Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Quarterback Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance since the glory days of predecessor Tom Brady with a blizzard-hit 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday. In a low-scoring AFC Championship game played in brutal conditions, Maye rushed for a first-half touchdown, and painstakingly drove the ball downfield after the break to set up a decisive field goal. No further scoring was possible in 21 degrees F (-6 degrees C) conditions, with the Patriots’ white uniforms barely visible as players slipped and slid across the snow.
“We battled the elements. Love this team. How about the defense?” said Maye. The Patriots will play either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, on February 8. “It wasn’t ideal. The defense, they’ve been stepping up all playoffs,” added Maye. “We will play better. I’m just proud of this team.”
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The win underlines a remarkable resurgence for the Patriots. After the dominant era of the Brady dynasty that yielded six Super Bowl titles, New England have endured a painful rebuild, going 3-14 in both the previous two seasons. But under new head coach Mike Vrabel — who won three Super Bowls alongside Brady for the Patriots — they were a revelation this season, going 16-3 before Sunday’s clash, having won the tough AFC East for the first time since 2019. And Maye, 23, now extends a breakthrough year in his second NFL season, vying for Most Valuable Player with the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford.
**Quarterbacks battle** – Prior to kickoff, all eyes were on the Broncos’ perennial second-string signal-caller Jarrett Stidham, who had not thrown a pass in competitive football for two years. The 29-year-old was thrust into the spotlight when Broncos’ first-choice Bo Nix broke his ankle in the dying moments of last weekend’s victory over the Buffalo Bills. An understandably nervy Stidham was swiftly and repeatedly blitzed by the Patriots Sunday, throwing a wild incomplete pass on an opening drive that ended with a punt.
Moments later his epic 54-yard hurl to Marvin Mims Jr paid off spectacularly, caught deep downfield. Stidham then found Courtland Sutton for the opening TD. Stidham grew in confidence as the first half progressed, without adding to the lead. But disaster struck, as he fumbled on the Broncos’ 14-yard line for a turnover. Maye, who had been struggling badly, rushed for a touchdown and a 7-7 half-time score.
A dense snowstorm descended on Denver at the break, making passing difficult in the freezing conditions, forcing both teams to rely on their run games. An attritional 18-play drive lasting nearly 10 minutes led to a field goal and slender lead for New England. The conditions became almost comically difficult, with multiple players slipping and sliding on almost every barely-visible play. Both sides missed multiple field goals in the snow-storm’s swirling cross-winds.
With the two-minute warning looming, and first downs proving near-impossible to earn, Stidham attempted a hugely risky 30-yard pass and gave away a fatal interception. The Patriots, who already boasted the most Super Bowl appearances with 11, will now have their twelfth showing on American football’s biggest stage, and a chance to vie for a record seventh Lombardi trophy.
© 2024 AFP
