5 Takeaways: Poised New England Patriots Advance to AFC Title Game

Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots will play in their third straight AFC Championship next Sunday after knocking off the Baltimore Ravens in a divisional playoff. They’re now just one win away from advancing to the Super Bowl.

It was far from their best effort, but in victory, the Patriots showed tremendous grit, determination and poise in battling back to earn a 35-31 shootout win.

Before we look ahead to to the Patriots’ AFC title matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, it’s important to take a moment to highlight what they did well in their win over the rival Ravens. Here are my five takeaways from the game.

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1. Patriots show great poise

Faced with a two-touchdown deficit on two separate occasions, the Patriots fought tooth-and-nail, and ultimately won the game. They erased a 14-point Baltimore lead in the first half and then again in the final quarter. The Patriots showed great poise in keeping their cool in the face of pressure. Unlike playoff games of years past, they hung tough when things looked bleak. Bill Belichick praised his team’s resiliency and that’s what makes them such a successful squad.

2. Tom Brady turns classic performance

Brady tossed for three touchdowns, ran for one and racked up 367 yards, all while moving past Joe Montana for first place on the all-time postseason passing touchdowns list with 46. Brady was beat up and bloodied, but he showed the mental and physical toughness of a true champion. Playing behind a hobbled offensive front, he orchestrated several key scoring drives. Most importantly he showed poise in the pocket, unrivaled focus and an insatiable killer instinct.

3. Logan Ryan steps in and shines

After starting corner Brandon Browner was lost to injury, Ryan was called into action down the stretch and he did not disappoint. The second-year youngster played a crucial role on two plays that helped determine the outcome of the game. Ryan was able to wall off Torrey Smith on a Joe Flacco home run ball down the sideline in the fourth. Safety Duron Harmon was able to move into position and intercept Flacco in the end zone as a result of Ryan’s heads up coverage. He also smartly knocked Smith out of the way of Flacco’s desperation heave at the end of the game.

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4. Danny Amendola proves his worth

Amendola was heavily maligned throughout the regular season for his lack of production in comparison to his pay grade. Against the Ravens, Amendola emerged as a lethal aeriel threat, adding yet another weapon to Brady’s dynamic repertoire. He finished the game with five catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. A confident, productive Amendola will only make the Patriots a more difficult out moving forward.

5. Trick plays pay off

Josh McDaniels dug deep into the offensive playbook on Saturday. So deep that Julian Edelman ended up throwing a touchdown pass. McDaniels also dialed up several controversial, but legal formations, that caught Baltimore off guard. With the game on the line, the Patriots chose the perfect time to break out the fun stuff.

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