The Patriots received an exciting gift on Christmas Eve in the Mile High City.

New England picked up a dramatic victory in its Week 16 matchup with the Denver Broncos at Empower Field. The back-and-forth affair culminated with a 56-yard field goal from Chad Ryland, whose impressive boot sealed a 26-23 triumph for the visitors.

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NFL Network's cameras captured the Patriots sideline as Ryland's long-range kick sailed through the uprights. Bailey Zappe, who turned in his best performance of the season, shed his jacket and jumped for joy while pumping his fist in jubilation. Bill Belichick, meanwhile, looked around the field with a somewhat confused look on his face.

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The side-by-side of the quarterback and head coach, which can be seen in the video below, is pretty funny.

Belichick and Zappe also were off-balance with their celebrations once they left the gridiron. After the Patriots' longtime head coach initially tried to greet the sophomore signal-caller with a handshake, Zappe rejected the gesture and made Belichick bring it in for a hug.

New England, now 4-11, will play the penultimate game of its season Sunday in Buffalo against the Bills. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

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Featured image via Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports Images