Tom Brady is X factor in flawed AFC playoff field

Rookie running back Kenneth Dixon also had a strong showing, totaling 81 yards from scrimmage as he caught a career-high eight passes for 42 yards and one touchdown.

But not if they continue to be far less than flawless and not almost as good as advertised. Wait until after Baltimore the critics said. The Patriots will join the Cowboys in the playoffs if they can overcome the Broncos on Sunday.

New England has won three in a row and can wrap up the AFC East title for an eight consecutive season – which would be an National Football League record – with a win over Baltimore and a loss by Miami. And finally, fantasy football owners who held out hope on Dixon and kept him on their rosters, it seems as though his push to fantasy relevance has come at exactly the right time – the fantasy playoffs.

Tom Brady No.12 of the New England Patriots reacts during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Maybe it is time to change that narrative.

Baltimore’s top-ranked defense was not very ravenous as the Patriots carved it up. “That was obviously a big play, taking those points away”.

The comeback he was referring to was the Ravens coming back from a 23-3 deficit in the second half to make it a three-point game with 6:20 to play, before allowing a 74-yard touchdown play.

The Patriots prioritized stopping Pitta, who collected just 18 yards on 4 receptions. Figuratively in that the difference-maker came when he delivered a 79-yard bomb to wide receiver Chris Hogan with his team’s back against the wall in the fourth quarter.

As one might expect when up against the NFL’s top-ranked defense, the Patriots’ offensive performance was uneven – sometimes handsome, sometimes ugly. Make that seven now.

Baltimore rallied behind Joe Flacco’s 324 passing yards and got within 23-20 in the fourth quarter before Brady struck again. Those are some pretty impressive numbers for a team that has his number eh?

New England enters its final three regular season games in great position for an eighth straight AFC East crown.

Jones was not available to the media after the game, but Slater explained that while he can’t speak for the rookie, the rest of the team has no option but to help him through his mistakes. Flacco said as much in his postgame comments. He said they have to go up into a hostile place in New England that they really enjoyed playing. McClellin got a running start, timed the snap perfectly and made sure not to touch the snapper to avoid a penalty. Those turnovers could easily have cost the game against the Ravens, who are themselves play-off contenders. Flacco was forced to check down to the shorter stuff underneath where the Patriots were making the tackles short of the sticks.

Linebacker Shea McClellin showed his athleticism by box-jumping over his offensive line to block a 34-yard field goal. They had to burn a timeout in the first quarter when Hogan jogged off to get a hand injury checked out as a three-receiver package was called in, because they didn’t have a third receiver to line up.

The 9.1 is a slight improvement over last season’s Week 14 Monday night game between the Giants and Dolphins, which drew an 8.7 overnight rating.