Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal with two seconds left on Sunday night as the New England Patriots upset the host Denver Broncos 26-23, dealing a serious blow to their playoff hopes.
The Broncos (7-8) missed out on a chance to join Indianapolis, Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati at 8-7 with two weeks left in the regular season. They will have to win their final two games -- against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders -- if they want to have any chance of securing an AFC playoff berth.
On its final drive of the game, New England (4-11) went 43 yards in seven plays, the big one Bailey Zappe's 27-yard pass to DeVante Parker that set the Patriots up at the Denver 47. Zappe hit a couple of short passes to get one more first down, and Ryland then delivered the game-winner.
Zappe was 25-of-33 passing for 256 yards and two touchdowns, which both came in a 20-point third quarter. He found Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki for 15 and 11-yard scoring strikes, respectively, as the Patriots built a 23-7 lead that they took into the fourth.
Russell Wilson, who completed 25 of 37 passes for 238 yards, headlined a Broncos rally with two touchdown passes and two two-point conversion throws in a 5:40 span of the fourth quarter. He connected with Brandon Johnson for a 21-yard TD with 2:53 left, then tied things with a two-point pass to Javonte Williams.
Denver missed a chance to score in the game's first two minutes. D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe on the first offensive snap of the contest and returned the fumble to the New England 6. But the Patriots came up with a goal-line stand, as Williams' fourth-down run at the 2 was stopped after a gain of 1.
However, the Broncos were able to score first with 5:15 left in the first quarter, as Williams barged in from the Patriots 3. Ryland hit a 33-yard field goal with 13:30 left in the first half to get New England on the board.
It stayed 7-3 at the break after both teams missed field goals in the final minute of the half.
After Zappe's TD throw to Gesicki, Marvin Mims Jr. fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Cody Davis recovered at the Denver 1 and fell into the end zone to put the Patriots up 23-7.
Wilson hit Lucas Krull for a 3-yard touchdown and found Johnson on the two-point try to make it 23-15 and ignite the Broncos' rally.
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