The New England Patriots outlasted the Denver Broncos by a 26-23 score in a Christmas Eve showdown on Sunday.
At one point, the Patriots had a 23-7 lead, before the Broncos came roaring back. Nevertheless, New England was able to hold on in the end, courtesy of some late-game magic.
The victory came on a game-winning drive engineered by quarterback Bailey Zappe and the Patriots offense. Zappe went 25-of-33 on the night, throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Demario Douglas was the team’s leading receiver in this contest, catching five passes for 74 yards.
However, it was the leg of Chad Ryland that won the night, after he gifted his teammates with a game-winning, 56-yard field goal as an early holiday gift.
There were plenty of reactions to this game on Twitter, and here are some of the best ones: