The New England Patriots ruined Christmas Eve for the Denver Broncos with a shocking 26-23 victory on Sunday night at Mile High.
Not only did they knock the Broncos out of the playoff hunt, but they did so on an incredible 56-yard field goal kick by rookie Chad Ryland. It was one of the most shocking endings to an NFL game there’s been all season.
The Patriots are quietly 2-1 in their last three games, including wins over the Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week, they gave the Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle in Foxborough.
No one would argue that the Patriots are a good football team, but there is an argument to be made that they’ve improved significantly with Bailey Zappe under center at quarterback.
Here are the studs and duds from Sunday’s game:
LB Jahlani Tavai: STUD
Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai is a turnover machine.
He was once again involved in a takeaway after knocking the ball loose when tackling Broncos running back Javonte Williams to the ground on Sunday. It initially looked like Denver recovered the ball, but the fumble was awarded to Patriots defensive lineman Jeremiah Pharms Jr. after the play.
The @Patriots defense forces a turnover of its own
📺: #NEvsDEN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/uY6Dg380OO pic.twitter.com/Z00pOMX6Cv— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
Tavai has mostly flown under the radar this season, which has been the case for every Patriots defensive player. But he has clearly established himself as a legitimate building block for the unit.
It’s crazy to think he was waived by the Detroit Lions a little over two years ago. Now, he’s a key part of a Patriots defense that has overperformed this season.
RB Ezekiel Elliott: STUD
Ezekiel Elliott has emerged into one of the Patriots’ best offensive weapons in recent weeks. With Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined with an ankle injury, Elliott has stepped up in a big way as both a runner and receiver.
He showed off his ability to do both against the Broncos with this spectacular catch and run for a touchdown.
THE HURDLE THO 🤫@EzekielElliott | #ForeverNE
📺: NFLN pic.twitter.com/LniqrooVw7
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 25, 2023
Elliott is proving he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. If he keeps playing like he did on Sunday, the Patriots are sure to continue feeding him the ball.
K Chad Ryland: STUD
Chad Ryland was on the verge of being deemed a dud, again, for the Patriots. But then he stepped up in the final seconds of the fourth quarter and kicked a game-winning 56-yard field to secure the upset victory.
Before that kick, Ryland had missed a 47-yarder and an extra point. Yet, he never wavered in his confidence, and that allowed him to make the big kick when the Patriots needed it the most.
Chad Ryland from 56 yards!
📺: #NEvsDEN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/uY6Dg380OO pic.twitter.com/EXqQQlg7HV— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
There’s no question that Ryland has a strong leg. That was part of the intrigue for the Patriots when they selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He just needs to show more consistency.
DT Christian Barmore: STUD
Christian Barmore should be seeing dollar signs after the monstrous performance he had against the Broncos on Sunday night. He terrorized Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson throughout the game with three sacks and four quarterback hits.
The Patriots will have a plethora of decisions to make in the offseason, but one of them should be locking up Barmore long-term. He’s a key foundational piece and a defensive game-wrecker that is hitting his prime years.
If defense is going to remain the calling card for the Patriots, they need playmakers like Barmore on their roster.
WR Demario Douglas: STUD
Demario Douglas hit the ground running for the Patriots in training camp, and he has quickly emerged into the team’s best wide receiver. Bailey Zappe connected with Douglas on five receptions for a team-high 74 yards in the win over the Broncos.
This was a game where the rookie showed off his slick route-running and exceptional ability to separate. There aren’t enough players like him on the Patriots’ roster, and it has shown on the field with him now starting to get most of the attention from opposing defenses.
But even extra eyes haven’t stopped him from making plays.
QB Bailey Zappe: STUD
Bailey Zappe played a clean and efficient game against the Broncos.
He wasn’t afraid to take shots downfield, and he was able to make plays under pressure, when things were breaking down around him. That includes a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter that put rookie kicker Chad Ryland in position to hit a 56-yard field goal.
Zappe finished the game going 25-of-33 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Since becoming the full-time starter, Zappe is 2-2 in his last four games with the Patriots. It’s an impressive run considering how bad things initially looked with Mac Jones under center.
Patriots' future: DUD
There was a lot of Christmas cheer in the air for the Patriots following their win over the Broncos. It was a great win for a team that hasn’t had much to celebrate this season.
However, the victory does hurt their position on the 2024 NFL draft board. With the win, the Patriots have now fallen to No. 4 overall, which could put them out of the running for highly-touted quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.
It could also take them out of the running for Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as well. In the grand scheme, this was a meaningless win that does little to actually help the Patriots in the future.
