New England Patriots
Christian Gonzalez sealed the win with an interception, and Drake Maye made sufficient performs together with his legs.
The Patriots gained a rock battle in Denver, outlasting the Broncos 10-7 and clinching a berth within the Tremendous Bowl.
New England gave up an early rating within the first quarter, however held Jarrett Stidham and the Broncos’ offense scoreless the remainder of the way in which.
Drake Maye made an impression together with his legs, scrambling for giant features, however his playoff struggles continued as he was almost picked off on the opening drive and wound up finishing lower than half of his passes.
In a sport that includes two sturdy defenses, snowy, windy situations put factors at a premium.
Christian Elliss set the Patriots up for his or her first rating, giving New England the ball within the pink zone after Elijah Ponder recovered a fumble on a backwards move.
Christian Gonzalez sealed the take care of an interception proper earlier than the two-minute warning within the fourth quarter.
The Patriots are AFC champions as soon as once more. Right here’s a take a look at who stood out and struggled on Sunday.
Inventory Up
Christian Gonzalez
Gonzalez received burned for an early explosive play, a 52-yard completion to Marvin Mims from Jarrett Stidham.
Nevertheless, he was stellar the remainder of the sport, registering a sack, a deal with for loss, six complete tackles, and the game-sealing interception.
Mims was the one Broncos receiver with greater than 22 years. New England’s secondary was glorious, and Gonzalez was a giant a part of it.
Christian Barmore
Barmore offered constant stress up the center. He flattened Stidham after beating his blocker with a swim transfer on his sack.
He chipped in a pair of tackles, together with one for loss. The Patriots’ entrance seven utterly stuffed Denver’s run sport, holding the Broncos to three.3 yards per carry.
Mack Hollins
Hollins was the Patriots’ main receiver, hauling in each of his targets for catches and totaling 51 yards.
It was his first sport again for the reason that win towards Baltimore final month. He spent a number of weeks on injured reserve with an belly damage.
He was the one Patriot to catch a move longer than 10 yards, notching a 31-yarder on a flea-flicker move from Drake Maye.
Christian Elliss
Elliss modified the sport by knocking the ball out of Stidham’s fingers within the second quarter, giving the Patriots prime subject purpose place for his or her solely landing of the sport, which Maye scored on a designed QB run.
He additionally earned bragging rights over his youthful brother, Jonah, who performs linebacker for the Broncos. Christian completed with 4 tackles, a sack, and a deal with for loss. Jonah completed with three tackles and one deal with for loss.
Leonard Taylor
Taylor received a hand on the Broncos’ remaining field-goal try, tipping the ball and altering it’s path sufficient for it to overlook. Had Denver made that kick, the sport would have been tied at 10.
The Patriots received the ball again and had little success shifting it, however the mixture of Taylor’s tip and Gonzalez’s interception helped shut the sport out.
Inventory Flat
Rhamondre Stevenson
It wasn’t fairly. Stevenson carried the ball 25 occasions for 71 yards, a median of two.8 yards per carry. However, he received robust yardage when the Patriots’ wanted it, and New England trusted him with all however three of their handoffs. It wasn’t environment friendly, however Stevenson’s efficiency was robust.
Drake Maye
Maye didn’t have sport as a passer. He regarded hesitant at occasions whereas going through the Broncos’ stress. He was lucky that Talanoa Hufonga was unable to catch a possible interception on the opening drive that may have put Denver in nice subject place.
However, he picked up 65 yards on the bottom, together with a bootleg on on the ultimate drive that received the primary down that allowed New England to expire the clock.
He completed 10-for-21 with no touchdowns, interceptions, or fumbles. He was sacked 5 occasions. The Patriots’ protection held it down for him.
Inventory Down
The remainder of the Patriots’ receivers
Credit score to Stefon Diggs for serving to to interrupt up the move that Hufonga almost picked. That may have been the largest play a Patriots receiver made all day.
The Patriots caught Denver with a trick play on the Hollins flea-flicker. Diggs completed with three catches for 17 yards. DeMario Douglas was unable to catch his solely goal. Not one of the different Patriots’ receivers had a single goal.
All the offensive line
It was a messy sport for this group, which allowed 5 sacks. The Broncos led the league in sacks in the course of the regular-season they usually have been recognized for bringing stress from throughout.
Sunday was no completely different, six Broncos gamers had no less than half of a sack. Additionally they stuffed the Patriots on the bottom, holding them to three.7 yards per carry together with the Maye scrambles.
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