Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good. And that’s exactly what Tom Brady was Sunday in the New England Patriots’ AFC Championship Game win over the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Max Kellerman.
Brady stepped up when it mattered most to send the Patriots to Super Bowl LIII, but there were several moments late in New England’s 37-31 overtime win that could have gone the other way.
Perhaps the most notable is Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford being penalized for lining up in the neutral zone on what would have been a game-sealing interception for the Chiefs, who led 28-24 at the time, with under one minute remaining in the game.
Thus, Kellerman, who’s long stated that Brady’s performance will fall off a cliff as he ages, put his foot down Monday on ESPN’s “First Take” by suggesting the Patriots quarterback was very “lucky” to escape Arrowhead Stadium with a win.
All in all, Brady wasn’t his best Sunday. And the narrative definitely would be much different Monday had a few things gone differently. But it still was a vintage performance from the five-time Super Bowl champion in that he made clutch plays down the stretch to guide New England to victory.
Lucky? Sure. But the Patriots will take that.
