The Big Story – It’s 2013 All Over Again: Every time the Red Sox advanced in 2013, I asked, how did they do that?
Same for the Pats now as the D is becoming as reliable as Koji Uehara in 2013. After it gave up the usual (annoying) early TD, it completely shut down Denver to win the AFC Championship 10-7. And while Drake Maye had trouble throwing amid constant pressure, his 28-yard third quarter scramble set up the winning FG and his end of the game bootleg got the first down that iced it. So, so much for the “easy schedule” talk, as they’ve now beaten three playoff teams with a 40-14 combined record as the D surrendered just 26 points.
Next up is Seattle in the place no Patriots fan thought they’d be in 2025-’26, the Super Bowl.
How did they do that?
Sports 101: At 23 years and 162 days Maye will try to be the youngest QB to win a Super Bowl. He’ll also be the second youngest starter ever. Who is the youngest to start at QB in the big game and youngest to win one?
News Item – Patriots 10, Denver 7: It wasn’t pretty but they’re moving on.
Key Stat: The D gave up just 3.1 yards per play.
Improvement: Since Milton Williams returned the D has given up 8 ppg.
Backslide – Maye: No turnovers, but his 87 passing yards were his worst ever. He’s got to do better in Santa Clara.
Game Ball – The D: Yes, they were facing a backup QB, but Denver got just 181 yards overall, 79 rushing, were a +2 in TO’s, had five sacks and gave up just seven points.
The Numbers:
8 – 20+ points games off the bench already, with an eye-popping 39 vs. Miami two weeks ago, make one wonder if the Celtics should keep Anfernee Simons and his Vinnie ‘TheMicrowave’ Johnson-like instant scoring ability at the trade deadline.
20.7 – percent of Hall of Fame voters who voted for Dustin Pedroia, leaving him well short of the 75 percent needed.
346 – passing yards and three TD’s one-time ghost-seeing ex-Jet Sam Darnold threw for in Seattle’s 31-27 NFC Title game win over L.A.
… Of the Week Awards
Quote – Curt Cignetti: “I’m gonna have a beer,” said after Indiana beat Miami 27-21 in their thrilling college football championship game.
I Did Not Know That Stat – Jhonny Peralta: The .203 career batting average against the Mets’ newly acquired ace from Milwaukee is third best in history. Behind only two one-inning-per-night closers. For context that’s one and two points better than all-timers Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax.
Sports 101 Answer: The youngest SB starting QB was Dan Marino (23 years, 123 days), in Miami’s 38-16 loss to SF in 1984, and the youngest winning QB was Ben Roethlisberger (23 years, 11 months) when he somehow won 21-10 in 2006 despite having the lowest QB rating ever in SB history (22.1).
Final Thoughts – Latest NFL News:
Milton Williams is the best Patriots DL since Richard Seymour and worth every penny paid in free agency. The struggling end of the year D went right back to early season dominance since he came back off IR.
Don’t know if the Bills have hired Phillip Rivers to be their HC. But does it make sense to fire an effective HC in Sean McDermott because he couldn’t get his team over the hump to the SB in favor of a QB (with no experience) who never could get his own team to the SB?
Wasn’t Norm Van Brocklin available?
Google him.
Is it karma for the MVP vote that Matthew Stafford’s season ends one game short as he threw for 374 yards and three TD’s while the other candidate moves on when he just threw for a career-low 87 yards and no TD’s?
Thanks to Payton for making my case from last week when I said coaches are going for it too much on fourth down and should take the FG points in the playoffs. Payton does that vs. New England in the first quarter, Denver goes to OT instead of on vacation. Just like Chicago and Jacksonville this year and Detroit last year vs. Philly. The statistics-led “go-for-it” casualties are piling up.
Not really sure how they did it. But the Pats are back!
Who’d have thunk that in August?
Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.