New England Patriots: 5 observations from Super Bowl LIII clincher
Suddenly road warriors
Entering the game as underdogs, the main knock on the New England Patriots was how inconsistent they played on the road.
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With bad road losses, including a Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions and that “Miami Miracle” game, the Patriots were 3-5 in the regular season. They simply didn’t have the same level of focus and execution that they had in their home games. So, of course they would have a tough time in a place like Arrowhead Stadium going up against the top seeded Kanas City Chiefs.
As usual with this team, they find a way to prove critics wrong. They had to play a near perfect game to beat the Chiefs on their home turf and they just about did that. Take away a rare interception by Tom Brady in the end zone, the Patriots were very close to running away with the game in the first half.
Unfortunately, the ball didn’t always bounce their way and Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were able to get their mojo back in the second half. But this New England Patriots team showed their mental toughness by answering the call every time Kanas City went ahead in the game.
In delivering those counter punches, the team showed how sticking to the game plan and executing wins big games, especially on the road.