the air, catching two passes for 51 yards.
QB Drake Maye as a runner: Maye was large along with his legs, selecting up 68 yards and a landing on seven carries. His most essential yards got here when he picked up a primary down on a 7-yard pickup on third-and-5 with 1:57 left on the clock.
Worst
QB Drake Maye as a passer: The Patriots’ younger passer was not himself in opposition to a stout Broncos protection. He was simply 10-of-21 for 86 yards by the air. He additionally took 5 sacks, and PFF didn’t cost the offensive line with any of them.
Ok Andy Borregales: The rookie could be forgiven for lacking a 63-yard discipline aim try earlier than the half. Lacking a 46-yarder late within the third quarter damage.
P Bryce Baringer: Baringer actually struggled to punt at altitude, oddly sufficient. He averaged simply 37.9 yards per punt.
What we discovered
• The Patriots have sometimes opened of their base protection, however they switched it up with slot cornerback Marcus Jones on the sphere instead of an additional defensive sort out.
• The offense got here out in a jumbo bundle and instantly picked up 5 yards earlier than punting.
• The Patriots had simply 12 whole yards of offense within the first quarter. That’s their lowest whole since Week 17 final season, per ESPN Analysis. Their 74 first-half yards had been the fewest the Patriots have recorded in a playoff recreation since 1998, per ESPN Analysis.
• The Patriots used defensive tackles Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga on offense for a tush push on fourth-and-1 halfway by the fourth quarter.
