Patriots One Step Closer to Super Bowl
Too old? New England Patriots’ 41-year-old quarterback Tom Brady won his 28th post season game this past Sunday, January 13th, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 41- 28 in Foxboro Sunday on a chilly New England day and putting the Pats one step closer to the Super Bowl.
Brady successfully threw 34 of 44 passes with 343 yards with 1 touchdown and no interceptions. Patriots running back Sony Michel had 24 carries for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Slot receiver Julian Edelman finished the game with nine receptions for 151 yards.
The defense played solid all day for the Pats; safety Devin McCourty led the team with five tackles, and All-Pro selection Stephon Gilmore finished with one tackle and one interception.
Senior Cam Mariana believes the Patriots are unstoppable with their quarterback-coaching duo.
‘’Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the best QB coaching duo ever in the NFL,” Cam, a lifelong Pats fan from Wilbraham, Massachusetts, said. “I have all the faith in them.”
Since 2011 the Patriots have not missed the AFC championship game. Brady has won more playoff games than any other QB in history has even played in.
This upcoming Sunday (Jan. 20) the Patriots have a rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. The Patriots took game one earlier this season, serving the Chiefs one of their only four losses this season.
The game will be played in Kansas City City; the Chiefs earned home field advantage in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with the best record in the AFC.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a candidate for the MVP this season. After sitting on the bench last year for some of the season behind Alex Smith, Mahomes has had a breakout year, throwing for 5381 yards and 50 touchdowns.
The game will be aired on CBS at 6:40 P.M. The winner will head to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 3. The Chiefs are favored at -3 vs. the Patriots.
Junior Will Strout had a confident take about Sunday’s upcoming game. ‘’I think we will demolish them [Kansas City], we already beat them this year, they are all hype.’’
Both teams are without one of their star players due to off-field issues. Kansas City is without running back Kareem Hunt, after video was released by TMZ on November 30 of Hunt allegedly committing domestic violence against a teenage girl. The Chiefs released him immediate following the video.
The Patriots are also without star wide-receiver Josh Gordon after he departed the team for personal reasons. Gordon has struggled with alcohol and drugs in the past.
Although loyal New England fans have all the faith in the world in Tom Brady, not everyone has the same take.
Max Kellerman, a host on the ESPNs show ‘’First Take,’’ has a habit of trashing on the firve-time Super Bowl champion.
‘’Is he an elite quarter back anymore, has he been this season? The answer is no. where does he rank in the AFC? I would say dead last among QBs left in the AFC playoffs,” Kellerman said.