The New England Patriots managed to reach the AFC Championship game for the fourth straight year with a 35-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
The Patriots’ run game was stopped early against a Baltimore defense that specializes in putting a damper on any teams run game regardless of what’s being thrown their way. However, the Patriots found their sweet spot late in the second quarter going into the half as they gained success with short, quick passes, which helped them drive down the field against Baltimore’s reintegrated secondary.
The quarterback who works best under pressure made NFL playoff history with the Patriots as they dug themselves out of two 14 point holes.
“Behind twice by 14 wasn’t necessarily in the plan,” Brady said. It took a lot of execution to overcome it.”
Brady finished with 367 pass yards; which is the most he’s had in 27 career playoff games. He also added three touchdowns, which gave him 46 career postseason touchdown passes breaking Joe Montana’s NFL record which stands at 45.
Flacco started the game completing 22 of his first 29 pass attempts for 231 yards with four touchdowns. The first touchdown pass was to wide receiver Kamar Aiken for 19 yards and the second was to Steve Smith for 9 yards. Flacco ended the first half with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels with 10 seconds left putting the Ravens on top 21-14.
The Ravens started off the second half adding to their lead on Flacco’s fourth touchdown pass; a 16-yarder to a wide open Justin Forsett. However, that wasn’t enough to rain on the Pats parade.
Brady threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski, and got the ball back after a punt.
With the ball at New England’s 49, college quarterback turned NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola.
“We’ve had it in for 10 weeks, and the coaches finally got to call it,” Edelman said. “I had to loosen up the arm a little bit.”
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker answered back with a 25-yard field goal giving the Ravens a 31-28 lead five minutes into the fourth quarter.
Seven plays later wide receiver Brandon La’Fell scored a touchdown giving the Patriots their first lead of the night, 35-31.
Baltimore then had two possessions, trying to make what could be one of the best comebacks in NFL playoff history. Flacco went deep to Torrey Smith in the end zone with 1:39 left. Throwing just a little too deep the ball was intercepted by Duron Harmon. In Baltimore’s final possession, Flacco threw a desperation pass into the end zone. The ball was tipped by multiple players, but then batted down by Patriots safety Devin McCourty as time expired.
“We’re all faced with challenges in life,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said, “and, as a teacher and coach that’s what you ask of your guys. I guess what I’m saying is I’m so proud of the way they handled it.”
The New England Patriots will go on to play the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship title at Gillette Stadium, next Sunday at 6:40 p.m. ET on CBS.
[Photo: AP Photo/Elise Amendola]Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
