Patriots followers are beginning to e book their flights to Denver, as there’s nonetheless extra soccer to be performed this season and visions of the hometown crew within the Tremendous Bowl grow to be crystal clear.
“Once I get residence, I’m reserving my Denver flights,” Patriots tremendous fan Keith Birchall advised the Herald Sunday night after New England dropped the hammer on Texans, 28-16, in a snowy Divisional Spherical conflict at Gillette Stadium
“I regarded final night time; I’m like, ‘I can do that, spherical journey out of Boston, straight to Denver,’” Birchall added. “Now, it’s a executed deal. We’re all speaking about who desires to go? Who’s going to do that?”
Only a few Patriots followers, if any, even the most important believers, predicted firstly of the season that quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel would assist spearhead such a turnaround that has New England only one recreation away from punching its ticket to the Tremendous Bowl.
Particularly not after the Patriots’ season opener. Nineteen weeks in the past to the day, followers let loose loud boos as they began to exit Gillette, with the Patriots shedding a dud, 20-13, to the lowly Raiders, a crew that completed 3-14.
David Simone, 33, flew up for Sunday’s contest, his first time attending a Patriots recreation. He considered how the season began as he engaged in pregame festivities together with his household and pals exterior the stadium.
“The Raiders beat us in Week 1,” Simone advised the Herald. “I used to be pondering that there was nonetheless some potential, however that it will take a couple of years to progress. Now, we’re an actual shot on the Tremendous Bowl.”
Birchall is understood by Patriots followers because the ‘Silver Bullet,’ as he decks himself out in silver face paint. He’s been a brilliant fan for the previous 23 years, usually seen on the stadium’s jumbotrons and even in documentaries on the crew’s previous successes within the Tom Brady-Invoice Belichick days.
Birchall mentioned he predicted New England would get to 10 wins. Led by Maye and a stout protection, even these expectations have been surpassed.
“The largest factor about this 12 months is the continuity within the locker room,” Birchall mentioned. “They’re simply all collectively. They acquired that cohesion.”
Issues within the NFL change shortly.
The final time that the Patriots hosted Houston? Maye made his beginning debut on Oct. 13, 2024, throwing touchdowns to Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas.
The second-year quarterback related with these weapons for scores, once more, on Sunday. The distinction? In 2024, New England misplaced to the Texans, 41-21, as they fell to 1-5 below head coach Jerod Mayo, who was fired after his first and solely season with the Patriots final January.
Vrabel and Maye have introduced recent life to the crew, with followers assured that that is just the start of one other dynasty in Foxboro.
“This Patriots crew is so magical proper now,” fan Brian Babz advised the Herald throughout pregame festivities on the Tailgater 2000, in a parking zone throughout Route 1. “There’s one thing about this crew that a whole lot of the outdated heads will say, ‘Nothing can replicate 2001,’ however the 2025 Patriots are going to be in that higher echelon.”
Sunday’s win additionally fell on January 18, a big date in Patriots franchise historical past, with New England punching their tickets to the Tremendous Bowl in wins over the Colts within the 2004 and 2015 AFC Championships.
Gerry McCarthy, of Sandwich, has been a season ticket holder since 1980 and serves as a key voice to the Tailgater 2000, providing a whole lot of followers a prayer – a poem he writes as a rallying cry.
He’s needed to alter a verse within the prayer, going from hoping that the Patriots would double, after which triple, after which quadruple their wins from their 4-13 seasons the previous two dismal years.
“It’s like again within the outdated days, ?” McCarthy mentioned. “That is what we used to do again in January.”
Irrespective of how the AFC Championship goes in Denver towards former Patriots backup QB Jarrett Stidham, “Nobody goes to be upset,” Shalisa Keys, of Newport, Rhode Island, advised the Herald.
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