Game Highlights

The game began with the Patriots winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half. The Broncos offense, led by Jarrett Stidham, started from their own 35-yard line after a touchback. They faced a 3rd and 9 situation, but Stidham’s pass fell incomplete under pressure from the Patriots. Jeremy Crawshaw then boomed a punt that went out of bounds at the New England 8-yard line.

After a few runs that gained only 6 yards combined, Talanoa Hunfanga almost intercepted a pass, but Stefon Diggs broke it up. The Patriots also went 3 and out. Following the punt, the Broncos offense returned to their own 41-yard line.

Facing a 3rd and 10, Stidham found Marvin Mims streaking down the seam for a massive 52-yard completion. Two plays later, Stidham rolled out and hit Courtland Sutton for a wide-open 6-yard touchdown. The Broncos took an early lead of 7-0 with 10:19 remaining in the first quarter.

The Patriots offense started from their own 32-yard line. After an initial first down, Ja’Quan McMillian tackled a screen pass for a 2-yard TFL, and Pat Surtain made a brilliant PBU covering Diggs. The 3rd-down pass was complete but short of the sticks.

The Broncos started from their own 32-yard line. Harvey gained 9 yards on the first down, and Pat Bryant caught a short pass to get the first down of the drive. Stidham gained 8 yards on a QB keeper, and Harvey got the next first down as the Broncos marched to mid-field. On 3rd and 9, Sutton was unable to haul in the pass over the middle, forcing a punt. The punt resulted in a touchback, and the Patriots started from their own 20-yard line with 2:20 remaining in the first quarter.

Henderson gained 4 yards on the first down, but on 2nd and 6, Que Robinson chased down Drake Maye for a 9-yard sack, ending the drive. The Broncos offense would start their next drive from their own 43-yard line with 54 seconds left in the first quarter.

McLaughlin carried the ball for 3 yards to start the drive. Evan Engram caught a pass in the flat and took it upfield for a 7-yard gain, moving the Broncos into New England territory as the first quarter wound down. Stidham completed a 3rd-down pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey to move the sticks again. The Patriots rushed 7 on 3rd and 6, and Stidham scrambled for 5 yards. On 4th and 1, Stidham rolled out but was pressured immediately, and his pass fell incomplete. The Patriots took over at their 14-yard line with 9:22 remaining in the first half.

After a DJ Jones sack and Hufanga PBU, Maye delivered a dime to Mack Hollins for 20 yards on 3rd and 13 to move the sticks. That would be the only first down of the drive, as Zach Allen sacked Maye on 3rd and 3, forcing another Patriots punt. The Broncos started their next drive from their own 17-yard line.

Harvey gained 5 yards on the first down. Facing a 3rd and 5, Marvin Mims caught a crossing route pass and took it upfield for 5 yards and a first down. Facing a 3rd and 4, initially Stidham was called for intentional grounding, but it was later changed to a fumbled backward pass, giving the Patriots possession at the Denver 12-yard line. Two plays later, Drake Maye scored a 6-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 2:10 remaining in the first half.

Starting from their own 35-yard line, Stidham hit RJ Harvey for a 10-yard gain on an angle route to get the initial first down of the drive as we hit the 2-minute warning. Unfortunately, the Broncos were only able to move the ball to the 35-yard line, and Lutz missed the 54-yard attempt.

Drake Maye scrambled on 3rd down for 16 yards, giving the Pats a 63-yard field goal attempt, but they missed it as we headed to halftime tied at 7.

Key Moments in the Second Half

The Patriots started from their own 31-yard line and quickly gained 5 yards on a screen to Diggs. Facing a 3rd and 3, Rhamondre Stevenson gained 3 yards to get the initial first down of the drive. Stevenson then gained 12 yards to the Denver 46-yard line for another first down. Facing a 3rd and 4, Drake Maye scrambled for 28 yards down to the Denver 17-yard line. The Patriots worked down inside the 10-yard line and went for it on 4th and 1 with a QB sneak. The Broncos thought they got the stop, but not enough to overturn. Talanoa Hufanga came up with a huge TFL on Stevenson, and then Cooper sacked Drake Maye on 3rd down to force a chip shot 23-yard field goal, taking their first lead of the game 10-7. It was a 16-play, 64-yard drive that took 9:31 off the clock.

The Broncos offense started from their own 23-yard line but were unable to get a first down and quickly went 3 and out. The Patriots would start their next drive from their own 21-yard line after a terrific special teams play by Kris Abrams-Draine to stop the PR for minimal gain.

Drake Maye scrambled for 13 yards and got the Patriots their initial first down of the drive to the NE 34. On a flea flicker, Maye hit Mack Hollins for 31 yards, and the Patriots were quickly into Denver territory. Pat worked it all the way to the Denver 28-yard line, but Borregales’ 46-yard attempt was wide right, and the Broncos offense got the ball back at their own 37-yard line near the end of the third quarter.

Humphrey couldn’t come down with a 3rd-down pass attempt, so the Broncos were forced to punt again. After the touchback, the Pats started at their own 20. On 3rd and 4, DJ Jones came up with the sack and forced the Patriots to punt. The Broncos went back to work at their own 30-yard line, down 3.

The Broncos got their initial first down of the drive on a couple of runs from RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie. On 3rd and 10 from the DEN 42, Stidham hit Moore over the middle but not enough for the first down. The Broncos punt pinned NE inside their own 8-yard line with 8:21 remaining in the game.

The Broncos defense did their job and forced a quick 3 and out as the Patriots’ 3rd and 11 pass fell incomplete. The Patriots punt was SHANKED, and the Broncos took over at the NE 32-yard line!

The Broncos couldn’t gain a first down, and the 46-yard attempt was blocked. The Patriots took over at their 36. The Broncos defense did their job and forced a quick 3 and out, but time was starting to work against Denver. Stidham and the offense went to work at their own 31-yard line with 3:05 remaining in the game.

Christian Gonzalez picked off Stidham on 2nd down, and then Maye was able to scramble for 7 yards on 3rd down to give the Patriots a 10-7 win, ending the Broncos season.