DENVER – Turns out that neither the home team nor Mother Nature were the match for the New England Patriots with a trip to Super Bowl 60 at stake.
“I’ll be damned if we let a little snow stop us from going to the Super Bowl,” Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte told USA TODAY Sports after the 10-7 defeat of the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game on Jan. 25.
“We get a lot of money to play in the weather, no matter the circumstances. Whether it’s rain, snow, sleet, a blizzard, it doesn’t matter.”
The weather mess unfolded as the second half began at Empower Field, with a steady snow, swirling wind, limited visibility and a slippery turf quickly becoming game-changing factors. With the turf covered in snow, yard-markers were blurred.
And footing was even worse. The Patriots started one drive in the fourth quarter with running back Rhamondre Stevenson slipping to fall face-first at the snap before an apparent handoff. Then quarterback Drake Maye slipped to the turf.
The three-yard loss was much better than the would-be disaster of a fumble.
The elements certainly factored heavily in the two missed field goals apiece by kickers Andy Borregales (Patriots) and Wil Lutz (Broncos), as they combined for the dubious distinction of engaging in the first conference title game with three missed field goals since 1991. Add a 26-yard shanked punt from New England’s Bryce Baringer and the kicking game was essentially, off the charts, as they say.
Yet it was even worse for the passing games – especially Denver’s. Jarrett Stidham, the backup replacing injured Broncos starter Bo Nix, had 10 yards net passing in the second half. And he threw a fateful interception to Christian Gonzalez on Denver’s final possession that virtually sealed the outcome.
“The conditions weren’t great. But they had to play in them, too,” Broncos tight end Adam Trautman told USA TODAY Sports. “If you had said we’d have homefield advantage in the AFC championship game, we’d take a snow game, too.
“They were just better than us today … (And) you feel the margin of error is super-small in this type of game.”
Patriots’ ground game a difference when the snow fell
As the flow of the game changed, though, the Patriots built an advantage on a consistent rushing attack. New England rushed 38 times for 141 yards, led by Stevenson’s 71 yards on 25 carries.
Elements or not, the Patriots controlled enough of the tempo when it became apparent that just getting first downs – let alone field goals and touchdowns – represented a monumental challenge for Denver’s offense in the second half.
“It was definitely a little slick,” Maye said of the footing.
Still, the Patriots quarterback escaped from the pocket for a 28-yard run that was the game’s longest.
And, he added, “It was good enough on the last run to get around the edge.”
Maye iced the game with a seven-yard scamper around left end on a third-and-five. He finished with 10 scrambles for 65 yards and regardless of the elements was able to sting Denver’s defense with his legs, just as Buffalo’s Josh Allen did a week earlier.
It’s just that the degree of difficulty was a lot tougher on Sunday.
Then again, that depends on one’s perspective. After all, the Patriots are headquartered in Foxborough, where “Patriot Weather” is a real thing.
“This weather don’t mess with us,” Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore told USA TODAY Sports. “We play in the snow, play in the rain. It don’t matter. We’ve played in weather much worse than this. I feel like that’s to our advantage.”
It sure turned out that way on Sunday.
One thing for certain: Snow will not be a factor in the next game, with Super Bowl 60 set to be staged in Santa Clara, California.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell