(Boston = Boston Korea) Reporter Jang Myung-sul = The New England Patriots return to the postseason stage again. The Patriots confirmed their advancement to the playoffs by defeating the Baltimore Ravens 28 to 24 in the Sunday Night Football game on the 22nd.
If the Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills last week, they could have won the AFC East and advanced to the playoffs early, but they had to postpone their decision after suffering a come-from-behind loss despite taking a 21-0 lead. In the end, after waiting one more week, they overcame an 11-point deficit in the game on the 22nd and secured a ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
However, the AFC East division championship has not yet been confirmed. Currently, the Patriots have an away game against the New York Jets and a home game against the Miami Dolphins remaining, and if they win both games, they will win the district title. Additionally, if Buffalo loses to the Philadelphia Eagles next week and the Patriots defeat the Jets, the district championship is confirmed.
The Patriots’ last playoff appearance was in 2021. The team led by coach Bill Belachick and quarterback Mac Jones at the time lost 17 to 47 to Buffalo in the wild card round. Afterwards, coach Belachick left the team in January 2024, and his successor, coach Jared Mayo, was fired after a record of 4 wins and 13 losses. The person who filled that gap is Director Bravel.
After Coach Brave took office, the Patriots attracted the attention of the league by creating a sensation with a 10-game winning streak. This winning streak came to a halt last week against Buffalo, but the team still remains competitive at the top of the AFC. In particular, second-year quarterback Drake May quickly established himself as the face of the franchise and rose to the ranks of a strong team much earlier than expected.
In this day’s game, the Patriots scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone, overturning an 11-point deficit. May completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Williams early in the fourth quarter, followed by a two-point conversion pass to Lemondry Stevenson, narrowing the lead to three points.
Afterwards, as the Patriots defense blocked Baltimore’s offense, the offense advanced 89 yards and scored the final touchdown. The finishing touch was Stevenson’s 21-yard running touchdown with 2 minutes and 7 seconds left in the game. On this day, May recorded a career-high 380 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, performing as an MVP candidate.
Baltimore continued the close game in the second quarter despite the negative news that Lamar Jackson left due to a back injury. Tyler Huntley led the attack and succeeded in making it 17-13 in the third quarter with Jay Flowers’ 18-yard running touchdown, and in the early fourth quarter, the score went up to 24-13 with Derrick Henry’s 2-yard running touchdown. However, after that, Henry could no longer launch a proper attack. At the end of the game, Baltimore lost the ball due to Flowers’ fumble at the last attack opportunity and failed to chase.
The Patriots confirmed their advancement to the playoffs with a dramatic come-from-behind win, proving once again that they are a powerhouse in the AFC.
