Second Half Brady Not Enough

A valiant second-half effort by Tom Brady and the 3rd string Pats was not enough to overcome a 21-3 halftime deficit.

Denver was able to extend their lead to 28-3 with 11:02 remaining in the third quarter on Sunday at Invesco Field in Denver. Tom and the Pats then began a ferocious rally over the next 26 minutes and change to bring the game within a single score at 28-20. Brady, unfortunately, didn't have enough Magic to bring the Foxboro boys all the way back. The key play ended up being a second and 10 play that Brady was called for an intentional grounding that put the Pats in a near impossible 3rd and 20 with 3:53 remaining in the contest. After not converting on third down and then punting on 4th, New England had seen the last of the football as Denver compiled 2 first downs to put the contest on ice.

Brady, who has been masterful to date, was 24/46 with 299 yards and one touchdown. Mediocre numbers, especially in the first half when the two-time defending champs scored only 3 points on an early Adam Vinatieri field goal.

Corey Dillon dressed (and looked quite dapper in his clean uniform) but did not play... an interesting move from Coach Belichick. Along With Dillon, Richard Seymour and Troy Brown did not dress. Interesting that the Pats dressed an obvious DNP in Dillon... Are they THAT ravaged by injuries that there was no other position that could have dressed in Dillon's place? If there was any game in which they needed a running game, it was the 1st half of Sunday's tilt. The 2-time champs are licking their wounds over the next 2 weeks and hopefully will be able to make a second-half playoff run when their schedule focuses on their divisional opponents, beginning with Buffalo on national TV at 830pm in Foxboro on October 30. Bostonist will be watching.

Contributed by Benjamin June