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Chad Ryland nailed a 56-yard field goal with two seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the New England Patriots stunned the Denver Broncos with a 26-23 victory Sunday night.
The rookie has struggled several times this season, his start to the game in the Mile High City not being the most impressive, but Ryland got the job done from long range in a critical moment.
The Broncos (7-8) had no room to maneuver, and this defeat will not help them in any way, as they are suffering a painful blow – perhaps fatal – in the qualifying race within the American Association.
It's a heartbreaking ending for Denver, which saw the Pats score 20 points in the third quarter to give themselves a 16-point lead (23-7).
Except that Russell Wilson and his offense worked hard to bring the teams back even, thanks to Wilson's middle finger passes to Lukas Kroll, for three yards, and Brandon Johnson, for 21 yards.
After the Broncos' 2-point conversion after a touchdown, the score was now tied with 2:53 left on the scoreboard.
Both clubs had unsuccessful offensive lines after that, but when the Pats had the ball for the final time in regulation, Billy Zappe's surprise upset made the home team pay.
Zappe's pass to DeVante Parker for a 27-yard gain to the Broncos' 47 was particularly damaging to the crowd favorite.
The Pats (4-11) are likely looking at the team's worst season since Belichick's inaugural campaign in 2000, but they have won two of their last three games.
That success means that if the regular schedule ended today, New England would be ranked No. 4 — not No. 2 — in the next NFL draft.
If the Patriots lose again this season, Belichick will see his club lose 12 games under his leadership for the first time in 29 years. Training.
Coach Sean Payton, in his first year in Denver, wants to help Colorado end a streak of eight seasons without making a postseason schedule.
That would be a near-impossible task now, given that the odds are now 6 percent, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
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