There were plenty of emotions running from every corner of the visiting locker room at Empower Field, after the New England Patriots pulled off a stunning upset win on Christmas Eve over the Denver Broncos.
At Mile High, which has been a house of horrors for past Bill Belichick-coached teams, quarterback Bailey Zappe led the Patriots offense on a seven-play, game-winning drive which was bookended by a 56-yard field goal from shaky rookie kicker Chad Ryland.
It was the unlikeliest of wins from the unlikeliest of heroes.
Zappe was cut by the Patriots initially before the start of the season, and Ryland looked to be on the verge of losing his starting job. Both stepped up when the team really needed it. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore also had a big night with three sacks and four quarterback hits on Russell Wilson.
A look inside of the Patriots’ locker room after the game was posted on the team’s social media pages. Special teams captain Matthew Slater, who missed the game with an injury, gave an epic post-game speech on Christmas, while also uplifting Ryland.
How do we feel about a Christmas Eve dub? pic.twitter.com/cUkUeVZJpB
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 25, 2023
With all of the talk going on outside of New England, the team has continued to fight hard and work together. Even with all of the uncertainty surrounding Belichick’s job status, the players haven’t stopped competing for him.
There clearly is no tanking with this group—never has been and never will be.
