Invoice Belichick and Tom Brady are gone, however the New England Patriots are nonetheless right here, and nonetheless enjoying for Tremendous Bowls. Because of their 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s AFC Championship Recreation, the Patriots are again within the Tremendous Bowl for the twelfth time in franchise historical past and the primary time within the post-Brady period.
They are going to be attempting to turn into the primary staff to ever win seven Tremendous Bowls once they play in Santa Clara in Tremendous Bowl LX in two weeks.
Quarterback play was the distinction on this recreation
Quarterback play is often the distinction come playoff time, and despite the fact that Patriots quarterback Drake Maye didn’t submit nice numbers (simply 10-for-21 and 86 yards passing) he nonetheless did one thing actually necessary on this recreation: He prevented the massive mistake.
He prevented the massive mistake within the first half when the climate circumstances had been good.
He prevented the massive mistake within the second half when the climate circumstances had been awful.
The identical couldn’t be stated for Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
Stidham might need been one of the necessary performs within the recreation late within the second quarter when he panicked below stress and threw a backwards cross that was ultimately recovered by New England. It produced the Patriots’ solely landing of the sport when Maye scored on a quarterback run.
