It wasn't quite a Christmas miracle, but the New England Patriots pulled off an unlikely upset win Sunday night in Denver.
A 56-yard field goal by much-maligned rookie kicker Chad Ryland propelled New England to a 26-23 victory over the Broncos on Christmas Eve.
Ryland's game-winner with two seconds remaining came after the fourth-round draft pick missed a field goal and an extra point earlier in the game. It foiled a late comeback bid by Russell Wilson and the Broncos, who erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game.
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Quarterback Bailey Zappe set up the deciding kick with a 27-yard third-down completion to DeVante Parker, sparking a Patriots offense that had gone three-and-out on its first three fourth-quarter possessions. Sunday's game was the best of the season for Zappe, who finished 25 of 33 for 256 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Here are seven instant-reaction thoughts on a wild holiday night at Empower Field at Mile High:
1. Draft implications
For fans pining for Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, this result felt like a lump of coal in your stocking. The win dropped the 4-11 Patriots from second to fourth in the 2024 NFL Draft order, with the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals and 4-11 Washington Commanders vaulting ahead of them.
The Patriots still have a path to a top-two pick with two weeks remaining, but they'd likely need to lose to both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets and get help from Arizona and Washington.
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The Cardinals finish at Philadelphia and at home against Seattle. The Commanders will host San Francisco and Dallas in Weeks 17 and 18.
2. Bailey Zappe delivers
The Patriots' second-year quarterback said this week that he was focused on delivering a complete performance after fading after halftime in each of the last two games. He got closer Sunday night.
Zappe was terrific during the Patriots' 20-point third quarter. He connected on well-placed deep balls to Demario Douglas and Parker and tossed short touchdown passes to Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki. The Patriots appeared to be on their way to a stunning blowout.
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Then, the offense disappeared in the fourth quarter, gaining 11 total yards on three drives as Wilson led the Broncos back. Zappe recovered in crunch time, however, going 3-for-3 for 36 yards to bring New England into Ryland's field-goal range.
Douglas paced the Patriots with 74 yards on five catches, though the rookie did have a rough third-down drop. Parker had four catches on five targets for 65 yards, including two clutch contested receptions to beat tight coverage. Elliott saw a steady diet of short passes out of the backfield, with Zappe going 9-for-11 for 33 yards and a touchdown on throws to the veteran running back.
3. Special teams touchdown
Quiet for most of his rookie season, Marte Mapu now has made impact plays in back-to-back games. After picking off a Patrick Mahomes pass in Week 15, the third-round pick forced a turnover on special teams Sunday night, punching the ball out of Marvin Mims' hands during a Broncos kickoff return.
Teammate Cody Davis recovered in the end zone to put the Patriots ahead 23-7 late in the third quarter.
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It was a rare highlight for the Patriots' special teams, which haven't generated many of those this season.
4. Defensive standouts show out
Christian Barmore had three sacks, a forced fumble, multiple pressures, a key goal-line run stuff and a drawn hold. The third-year pro has been in the running for the Patriots' best overall player since mid-October -- and has looked like one of the best interior defenders in football during that span -- and this was the best game of his NFL career.
Locking up Barmore, who's now up to 8 1/2 sacks, should be a priority for New England, as he'll become eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
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Linebacker Jahlani Tavai created yet another turnover, forcing a second-quarter fumble that defensive lineman Jeremiah Pharms fought hard to recover. It was the Patriots' 15th turnover of the season, and nine directly involved either Tavai or safety Jabrill Peppers.
Mack Wilson also continued his surprise late-season surge. The linebacker came close to notching two turnovers, nearly making a diving interception in the end zone and later forcing a Wilson fumble that Denver recovered.
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The Patriots' defense dominated the Broncos in the third quarter but started to buckle late, surrendering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives that spanned 80-plus yards.
Denver was without top receiver Courtland Sutton for much of the game, as he suffered a head injury before halftime and didn't return. But New England also was seriously shorthanded in the secondary, with starting safety Jabrill Peppers sidelined with a hamstring injury and Jonathan Jones, Shaun Wade and Jalen Mills all receiving medical attention during the game.
5. Wild and crazy start
James Ferentz's first appearance of the season got off to the worst possible start.
Getting the nod at left guard in place of the injured Cole Strange, Ferentz whiffed on his block on the game's first snap, resulting in a free Broncos rusher who nailed Zappe for a strip sack. Denver took over at New England's 6-yard line.
The Patriots' defense bailed out the veteran O-lineman, stuffing Broncos running back Javonte Williams at the goal line to force a turnover on downs.
Peppers, who was watching from home, loved what he saw on the fourth-down stop, which was spearheaded by Barmore:
6. Slater's streak ends
For the first time in six years, the Patriots played a game without Matthew Slater, whose run of 100 consecutive regular-season appearances came to an end in Denver. A hamstring injury kept the longtime special teams captain out of the lineup for the first time since Week 12 of the 2017 season.
It didn't take New England's special teams -- which have struggled even with Slater in the lineup this season -- to feel the impact of his absence. Mims returned the Patriots' second punt of the night 52 yards to set up a short-field touchdown for the Broncos.
Mims entered the weekend ranked first in the NFL in punt- and kick-return average (minimum 10 returns), and Bill Belichick spotlighted the rookie's talents in his midweek news conference.
“Mims is having a great year,” Belichick said Wednesday. “Both punt and kickoff returns, they really create a lot of field position there."
Indeed. Thanks to the Patriots' special teams problems and early offensive ineptitude, the Broncos didn't run a play on their own side of midfield until the second quarter. Their first three drives began at New England's 6-, 46- and 25-yard line.
Slater's replacement on the punt team, linebacker Chris Board, also was flagged for illegal procedure late in the fourth quarter, gifting the Broncos 19 yards of field position.
7. Offensive line changes
The Patriots started Ferentz at left guard and Vederian Lowe at left tackle, but neither went wire to wire.
Lowe rotated with Trent Brown, filling the role previously occupied by Conor McDermott before his move to injured reserve. Brown missed the Patriots' Week 15 loss to Kansas City with multiple injuries and hasn't seen a full gameday workload since Week 8.
Fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi subbed in for Ferentz midway through the first quarter, but that appeared to be a straight benching rather than a rotation. Ferentz did not play another offensive snap.
Lowe and Mafi combined for three holding penalties against a blitz-happy Broncos defense.
Featured image via Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports Images
