New England Patriots Keep Postseason Dreams Alive with ‘Monday Night Football’ Win

Posted on: December 13, 2022, 02:04h. 

Last updated on: December 13, 2022, 03:41h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The New England Patriots are clinging on the ledge in the fight for a place in the NFL playoffs after taking down the Arizona Cardinals 27-13 on Monday Night Football. The Pats had some help, but all that matters at this point is the win.

Raekwon McMillan
New England Patriots linebacker Raekwon McMillan celebrates a TD on Monday Night Football. The Pats handled the Arizona Cardinals to secure the win. (Image: Getty Images)

The Cards lost QB Kyler Murray to a serious injury in the first quarter, leading to the arrival of Colt McCoy. He put up a good fight, but errors and a lagging defense in the second half allowed the Pats to take charge.

New England increased its record to 7-6 with the win, and despite being next to last in the AFC East, they’re still alive in the fight for the postseason. They have a couple of tough games ahead, but appear recharged following Monday night’s win.

Pats Gain Ground

For the Patriots, Mac Jones passed for 235 yards while completing 24 of 35 with one interception. Rookie running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris each scored as the offense worked its magic. The defense, which was a little sluggish at first, shut out the Cardinals and forced two turnovers in the second half of the game.

McCoy came in for Murray after just one completion. He had success, putting up 246 passing yards and showing that he wasn’t afraid to take a hit as he ran the ball. Despite leading at the end of the first half, McCoy and the Cards’ offense came unglued in the second half.

An aggressive Pats defense ensured that Arizona couldn’t develop any offensive movement. A New England field goal by Nick Folk tied the game, and a fumble recovery by linebacker Raekwon McMillan allowed the Patriots to move ahead on the scoreboard.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1602511742428336129

Rookie running back Pierre Strong, having a successful night to cap a solid first year, sealed the game with the Pats’ final TD. That pushed them up to 27-13, and the Cardinals had no shot at recovering.

The win helped the Patriots get above .500 and put them in seventh place in the AFC playoff picture. They jumped over the LA Chargers and the New York Jets, but can’t let off the gas now. New England still has to face division rivals the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills in the home stretch.

The sportsbooks’ favorite won the game with relative ease once they began taking things seriously. The over/under of 43 wasn’t unrealistic, but the under continues to be the money play this season. If not for the turnovers, the total would have likely been around 24 points.

2023 Pro Bowl Makes History

A week ago, the NFL named brothers Eli and Peyton Manning as the head coaches of the NFC and AFC, respectively, for the upcoming Pro Bowl game next February. The retired quarterbacks, each with two Super Bowl wins, will make history as they take up positions along the sidelines.

On Monday, the NFL added other names to the coaching lists who will serve under the Manning brothers. For the NFC, DeMarcus Ware, former Denver Broncos linebacker and Super Bowl winner, will be the defensive coordinator. The QB for the US Women’s National Flag Football team, Vanita Krouch, will be the offensive coordinator.

For the AFC, 12-time Pro Bowl player, Baltimore Ravens great, and two-time Super Bowl champ Ray Lewis will be the defensive coordinator. In addition, for the first time in the history of the NFL, a female football player from Mexico will be a coach in the game.

Diana Flores, a flag football world champion and league ambassador, was a fundamental part of Mexico’s gold medal win at the World Games in Birmingham, Ala., this past July. She will take the field as the offensive coordinator for the AFC in the Pro Bowl on February 5 of next year.