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It took more than a quarter-and-a-half, but the Denver Broncos had finally put together a productive second-half drive. They’d picked up two first downs — their first since the second quarter — and were threatening to pull within one score of the New England Patriots.
Then Logan Ryan pushed Demaryius Thomas out of bounds shy of the first-down marker on third-and-15, setting up a fourth-and-2 from New England’s 30-yard line with just over six minutes remaining in regulation.
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian looked Thomas’ way again on the next play, lofting a pass toward the wide receiver as he raced down the right sideline. But a split second after the ball reached its target, so too did Patriots safety Devin McCourty.
McCourty struck Thomas like a heat-seeking missile, hammering him with a thunderous hit that jarred the ball loose before the wideout could gain possession. The Patriots took over following the turnover on downs and did not allow another point en route to a 16-3 victory at Sports Authority Field.
“I was just trying to get there as quickly as possible,” McCourty told reporters after the game. “I’m not the biggest guy out there, so I was just trying to use my speed as power. Luckily, I was able to knock the ball out and we were able to get off the field. Whenever we get off the field, especially once you get into the fourth quarter in a game that was still kind of close score-wise, (stops are critical).
“We’ve watched Denver make a living off keeping it close out there and playing well in the fourth quarter. Coach (Bill) Belichick hit that. They’ve led the league in fourth-quarter scoring, and that’s something we knew coming in. We just had to keep playing.”
New England was able to drain more than four minutes off the game clock on the ensuing possession, thanks in part to a senseless T.J. Ward penalty that gave the Patriots a fresh set of downs. McCourty then recovered a Jordan Norwood fumble on Denver’s final drive to seal the win.
The Broncos managed just 122 total yards after halftime — including a mere 12 yards on the ground — and were held scoreless for the final three quarters. The win clinched both the AFC East title and a first-round playoff bye for the Patriots.
Thumbnail photo via Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports Images
