Patriots vs Chiefs Recap: Best of Social Media Divisional Round
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New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
The defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots entered Saturday afternoon’s match up with the Kansas City Chiefs primarily healthy for the first time in over a month with the headliner wide receiver Julian Edelman returning to the field.
Julian Edelman leads the team out of the tunnel and sprints to the end zone with a fist pump for the crowd pic.twitter.com/odDFBAM81L
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) January 16, 2016
After missing practices and fears of another injury, tight end Rob Gronkowski was active, and made his presence known early. Scoring on the Patriots first drive of the game.
Brady in the red zone? You know how this ends #GronkSpike https://t.co/HcidBZfz6B
— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) January 16, 2016
Brady threw this 42 yard bomb to Keshawn Martin. Marin signed a two year extension earlier the same day.
Keshawn Martin 42 yard catch. pic.twitter.com/GOd88S9ghO
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD_) January 16, 2016
With the score 7-3 in favor of the Patriots, fans were treated to possibly one of the greatest runs in Tom Brady’s career.
#TB12 pic.twitter.com/uka08kCaQy
— Patriots Nation 𝕏 (@PatsNationTM) January 16, 2016
He was a little bit fired up afterwards.
https://twitter.com/justRVB/status/688493730517532672
The ruling on the field was he was a yard short of the goal line, but Brady would sneak it in a play later for the score. The Patriots jumped out to a 14-3 lead and this ridiculous statistic was passed around Twitter.
Brady now has as many career playoff rushing touchdowns as LaDainian Tomlinson.
— Chad Finn (@GlobeChadFinn) January 16, 2016
With the Chiefs driving following the Patriots score, Chandler Jones stepped up big following his controversial week by forcing this fumble on running back Knile Davis that was recovered by Dont’a Hightower.
This look like a forced fumble to you? pic.twitter.com/yvIg85L8F2
— Rich Hill (@PP_Rich_Hill) January 16, 2016
Gronkowski wasn’t finished as Brady would hit his favorite postseason target yet again in the end zone but this time it was historic. With eight minutes to go in the third, the Patriots had a comfortable 21-6 lead as the offense appeared to be back in form
Tom Brady PERFECT pump fake + Eric Berry bites =#GronkSpike. Again. #DoYourJob #KCvsNE https://t.co/9V32aYCTwG
— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2016
Lets dance.
Whoa pic.twitter.com/jnbkLJNhWj
— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2016
Gronk's 8 postseason touchdown catches are most by a tight end in NFL history
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 16, 2016
Stephen Gostkowski continues to break and set records.
Stephen Gostkowski passes Adam Vinatieri for most points scored in Patriots' postseason history (126). pic.twitter.com/HAwWXvdezw
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 17, 2016
With the score 27-13 late in the fourth quarter, safety Devin McCourty delivered this vicious legal hit on Chiefs receiver Chris Conley.
@BarstoolBigCat pic.twitter.com/Tsr4d1wA9p
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD_) January 17, 2016
His brother Jason was impressed.
Almost dropped my son celebrating when Dmac made that hit lol j/k (J-Mac)
— Devin&Jason McCourty (@McCourtyTwins) January 17, 2016
The Chiefs tried to make it interesting late in the fourth quarter by cutting the deficit to 27-20 but head coach Andy Reid’s clock management struggles returned.
https://twitter.com/NEPD_Loyko/status/688530992303321090
Andy Reid on the fourth-quarter clock management: "We went hurry-up on offense."
//Donovan McNabb pukes.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 17, 2016
they just bled over 5 minutes off the clock. Andy Reid gonna Andy Reid.
— shalise manza young (@shalisemyoung) January 17, 2016
I need a picture of Flavor Flav and his clock with Andy Reid's face.
— Greg A. Bedard (@GregABedard) January 17, 2016
In the end, the Patriots held on for a 27-20 final score to advance to the AFC Championship game for a fifth consecutive season following the recovery of an onside kick attempt.
Bill Belichick was celebrating…not really.
https://twitter.com/OnlyInBOS/status/688534644531310592
The players followed suit.
Great Win Pats…..#UnfinishedBusiness
— Malcolm CB Butler (@Mac_BZ) January 17, 2016
Good win and another check!!! #GoPats
— Jody Breeze (@Blafell1) January 17, 2016
Solid playoff win!! Atmosphere was electric! #PatriotsNation #Spikes
— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) January 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/689130083165024256/photo/1
The Patriots will travel to Denver for a date with Peyton Manning and the Broncos next Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.