In a game that evoked memories of previous comeback wins over the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots prevailed Sunday after yet another dramatic rally at Gillette Stadium.
Trailing the underdog Houston Texans by five with just over two minutes remaining, Brady marched the Patriots 75 yards down the field in eight plays and hit wide receiver Brandin Cooks for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining.
Final score: Patriots 36, Texans 33.
Here’s a closer look at how New England’s latest late-game comeback came to be:
2:34 REMAINING
THIRD-AND-1
PATRIOTS’ 18-YARD LINE
The game-winning touchdown drive might not have been possible had it not been for this red-zone stop on the preceding Texans possession.
After rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson guided Houston 49 yards down the field, New England’s defense stuffed running back Lamar Miller for no gain on third-and-short, forcing the Texans to settle for a field goal and giving the ball back to Brady with more than two minutes remaining.
Defensive tackle Alan Branch stood his ground in the hole, pushing right guard Greg Mancz back at the snap, and linebacker Kyle Van Noy fired up to finish the job.
2:00 REMAINING
THIRD-AND-12
PATRIOTS’ 23-YARD LINE
The Patriots had gone three-and-out on each of their previous two drives, and their final possession started inauspiciously, as well. Brady threw incomplete to Danny Amendola on first down, and center David Andrews was called for holding on the following play, setting up second-and-20.
Brady then hit tight end Rob Gronkowski for 8 yards to make the distance a bit more manageable, but the Patriots still were staring at third-and-double digits with the Texans’ vaunted pass rush — which already had sacked Brady four times — staring them down.
With the game on the line, New England went empty backfield, lining up James White and Chris Hogan out wide with Brandin Cooks and Amendola in the slots and Gronkowski as a stand-up tight end. Seeing that rookie linebacker Zach Cunningham had one-on-one coverage on Gronkowski, Brady hit the big man on a crossing route.
Gronkowski caught the ball 3 yards shy of the first-down marker, then proceeded to drag Cunningham across the line to extend the drive.
1:33 REMAINING
FIRST-AND-10
PATRIOTS’ 38-YARD LINE
Gronkowski’s first down got the Patriots’ offense moving. On the very next play, Brady hit a wide-open Brandin Cooks for 18 yards down the left sideline. Cornerback Kareem Jackson argued that Cooks pushed off on the play, but the officials did not agree.
Cooks received some encouragement from injured special teams captain Matthew Slater after the catch.
The Patriots kept Gronkowski in to help right tackle LaAdrian Waddle on the play, having Gronk chip star pass rusher J.J. Watt before releasing into the flat.
0:54 REMAINING
THIRD-AND-18
PATRIOTS’ 48-YARD LINE
Two more negative plays followed Cooks’ big gain.
First, Marcus Gilchrist came on a safety blitz and strip-sacked Brady, using a stunt to split Andrews and left guard Joe Thuney. Gilchrist knocked the ball out of Brady’s hands, but fortunately for the Patriots, it bounced right into the arms of Andrews, who fell on it to retain possession.
On the next play, Brady uncorked a deep ball to Cooks that very nearly was intercepted by safety Corey Moore.
Given new life after the two close calls, the Patriots called their second timeout. When they returned to the field, Brady locked in on one of his most reliable targets — Amendola.
The veteran wideout lined up in the left slot, ran a deep drag across the field and made a leaping catch in front of safety Eddie Pleasant. On third-and-18, Amendola, New England’s go-to guy for clutch third-down conversions, gained 27.
0:28 REMAINING
FIRST-AND-10
TEXANS’ 25-YARD LINE
The Patriots’ hurried to the line following Amendola’s first down, and rather than spike the ball, Brady turned his eyes toward the end zone.
Cooks ran a simple route, almost jogging down the sideline as he settled into the gap between Jackson and Moore in Houston’s Cover 2. As soon as he crossed the goal line, Brady let it fly.
The ball soared over Jackson’s head and reached its target a split-second before Moore did. Cooks twisted in the air as he hauled it in, tapping both feet in bounds as Gillette Stadium erupted.
For good measure, Brady found Cooks again on the ensuing two-point conversion, and Duron Harmon intercepted a desperation heave by Watson as time expired to ice the win for the Patriots.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
