Numerous plays were made by New England in defeat, but ultimately the win probability that the Broncos and Panthers amassed in the first half of their respective wins was too much to overcome.
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And the worst part?
Three plays after Gronkowski’s reception, the Patriots again were down to their final play. They still needed a two-point conversion to tie it up with the Broncos.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had quite the 2015. There were three defenders underneath Gronk and all three were in the passing lane.
With 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Brady found Gronkowski in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal from to make the score 20-18.
Here’s how Gronkowski, who dealt with cramps throughout the game, almost saved the Patriots’ season.
Gronkowski drew single coverage on the ensuing two-point conversation attempt, but Brady opted instead for Julian Edelman. The ball was tipped by former Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib and ultimately intercepted by fellow cornerback Bradley Roby. He took himself out of the game for several snaps at a time in the third quarter, and was on his back on the sidelines being treated by trainers early in the fourth. Gronkowski has a history of injuries that have kept him out of multiple games throughout his career.
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Lee & Johnny will bring live updates in every newscast leading up to Sunday’s showdown, and they’ll have post-game highlights and reaction from Denver Sunday on NEWS CENTER at 11.
