Going into the game yesterday afternoon, the writing was on the wall for another classic Patriots vs. Broncos playoff game at Mile High. The playoffs this season have been as memorable as any in recent memory. The QB battle is between an MVP candidate in Drake Maye and a backup who hasn’t started or thrown NFL passes in the past two years. Let’s dive into how the Pats pulled through with big-time plays.
Broncos Start Strong
After going three-and-out to begin the game, it appeared the nerves and the moment were going to be too much for a backup quarterback to overcome. However, Denver’s defense dominated early in the game. Maye and the Patriots’ offense were forced to punt in the ensuing possession. Stidham would connect with Marvin Mims Jr. on a 52-yard pass that would set up a 6-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, and they would lead 7-0 for the majority of the first half.
In the second quarter, after both defenses continued to dominate, the Pats would catch a break. Patriots’ linebacker Elijah Ponder would force a fumble, the defense would recover, and set up a short field for Maye and their offense. Two plays later, the second-year quarterback would take it himself on a QB draw to tie the AFC Championship 7-7, and the score would remain that way until halftime.
Patriots’ Second Half Domination
The second half was a thing of dominance for this Pats team. They took the opening drive of the second half, ran 16 plays, and settled for a field goal, leading 10-7. New England’s defense forced a three-and-out, then its offense worked its way down the field and missed a 46-yard field goal as the snow worsened. Despite the miss, the Pats’ secondary continued to buckle down and force another punt. In the 3rd quarter, the Broncos mustered just 8 yards of offense. Yes, you read that right.
The final frame of the AFC Championship began as the majority of the game had, with the Denver Broncos punting the ball back to the Patriots. After offenses continued to stall out back and forth, the potential play of the game happened. New England’s punter, Bryce Baringer, shanked a punt that only went 26 yards, giving the Broncos a short field. Wil Lutz would attempt a 45-yard field goal to tie the game, but it would get blocked by the Pats.
Christian Gonzalez would pick off Stidham with 2:18 left in the game, which was essentially the nail in the coffin. The Patriots needed a first down to ice it. Josh McDaniels would have a perfect play call on 3rd & 5 to seal the deal. Maye would use his legs, like he did all afternoon, and picked up seven yards to send out the victory formation.
Takeaways
I think that Sean Payton’s aggressiveness in the first half came back to bite them. Up 7-0, there was a 4th & 1 on the Patriots’ 14-yard line, and Denver would elect to go for it instead of taking their chip shot field goal. Their pass would fall incomplete, and the Broncos would kiss those potential three points away. If you go up 10-0 in that spot, maybe the game ends differently.
To spotlight the Patriots for a second. Their defense was excellent. Denver had 180 yards of offense in the first half. They finished the second half with 32 yards. Shutting down any offense in the NFL is gobsmacking, but a Sean Payton offense is something else entirely.
Despite struggling for most of the game, Drake Maye stepped up and used his hidden superpower: his legs. His 65 yards rushing were electric, picking up chunk plays left and right to pick up key first downs. Coming out of college, I didn’t realize how mobile he was. He was one of the best players in the NFL this season and has shown up when his team needed him the most this postseason.
Final Thoughts
I don’t want to take anything away from the Patriots, but I would have loved to see the Broncos at full strength in this game. I believe if Bo Nix were healthy, Denver would be the team advancing to the big game. What were your takeaways from this game? Do you think the Pats and Maye can pull off the upset against the Seahawks in Super Bowl 60?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts and recap of the New England Patriots defeating the Denver Broncos 10-7 to reach Super Bowl 60. Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
