New England’s Gronkowski recovered Kansas City’s onside kick attempt and the Patriots ran the final seconds off the clock.
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The defending Super Bowl champions now await the outcome of the Sunday game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos.
Tom Brady rushed for his sixth postseason touchdown, second in Patriots history, to give New England a 14-3 lead over Kansas City with 3:23 remaining in the first half.
The Chiefs had a chance to make it close before halftime, but some poor clock management cost them and they had to kick another field goal, making it 14-6 at the half. Danny Amendola’s 22-yard punt return in the fourth quarter paved the way for a 32-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski (2-for-2 field goals, 3-for-3 PATs) that made it 27-13 with 10:20 left. But Saturday, they look to recapture some of their early-season magic against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first AFC Division Game.
A short run by Charcandrick West saw the Chiefs pull the deficit to within seven points late in the game, but some stellar defence from the Patriots saw them hold on for the victory. Based on the CBS camera angle that showed the play live, it’s unclear whether Edelman actually got the first down or not.
They say you need to run the ball to win in the playoffs.
This was the Patriots’ first playoff game at Gillette Stadium since last year’s AFC title game, when the Patriots were accused of purposely using deflated footballs for the first half of their 45-7 win over the Colts.
The Patriots were involved in a coin flip-related controversy in Week 16, when they lost to the Jets 26-20 in overtime.
They also became the second team ever to make five straight conference championship games, joining the 1973-77 Raiders. “We got down to the one-yard line and we ended up going backwards, but we ended up punching it in there, too”, Reid continued before adding, “I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about”.
The Patriots received a lot of help not only from Gronkowski, but from the man who threw the tight end those passes in quarterback TOM BRADY (28 of 42 for 302 yards, 2 touchdowns and no picks).
Gronkowski entered Saturday questionable to play because of a knee injury.
“I think he has worked his tail off”, Brady said. There’s only four teams playing next week and we’re one of them.
The Chiefs played sloppy football while the Patriots were clean and efficient for the entire game. “That’s a serious injury to come back from, and to play the way he played today was great”. The Chiefs snapped 45 of their 83 offensive plays in New England’s end of the field and scored only one TD.
In the first quarter, Gronkowski lined up on the outside and to the left of the Patriots formation on two consecutive plays. An incompletion down the right sideline to Maclin and another stop of Kelce on a swing pass took the Chiefs to 4th and 11 at the New England 37. The Chiefs answered with an 80-yard drive that culminated in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Albert Wilson.
The Packers said in the second quarter that he would not return.
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Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith attempted a career-high 50 passes but finished with just 246 yards and one score. Kansas City outside linebacker Tamba Hali tipped the pass in a gulp moment for New England fans, but the ball landed in wide receiver Julian Edelman’s hands.
