"The AFC Championship Game was a movie in the second half, the type of game that fans of the New England Patriots have seen before. The symmetry between this 2025 run and the Patriots' first Super Bowl championship in franchise history back in 2001 has been striking. Sunday's fourth-quarter squall in Denver, with the snow-covered field and wind turning the game's finish into a grind-it-out slog,"
"kicking was crucial to the Patriots' getting out of Denver with a 10-7 win. Andy Borregales went 1-for-3 on his field goal attempts, but the one he made in the third quarter helped decide the game. Denver's Will Lutz had a chance at a 45-yard attempt - the exact distance as Vinatieri's legendary field goal against the Raiders 24 years ago - in the fourth quarter, but the kick was blocked and sailed wide."
The New England Patriots beat the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a snowy, windy AFC Championship that became a grind in the fourth quarter. The game drew parallels to New England's 2001 snow playoff win, with Adam Vinatieri present to help present the Lamar Hunt Trophy to Robert Kraft. Kicking proved pivotal: Andy Borregales made a third-quarter field goal despite going 1-for-3, while Denver's Will Lutz had a 45-yard try blocked. Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw averaged 51.5 yards and pinned the Patriots inside the 20 three times, limiting Marcus Jones' returns. Patriots punter Bryce Baringer struggled, and the offense, led by Maye, has been grinding through a tough playoff gauntlet.
Read at Musket Fire
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]