Patriots suffer first loss
New England also loses Gronkowski in overtime setback at snowy Denver
It was hardly unthinkable that New England’s undefeated season might come to an end against Denver.
But for it to happen like this? With an injured offense making plays and a stout defense coming undone? That was a shocker.
Playing without their two top receivers, and then without tight end Rob Gronkowski (knee injury) in overtime, the Patriots blew a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter then squandered a game-saving drive by Tom Brady.
They gave up a 48-yard touchdown run in overtime and fell 30-24 to the Broncos. Now, instead of looking for perfection, they’ll need to keep winning to make sure any possible playoff rematch with the Broncos will come in New England, not Denver, where the snow fell for four quarters and then some Sunday night.
“We had a good lead, but we just didn’t make a couple of plays in the fourth quarter,” Brady said. “It’s tough to win, and when you lose good players, it hurts. It always hurts to lose.”
Brady finished with 280 yards and three touchdown passes. As always, he made due with what he had. He turned unheralded running back Brandon Bolden into a fantasy-football star, finding him behind linebacker coverage for a 63-yard throw and catch down the sideline that gave the Patriots a 21-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
With the snow falling and with Brock Osweiler, making only his second career start, leading the Broncos nowhere, New England looked poised for 11-0.
Then, suddenly, the defense collapsed.
Only time will tell if being handed a loss, and leaving the pressure of the undefeated season to the 11-0 Carolina Panthers, will make things easier for the Patriots (10-1).
Either way, there will be no coasting. Denver (9-2) holds the tiebreaker and showed it can win with its young quarterback. In only his second career start, Osweiler threw for 270 yards and a score. Now, New England only leads the Broncos by one game in the standings.
One piece of good news: After being carted off the field, Gronkowski was seen walking out of the training room after the game with a slight limp. By appearances, at least, the knee injury was not serious.
Jet’s ‘classless’ move
New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor’s hellacious first-quarter hit on Rishard Matthews left the Miami Dolphins receiver prone on the ground for several minutes — and while Matthews was being tended to by trainers, Pryor was several feet away celebrating.
His dance moves weren’t in the vicinity of Matthews and didn’t appear to be a celebration of an injured player, but that didn’t stop Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill from calling Pryor’s celebration a “classless move.”
Pryor tapped Matthews on the helmet as the receiver walked off the field slowly. He did not return to the game with a rib and chest injury.
Pryor tweeted after the game: “Throw a better ball next time (at) ryantannehill1 teammate would’ve never got injured!!! Sorry if you felt I was classless at the moment.
“I was definitely celebrating the great play I made. I would never celebrate someone getting injured during the game. C’mon now”
Ryan hears boos
Matt Ryan heard some of the loudest boos of his career after the Falcons’ fourth straight loss, 20-10 to visiting Minnesota.
Ryan threw two more interceptions and didn’t get much help from his teammates.
“It starts with me,” Ryan said. “It starts with making great decisions. I didn’t do a good job of that.”
Ryan has five interceptions in the past two games, drawing plenty of heat for Atlanta’s slide. The Falcons (6-5) have lost five of six games and are in danger of becoming one of the few teams in NFL history to start 5-0 and miss the playoffs.
Saints’ streak snapped
Since coach Sean Payton took over in 2006, the New Orleans Saints had scored a touchdown in every game. That changed in a 24-6 loss to the Houston Texans that extended the Saints’ skid to three games.
New Orleans didn’t score a touchdown for the first time since 2005, snapping a streak of 155 games, and Drew Brees’ streak of games with a touchdown pass ended at 45.
Brees’ last game without a touchdown pass came on Nov. 29, 2012, against Atlanta.
“It’s disappointing to lose a game like that, and it’s definitely disappointing not to score a touchdown,” Payton said.
Supercharged duo
San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers reached 40,000 yards passing in his 159th game for the fourth-fastest rate in NFL history. Only Brees (152 games), Hall of Famer Dan Marino (153) and Peyton Manning (154) accomplished the feat in fewer games.
Rivers tossed two of his four touchdown passes in Sunday’s 31-25 victory at Jacksonville to Antonio Gates, who has 21 games with multiple touchdown receptions. That is the highest total for a tight end and the eighth-most among all players.
Big numbers
Steelers wide receiver Markus Wheaton grabbed nine passes for 201 yards and a TD in Pittsburgh’s 39-30 loss at Seattle.
n Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had nine receptions for 142 yards and a dazzling TD, but New York lost 2014 to Washington.