In a stunning upset, the New England Patriots secured a last-minute 26-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday night, as Chad Ryland’s 56-yard field goal with two seconds remaining dealt a significant blow to the Broncos’ playoff aspirations.
With this loss, the Broncos (7-8) missed an opportunity to join teams like Indianapolis, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati at an 8-7 record with only two weeks left in the regular season. To keep their AFC playoff hopes alive, the Broncos must win their final two games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.
During the decisive drive in the closing moments of the game, the Patriots (4-11) covered 43 yards in seven plays. The key play was Bailey Zappe’s 27-yard pass to DeVante Parker, positioning the Patriots at the Denver 47. Zappe executed a couple of short passes to secure a crucial first down, setting the stage for Ryland’s game-winning field goal.
Zappe showcased his skills by completing 25 of 33 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, both of which occurred in a pivotal 20-point third quarter. His connections with Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki for 15 and 11-yard scoring strikes, respectively, helped the Patriots establish a 23-7 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Despite the Patriots’ initial dominance, Russell Wilson led a remarkable Broncos rally in the final quarter, completing 25 of 37 passes for 238 yards. Wilson orchestrated two touchdown passes and two two-point conversion throws in a span of 5 minutes and 40 seconds. His 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Johnson with 2:53 left tied the game after a successful two-point conversion pass to Javonte Williams.
The Broncos missed a golden opportunity to score within the first two minutes of the game when D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe on the first offensive snap. Despite returning the fumble to the New England 6, the Broncos faced a resilient Patriots’ defense, resulting in a goal-line stand that halted Williams’ fourth-down run at the 2 after a gain of 1.
Although the Broncos managed to score first with a touchdown from Williams with 5:15 left in the first quarter, the Patriots responded with Ryland’s 33-yard field goal, putting them on the board with a score of 7-3 at halftime. Both teams missed field goals in the final minute of the half, maintaining the Patriots’ narrow lead.
The tide turned decisively in the Patriots’ favor when Zappe’s touchdown throw to Gesicki was followed by a critical fumble recovery by Cody Davis on the ensuing kickoff. Davis fell into the end zone at the Denver 1, extending the Patriots’ lead to 23-7.
Wilson’s subsequent touchdown pass to Lucas Krull and a successful two-point conversion pass to Johnson brought the Broncos back into contention at 23-15, setting the stage for the dramatic late-game heroics that ultimately secured the Patriots’ upset victory over the Broncos.
