Maye-Vrabel has many similarities to the Brady-Belichick era

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In a single sense, that is theirs and theirs alone, a surprising achievement to face by itself.

First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and a protection that retains getting higher and higher accomplished some of the inconceivable journeys to a Tremendous Bowl berth Sunday afternoon with a 10-7 victory over the host Denver Broncos.

The victory is the Patriots’ seventeenth in 20 video games this season, a yr after going 4-13 beneath one-and-done coach Jerod Mayo.

They improved to 9-0 on the street, and gained within the postseason in Denver for the primary time in franchise historical past with a poised, disciplined efficiency within the excessive altitude and snow-globe circumstances.

This has been an virtually unfathomably fulfilling first season of the Vrabel/Maye tandem, and what the 2025 Patriots have pulled off, even with the most important recreation but to be performed, has already earned its personal standalone chapter in franchise lore.

But, in one other sense, if you’re a franchise with a half-dozen Lombardi Trophies scattered across the workplace, nothing is fairly singular. When exceptional issues occur with the Patriots, it’s inevitable that they remind us of so many somethings that occurred earlier than.

Their historical past, heritage, and highlights of previous victories are by no means removed from thoughts. When Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez simply picked off an underthrown deep ball by Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham on the Patriots 36 with 2:11 remaining, it was immediately harking back to Stephon Gilmore’s late interception within the Tremendous Bowl LIII victory over the Rams.

(It was additionally a little bit of an in-game redemptive second for Gonzalez, who received overwhelmed by Broncos receiver Marvin Mims for a 52-yard catch on the Broncos second possession, then received caught peeking into the backfield on Courtland Sutton’s 6-yard landing reception two performs later.)

It’s becoming that the new-era Patriots, just like the 2001 Patriots that began all of it, earned a win they may always remember within the snowy climate. It’s becoming, too, that Adam Vinatieri — the Patriots’ hero amongst heroes within the Snow Bowl 24 years in the past — was available to current them with the Lamar Hunt Trophy as AFC champs.

What else? Who else? Milton Williams was Richard Seymour, the fulcrum of an immovable protection, and even pulling double-duty like Seymour used to do and lining up within the backfield on a few performs. Rhamondre Stevenson ran like classic Antowain Smith, or maybe Clock Killin’ Corey Dillon, the designated four-wheel-drive ballcarrier.

And there was Maye, who struggled to throw in the snow (86 passing yards) in opposition to a fierce Denver protection, however who ran for 65 yards and a rating, together with a clinching bootleg on third and 6 within the remaining moments.

Like Brady in his second season, he remained poised and fearless even when circumstances appeared to be conspiring in opposition to him. His greatest play was his gutsiest. It was new and so acquainted directly, delightfully actual and nonetheless exhausting to fathom.

Some additional ideas, upon fast assessment …

Three gamers who had been price watching

Gamers advised within the Unconventional Preview: Will Campbell, Milton Williams, Kayshon Boutte.

Rhamondre Stevenson: What a redemption arc for this man. Stevenson, whose early-season fumbles had him properly exterior the Circle of Something Resembling Belief for many Patriots followers, was a winter-weather workhorse, with a season-high 25 carries for 71 yards. He was at his greatest on a vital 16-play, 64-yard drive to open the second half, which took 9:31 off the clock and culminated with Andres Borregales’s 23-yard discipline purpose for the sport’s remaining factors.

Jeremy Crenshaw: The Broncos’ greatest weapon was — definitely — their punter, who stored the sphere tilted in opposition to the Patriots for a lot of the sport. Crenshaw averaged 51.5 yards on six punts, inserting three contained in the 10-yard line, together with sending two out of bounds at precisely the Patriots 8. His efficiency was a stark distinction to Patriots counterpart Bryce Baringer, who put 1 of 8 punts contained in the 20 and had a protracted of 44 yards. Do they flip off the altitude at Empower Discipline at Mile Excessive when the opponent is punting or one thing?

Leonard Taylor: Go forward and add this title to the checklist of unsung, if not outright unknown, gamers which have come by way of in an enormous second in Patriots historical past. Taylor, who was elevated from the apply squad on Saturday, received his fingertips on Broncos kicker Will Lutz’s 45-yard discipline purpose try with 4:46 remaining. The kick, which might have tied the sport, fluttered harmlessly to the left.

Grievance of the sport

This didn’t impact the result, but it surely certain might have. When Stidham lastly had the panicked second the Patriots had been ready for, retreating almost 20 yards on a third-and-4 play with lower than three minutes remaining within the second quarter, then heaving a backward cross that Elijah Ponder scooped up and ran in for a rating, the officers initially dominated it intentional grounding. To their credit score, they huddled up and altered the decision to a backward cross, giving the Patriots the ball on the Broncos 12. But it surely ought to have been a Ponder landing, and had the Patriots offense not capitalized on Maye’s 6-yard TD run, the officers’ preliminary whiff on the decision might need include the form of notoriety that Ben Dreith by no means lived down.

Three notes scribbled within the margins

Predicted remaining rating: Patriots 19, Broncos 16

Closing rating: Patriots 10, Broncos 7

For these of us completely nostalgic about Steve Grogan’s heyday as a working menace, it’s a blast to look at one other quarterback who could make a lot occur along with his legs. Maye’s vital runs — in addition to his landing and the clincher — included a 16-yard scamper simply earlier than halftime and a 28-yarder up the center to arrange Borregales’s 23-yard discipline purpose within the third quarter … Mack Hollins’s two catches accounted for team-leading 51 yards — a 20-yard seize on third down within the second quarter, and a 31-yard catch on a flea-flicker late within the third. Good to have him again … It’s official: Tom Brady has handed Tony Romo on the NFL shade commentator depth chart.